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'Congratulations Italy' - Eto'o, Nsofor and African stars celebrate Azzurri's Euro 2020 triumph

Roberto Mancini's side clinched the coveted European title after seeing off the Three Lions on penalties at Wembley Stadium

Former Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o, Obinna Nsofor and Napoli’s Faouzi Ghoulam have congratulated Italy following their success at Euro 2020.

The Azzurri defeated England 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time, to lift their second European championship title on Sunday.

Italy found themselves behind as early as in the second minute but Leonardo Bonucci got them back into the game with his 67th-minute finish from close range that cancelled out Luke Shaw's opener.

Although Andrea Belotti and Jorginho missed their penalties, England dashed their hopes of winning the European trophy for the first time in their history after they failed to convert their last three .attempts.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed their efforts and Roberto Mancini's men grabbed a 3-2 win.

While Eto'o, Nsofor and Ghoulam are celebrating with the Italians, Everton loanee Yannick Bolasie consoled his friends in Gareth Southgate's team.

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

'Eat more pasta' - Bonucci trolls England after Italy's Euro 2020 final penalty shootout triumph

The Azzurri came from behind both in normal time and in penalties to secure the title

Leonardo Bonucci has trolled England fans after Italy defeated the Three Lions 3-2 on penalties to win Euro 2020.

The match had finished all square after 90 minutes, with Bonucci levelling Luke Shaw’s early opener with an opportunist strike in the second half.

Italy also trailed in the penalty shootout before Marcus Rashford shot against the post and efforts from Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were both stopped.

What did he say?

When taking a lap of honour, Bonucci trolled England fans, shouting: “More pasta! We need to eat more pasta!”

Additionally, he grabbed a camera and shouted: “It’s coming to Rome” in reference to the “It’s Coming Home” slogan used by Three Lions fans throughout much of this – and previous – tournaments.

In a more serious interview with RAI Sports, he explained what the victory meant to both him and his team-mates – and said that receiving the trophy in a near-empty stadium was “something to relish”.

“A historic goal is a dream come true and the credit goes to the coach, the whole squad,” he said.

“When we got together in Sardinia, there was something different compared to the past. We slowly gained confidence, certainty, unity. This was the icing on the cake that makes us legends.

“It’s a unique feeling and we are relishing it. Seeing 65,000 people leave before the trophy was handed out is something to relish, now the cup is coming to Rome. They thought it was staying in London, sorry for them, but Italy once again taught a lesson.

“We said during the warm-up, what was happening in the stands was purely just background noise. We had 34 games unbeaten, all we needed to do was exactly what we’d done so far to get here, not one bit more, not one bit less.”

Further Reading

Original author: Robin Bairner

Southgate: England's shoot-out failure against Italy 'totally rests with me'

The manager blamed himself after his late substitutes missed from the spot to hand the Azzurri the European Championship at Wembley

Gareth Southgate has said England's shoot-out failure in the Euro 2020 final against Italy on Sunday "totally rests with me" as he made the selections for who would take the kicks.

Substitutes Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka missed consecutively as the Three Lions fell just short of their first major trophy since 1966.

Saka, 19, was consoled by his manager after missing the decisive spot kick.

What has been said?

"In terms of the penalties, that’s my call," Southgate told BBC. "It totally rests with me.

"I decided on the penalty takers based on what they’ve done in training, and nobody is on their own. We won together as a team, and it’s on all of us for not being able to win the game tonight.

“We’re hugely disappointed. The players have been an absolute credit, they’ve given everything they possibly could.

"They’ve run themselves into the ground. At times they played really well, at times we didn’t keep the ball quite well enough, especially at the start of the second half, but we can’t have any recriminations, they’ve been a joy to work with. They’ve gone further than we’ve gone for so long, but tonight it’s incredibly painful in that dressing room."

Bigger picture

In the immediate aftermath of the defeat, Southgate has been criticised for relying on inexperienced players who had not gotten into the flow of the match before the shootout.

However, Rashford and Sancho have scored penalties for their clubs and played in high-stakes Champions League contests, which likely bolstered their case for being named as England kick-takers.

