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BRAZIL’S NEYMAR WANTS TO FACE ARGENTINA IN COPA AMERICA FINAL

Brazil's Neymar celebrates after scoring a penalty against Ecuador during their South American qualification football match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the Jose Pinheiro Borda stadium, better known as Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on June 4, 2021. (Photo by SILVIO AVILA / AFP) (Photo by SILVIO AVILA/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil forward Neymar said he hopes Argentina will be their opponents in the Copa America final and has no doubts that the hosts would come out on top against their fierce rivals.

Brazil beat Peru 1-0 in Monday’s semifinal in Rio de Janeiro thanks to a 35th minute goal from Lucas Paqueta to book their spot in Saturday’s decider at the Maracana stadium.

The second semifinal between Argentina and Colombia is on Tuesday.

“I want Argentina, I am cheering them on,” Neymar said with a smile. “I have friends there and in the final Brazil will win.”

The last time the two sides met in a Copa America final was in 2007, when Brazil won 3-0 in Venezuela, and a title match between the arch rivals would be a treat for the neutrals.

It would not only pit the tournament’s only unbeaten teams against each other it would also be a showdown between two of the best No. 10s in the game, former Barcelona teammates Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Both players have had an exceptional tournament so far, with Neymar recording two goals and three assists, while Messi has four goals and four assists.

Brazil are reigning champions and have home advantage at a tournament that was supposed to be co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia.

Colombia was stripped of hosting rights due to a wave of civil unrest and Argentina pulled out at the last minute because of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Neymar missed Brazil’s Copa America triumph on home soil two years ago but inspired them to the 2013 Confederations Cup as well as Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Messi, meanwhile, has won everything with his club Barcelona but no senior title with Argentina, who are aiming to win a first major trophy since the 1993 Copa America.

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SERGIO RAMOS SET FOR PSG MEDICALS ON TUESDAY

Sergio Ramos will undergo a medical in Paris on Tuesday ahead of joining Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent, sources say.

Sources added that the veteran defender agreed to join the Ligue 1 giants on a two-year deal.

Ramos, 35, announced last month that he would leave Real Madrid after failing to reach an agreement to extend his 16-year stay in the Spanish capital.

Manchester City and Bayern Munich had shown an interest in acquiring the Spain international, but the experienced centre-back preferred PSG’s project.

Ramos didn’t strike an agreement with Madrid due to discrepancies over the length of the deal. Los Blancos were only willing to offer one year and by the time Ramos agreed to accept the club’s proposal he was told the deadline had expired.

Ramos had wanted a two-year deal. His wages at PSG are set to be lower than what he was earning in Spain and what he would have earned had he stayed at the Bernabeu.

Ramos will land in Paris just hours after the arrival of his former Real Madrid teammate Achraf Hakimi. Hakimi, 22, is expected to join PSG on a €70m transfer from Inter Milan, sources have told ESPN.

The Morocco international posted a message on Twitter on Monday hinting that he was on his way to the French capital.

The arrival of Ramos and Hakimi will further strengthen Mauricio Pochettino’s squad that already includes defenders Presnel Kimpembe, Marquinhos and Thilo Kehrer.

Pochettino was eager to strengthen his defensive line that proved to be their weak spot last season when they were eliminated by Manchester City in the semifinal stages of the Champions League.

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BRAZIL OFF TO COPA AMERICA FINAL AFTER TOUGH WIN AGAINST PERU

Brazil's Lucas Paqueta (L) celebrates with Brazil's Neymar (C) and Brazil's Richarlison after scoring against Chile during their Conmebol 2021 Copa America football tournament quarter-final at the Nilton Santos Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 2, 2021. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP) (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil reached the Copa America final after a first-half goal from Lucas Paqueta — his second in two games — gave them a 1-0 win over Peru on Monday.

The host nation will play the winner of Tuesday’s other semifinal between Argentina and Colombia in the title decider at the Maracana stadium on Saturday.

