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England cruise 4-0 past Ukraine into the Euro 2020 semis

A flying start into both halves helped the Three Lions to knockout uninspired Ukraine 4-0 in the quarterfinals at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Saturday

England came off with a perfect start and opened the scoring with only four minutes into the game as Raheem Sterling’s fine through ball allowed Harry Kane to fire past Heorhiy Bushcan from very close range.

Ukraine needed some time to gain a foothold into the contest but had their first effort on target with 17 minutes played when Roman Yaremchuk unleashed a dangerous shot to test England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

However, it remained Ukraine’s only chance on target in the first 45 minutes as England controlled possession without creating clear-cut opportunities.

After the restart, the Three Lions gave the Ukrainians a mountain to climb as Harry Maguire doubled the advantage after nodding home Luke Shaw’s free kick into the box with two minutes into the second half.

eng-uka

England romp into Euro 2020 semis

Andriy Shevchenko’s side was shocked and unable to respond whereas relentless Englishman made it three in the 50th minute when Shaw’s second assist found Kane, who nutmegged Bushcan with a header from central position.

England controlled the proceedings for the remainder of the game as Ukraine lacked in ideas and penetration.

With the result, England advance into their first Euro semi since 1996 and will now return to Wembley to encounter in-form Denmark on home soil.

“It is a great feeling. Back-to-back semi-finals at a major tournament is a great achievement. I don’t want to be a party pooper, but we don’t stop here. We’ve got another big game coming up and we want to go further this time,” England defender Harry Maguire said.

“It is a special night for England. All players have staged a great performance in this tournament, but we have to continue and stay focussed,” England head coach Gareth Southgate said.

Published : July 04, 2021

By : xinhua

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Denmark see off Czech Republic at Euro 2020

enmark advanced into the semifinals at Euro 2020 following a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic here on Saturday.

The team whose victory at the 1992 tournament was regarded as a miracle, will play either Ukraine or England at London’s Wembley Stadium next Wednesday.

This was Denmark’s first quarterfinal at the European Championship since 2004, when they went down 3-0 against the Czechs, but they soon proved that the result just belonged to the past.

Denmark opened the scoring five minutes after the start when Thomas Delaney headed home Jens Stryger’s corner near the penalty spot.

The Czechs then managed to send many free kicks and crosses into the box, but Denmark defended well to maintain the scoreline.

Minutes before the end of the first half, Denmark launched an attack from the left flank with Joakim Maehle running deep to send in a wonderful cross. Kasper Dolberg cooly steered the ball into net to make it 2-0.

The Czech Republic pulled one back four minutes after the interval as center forward Patrik Schick tucked Vladimir Coufal’s cross into the bottom corner to grab his fifth goal of the tournament.

Denmark still had chances to score late in the second half but Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik made them fruitless with at leat two great saves.

However, the 2-1 victory was enough for Denmark to continue their Euro 2020 journey which has been quite emotional and unbelievable.

Denmark beat the Czech Republic 2-1 to reach the Euro 2020 semifinals

“We make history that we achieved the semifinal now,” Stryger said. “It’s been many many years ago since Denmark was there. … We know Denmark is going crazy right now.”

The Danes suffered a traumatizing moment when midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch due to cardiac arrest in the first half of their first group match against Finland in Copenhagen on June 12.

Denmark chose to resume the game later on but lost to Finland 1-0. Then they were defeated by Belgium 2-1, but thrashed Russia 4-1 in the last group match to advance into the knockout stage as the runners-up of Group B.

Prior to the victory over the Czech Republic, Denmark thrashed Wales 4-0 in the round of last 16.

Published : July 04, 2021

By : xinhua

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Italy march 2-1 past Belgium into Euro 2020 semifinals

Relentless Italians scored twice in the first half and advanced past Belgium 2-1 in an intense see-saw Euro 2020 quarterfinal encounter in the Football Arena Munich on Friday.

The Red Devils started brightly into the game and reaped their first chance with less than a minute played as Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had to defuse a dangerous attack from Romelu Lukaku.

Belgium were the more active team in the opening stages, yet Italy thought they had opened the scoring with their first chance, but Leonardo Bonucci’s goal was ruled offside by the video assistant referee with 13 minutes gone.