Further reading

Kane: Euro 2020 final defeat will hurt for the rest of our careers

The England captain opened up on the pain of Sunday's loss to Italy while defending his team-mates that missed in the shootout

Harry Kane says England's Euro 2020 final shootout loss to Italy will haunt the players for the rest of their careers as he said Sunday's defeat was "the worst feeling in the world".

England fell short 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes, with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka all failing to convert from the spot.

And so England will go another summer trophyless as they failed to capitalise on their chance to seal a major trophy for the first time since the 1966 World Cup.

What did Kane say?

"I couldn't have given more. The boys couldn't have given more," Kane told BBC One.

"Penalties is the worst feeling in the world when you lose. It wasn't our night but it's been a fantastic tournament and we should hold our heads high.

"Of course it's going to hurt now. It's going to hurt for a while, but we're on the right track and we're building and hopefully we can progress from this next year."

He added: "We should be extremely proud as a group of what we have achieved. We're all winners and want to win so it will probably hurt for a while and it will hurt for the rest of our careers, but that's football.

"We progressed well from Russia and now it is about continuing that."

'Anyone can miss a penalty'

Kane, who finished the tournament with four goals, converted his spot-kick to open the shootout with Harry Maguire also finding the back of the net with his penalty.

However, after that started a run of misses with Rashford, Sancho and Saka, three of England's youngest players, all failing to convert.

And Kane was quick to defend his team-mates, saying that Sunday's setback will only serve as motivation as England look ahead to a World Cup next year.

"You've got to hold your heads high," he said. "It's been a fantastic tournament. Anyone can miss a penalty. We win together, we lose together.

"We'll learn and grow from it. Those boys will grow from it and it will give us more motivation for the World Cup next year."

"We were playing against a very good side. We got off to the perfect start," he added. "Maybe dropped a little too deep sometimes. They had a lot of the ball. We looked fairly in control, they didn't create too many chances.

"They got their breakthrough from the set-piece and after that it was 50-50. In extra time, we grew into the game and had a few half-chances.

"Penalties is penalties. We went through a process. The boys did everything they could, it just wasn't our night."

Further reading

‘Heart breaking’ – England fans suffer Euro 2020 disappointment but look to the future with optimism after Italy loss

The Three Lions came close to a first major title since 1966 but will have to endure at least one more year of hurt

England endured Euro 2020 heartbreak as they suffered a 3-2 defeat on penalties to Italy after a 1-1 draw following extra time.

Luke Shaw had given Gareth Southgate’s side an early lead but it was cancelled out in the second half as Leonardo Bonucci scrambled home.

There would be no further scoring, and though England led 2-1 on penalties, Marcus Rashford hit the post before Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka had efforts stopped by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Fans were quick to take to Twitter to offer their congratulations to the Three Lions, though.

What was said?

Commentators were also quick to defend the players who failed from the spot.

Inevitably, some scrutiny fell on Southgate, who decided to introduce Rashford and Sancho late in extra time in readiness for the shootout.

Original author: Robin Bairner

Former Chelsea star Moses continues hot pre-season form with third goal for Spartak Moscow

The former Super Eagles midfielder continued his goalscoring run as Rui Vitoria's team intensify preparations for the 2021-22 season

Victor Moses scored his third goal in a row as Spartak Moscow kicked off their Premier Cup campaign with a 4-0 victory over FC Sochi on Sunday.

The former Chelsea and Inter Milan star sealed Spartak's emphatic win at the Otkritie Arena as they continue their preparation for the 2021-22 season that will begin in a fortnight.

Moses came off the bench to score the fourth goal in the 81st minute after Zelimkhan Bakaev, Reziuan Mirzov and Aleksandr Sobolev had found the back of the net for the hosts.

The Premier Cup is a pre-season tournament that involves four Russian Premier League clubs and the People's Team will face Rubin Kazan next on Wednesday before they battle Brian Idowu's Khimki on July 18 – both games will take place at the Otkritie Arena.

Prior to Sunday's encounter, Moses had scored a goal each in his last two matches for Rui Vitoria's side - in their 4-2 win over Croatia's Sibenik and in a 2-2 draw with NK Bravo.

