Tag: Euro 2020

Categories
football Sports News

ENGLAND FA SLAMS RACIST ABUSE FROM WEMBLEY FANS AFTER ENGLAND LOSS

England’s Football Association released a statement in the early hours of Monday morning condemning the online racist abuse of players following the team’s penalty shootout loss to Italy in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final.

The sides drew 1-1 after extra time, and Italy won the shootout 3-2, with England player

“The FA strongly condemns all forms of discrimination and is appalled by the online racism that has been aimed at some of our England players on social media,” the statement said.

“We could not be clearer that anyone behind such disgusting behaviour is not welcome in following the team. We will do all we can to support the players affected while urging the toughest punishments possible for anyone responsible.”

The England team also released a statement condemning the abuse directed at its players on social media.

“We’re disgusted that some of our squad — who have given everything for the shirt this summer — have been subjected to discriminatory abuse online after tonight’s game,” the team tweeted.

British police said they would investigate the posts.

“We are aware of a number of offensive and racist social media comments being directed towards footballers following the #Euro2020 final,” the Metropolitan Police tweeted.

“This abuse is totally unacceptable, it will not be tolerated and it will be investigated.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also condemned the abuse:

He said: “This England team deserve to be lauded as heroes, not racially abused on social media.

“Those responsible for this appalling abuse should be ashamed of themselves.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan called on social media companies to remove such content from their platforms.

“Those responsible for the disgusting online abuse we have seen must be held accountable — and social media companies need to act immediately to remove and prevent this hate,” Khan said in a tweet.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

QUEEN ELIZABETH SENDS GOOD WISHES TO ENGLAND MANAGER AHEAD EURO 2020 FINAL

Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of support to England national football team manager Gareth Southgate on Saturday, the evening before England’s showdown with Italy at Wembley Stadium in London.

“55 years ago I was fortunate to present the World Cup to Bobby Moore and saw what it meant to the players, management and support staff to reach and win the final of a major international football tournament,” the Queen said, referencing England’s 1966 World Cup win.

“I want to send my congratulations and that of my family to you all on reaching the final of the European Championships, and send my good wishes for tomorrow with the hope that history will record not only your success but also the spirit, commitment and pride with which you have conducted yourselves.”

England reached its first men’s major tournament final in 55 years after after beating Denmark 2-1 in a gripping encounter on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium.

The national team will face Italy on Sunday. The Italians have look strong throughout the tournament, but England hopes a home-field advantage will inspire it to a historic victory. About 65,000 fans are expected.

Goldman Sachs predicts that England has a 58% chance of defeating Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Categories
football Sports News

EURO 2020: ENGLAND FINED €30,000 AFTER LASER SHONE AT DENMARK GOALKEEPER

UEFA have fined England’s Football Association (FA) €30,000 after a laser pointer was shone at Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel during what proved to be the deciding moment of their Euro 2020 semi-final.

Television footage showed Schmeichel was targeted by a spectator using a green laser as England captain Harry Kane stepped up for a penalty in extra time to give the home side a 2-1 win in Wednesday’s match at Wembley.

UEFA had opened disciplinary proceedings against England on Thursday. The FA was also charged following disturbance during the national anthems and for the setting off of fireworks.

Fans booed when Denmark’s national anthem was played before kickoff. Jeers were also heard when the German anthem was played at Wembley last week, when England beat Joachim Loew’s side in the round of 16.

England are looking to win their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup and play Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley on Sunday.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

BORIS JOHNSON MAY DECLARE BANK HOLIDAY IN ENGLAND IF TEAM WINS EURO 2020

Boris Johnson is poised to call an extra bank holiday if England win Sunday’s football final at Wembley, as the British government is being urged to publish safety data about previous Euro 2020 matches.

Asked whether he could declare Monday a bank holiday in the event of an England win, the prime minister said: “I think that would be tempting fate; let’s see what happens.”

His official spokesperson later added: “I don’t want to pre-empt the outcome of Sunday’s match. Clearly we want England to go all the way and win the final, and then we will set out our plans in due course.”

Downing Street sources suggested the timing of the match meant it would be much too late to give fans an emergency day off next Monday – but other options were being considered.

Asked whether bosses should allow their staff the day off to celebrate after watching the crucial tie, Johnson’s spokesperson said: “We would want businesses who feel able to consider it if they can, but we recognise it will vary depending on the business and company.”