At the other end of the pitch, Donnarumma had to be on guard to deny Kevin De Bruyne’s promising strike on goal nine minutes later.

The Squadra Azzurra picked up the pace and made it two on the scoreboards after Lorenzo Insigne gave the ball a couple of touches before smashing it past hapless goalie Thibaut Courtois with two minutes remaining in the first half.

Belgium sparked to life just before the half time whistle as Italy defender Giovanni di Lorenzo felled Jeremy Doku inside the box to cause a foul play penalty. Lukaku stepped up and made no mistake to halve the deficit.

After the restart, Italy continued on the front foot while Belgium lacked in penetration and ideas. Both teams posed threat when they attacked and it was eventually Italy, who broke the deadlock as Belgium failed to clear the ball from their area allowing Nicolo Barella to slot home after shrugging off three defenders at the half hour mark.

Belgium had to wait until the hour mark to create their next clear-cut opportunity, but Lukaku and Thorgan Hazard missed Nacer Chadli’s sweeping cross to the far post.

With the result, Italy progress into the semifinals where they will clash with Spain in Wembley on Tuesday.

“I don’t think we suffered too much in any moment of the game. To beat a team like Belgium you need a great performance by everybody, and this is exactly what happened today,” Italy head coach Roberto Mancini said.

“It hits hard. We had two opportunities, but their keeper made a goodsave and I think we gave the first goal away a bit to easily. It really could have gone either way, but Italy deserved to win here,” Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said.

Published : July 03, 2021

By : xinhua

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Spain edge 10-man Switzerland in shoot-out to reach Euro 2020 semis

Three-time European champions Spain needed to fight until penalty shootout to see off 10-man Switzerland in St Petersburg on Friday, reaching the semifinals of the Euro 2020 by 4-2.

The two teams tied in 1-1 in regular time and couldn’t split after the extra time. But Spain finally wrapped it up by winning the penalty shot 3-1.

Spain led after eight minutes when Jordi Alba’s low shot outside the box was deflected by Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria’s leg, leaving goalkeeper Yann Sommer helpless but watching the ball whooshing into net.

In the 55th minute, Zakaria nearly cancelled his own goal but his shot was inches wide. Xherdan Shaqiri then nailed it as the Swiss captain calmly pushed Remo Freuler’s pass into net from close range in the the 68th minute.

But Switzerland’s momentum was short lived as Freuler was sent off in the 77th minute with a straight red hard for a sliding challenge on Gerard Moreno.

Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovic promptly made two changes and the 10-man Switzerland were tough enough to drag Spain into extra time.

Spain flooded to attack, but Sommer, who blocked French strike Kylian Mbappe’s penalty shot last Monday, pushed himself forward by making amazing saves one after another.

In a dramatic penalty shootout, Spain captain Sergio Busquets stepped up first but hit the left post.

Although Rodri also missed the target as Sommer dived to the right direction to block the shot. Switzerland could not kill another giant as they missed three penalty shots and Mikel Oyarzabal scored the decider for Spain.

Spain will face the winners between Belgium and Italy in London’s Wembley Stadium next Tuesday. Spain kept their dominance in possession all through into the second half but Switzerland, stunning world champions France in penalty shootout to reach the quarterfinals for the first time, were desperate to find their way back through counterattacks.

Published : July 03, 2021

By : xinhua

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Euro 2020 quarterfinals arrive amid coronavirus surge

The number of coronavirus cases has risen in Europe for the first time in 10 weeks, a trend that coincides with the return of crowded stadiums for the Euro 2020 quarterfinals and has prompted Germanys interior minister to condemn soccers governing body.

“UEFA’s position is utterly irresponsible,” Horst Seehofer told a news conference Thursday. “I cannot explain why UEFA is not being sensible . . . I suspect it is due to commercialism.”

Crowds have varied in size from completely full, with 60,000 in Budapest, to 10,000-15,000 (25%-45% capacity) in other stadiums since the tournament began June 11. Quarterfinal games Friday and Saturday will take place in Munich; St. Petersburg, Russia; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Rome. Crowds of 60,000 are expected for the semifinals next week in London’s Wembley Stadium and Hungary’s Puskas Arena. The final is July 11 in Wembley.