Earlier this month, the 30-year-old brought an end to his nine-year spell at Chelsea to join Spartak Moscow on a two-year deal after he impressed on loan last season.

Following his victorious start to life in Moscow, Vitoria lauded his team for their compactness and the game style on Sunday.

“The match turned out to be successful for us,” Vitoria told the club’s website. “Before the game, I asked the team to act in an organised and compact defense.

“I was glad that they succeeded, thanks to which the opponent did not have a lot of chances. Ahead we also showed ourselves well: we stretched the opponent, coolly deployed attacks. Especially in the first half, when they could go beyond two goals.

“In the second half, we continued what we had begun, we ran away great in counterattacks. I am grateful to the guys for such a match.”

Original author: Taiye Taiwo

Italy hero Donnarumma named Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament

The goalkeeper made two shootout saves to lead the Azzurri to glory in the final against England at Wembley

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has been named Euro 2020's Most Outstanding Player after guiding the Azzurri to glory at Wembley Stadium.

Donnarumma, who officially became the first goalkeeper to earn the honour, made two saves in the penalty shootout in Italy's triumph over England, locking up the victory after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.

In total, the keeper conceded just four goals throughout the entire tournament, never letting in more than one in any game as the Azzurri triumphed just four years after World Cup qualification heartbreak.

Donnarumma and Italy's run to the title

Donnarumma and Italy emerged from a group that included Turkey, Switzerland and Wales by scoring seven goals while conceding none.

They took down Austria and Belgium to open the knockout stages on identical 2-1 scorelines, setting up a heavyweight clash with Spain in the semi-finals.

Following a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes, Italy sealed a 4-2 shootout win to move onto the final, where they triumphed 3-2 in another shootout to take down England.

What's next for Donnarumma?

Donnarumma has been in the spotlight since 2015, when he made his debut for AC Milan before his 17th birthday.

He's gone on to make 251 appearances for the Serie A giants, earning his first 32 caps for Italy along the way.

The 22-year-old goalkeeper is currently a free agent, though, having seen his contract with Milan expire.

Donnarumma is now widely expected to join Paris Saint-Germain, following the likes of Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and Gini Wijnaldum to the French capital this summer.

Further reading

Hearts of Oak clinch first Ghana Premier League title in 12 years as Asante Kotoko fall

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Euro 2020 Golden Boot as no one on England or Italy duty managed to surpass his tally in the final on Sunday.

The Portugal forward tallied five goals in the competition - the same as Czech Republic attacker Patrik Schick - and won via the tie-breaker of assists. Three of his goals came from the penalty spot, while the other two came from open play against Hungary and Germany.

Despite Ronaldo's output, Portugal were eliminated in the last 16 through a 1-0 loss to Belgium.

Euro 2020 top scorers

After Ronaldo and Schick at five goals apiece, four players finished on four goals: Harry Kane, Karim Benzema, Emil Forsberg and Romelu Lukaku.

Ronaldo played in only four games - 360 minutes - at Euro 2020, compared to the likes of final participants Kane and Raheem Sterling, who each played over 600 minutes.

Pos Player Team Goals
=1 Cristiano Ronaldo Portugal 5
=2 Patrik Schick Czech Republic 5
=3 Karim Benzema France 4
=3 Emil Forsberg Sweden 4
=3 Romelu Lukaku Belgium 4
=3 Harry Kane England 4
=7 Raheem Sterling England 3
=7 Georginio Wijnaldum Netherlands 3
=7 Robert Lewandowski Poland 3
=7 Kasper Dolberg Denmark 3
=7 Xherdan Shaqiri Switzerland 3
=7 Haris Seferovic Switzerland 3
=7 Alvaro Morata Spain 3

This is Ronaldo's first Golden Boot honour, as he came in second place in 2016 when Portugal won the competition.

The real winner? Own goals

While Ronaldo was the Golden Boot winner among players, there were a record 11 own goals scored at Euro 2020.

Before this summer, the high mark had been only three own goals in an entire Euro tournament, which happened in 2016.