The UK prime minister, not previously known as a football fan, attended Wednesday’s semi-final with his wife, wearing an England shirt apparently over his office attire, and with a suit jacket on top.

The British government has extended pub licensing hours to 11.15pm on Sunday to allow the public to watch the match, and celebrate or drown their sorrows afterwards.

Meanwhile, questions have continued to be raised about the safety of allowing so many fans to watch the match in person during a pandemic. The England-Italy tie will be held in front of a 60,000-strong crowd – the same as Wednesday’s semi-final.

Seven earlier matches in the tournament were held as part of the British government’s events research programme, set up to test the safety of mass gatherings.

The British shadow sports minister, Alison McGovern, said data about the safety of these matches should be produced before Sunday. “If they have the data they should publish it, and if they don’t have it, they should say why,” she said.

Public Health Scotland has already published data about the Scottish fans who attended the England-Scotland match on June 18th, held with a much smaller crowd of 22,500.

In total 1,991 people who later tested positive had attended one or more Euro 2020 events during their infection period, a time when they “may have unknowingly transmitted their infection to others”.

Only 397 of those were actually at Wembley for the match – but that represented 15 per cent of the 2,600 Scotland fans who were allocated tickets.

No data about how many English fans subsequently tested positive – or about later matches – is expected to be published until the end of the second phase of the programme, which is due to continue until late July.

McGovern questioned whether the pilot scheme was really providing the information that events organisers and members of the public needed. “The events research programme has been much more ad hoc than we would have liked,” she said. “It is unclear how the events have been chosen, and the process by which data has been made public is concerning.”

Results from the first phase of the research programme, which included an FA Cup semi-final, were eventually published last month after pressure from the scientists overseeing it and in the face of threatened legal action from artists including Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The findings were broadly positive – but the first phase took place at a time when daily Covid infections were much lower, and the report warned that “events with high crowd density and proximity could potentially pose a greater transmission risk”.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

MORATA RECEIVED THREATS AFTER SPAIN EXIT – WIFE

Alvaro Morata’s wife has slammed “disgraceful and unacceptable” threats she received on social media after Italy knocked Spain out of Euro 2020 on Tuesday.

Morata, who plays on loan at Juventus from Atletico Madrid, started on the bench at Wembley but came on to score an 80th minute equaliser against the Azzurri to cancel out Federico Chiesa’s opener and take the semifinal to extra-time.

The former Chelsea striker then had his penalty saved as Italy won 4-2 on penalties to progress into Sunday’s final.

Alice Campello, Morata’s wife, who is Italian, posted on Instagram stories some of the menacing messages she received written in Italian after the game.

“Your husband has cancer…. your children too” was one of the texts she received, while another one said: “Don’t you dare post a photograph of Morata’s goal or I will go to your house and burn you on live Instagram.”

Campello responded to the abuse and wrote: “I’m honestly not suffering with regards to these messages, truthfully. I don’t think it’s a factor of ‘Italians’ but of ignorance. I do, however, think that if it had happened to a more fragile woman, it would have been a problem.

“Let’s remember that this is a sport to unite not to vent your frustrations. I really hope that in the future there can be serious measures taken for these types of people because this is disgraceful and unacceptable.”

Earlier in the tournament, Morata told a news conference that he and his family “received death threats and insults” after Spain’s 1-1 draw with Poland during the group stages.

Spain coach Luis Enrique publicly backed his player and said the threats should be “put in the hands of the police.”

Morata, 28, received criticism throughout the tournament in Spain for his lack of effectiveness, yet his goal against Italy made him his country’s top scorer in Euro finals with six goals, one more than Fernando Torres.

Following Spain’s exit on Tuesday, Luis Enrique defended Morata and praised the player for coping with so much pressure.

“He’s had to put up with many difficult things in this European Championship and has shown an enormous level,” Luis Enrique said. “Morata had a physical problem, yet he took the penalty. I have to congratulate him for his personality.”

In March, Morata addressed the importance of mental health for football players and revealed he came close to suffering depression during his first season at Chelsea and has since seen a psychologist to help him cope with the day-to-day pressure.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

ENGLAND BEAT DENMARK 2-1 TO BOOK A DATE WITH ITALY IN EURO 2020 FINAL

Harry Kane propelled England to just their second major tournament final as Gareth Southgate’s men secured an extra-time penalty win against Denmark to set-up Sunday’s match against Italy.