For its quarterfinal, St. Petersburg will allow its stadium, which seats 68,000, to be filled to 50% capacity. Roughly 40,000 were in Wembley for England’s match Tuesday against Germany, making that the largest crowd in Britain since the pandemic began. Wimbledon is taking place concurrently with 50% capacity on the grounds. Attendance will be allowed to increase as play continues, with 15,000 (full capacity) on Centre Court for the finals July 10 and 11.

Previous matches in Munich’s Allianz Arena were played before only 14,500 fans, all of whom were required to wear masks, observe social distancing and show proof of a negative coronavirus test.

UEFA, in a statement to Reuters, said it left it up to local officials to determine guidelines at every venue during June games. “The final decisions with regards to the number of fans attending matches and the entry requirements to any of the host countries and host stadiums fall under the responsibility of the competent local authorities, and UEFA strictly follows any such measures,” it said.

On Wednesday, Scottish officials linked nearly 2,000 cases to people who had traveled to London for Scotland’s June 18 game against England, although it is difficult to pinpoint where people had become infected and few of the record 3,887 cases reported Wednesday concerned people with symptoms. Scotland had been allocated 2,600 tickets for the Wembley match because of coronavirus restrictions, with 1,294 traveling to London and 397 going to the game.

Hans Kluge, regional director of the World Health Organization’s European region, noted Thursday that the rapid spread of the more contagious delta variant was partly attributable to summer travel and relaxing of social distancing. “This is taking place in the context of a rapidly evolving situation,” Kluge said. “And in a region where, despite tremendous efforts by member states, millions remain unvaccinated.”

In Friday’s quarterfinals, Switzerland plays Spain in St. Petersburg and Belgium plays Italy in Munich. On Saturday, the Czech Republic plays Denmark in Baku and Ukraine and England play in Rome.

Published : July 02, 2021

By : The Washington Post · Cindy Boren

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Stricter guidelines for Games training camps to be adopted

TOKYO – Government guidelines for local authorities that host foreign athletes will be revised to strengthen measures against COVID-19, The Yomiuri Shimbun has learned.

The new guidelines are expected to stipulate that if a member of a foreign delegation for the Tokyo Olympics or Paralympics is found during their stay in Japan to be infected, all other members staying together — including athletes and coaches — will be quarantined and they will be required to suspend their training.

The government will soon announce the revised guidelines to local governments that will host foreign delegations.

According to the draft guidelines, if even one athlete is infected, all members of a foreign delegation will be quarantined in facilities such as hotel rooms. They will not be allowed to resume their activities until it is confirmed that they have not had close contact with the infected person, and that they have tested negative for COVID-19.

To prevent the virus from spreading to local communities where athletes are training, the guidelines will call on foreign delegations to monitor members’ behavior and health from 14 days before they arrive in Japan.

The guidelines will further ask delegation members to refrain from talking during meals when they eat in groups, and urge local government officials to avoid close contact with them.

If a delegation member tests positive during quarantine checks at an airport, members who are suspected of having close contact with the infected person will be identified at the airport based on where they sat on the plane and who they were in close contact with before entering Japan. They will travel to their host municipality on a separate bus.

Delegation members will use buses with toilets and refrain from visiting service areas along roads where they may come into contact with local people. In principle, they will be required to wear masks on buses, and curtains or other partitions will be placed inside the buses. Drivers and local government officials who accompany delegation members will not share toilets with them.

The government presented the current guidelines to local authorities in November last year. However, officials recognized the need to strengthen measures against COVID-19 after a member of Uganda’s Olympic delegation, which arrived in Japan earlier this month, tested positive at the airport. Infection spread as a result of allowing the delegation to move without confirming who had been in close contact with the infected person.

As of Tuesday, 530 local governments had registered to accept foreign delegations from 184 countries and regions. However, a senior official of the Cabinet Secretariat said foreign athletes have often gone directly to the athletes village in Tokyo, without visiting their host towns.

As a result of the spread of virus variants, a growing number of local governments are deciding to call off their hosting of foreign athletes, the official said.

Published : July 01, 2021

By : Syndication Washington Post, Japan News

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England now favourites as Thailand cheers Euros late into night

Media around the world are tipping England to win the Euro 2020 football championship after the team roared past Germany into the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

England beat old foes Germany 2-0 at Wembley, where fans went berserk as Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane scored goals in the second half of a tight and tension-filled match.