Further reading

Pitch invader interrupts Euro 2020 final as crowd troubles continue at Wembley

A tense second half between Italy and England was briefly interrupted as a fan ran onto the field of play

Sunday's Euro 2020 final between England and Italy had to deal with a momentary delay after a pitch invader rushed onto the field in the second half.

With just a few minutes remaining of the 90 minutes, play was briefly halted as a fan ran onto the field of play.

The incident continues the theme of crowd trouble at Wembley on Sunday as onrushing crowds breached security before kick-off before disrupting ticket-holding fans during the game .

What happened?

The incident happened with just minutes remaining and the score level at one apiece.

Luke Shaw's early opener was cancelled out by a Leonardo Bonucci equaliser in the 67th minute, setting up a tense finish at Wembley.

And, for at least a brief moment, that tension was put on the backburner as play was halted as a fan darted onto the field, dodging security in the process.

 

Further reading

Sound Sultan: Super Eagles, Amokachi mourn late Nigerian music legend

The Nigerian rapper and songwriter was confirmed dead on Sunday after a hard-fought battle with throat cancer in the United States

Nigeria's Super Eagles, former Everton forward Daniel Amokachi, Leganes defender Kenneth Omeruo have joined the rest of the world in mourning the death of Nigerian music legend Olanrewaju Fasasi who is known as Sound Sultan.

Sound Sultan died at the age of 44 on Sunday after battling with Angioimmunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma.

Sound Sultan who rose to prominence under Kennis Music in the early 2000s, was an avid supporter of the Nigerian national team and he even charged them to victory in major tournaments with a single titled 'No tension' featuring former goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro.

Following the tragic news of his death, the Super Eagles paid tribute to the music veteran by sharing a video of song for the team which was released in 2014.

(Originally posted by Taiye Taiwo)

‘My dribbling skill is a gift’ – Manchester United’s Diallo

The Ivory Coast international opened up on his biggest strength and his ability to get past his opponents in games

Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has described his dribbling skill as a gift he exhibits with his technique and intelligence.

Despite playing eight matches in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team last season, the 19-year-old showed a glimpse of his creativity with the ball in his first few months at Manchester.

The former Atalanta youngster who clocked 19 on Sunday, disclosed how his instinct helps him get around opponents during games.

Diallo told the club’s website: “That is a tough one! But honestly, I think that it is a gift. I think you dribble using your technique and your intelligence.

“So, for example, if you are faced with two defenders, then perhaps you can’t dribble, or you can only play a one-two, so you have to use your head and your skills to decide what to do initially and then your next move. Therefore, when I have the ball, I think about what I can do, play a one-two, dribble, that is what I think.”

Diallo marked his Premier League debut with an assist for Luke Shaw in their 2-1 loss to Leicester City on May 11.

Prior to that outing, he opened his goal account for the Red Devils in a Uefa Europa League encounter against AC Milan which ended in a 1-1 draw in March.

The Ivory Coast international revealed that his bravery remains his biggest strength.

"To tell you the truth, I am never afraid of playing. That has always been my strength, never being afraid to play,” he added.

“When they told me the day before the game, that I was going to play against Leicester. Okay, I was a bit nervous initially, but this is football, you can never be afraid.

“So when I went onto the pitch, I could just see 11 players against another 11 players and I think it went well, as you say.”

Diallo has been selected alongside Eric Bailly for the Ivory Coast’s campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and their Group D outings will begin against Saudi Arabia on July 22, before facing Brazil and Germany on July 25 and 28 respectively.

The duo are expected to miss Manchester United’s Premier League opener against Leeds United on August 14.

(Originally posted by Taiye Taiwo)

Messi: Yobo, Toure & Africans who won first major international title after turning 33

With the Barcelona star winning his first senior title with Argentina, Goal looks at Africans who achieved similar feat at the dusk of their career
(Originally posted by Shina Oludare)

'Kids scared, seats stolen, unsafe' - Fans unable to get to their seats after ticketless supporters storm Wembley

Several groups planning to attend the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy were unable to get to their seats after a pre-game security breach

Several fans that purchased tickets to attend the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy have been unable to reach their seats after ticketless supporters stormed Wembley Stadium in the hours leading up to kick-off.

