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Jordan Henderson has hailed England's dominant Euro 2020 quarter-final victory against Ukraine as "outstanding" but has cautioned the Three Lions not to get ahead of themselves before their semi-final with Denmark on Wednesday.

The Liverpool captain notched his first senior goal for Gareth Southgate's side in what was his 62nd cap, with a Harry Kane double and a Harry Maguire header helping to complete a dominant 4-0 rout at Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

With back-to-back last four appearances in major tournaments secured for the first time in half a century, Henderson has spoken of how the magnitude of the occasion can help England as they return to Wembley to face the Danes, while warning they must give their opponents the respect they deserve.

What has been said?

"I thought the lads were outstanding, so, yeah, overall a great night," the midfielder, who came off the bench for Declan Rice in the second half, told Sky Sports News. "You know, we haven't achieved, we need to quickly turn focus, and use it in a positive way, to Wednesday and a tough opponent against Denmark.

"We've got momentum and we're feeling confident but at the same time, we've got to give Denmark repsect because they're a fantastic team. We played them not long ago and we know how difficult that will be.

Classy England keep it clean

Henderson's arrival just before the hour mark, with his nation three goals to the good in Rome, ensured vital extra minutes for the Reds man following a prolonged injury lay-off across the second half of the season, but also removed the risk of suspension for a key man.

Heading into the game, Rice - alongside Maguire, fellow midfielder Kalvin Phillips and the benched Phil Foden - were all carrying yellow cards, meaning that a further booking would have ruled them out of any prospective semi-final clash.

Fears that a brusque Ukraine performance could prove niggly were unfounded, in no small part thanks to Kane handing England an early lead which reshaped the dynamics of the match, but Southgate will undoubtedly be pleased that he will be able to call upon a full contingent for the clash with Kasper Hjulmand's Denmark at Wembley.

Further reading

Dropped AFC Leopards captain Robinson Kamura has hinted he would remain with the Football Kenya Federation Premier League side despite losing his leadership status.

Head coach Patrick Aussems recently appointed Isaan Kipyegon and Elvis Rupia as the first and the second captains, respectively, meaning that the former Mathare United man is no longer part of the club's leadership.

But in a post on his Facebook page, Kamura has allayed fears that he might be on his way out of the club.

"There's something that will never change and that is I will always and forever be a Leopard," wrote the centre-back, who has been featuring among the substitutes recently, especially in the Premier League games.

Kamura also implored AFC Leopards to beat arch-rivals Gor Mahia during the FKF Shield Cup final on Sunday at Utalii Ground.

The Mashemeji clubs will clash as each will try to grab Kenya's only Caf Confederation Cup ticket. As he urged his teammates on, the defender said he would not be part of the matchday squad although he did not reveal the reason behind it.

"Sunday is a big day for us my boys, I wish I was there, but again, like I always tell you, 'Our happy thoughts will one day become our reality and that is on Sunday'. I believe and I trust we have all that it takes to rise to the occasion and the good Lord will see us through," Kamura added.

"As a group and team, we have gone through so many challenges together, but we overcame them, let that motivate us and bring happiness to the blue nation."

Ingwe will be trying to win the cup again after doing so in 2017 under coach Robert Matano.

The domestic tournament is also the only avenue available to the continental competitions after Tusker earned the Caf Champions League ticket.

The FKF had announced they would forward the name of the team at the top of the table as of June 30 to Caf as Kenya's Champions League representatives. 

AFC Leopards coach Patrick Aussems has stated they are well-motivated heading into the FKF Shield Cup final against rivals Gor Mahia on Sunday.

The two Kenyan giants will face off at Nyayo Stadium seeking to earn the final slot for continental football and also a prize money of Ksh2million from the title sponsors, along with bragging rights and the glory that comes with winning the domestic cup.

With Gor Mahia enjoying a good run of results against their rivals in recent years, Ingwe coach Patrick Aussems has maintained they are not scared of facing them, insisting they have prepared enough for the final.

What has been said?

“We don’t fear Gor Mahia, we are in the final, we could have played any other team apart from Gor, but our target is to win the final, tomorrow [Sunday] is against Gor it could have been against another team but it is not really a problem to face Gor,” Aussems told Goal.

“The most important is to think about ourselves, to play our game and at the end of the day we see what happens.”

What did Gor's Vaz Pinto say?

On this being his first derby, the Belgian coach said: “I think for a lot of people and especially for the fans, it is the biggest two clubs in Kenya so everyone is excited but you know it is a football game, for 90 minutes, or 95th minutes or even penalties and then at the end of the day tomorrow [Sunday] there will be one winner.