For a place in the final, England must beat Ukraine in the quarterfinals on Saturday (early Sunday, Thai time), followed by the Czech Republic or Denmark in the semi-finals next Wednesday.

The final will be played on July 11 at Wembley, the same stadium where England won the World Cup in 1966.

On the other side of the draw, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium and Italy will battle for a place in the final. Spain have won the Euros three times and Italy once, while Belgium are ranked No 1 in the world by Fifa and giant-killers Switzerland eliminated favourites France in the last round.

Euro 2020 quarter-finals (kick-offs Thai time):

Switzerland vs Spain – July 2, 11pm

Italy vs Belgium – July 3, 2am

Denmark vs Czech Republic – July 3, 11pm

England vs Ukraine – July 4, 2am

England now favourites as Thailand cheers Euros late into night

Football fans in Thailand can watch the matches live on NBT channel.

Published : June 30, 2021

By : The Nation

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Ukraines extra time winner knocked out Sweden in Euro 2020 last 16

Ukraine advanced into the EURO 2020 quarterfinals for a second time after after overpowering ten-men Sweden by courtesy on Artem Dovbyks last-gasp extra time winner at Hampden Park in Glasgow on Tuesday.

Alast-gasp extra time winner from Artem Dovbyk helps Ukraine win 2-1 over Sweden to reach Euro 2020 quarterfinals.

The Ukrainians started cautiously into the match and let Sweden to pass the ball around.

Despite dominating possession Sweden wasn’t able to pose a lot of threat to Ukraine’s rock-solid defence hence only Alexander Isak came close with a long-range effort in the 20th minute.

Andriy Shevchenko’s side showed no mercy and clinically opened the scoring seven minutes later when Andrey Yarmolenko’s shot with the outside of the boot allowed Oleksandr Zinchenko to break the deadlock against the flow of the game.

The Swedes remained unimpressed and responded well as Ukraine goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushcan had to stretch to defuse Sabastian Larsson’s dangerous set piece moments later.

Sweden continued offensively minded and got rewarded with the equalizer just before the break as Emil Forsberg had enough time and space to drill the ball from 23 meters past Bushcan into the bottom right corner.

After the restart, both sides came out highly motivated and created chances at both ends of the pitch as Serhiy Sydorchuk and Forsberg rattled the right post in quick succession.

Ukraine focussed on counterattacks while Sweden remained a constant menace with Forsberg, who hit the crossbar from 16 meters in the 69th minute.

Sweden had even the golden chance to seal the deal within 90 minutes but for all that Dejan Kulusevski missed the target from inside the box with only Bushcan to beat.

In the extra time, Sweden had to swallow a heavy setback as Marcus Danielson was sent off for a rude foul play in the 99th minute.

Outnumbered Swedes defended well and hoped to rescue themselves into the penalty shootout, but their resilience got broken in the injury time of the extra time as Zinchenko’s pinpoint cross into the box found Dovbyk, who nodded home the 2-1 decider from very close range.

“Both teams played very well. It was an interesting match. Neither side wanted to lose so we got this drama at the end. With this performance and commitment, our team has deserved the love of the whole country,” said Ukraine head coach Andriy Shevchenko.

With the result, Ukraine will clash with England in the quarterfinal in Rome on Saturday.

Published : June 30, 2021

By : Xinhua

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2 goals from Sterling – Kane, England send Germany home in Euro 2020 last 16

Thanks to second-half 2 goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane, England overcame Germany 2-0 at Wembley to reach Euro 2020 quarterfinals. England end a 55-year wait for a knockout tie victory over Germany

Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane’s second-half goals helped England overcome Germany 2-0 at Wembley on Tuesday, reaching the quarterfinals at the Euro 2020.

In their last European Championship knockout meeting, England were defeated by final winners Germany in the semifinal at Wembley in 1996 after a shootout. Current England manager Gareth Southgate was the one that missed the crucial penalty shot.

The Three Lions didn’t need to wait until the shootout to take revenge as an in-form Sterling sensationally broke the deadlock in the second half before Kane added a second to seal the win.

Both teams changed their formations to improve defence for the eye-catching match in London with Germany dominating the first 15 minutes.