Ahead of England's biggest match since the 1966 World Cup final, ticketless fans broke through security around Wembley in an attempt to get into the stadium.

And it appears that several succeeded, with several ticket-holding fans in the ground complaining that they have been unable to access their seats due to the presence of those that broke in.

What was said?

 

Wembley's response

For their part, both Wembley and the local police denied that fans without tickets were able to get into the venue.

"There were no security breaches of people without tickets getting inside the stadium," a Wembley spokesperson said.

The Met Police added, in response to reports prior to kick-off that fans had got into the stadium: "We supported the security teams at Wembley Stadium a short time ago with this incident.

"Wembley security officials have confirmed there was no security breaches of people without tickets getting inside the stadium."

However, Wembley went on to release a second statement as a  stadium spokesperson said: "There was a breach of security and a small group of people got into the stadium.

"We are now working closely with stadium stewards and security to remove these people. Anyone inside the stadium without a ticket will be instantly ejected."

The incidents came after a large number of England supporters, many of whom did not have tickets to the game, gathered at Trafalgar Square in the hours leading up to the game.

Police said they were "engaging with the crowd and telling them to disperse" in the run-up to the game.

Further reading

Chris Hughton: The Right Man at the Right Time for Nottingham Forest

The Manchester United full-back put the Three Lions into the lead before two minutes were even on the clock

England made a dream start to the final of Euro 2020 as Luke Shaw volleyed them into a second-minute lead against Italy.

From an Italy corner, the hosts broke through Kieran Trippier, a surprise selection in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI, with the Atletico Madrid full-back centring for Shaw to volley home.

Naturally, it sparked a joyous reaction on Twitter, with the likes of England legends Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker among those to celebrate.

What was said?

Record-breaking strike

Many people also pointed out the rarity of Shaw’s strike, which was confirmed as the quickest ever in a European Championship final.

Jose Mourinho, the Manchester United manager who pushed him to the sidelines, also received plenty of stick.

(Originally posted by Robin Bairner)

Leicester predicted lineup vs Roma - Europa Conference League

Despite having called upon a mostly domestic-based squad, the Stars and Stripes are still among the sides to beat as they face off with Les Grenadiers

The USMNT will kick off their 2021 Gold Cup campaign when they take on Haiti in Group B on Sunday at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Missouri.

Watch USMNT vs Haiti on fuboTV (free 7-day trial)

The Stars and Stripes will look to go one further than two years ago, when they came up short against Mexico in the 2019 edition of the tournament.

They'll look to make it a winning start against Les Grenadiers, who reached the semi-finals two years ago and are heavy underdogs for this competition.

Ahead of the game, Goal has the details of how to watch on TV, stream live online, team news and more.

TV channel, live stream & how to watch

In the United States (US), the game can be watched live and on-demand with fuboTV (watch with a 7-day free trial).

New users can sign up for a free seven-day trial of the live sports streaming service, which can be accessed via iOS, Android, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Apple TV as well as on a web browser.

Team news & squads

Position USMNT roster
Goalkeepers Turner, Johnson, Guzan
Defenders Cannon, Vines, Pines, Zimmerman, Robinson, Sands, Moore, Bello
Midfielders Busio, Roldan, Yueill, Lletget, Williamson, Acosta
Forwards Arriola, Gioacchini, Zardes, Dike, Hoppe, Lewis

Just the four nominal non-domestic players have been named for the Gold Cup by coach Gregg Berhalter - though there is a place for Daryl Dike, who spent time last term on loan with Barnsley in the Championship in England.

Among the uncapped players are defensive duo Donovan Pines and James Sands, midfield pair Eryk Williamson and Gianluca Busio, and forward Matthew Hoppe, the Schalke man one of those few callups from abroad.

Predicted USMNT starting XI : Turner; Cannon, Robinson, Zimmerman, Vines; Lletget, Yueill, Roldan; Arriola, Dike, Lewis.