“So let us hope the winner will be AFC Leopards because we are well prepared but unfortunately people will not be allowed to see the derby and during this hard times of the Covid-19 I really hope we make our fans happy.”

On his part, Gor Mahia coach Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto told Goal: “It is not only one derby; it is one final of a cup even if it was against Congo United or Mara Sugar it is one final and because of that we need to respect our opponents and play one final, and they are also motivated to play in the final.

“In the last 17 games we lost one, and because of that they are two good teams facing in the final, it is AFC and Gor Mahia and I know they will respect each other but I know both teams will play to win the final and it will be a good game.”

The last time the two giants met in the final of the knockout competition was in 2013 when AFC Leopards emerged 1-0 winners at Nyayo Stadium.

It was former Gor Mahia midfielder Peter Opiyo who returned to haunt his old club, scoring in the 53rd minute to give Ingwe the win, which turned out to be their last title.

England set new compeittion and individual records with their Euro 2020 quarter-final clean sheet against Ukraine on Saturday evening, as Gareth Southgate's side secured consecutive semi-finals at major tournaments for the first time in half a century.

The Three Lions made both personal and international history in their rout at Stadio Olimpico, as Harry Kane snatched a double and Jordan Henderson finally scored his first senior goal for his country on what was his 62nd cap in the 4-0 triumph.

Harry Maguire provided another famous last-eight finish to add to the one he netted against Sweden at Russia 2018 three years ago, but it was another watertight performance at the back from Jordan Pickford and co that ensured they wrote new history in Rome.

What have England achieved?

The Everton goalkeeper - ably protected by Manchester City pair John Stones and Kyle Walker alongside Manchester United duo Maguire and Luke Shaw - rose to the handful of testing opportunities created by Ukraine.

In doing so, it ensured that England remain the only side at Euro 2020 yet to concede a goal, having kept clean sheets in all of their Group D games with Croatia, Scotland and Czech Republic, plus their last-16 defeat of Germany.

That run of five consecutive games means that the Three Lions have set a new record in European Championship history for the most consecutive games since the start of the tournament without conceding even once.

In addition, it stretches their overall individual record to seven games without slipping up at the back, having also held clean sheets in their two warm-up friendlies against Austria and Romania at Middlesbrough.

Southgate's faith pays dividends

The sheer strength of England's attacking options at Euro 2020 has remained a bone of contention among certain factions of Three Lions supporters, who have often accused their manager of being overly cautious.

In securing consecutive semi-final spots at major tournaments following his exploits at Russia 2018 - not to mention a bronze-medal finish in 2019 at the Nations League - he has become only the second England manager to achieve the last four at both the World Cup and European Championships, following Alf Ramsey.

The bigger picture

While their fans will likely continue to celebrate their continued revival as genuine contenders in major competition following this weekend's result, Southgate and his side will have their eyes firmly fixed on ensuring they do not fall short in their shot for a first major final since 1966.

They return home to Wembley - where they have played all of their Euro 2020 games, bar their quarter-final - and the prospect of a clash with Denmark.

If the Three Lions are able to break their last four hoodoo - they have lost their last quartet of appearances at this stage of a major tournament, in 1968, 1990, 1996 and 2018 - they will book another clash in north London for the final, against either Spain or Italy.

Further reading

If you watch a lot of football and pay close attention to a team, you will have noticed that many footballers are now wearing under-shirt garments that, to some, resemble a sports bra.

It's not a bra they are wearing though - it's a highly sophisticated piece of technology that is designed to aid players and their clubs in their physical development, ensuring they perform at an optimum level.

So, in case you've been confused and were wondering what exactly players were wearing, Goal brings you everything you need to know.

What is the 'bra' device that footballers wear?

The vest that footballers wear under their jerseys (and sometimes over them when in training) is a piece of equipment which holds a GPS tracking device.

Information and statistical data about the player's movements are recorded by the device and then fed through to a software dashboard which can be accessed on a laptop, tablet or smart watch.

Most of the major teams in world football are using these statistics, with clubs and international sides sharing the data.

Indeed, three-quarters of Premier League clubs use GPS according to the Times and, in fact, clubs are now allowed to make use of live data during Premier League games as well.

Liverpool and Manchester United are notable users in the Premier League, while international teams such as Brazil and England also make use of the technology.

“People are able to take that data during games and make decisions,” Sean O'Connor, co-founder of STATSports, said in an August 2020 interview with the Times.

“What that allows you to do is build a profile on a player. You expect a player to do X, Y, Z in training and games. When they start to move away from those norms it can be for good or bad reasons.

“If they are in a training session and there is 25 minutes left and they have gone way past what you normally expect them to do, then you can make a call to either taper it off or take them in early.