England endured the pressure and found their way to control the game. Their best chance in the first half came when Sterling’s powerful shot from the middle forced Manuel Neuer to leap across the goal to parry it away and Maguire’s header later was saved comfortably by the German captain.

After a goalless draw with intensive challenges for balls in the middle, Southgate sent Jack Grealish on pitch and the Aston Villa playmaker helped England to gear up in attacking.

In the 75th minute, Sterling, who scored the winners against Croatia and the Czech Republic in the group stage, briskly sent Luke Shaw’s low cross into net from close range.

More than 40,000 England fans rocked the stadium with roars and stomps and Kane gave them another chance to celebrate wildly.

In the 86th minute, Grealish’s smart cross found Kane in the box, the England captain nodded home from close range to nail the win for the Three Lions.

“We knew we needed to put a big performance in against a very good side, and I think we did that today,” said Sterling. “We knew the intensity that we can play at, not a lot of teams can deal with it. “

England will face the winners between Sweden and Ukraine in Rome on Saturday.

Published : June 30, 2021

By : Xinhua

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Tour de France cyclists protest road safety after crash-marred stage

The flash of passing cyclists paused briefly at the start of the fourth day of the Tour de France Tuesday as riders protested road conditions after a number of crashes marred the third stage.

Riders, many of whom bore scrapes and bandages after those crashes Monday, stopped for a minute at the start of the 93.5-mile Stage 4 ride from Redon to Fougeres, stepping off their bikes and waiting silently before resuming their ride.

The gesture came after several riders criticized race organizers for what they considered to be a dangerous route for a sprint to the Stage 3 finish line in western Brittany. Caleb Ewan, winner of two stages last year, was knocked out of the race with a collarbone broken in four places, and he brought down Peter Sagan as the stage drew to a close.

Philippe Gilbert, a Belgian rider and Ewan’s Lotto Soudal teammate, said in a video that riders “had analyzed the route and saw that the finale was extremely dangerous,” adding that ASO, the race organizer, supported their request to temper frenzied finishes and jostling by stopping the timing of riders three kilometers from the finish line. “But the UCI [cycling’s governing body] commissaires did not accept the request, it was rejected in the morning at the start of the race.”

He called the decision “a big mistake from the people who approved this route” but noted that the cyclists’ scout teams bore some responsibility for not speaking up.

American rider Brandon McNulty called the scene Monday “a bit of a disgrace for everyone – too many crashes – but it is what it is.”

During the opening stage Saturday, there were two big pileups, the first of which was caused by a spectator. Marc Madiot, a sports director from the Groupama FDJ team, was alarmed by the sight of riders sprawled across the pavement in both instances. “My wife does not want to see my son on a bike,” he said Saturday. “It’s been years that we are talking about (safety), we need to find solutions. It’s not bike racing anymore. One day there will be dead people.”

Thierry Gouvenou, who is in charge of the Tour route, pointed out that there are increasing challenges for organizers. “There are no longer any medium-sized towns without a small island, roundabout or narrowing,” he told L’Equipe (via the Associated Press). “Ten years ago, there were 1,100 dangerous points on the Tour de France. This year, there are 2,300. If the level of demand becomes too great, there will be no more finishes. That’s where we are.”

In a statement, the cyclists’ union said it had requested a meeting with the Union Cycliste Internationale and race officials. “Following the crashes during the third stage of the Tour de France, the riders have been discussing how they wish to proceed to show their dissatisfaction with safety measures in place and demand their concerns are taken seriously. Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous,” the Cyclistes Professionnels Associés, which is recognized by the UCI, said in a statement.

“Their frustration about foreseeable and preventable action is enormous. They wish to stress their respect for their sponsors, their sports groups, the organizer, their international institutions. Supporters are very important to them – and this is why they will be riding today.

“In return, the riders of the Tour de France ask for the same respect – respect for their safety.”

As riders began Stage 4, they bore signs of Monday’s crashes. Primož Roglič of the Jumbo-Visma had a number of white bandages on his arms and legs Tuesday from another crash, unrelated to the finish line chaos, with Jack Haig of Bahrain Victorious. Geraint Thomas also of the Uneos Grenadiers team dislocated his shoulder in a crash that followed a collision, but was able to continue when a medic popped it back into place.

Published : June 30, 2021

By : The Washington Post · Cindy Boren