Brazil have won the Copa America every time they hosted the tournament and in the early part of Monday’s match showed exactly why they are favourites to do so again.

Within the first 20 minutes Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made two point-blank saves in succession from Neymar and Richarlison plus another two blocks when Casemiro tried his luck from further out.

With Paqueta, who scored the winner in their 1-0 quarterfinal win over Chile, a standout in midfield, Brazil played some intricate, audacious football, replete with flicks, nutmegs and backheels but it took them 35 minutes to break the deadlock.

Neymar beat three men on the left and clipped the ball across goal for Paqueta to volley home from 10 metres.

“It was a very tough game, very hard fought,” Paqueta said. “They are a very strong side but we managed to make it through a difficult spell.”

Neymar was quick to sing his team mate’s praises and said there was more to come.

“Paqueta is a great player, he’s getting better with each game,” he added. “He had a great season with his club and here he is showing that he can be a very important player for Brazil.”

While Brazil were in the ascendancy in the opening period it was a different story in the second half as the introduction of Marcos Lopez and Raziel Garcia at the break shook Peru awake.

Losing finalists in 2019, Peru pushed forward in search of an equaliser with Gianluca Lapadula forcing Ederson into a key block, with the Brazil goalkeeper looking uneasy on a couple of other occasions.

Peru pinned Brazil back for long spells of the second half but could not make their possession count as the home side extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.

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CRYSTAL PALACE APPOINT ARSENAL LEGEND, PATRICK VIEIRA AS THEIR NEW MANAGER

Crystal Palace have appointed Patrick Vieira as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The former Arsenal captain replaces Roy Hodgson, who stepped down at the end of last season after four years at the helm.

Vieira has signed a contract until the summer of 2024 and accepts his third role in senior management.

Vieira told the club’s official website: “I am really excited to have this opportunity to return to the Premier League, and manage this great football club, as we begin a new chapter together.

“It is a project that is really appealing to me, having spoken a lot with the chairman and sporting director about their ambition and plans for the whole club, including the academy.

“The club has fantastic foundations in place after many years in the Premier League, and I hope we can make further improvements and continue to drive the club forward.

“I am also very excited to experience the atmosphere the club’s supporters make at Selhurst Park and away from home too, and I know just how important that can be for the team.”

Most recently the 45-year-old was in charge of Nice but was sacked by the Ligue 1 side in December following a poor run of form.

During two-and-a-half seasons with the club dubbed the Eaglets, Vieira led them to seventh and fifth-place finishes but the latter occurred after the 2019-20 campaign was curtailed early due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As a player, the former France international became a household name during a nine-year stay with Arsenal under Arsene Wenger where he helped them win three Premier League titles and captained the Gunners to an unprecedented unbeaten league campaign.

Spells at Inter Milan and Manchester City during the latter part of his career on the pitch brought further trophies before the World Cup and European Championship winner turned his hand to coaching.

Upon retiring in 2011, Vieira accepted a role at the Etihad Stadium with Man City’s academy before he took over at New York City in 2016.

Impressive progress was achieved with the side owned by the City Football Group in the MLS before a move to Nice occurred two years later.

While it ended in France with fan protests, it was not long ago Vieira was linked with the Arsenal job, but he will need to hit the ground running at Selhurst Park.

Palace start the new season away to Chelsea on August 14 and face Tottenham, Liverpool, Leicester plus his old side the Gunners in the opening two months of the campaign.

The new Eagles boss will also have to deal with a big turnover of players after several departed at the end of the last term, while the ageing squad remains in desperate need of reinforcements.

Predecessor Hodgson brought stability to extend Palace’s run in the Premier League to nine consecutive seasons and while this is a step into the unknown for chairman Steve Parish and co, they will hope it is the beginning of a new era for a club that is used to battling relegation.