“It’s the same concept in a game as well. If the manager is deciding between two players to replace, he could ask his coach: 'what feedback can you give, physically'.”

Why do football clubs use GPS tracking data?

Football clubs use the GPS tracking data to optimise a player's physical performance and to minimise the risk of injury by controlling the level of strain they are placed under.

Dedicated sports scientists and coaches use the stats to analyse how the level of training affects each individual, so they can alter a training programme (or load) to suit their particular needs.

Guilherme Passos, a physiologist with the Brazil national team, said that the GPS tracking device is a useful addition to the arsenal available to backroom teams. 

"It gives an opportunity to monitor the team in a live way using the iPad, so it's easier to give the coach live feedback about how their session is going, so it's a very good tool for controlling the [training] load," he said in a STATSports promotional video.

Naturally, some coaches place greater emphasis on statistical analysis than others and Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is an example of a coach who has always been deeply analytical in his preparation.

The GPS data available to him now in the modern game is incredibly detailed and, what's more, it's beamed to his laptop instantly, which helps to speed up the process of applying the knowledge to a game situation.

“If you’re a Leeds United player now, you have to be interested in it,” Leeds' first-team sports scientist Tom Robinson told The Athletic.

"Otherwise, you’re not going to get the best out of yourself or fit into the process here."

Lionel Messi has been in sublime form for Argentina in the ongoing Copa America, registering four goals and four assists which have largely helped the Albiceleste reach the semifinals.

The Barcelona talisman was in his element on Sunday, scoring a free kick in a 3-0 victory over Ecuador in the Copa America quarter-finals.The forward also assisted twice - once without looking at his target as he made the pass - in a Man of the Match effort. 

Those three goal involvements have seen Messi cement his status as one of the greatest players at the business end of major international tournaments ever. He now has the most goal contributions in knockout stages of major tournaments, with 20 goals and assists combined. 

In the knockout stages of Copa America and the World Cup, Messi has five goals and 15 assists so far - a feat no other player has achieved. 

He was tied with former Brazil star Ronaldo Nazario de Lima at 17 contributions going into the Ecuador game. But the mesmerising show against Ecuador has seen him take the record for himself. 

Watch Messi's terrific performance

Who has the most goal contributions in the knockout stages of major international tournaments?

Messi leads the chart, as mentioned above, followed by Brazil's Ronaldo. 

NOTE: The stat takes into account goals and assists at the Euro and World Cup for European players and Copa America and World Cup for South American players. It must also be noted that during Pele's time, Copa America did not have a knockout stage.

Further reading

Nigeria suffered a 4-0 defeat to Mexico in an international friendly match at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Sunday.

Hector Herrera's double and goals from Rogelio Funes Mori and Jonathan dos Santos steered El Tri to a comfortable victory as they wrapped up preparations for their 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup campaign which will begin on July 11.

Herrera got Mexico off to a flying start with the opening goal in the second minute,courtesy of an assist from Jesus Corona. They went ahead to double their lead in the fourth minute after Napoli winger Hirving Lozano linked up with Funes Mori and the latter placed his effort to the top left corner.

Mexico dominated the first-half with chances created and ball possession while the Super Eagles struggled to create a clear chance with no shot on target.

More to follow...

Lionel Messi scored a free kick to cap his excellent performance in a 3-0 victory over Ecuador on Saturday in the Copa America quarter-finals, drawing effusive praise from his team-mates.

The forward also assisted twice - once without looking at his target as he made the pass - in a Man of the Match effort that prompted Nico Gonzalez to say the entire squad draws "confidence and joy" from his play.

Argentina will face Colombia in the final four on Tuesday, and Messi will try to build on his output of four goals and four assists so far in the tournament.

What happened?

What has been said?

"Messi surprises us day by day, he gets stronger and stronger and infects us all," said forward Nico Gonzalez. "He gives us confidence and joy. You have to continue down this path and enjoy it."

Added Lautaro: "We all follow Messi's leadership. Today we saw again how he makes a difference and we are all accompanying him."

Messi responds to free kick reaction

"I always say it: individual [moments] are secondary, we are here for something else," Messi said. "I want to congratulate the group for the work they are doing - we have been away from our families for many days."

Bigger picture

All signs now point to a Brazil vs Argentina final, as the powerhouse sides have each ripped through their respective fixtures and now stand just one more win apiece from facing one another with the Copa America trophy up for grabs. Messi and Neymar have lived up to expectations to help their nations advance to this stage.

The Selecao will play Peru in the semi-final, while the Albiceleste will take on Colombia.