Position Haiti roster
Goalkeepers Duverger, Rouaud, Sylvestre
Defenders Lafrance, Christian, Arcus, Geffrard, Ade, Lambese, Dulysse, Experience
Midfielders Etienne, Alceus, Herivaux, Saba, Clerveaux, Pierre
Forwards Nazon, Pierrot, Louima, Deedson, Damus, Antoine

Having beaten off St Vincent & the Grenadines and Bermuda in convincing fashion to book their place in this year's tournament, Jean-Jacques Pierre may well choose to keep faith with the side he picked last time out.

That would mean a start up front for Guingamp's Frantzdy Pierrot, with Miami's goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre expected to get the pick between the sticks.

Predicted Haiti starting XI:  Sylvestre; Arcus, Ade, Geffrard, Experience; Alceus, Etienne, Pierre; Antoine, Pierrot, Nazon.

Recent results & head-to-head

Last five results

USMNT results Haiti results
USMNT 4-0 Costa Rica (Jun 9) Haiti 4-1 Bermuda (Jul 6)
USMNT 3-2 Mexico (AET) (Jun 6) Haiti 6-1 St Vincent & the Grenadines (Jul 2)
USMNT 1-0 Honduras (Jun 3) Canada 3-0 Haiti (Jun 15)
Switzerland 2-1 USMNT (May 30) Haiti 0-1 Canada (Jun 12)
Northern Ireland 1-2 USMNT (Mar 28) Haiti 1-0 Nicaragua (Jun 8)

Head-to-head

Date Result
Jul 10, 2015 USMNT 1-0 Haiti
Jul 11, 2009 USMNT 2-2 Haiti
Mar 13, 2004 USMNT 1-1 Haiti
Feb 12, 2000 USMNT 3-0 Haiti
Apr 8, 1983 Haiti 0-2 USMNT
(Originally posted by Ryan Kelly)

LIVE: Italy vs England

18' Bonucci switches play out to Insigne on the left and he lets it bounce before swinging a cross into the box first time for Immobile to chase. Maguire gets there ahead of him though and makes another clearance.

16' Italy are on the attack again, but they're struggling to find a way through England's compact midfield. Eventually, Jorginho goes long, picking out Emerson over the left, but Walker dispossesses him just as the offside flag goes up.

14' Shaw touches the ball through to Mount, who makes an overlapping run on the left. He cuts inside to get into the box, but Jorginho slides in to block him and give away a corner, which comes to nothing.

12' At 01:57, England's opener is the fastest goal ever scored from the start of a European Championship final. It surpasses Pereda's strike for Spain v Soviet Union (05:04).

10' Walker threads a good pass into Trippier on the right and he plays a first-time cross onto the edge of the six-yard box. Sterling is running onto it through the middle, but Chiellini gets there just ahead of him to block it.

8' CHANCE! Chiesa wins a free-kick just outside the box and it's Insigne that steps up to take it for Italy. He curls his shot over England's wall, but there's no dip on the shot and it sails high over the crossbar.

6' England are sitting back deep in their own half as Italy keep the pressure on here and Chiesa cuts inside from the right after he can't find a way past Shaw. He runs straight into Phillips though and he clears the danger.

4' Italy are pushing to get an instant reply here but Verratti's throughball is cut out by Rice on the edge of the box. He touches it out to Mount and Jorginho uses his hand in his attempts to win it back.

1' It's Italy that get the Euro 2020 final underway at Wembley! 

The teams are out on the pitch, the national anthems have been sung, and kick-off is just moments away!

This is Italy's 10th major tournament final (six World Cup and four Euros), with only Germany (14) having played more among European nations. Italy won the European Championship in 1968, but have lost their subsequent two final appearances in the competition (2000 and 2012).

Just one change from Gareth Southgate to the team that started against Denmark. England revert to a back three, with Trippier coming in at right wing-back. Saka starts on the bench.

Roberto Mancini was clearly pleased with his side's performance against Spain as he names an unchanged team to the one that started on Tuesday.

ENGLAND SUBS: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Conor Coady, Reece James, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Sam Johnstone, Jordan Henderson, Jadon Sancho, Tyrone Mings, Aaron Ramsdale, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka.