Italy lie in wait after a tense, pulsating semi-final under the arch on Wednesday night, when Simon Kjaer’s own goal cancelled out a superb Mikkel Damsgaard free-kick before Kane sealed a 2-1 extra-time win after his penalty was saved.

England made a start as electric as the atmosphere at Wembley, but Damsgaard’s stunning 25-yard free-kick silenced the home support as the 21-year-old continued to shine in place of the sadly absent Christian Eriksen.

It was the first goal England had conceded during an unusually straightforward summer, but they responded well to the setback and Kjaer turned 19-year-old Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own goal under pressure from Raheem Sterling.

Kasper Schmeichel had superbly denied the latter moments earlier and the goalkeeper shone throughout a second half in which the video assistant referee cleared a Christian Norgaard challenge on Kane in the box.

The Denmark goalkeeper continued to impress in extra-time but could not stop England progressing to the final, with Kane slotting home after the Leicester man saved his initial spot-kick after Sterling was judged to have been fouled.

Denmark grew into proceedings, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg seeing a shot saved and Jordan Pickford surviving a lackadaisical moment.

Kasper Hjulmand’s well-drilled side continued to push as Damsgaard bent wide, with Pickford entering England’s record books by breaking World Cup winner Gordon Banks’ long-standing 720-minute record without conceding. He only managed to extend it to 726 minutes.

Luke Shaw fouled Andreas Christensen when a free-kick came over, giving Denmark another chance from a better position.

Damsgaard stood over it and unleashed a thumping 25-yard strike that beat Pickford, sending Denmark’s red wall into raptures in the 30th minute.

England did eventually settle back into a rhythm and Schmeichel spread himself well to stop Sterling turning home a Kane cross from close range.

It was a missed opportunity that the forward helped atone for in the 39th minute.

Saka kept his cool and drove over a cross from the right that Kjaer turned into his own goal under pressure from Sterling.

Harry Maguire saw a goalbound header superbly denied one-handed by Schmeichel in a second half that England were controlling as Denmark began to retreat deeper.

Southgate turned to fan favourite Jack Grealish to change the dynamics and the VAR decided against awarding a penalty after reviewing a clumsy Norgaard challenge on Kane.

England continued to push right into stoppage-time, when Maguire saw another header saved by Schmeichel and Kane’s point-blank effort was blocked by Kjaer.

Grealish stung the palms as the onslaught continued, with fleet-footed Sterling creating havoc for the tiring Danish defenders.

Joakim Maehle was adjudged to have ended Sterling’s mazy run and Makkelie pointed to the spot. There was another ball on the pitch during a phase of play that the VAR reviewed, but the decision stood.

Kane stepped up and Schmeichel saved, only for the ball to land kindly for him six yards out to turn home and spark bedlam in the stands.

Denmark tried desperately to level in the second period but a Martin Braithwaite shot was the biggest threat they managed, with Sterling denied by Schmeichel before the final whistle sent the 60,000-plus crowd wild.

‘Sweet Caroline’ echoed around the ground as England celebrated reaching their first European Championship final.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

Roberto Mancini: ‘We must rest ahead of Euro 2020 final’

Roberto Mancini was delighted by Italy‘s fight and spirit after sealing a shot at European Championship glory by beating Spain on penalties following a scintillating semi-final.

England or Denmark lie in wait for the Azzurri back at Wembley on Sunday after edging past La Roja in a pulsating clash under the arch on Tuesday evening.

Italy struck first as Federico Chiesa curled home a sublime effort, but Spain substitute Alvaro Morata finished a fine team move to send the match into extra time.

The match would end 1-1 after 120 minutes and had to be settled by spot-kicks, with Morata denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma before Jorginho coolly swept home to seal 4-2 shootout triumph for Mancini’s men.

“First and foremost, we’re delighted to have been able to provide this wonderful evening’s entertainment to the Italian people,” the former Manchester City boss said.

“Now we still have one more game to go and we wanted to do exactly that if possible.

“We knew it was going to be a very tough match because in terms of ball possession Spain are the best around.

“They caused us problems. We had to dig in when we needed to. We tried to score or create opportunities when we could.

“It was a very open match and of course there were some issues because we did not have too much possession.

“However, we wanted to make it into the final and we kept trying right until the end.

“As ever, penalties are a lottery but I really want to take my hat off to Spain. They’re a wonderful team.”