Parish said: “I’m delighted and excited that Patrick has agreed to join Crystal Palace as our manager following successfully learning his trade at the City Group, and experiencing positive managerial spells at New York City and then Nice, who he led to the Europa League.”

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BARCELONA WINGER, FRANCISCO TRINCAO JOINS WOLVES ON SEASON-LONG LOAN

Barcelona winger Francisco Trincao has joined Wolves on a season-long loan with an option to make the deal permanent, the Spanish club announced on Sunday.

The 21-year-old is the latest Barca prospect to leave the club this summer, with defender Jean-Clair Todibo and winger Konrad De La Fuente having left the Camp Nou on permanent deals.

Trincao has made 43 appearances for Barca since joining from Braga for €31 million last year, scoring two goals and three assists.

The Portugal U-21 international has six senior caps, although he was not included his country’s Euro 2020 squad. He joins a strong Portuguese contingent at Wolves, having played alongside six of his new teammates in the national side.

“We’ve watched him a lot, especially over the last couple of months, so he’s been on our radar for quite a while,” Wolves technical director Scott Sellars said in a statement.

“He’s got loads of quality — signing for Barcelona from Braga shows what potential he’s got. He’s 21 and has played quite a lot of games in La Liga, so we think he’s ready for the Premier League.”

Tirincao is the first signing under new Wolves manager Bruno Lage, who came in after Nuno Espirito Santo left at the end of last season before becoming the Tottenham boss on Wednesday.

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ARGENTINA BEAT ECUADOR TO REACH COPA AMERICA SEMI-FINALS

Lionel Messi scored a free kick and served up two assists as Argentina beat Ecuador 3-0 on Saturday to set themselves up for a Copa America semifinal against Colombia.

Messi missed a golden chance in the first half but set up Rodrigo De Paul five minutes before half-time and then did the same for Lautaro Martinez five minutes from the end to give Argentina a deserved victory.

The Barcelona player then got his second free kick off the tournament in stoppage time to round out a scoreline that was more convincing than the performance.

It was his 76th goal for Argentina, taking him to within one of Pele’s South American record.

“I’ve always said that individual prizes are secondary, we’re here for something else,” Messi said. “We have an objective and we’re focused on that.”

“It was a hard match, we know how difficult an opponent they can be. The important thing is we’ve taken another step forward.”

Argentina were unbeaten in 17 games coming into the game and they should have put the result beyond doubt earlier than they did.

Martinez and German Pezzella both came close in the opening 20 minutes and Hernan Galindez made one superb double save from Nicolas Gonzalez with the score at 1-0.

More surprisingly, Messi missed the best chance of the game when he was through on the keeper but saw his shot come back off the post.

However, the diminutive striker made up for it five minutes before half-time when, with the Ecuadoran goalkeeper stranded after making a tackle outside the box, he fed De Paul, who stroked the ball into the net for his first international goal in 25 appearances.

Messi then set up Martinez to finish clinically five minutes from the end, before stepping up himself to curl home a free kick in stoppage time, after Piero Hincapie hauled down Angel Di Maria and was shown a red card.

Underdogs Ecuador came into the match without a win in their last six games but they had chances to score against a team seeking their first Copa America triumph since 1993.

Enner Valencia in particular will be angry at himself for sending two glancing headers wide from close in during the first 45 minutes.

The result means Argentina will face Colombia, who overcame Uruguay on penalties earlier in the day, in the second Copa America semifinal on Tuesday.

Brazil play Peru in the first semifinal 24 hours before.

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RAPHAEL VARANE AGREES PERSONAL TERMS TO JOIN MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United have reached an agreement over personal terms with Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane ahead of a summer move. The two clubs, however, are still yet to agree on a transfer fee for the Frenchman.

Varane has grown into one of the most successful defenders in the game during his ten-year stint with Real Madrid. Having arrived as a teenager from RC Lens in 2011, the 28-year-old grew into a stalwart at the Santiago Bernabeu, going on to win as many as three La Liga titles and four UEFA Champions League trophies, among other honours.

