Sports

Aaron Mooy makes young fan’s dream a reality

Australian soccer star Aaron Mooy has made a young fan's dream come true and scored in Huddersfield Town's Premier League loss to Leicester City within the space of 24 hours.

Seven-year-old Bella, from Texas, who lost her hair during chemotherapy treatment for brain cancer, was Huddersfield's special guest at their EPL home on Saturday.

She met the shaven-headed Mooy at The Terriers' Canalside training ground on Friday and walked out holding the Australian international's hand before kick-off against the Foxes.

"It was amazing to have her come to the training ground yesterday and she got to be my mascot today," Mooy said after the game.

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"It's an amazing thing for me and her; I think she enjoyed herself.

"It's sad and puts everything into perspective … It's sad, but I'm glad she got to come to the match."

Bella's father, Scott, described his daughter's adventure as "incredible" after she first spotted Mooy by chance last summer on television playing for the Socceroos at the World Cup.

"It's a remarkable story," Scott said.

"She was in chemotherapy. We watched a lot of Disney movies. She fell asleep and I turned the channel. I was watching the World Cup.

"Australia happened to be playing and I heard this little voice behind: 'I like that Mooy. He's like me' and pointed to her hair, or lack of it at that point, followed by: 'Is he on TV, is he on TV?'

"I looked him up online, found out who he was and that he was playing for Huddersfield, started following as a fan. We ended up buying her a kit.

"My wife posted a picture on social media of Bella in her kit. It got blasted all over the world and found its way into Mr Mooy's box."

Huddersfield and Mooy, who scored his side's only goal from the penalty spot in the 4-1 defeat, soon became aware of Bella's condition and invited the Dallas- based family to be VIP guests for the match.

The cost of the trip has been covered by Huddersfield-based company Paxman, who pioneered scalp-cooling technology to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss and has US offices in Texas.

Jamie Vardy bagged a brace in the win for Leicester, taking his tally to 15 for the season, while Youri Tielemans and James Maddison also scored to secure the Foxes' fifth win in six games.

Elsewhere in Premier League action, Burnley boosted their hopes of staying in the top tier with a 3-1 viRead More – Source

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