Italy have impressed throughout the Euros and stretched their unbeaten run to a jaw-dropping 33 matches, but Mancini knows they have not achieved anything yet.

“I thank the players because they believed right from day one that we could create something incredible,” he said.

“We haven’t done everything we need to. There’s still one step to go. Now we have to rest up because this really was very challenging.

“I did say to them before the match this would be our hardest game of the competition because when you go into your sixth match in such quick succession with all the travelling that we’ve had to do it does become very tiring.

“We certainly struggled with Spain’s ball possession, had some issues, but we wanted to make the final.”

Spain shone for large spells against Italy but a lack of cutting edge proved costly for Enrique’s men.

“It’s not a sad night for me,” the Spanish manager said. “Not at all.

“Of course there’s disappointment but that’s elite football. You have to be able to win and lose.

“We were very pleased to win the penalty shootout in the quarter-finals but we can’t get desperate now. We have to just congratulate our opponents.

“You’re always thinking about the present, thinking about being competitive.

“I said at the start we were one of the eight teams that could have won it. I don’t think I was wrong about that.

“I think we now go home knowing we competed and were one of the best teams at the competition.”

Enrique said he gave his players an A- grade for their tournament and threw his support behind Morata after the striker’s crucial spot-kick was saved.

“Well, he has an adductor issue and it really says a lot about his personality that even despite that he wanted to take a penalty,” the Spain boss said in the post-match press conference.

“He has gone through some tough times during this competition but he was brilliant.

“He really created some uncertainty within the Italy ranks so he was excellent.

“I haven’t been able to see him because he’s had to go to doping control, but I will go and see him now.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

ITALY BEAT SPAIN ON PENALTY TO REACH EURO 2020 FINAL

Italy beat Spain 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in a magnificent Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley on Tuesday, as Jorginho converted the decisive kick to take the Azzurri through to the final where they will face either England or Denmark.

Italy were not always on top though, with Spain the better side for long spells of an epic contest before Federico Chiesa, the Juventus forward, gave Italy the lead with a fabulous finish an hour into a match watched by a crowd of almost 58,000.

The much-maligned Alvaro Morata, who was dropped from the starting line-up, came off the bench to equalise with 10 minutes of normal time left.

No further scoring in extra time meant penalties again for Spain, who had beaten Switzerland in a shoot-out in the quarter-finals.

They had also beaten Italy on penalties at Euro 2008, but this time misses from Dani Olmo and then Morata saw Spain give up the advantage they had been handed when Manuel Locatelli failed with the first kick in the shoot-out.

The Italians celebrated at the end with a large contingent of their UK-based supporters, and a team that has been rejuvenated under Roberto Mancini continues to dream of winning a first European Championship since 1968.

Now unbeaten in 33 games, they go through to Sunday’s final to face either England or Denmark, who meet in Wednesday’s second last-four tie.

“I have to thank the players because they believed right from day one that we could do something incredible,” said Mancini.

“We haven’t yet done everything we need to though, there is still one step to go.”

It is nine years since Spain mauled Italy 4-0 in the Euro 2012 final in Kiev to win a third consecutive major tournament, and this was the fourth successive Euro in which these powerhouses had met.

Spain won the first two of those meetings, but the last two have now gone to Italy.

“It is not a sad night for me by any means,” said Spain coach Luis Enrique.

“We can go home knowing we competed and were among the best teams.”

This meeting took place in the chill of a damp July evening in London, but the atmosphere at Wembley was no damp squib.

There were no traveling supporters, given the obligatory quarantine for all visitors to the United Kingdom.

However, the large Spanish and Italian communities already in Britain meant a combined 20,000 fans of the two teams were in the 57,811-crowd allowed inside Wembley.

They added a noise and colour so sadly lacking at major sporting events since the pandemic began, and that provided the perfect stage.

The football itself was absorbing and of the highest quality, particularly in midfield where Italy’s outstanding trio of Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Nicolo Barella met their match in Spain’s Sergio Busquets, Koke and the brilliant Pedri, a frightening talent at just 18.

But it was Italy who reached their 10th major tournament final and ended Spain’s hopes of a record fourth European crown.

Standing in the Azzurri’s way will either be England, who have never reached a Euro final, or Denmark, playing in their first major semi-final since surprisingly winning the competition in 1992.

Categories
football Slides Sports News

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.”

Categories
football Slides Sports News

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.