But as he enters the final year of his contract with Los Blancos, Varane has his sights set on a new challenge this summer, with Manchester United emerging as the likeliest destination. The report claims that the Red Devils have made multiple approaches over the past four years, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has wanted to make the switch in the past, only to be convinced to stay put by Zinedine Zidane.

However, with Zidane no longer the manager, Varane has made up his mind to leave and, to that end, is believed to have turned down a four-year contract offer worth a net €7 million per season.

Instead, the France international seemingly has his heart set on a transfer to Manchester United, with whom he is already to said to have reached a ‘pre-agreement’ over personal terms. Indeed, the report claims that Varane has agreed a five-year deal with the 20-time English champions as part of which he will pocket a handsome €12 million per season, a figure that Real Madrid were unwilling to match.

What now remains is that the two clubs agree on a transfer fee for the World Cup winner, contrary to what previous reports have claimed. Manchester United are willing to offer €45 million to secure Varane’s signing. But Real Madrid are holding out for a €60 million fee and would be open to doing a deal for €55 million plus €5 million in add-ons.

It remains to be seen if Manchester United are willing to raise their offer to match Real Madrid’s demands in the coming weeks. As for Varane, the 28-year-old is understood to be ready to force a transfer to Old Trafford if the Merengues do not relent from their current demands, which boosts the Red Devils’ chances of landing him.

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MEXICO THRASH HOME BASED EAGLES 4-0 IN PREPARATION FOR CONCACAF GOLD CUP

Mexico eased past Nigeria 4-0 in Los Angeles on Saturday night in El Tri’s final preparation match ahead of next week’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Goals from Rogelio Funes Mori, Jonathan dos Santos, and a Hector Herrera brace, made for a comfortable victory for Mexico in front of 53,258 fans at the Coliseum.

An unmarked Herrera opened the scoring for Mexico within two minutes of the opening whistle, turning in Jesus Corona’s corner at the far post.

Less than 90 seconds later, Mexico were 2-0 up after Funes Mori made the most of Hirving Lozano’s scuffed shot and fired past Nigeria keeper Stanley Nwabali.

Herrera added his second in the 52nd minute before Dos Santos rounded off the night with a controlled finish 12 minutes from time.

Mexico will face off against Curacao, El Salvador and a qualifier are in Group A when the Gold Cup group stage kicks off on July 10. Group B sees the U.S., Martinique, Canada and a qualifier; Costa Rica, Jamaica, Suriname and a qualifier are in Group C; and Grenada, Honduras, Panama and invited guest Qatar are in Group D.

The top two nations in each group advance. The final is Aug. 1 in Las Vegas.

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HARRY KANE SCORES BRACE, AS ENGLAND THRASH UKRAINE 4-0 TO SAIL INTO EURO SEMI-FINALS

Harry Kane struck twice as England thrashed Ukraine 4-0 on Saturday to reach their first European Championship semifinal since 1996 and set up a clash with Denmark.

The England captain raced onto a Raheem Sterling through ball to fire in the opener from close range after four minutes at the Stadio Olimpico, England’s earliest goal in a Euros match since 2004.

Harry Maguire headed home a second less than a minute into the second half and Kane soon nodded in his side’s third as Ukraine’s resistance crumbled.

Substitute Jordan Henderson completed the rout with his first international goal to ensure England’s comfortable passage into the last four.

Gareth Southgate’s side will face Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday for a place in the final after the Danes defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in Baku.

Fans had barely settled in their seats by the time England took the lead with a well-worked move.

Sterling cut in off the left wing and slid a through ball into a pocket of space behind the defence for Kane to race through and guide into the net with a neat finish.

Ukraine mustered their first effort when Kyle Walker gave the ball away in midfield and Roman Yaremchuk raced through to draw a good save by Jordan Pickford from a tight angle, while England’s Declan Rice and Jadon Sancho had shots beaten away by Georgiy Bushchan before halftime.