ENGLAND STARTING XI (3-4-2-1): Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire; Kieran Trippier, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, Luke Shaw; Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling; Harry Kane.

ITALY SUBS: Domenico Berardi, Federico Bernardeschi, Alessandro Bastoni, Bryan Cristante, Alessandro Florenzi, Rafael Toloi, Alex Meret, Andrea Belotti, Manuel Locatelli, Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Pessina, Salvatore Sirigu.

ITALY STARTING XI (4-3-3): Gianluigi Donnarumma; Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini, Emerson; Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Marco Verratti; Federico Chiesa, Ciro Immobile, Lorenzo Insigne.

It's England first-ever appearance at the final of the European Championships and their first final at a major tournament since winning the 1966 World Cup. It took extra time to see off Denmark, with a goal from Harry Kane sealing a 2-1 win to get them through. As for Italy, they were taken to penalties by Spain after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time and Jorginho netted the decisive penalty to win the shootout 4-2. They're now unbeaten in their last 33 games in all competitions, a run that started all the way back in October 2018.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Euro 2020 final between Italy and England at Wembley Stadium!

Gareth Southgate to manage Harry Kane's game time with England

The win takes Wekundu wa Msimbazi's league trophies to 22, five less than record-holders Yanga SC

Simba SC have successfully retained the Tanzania Mainland League crown after defeating Coastal Union 2-0 at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Dar es Salaam, on Sunday evening.

Captain John Bocco and Chris Mugalu scored a goal each to fire Mnyama to their fourth consecutive league title and their 22nd in history to send thousands of fans in the stadium to celebrations.

Having won the last meeting away 7-0 and with a healthy record of nine wins, five draws, and a loss in the 15 meetings between the sides, it was obvious the hosts were the favourites.

It was Simba who started the game on a high amid cheers from their fans and supporters at large.

Coastal Union goalkeeper Abubakari Abasi took a back-pass by his defender in the 14th minute and the referee had no option but to hand Mnyama an indirect free-kick. Clatous Chama cleverly set up Bocco whose shot was too much for the custodian.

Eight minutes later, Wekundu wa Msimbazi doubled their advantage, when David Kameta spotted Chris Mugalu making a run and he passed the ball to him. The towering attacker did well to round the goalkeeper before finding the back of the net.

Simba went into the half-time break with a two-goal advantage despite the numerous chances they had created in the first half.

In the second half, the Msimbazi Street-based charges resorted to cautious play to maintain their lead and eventually win the league.

With two matches to go, Simba are on 79 points while their closest challengers are Yanga SC who are on 70 and there is no way they can catch them.

Following their recent success, Mnyama will represent the country once again in the Caf Champions League with the team finishing second joining them.

The third-placed team, which is Azam FC as it stands, will play in Caf Confederation Cup alongside the team TFF will decide.

Usually, the FA Cup winner qualifies automatically, but this season, Simba and Yanga will clash in the final.

Simba XI: Beno Kakolanya, Gadiel Kamagi, Ame Mohamed, Chris Mugalu, Rally Bwalya, Luis Miquissone, Clatous Chama, Erasto Nyoni, John Bocco, Kennedy Juma, David Kameta

Subs: Aishi Manula, Taddeo Lwanga, Shomari Kapombe, Said Khamis, Meddie Kagere, Yassin Mzamiru, Hassan Dilunga

Coastal Union XI: Abubakari Abasi, Hassan Kibailo, Hance Masoud, Seif Bihaki, Pascal Kitenge, Salum Ally, Issa Abushehe, Rashid Chambo, Abdully Suleiman, Mtenje Albano, Haji Ugando

Subs: Hussein Abel, Ayoub Masoud, Nelson Haule, Frances Mustafa, Hamad Majimengi, Mudathir Said, Raizin Hafidh

Original author: Seth Willis

Hearts of Oak clinch first Ghana Premier League title in 12 years as Asante Kotoko fall

The Phobians have won their 20th title after claiming a point in their encounter with Liberty Professionals

A Hearts of Oak draw and an Asante Kotoko defeat has handed the former their first Ghana Premier League title in 12 years on Sunday.