But England flexed their muscles after the break and ended the game as a contest within five minutes of the restart, helped by two fine assists from Luke Shaw.

The left-back whipped a free-kick onto Maguire’s head for a close-range finish in the first minute of the second half before steering a perfect delivery towards Kane for a simple close-range header four minutes later.

The goal sent Kane level with Alan Shearer as England’s second-top scorer at major tournaments with nine goals, behind Gary Lineker on 10, and he was denied a hat-trick when his ferocious volley was palmed away by the diving Bushchan.

England made it four from the resulting corner when Ukraine again failed to deal with a set-piece delivery as Henderson nodded in from six yards to score his first goal for his country on his 62nd cap.

“There was a lot of pressure on us as we were favourites to win this game. To perform like we did tonight, a clean sheet, four goals, it was the perfect night,” Kane said.

Maguire was proud of England’s accomplishment but wasn’t satisfied.

“It’s a great feeling — back-to-back semifinals 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,” Maguire said.

“We had good parts of the game, but set pieces did not work very well for us today,” said Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko. “I am really happy with how the team performed. I want to thank the players for their attitude today.”

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ITALY OUTSHINES FAVORITES BELGIUM TO REACH EURO 2020 SEMI-FINAL

Lorenzo Insigne fired Italy into the Euro 2020 semi-finals as perennial favourites Belgium were once again cast in the role of bridesmaid.

The Napoli frontman’s sumptuous 44th-minute strike ultimately settled a thrilling heavyweight battle in Munich and booked the Italians a last-four showdown with Spain at Wembley.

FIFA’s number one-ranked side once again exited a major tournament without the prize they crave.

Nicolo Barella had fired Roberto Mancini’s side into a 31st-minute lead which Insigne doubled and, although Romelu Lukaku’s penalty in first-half stoppage time had given the Belgians hope, they could not get themselves back on level terms.

Italy extended their unbeaten run to 32 games and became the first team to win 15 consecutive European Championship matches.

After a cagey start, Italy thought they had taken a 13th-minute lead when defender Leonardo Bonucci bundled home a free-kick, although a VAR check ruled the goal out.

It then took a superb save by Gianluigi Donnarumma to deny Kevin De Bruyne nine minutes later after he had broken at pace and cut inside before unleashing a fierce left-foot shot which the keeper clawed away at full stretch.

Donnarumma had to be equally resilient four minutes later to repel Lukaku’s curling attempt after De Bruyne had sprinted from his own half and sent him in on goal.

Italy’s response was concerted with Federico Chiesa starting to make an impression, but it was Inter Milan midfielder Barella who broke the deadlock with 14 minutes of the first half remaining.

He collected Marco Verratti’s pass and shifted the ball on to his right foot before thumping it past the helpless Thibaut Courtois.

Courtois was beaten for a second time within three minutes when Insigne stroked an arcing attempt beyond his despairing dive, but the deficit was halved in stoppage time.

Eden Hazard’s 19-year-old replacement Jeremy Doku went down in the box under Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s challenge and Lukaku blasted home the resulting spot-kick to keep his side in the contest.

The Italians did not seem unduly concerned by the setback as they resumed after the break very much on the front foot with Chiesa once again prominent, but with Doku’s pace a constant threat on the counter.

It was he who played De Bruyne into space to cross for Lukaku at the far post with 61 minutes gone, but as the striker waited for the net to bulge, full-back Leonardo Spinazzola made a vital block.

Spinazzola might have increased Italy’s lead had he been able to make meaningful contact with Insigne’s cross at the other end five minutes later, but his night ended prematurely when he was carried from the field on a stretcher with a muscle injury.

Roberto Martinez’s men laid siege to the Italian box as time ran down, but there was no way back as Donnarumma and his defence held commendably firm.