On Sunday, Hearts and Liberty Professionals settled for a 1-1 draw at the Accra Sports Stadium as Kotoko succumbed to a 2-1 away loss to Bechem United on the penultimate matchday of the season.

The Phobians have in-form attacker Daniel Afriyie Barnieh to thank for the opener but Kwame Paul hit back for the away side to level the score.

Kotoko, on the other hand, fell to Bechem who won thanks to a Steven Owusu double. Solomon Sarfo-Taylor registered the visitors’ consolation goal.

The sequence of results has placed Hearts on 61 points ahead of the final round of matches, while Kotoko are second on 57 points. With four points separating the two sides, the Phobians are confirmed champions of the 2020-21 Ghana Premier League.

It is their first title since 2009 and puts their trophy tally at 20, now three behind Kotoko.

Liberty, who drew with Hearts, and Bechem, who beat Kotoko, meanwhile, are fourth from bottom and 12th, respectively, on the standings.

Elsewhere, Wafa firmly hold the third position after handing Karela United a 2-0 home defeat. Augustine Boakye and Lawrence Agyekum were the heroes of the day for the Academy Boys. Karela, on the other hand, have dropped to the eighth position.

At the Dawu Park, Aduana Stars beat Inter Allies 4-2, courtesy of strikes from Benjamin Tweneboah, Emmanuel Osei Baffour, Kofigo Brabby and Farouk Adams, to move to the fourth position. Dreams, who have fallen to sixth on the log, scored through Shaibu Taufiq and Kalu Sunday.

Medeama failed to register three points to keep up the chase for a top-four place as they lost 3-1 away to Eleven Wonders. Goals from Mohammed Tetteh Nortey, Kwayie Simms and Abass Ganiu won the day for Wonders, who are 11th on the log.

At the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium, Ashanti Gold 10th on the table, and Dreams FC, sixth on the log, played out a 0-0 draw.

In Berekum, Kofi Owusu and Benjamin Abaidoo netted to ensure a 2-1 home victory for Great Olympics, whose consolation came from Ghana midfielder Gladson Awako. Olympics are seventh on the standings, two places above the Blues.

Elmina Sharks added three more points to their tally through a 2-0 win over 14th-spotted Legon Cities. Benjamin Boateng and James Bissue found the back of the net for second-from-bottom Sharks.

A Zubairu Ibrahim double sealed a 2-0 victory for King FaIsal, 13th on the table, over relegation-trapped Ebusua Dwarfs.

Original author: Prince Narkortu Teye

Blow for South Africa: Five players released from Olympic squad

South Africa u23 Olympic Team has suffered a huge blow following the withdrawal of five players due to various medical reasons. 

The changes in the camp come a week after Sascoc announced the final U23 Men’s Olympic squad for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games to take place from 22 July -8 August 2021.

South Africa is in Group A together with hosts Japan who they play on 22 July at the Tokyo Stadium and France who they meet at Saitama Stadium on 25 July.

The u23s will then round off their group stage matches against Mexico at the Sapporo Dome on July 28.

Players released from Camp are: Lyle Foster, Fagrie Lakay, Abbubaker Mobara, Sipho Mbule and Keletso Makgalwa (Standby player).

Coach David Notoane will announce replacements soon.

For further information please contact:

Safa: Chief Medical Office

Doctor. Thulani Ngwenya

'Trust Southgate' - England fans react as Trippier preferred to Saka in Euro 2020 final

The Three Lions post one change in their starting XI for the showpiece event against Italy

England will start the Euro 2020 final against Italy with Kieran Trippier in their ranks as manager Gareth Southgate switches to a back five for the climax of the competition.

Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka is the player to drop out for the Three Lions, despite impressing previously. It was, however, the expected move given previous reports.

Phil Foden is not present in the squad, but that is due to injury rather than a technical decision.

While Southgate was doubted at the beginning of the competition, England's run to the final has earned him more leeway from supporters following this controversial selection - but that does not mean the call has gone down well with everyone.

What's been said?

Further Reading

Original author: Robin Bairner

FutPost.com