Further reading

Shreen Helmy, the owner of newly-promoted Egyptian side Pharco FC, says that he would like to bring Dani Alves to the club while also admitting his hopes of working alongside Lionel Messi on a charity initiative.

Pharco FC won their 16-team group to earn automatic promotion to Egypt's top flight, and the club already has ambitions of bringing in a Brazilian star.

Alves is currently with his boyhood club Sao Paulo, having joined in 2019, but Helmy says the Egyptian side has legitimate hope of bringing one of the best full-backs of all time to the club.

What was said?

"I am working on bringing Dani Alves from Sao Paulo because we can benefit from his experience," he told ElHadath AlYoum.

"I have met Alves and he told me he wanted to play with Sao Paulo since he was 8 years old, and I think I can bring him to the Egyptian Premier League."

Hope for Messi

Helmy says the club would also like to work alongside current free agent Messi, although not on a sporting project.

As part of his fight to aid those suffering from Hepatitis C, Messi has visited Egypt, who he says are “leading the world in the fight".

And Helmy says he's eager to work alongside Messi in that fight.

"We negotiated with Messi," Hely admitted, "not to join our club but to strengthen relations with the player after his contribution to the treatment of Hepatitis C."

Further reading

Ukraine’s exit from Euro 2020 was imminent after they conceded a second goal in their 4-0 defeat to England, according to former Nigeria international Joseph Yobo.

Courtesy of Harry Kane’s fourth-minute strike, the Three Lions took a slim 1-0 lead into the half-time break of the quarter-final showdown.

They doubled their advantage in the 46th minute after Harry Maguire rose above his markers to head Luke Shaw’s free-kick past goalkeeper Georgi Bushchan.

Kane completed his brace four minutes later, while Jordan Henderson added the fourth to propel Gareth Southgate’s team into the last four.

Speaking after the game, the former Olympique Marseille and Everton centre-back expressed his disenchantment at the dodgy defending put up by Andriy Shevchenko’s men.

Furthermore, he claimed the second goal Ukraine conceded confirmed their place out of the European competition.

“The second goal is the one I am disappointed at - because in football, goals change the game,” Yobo said on SuperSport.

“As a defender, I was taught to stay in the game at all times. Mistakes can be made but then, that second goal at that crucial time [changed everything].

“They are professionals, they fought so hard to get to this level, so there was no need to be complacent or relax.

“They were meant to come into the game to even put more pressure on the England team and not to sit back, but we didn’t see that happen and they conceded the second goal just two minutes into the second half.

“That was very disappointing because for me at that point, I said game over because you can’t go two-nil against a better side like England and expect a comeback from a team the Ukrainians had today. They didn’t really come to the party.”

“We didn’t see much from them and most importantly, when it’s not happening, they are to defend.

“You have to clear your lines, head the ball, do what you have to do and be hoping for a break someway and somehow. But we didn’t see them defending or attacking, it was just England all over.”

Following this result, Southgate’s England will now take on Denmark in their semi-final clash at Wembley on Wednesday - with the winner squaring up against Italy or Spain in the final.

Mason Mount has admitted his Covid-19 isolation after close contact with Scotland's Billy Gilmour was "frustrating" but said he is thrilled to be back with England as the squad moves on to the "lions den" of the Euro 2020 semi-final.

Mount and team-mate Ben Chilwell were held out of the final group stage match vs the Czech Republic as well as the last-16 bout with Germany.

The attacking midfielder recorded an assist in his return to the starting XI on Saturday in England's 4-0 quarter-final win over Ukraine.

What has been said?

“[The isolation] has been frustrating obviously, for me and Chilly," Mount said. "We had to stay strong and look at the bigger picture. We stayed strong and worked hard every day.

"We were in the meetings only virtually. We were involved and had all the information for the games. It was important to understand what the boys have been doing.”

The Chelsea star then looked ahead to England's semi-final date with Denmark at Wembley.

"It’s going to be a special day with a few more fans there to create that atmosphere," he said. "You’re in the lions den and you have to come and really perform."

Henderson breaks goal drought

Jordan Henderson overcame his own type of frustration on Saturday, finally netting his first England goal after having one ruled out by VAR earlier in the tournament.

"It's about time [for me to score] to be honest!" Henderson told BBC. "It's been a long time coming. Thankfully I managed to get on the scoresheet. I'm just delighted for the lads because the performance was fantastic.

"I always try to contribute how I can and concentrate on my job on the pitch. That's all I can concentrate on, but of course, I would have liked to have scored more goals. But I can't complain, I'm here, I've contributed and got on the scoresheet which is nice."

Further reading

Jadon Sancho says that he will not think about a move to Manchester United while England remain in Euro 2020.

The Borussia Dortmund winger is on the brink of a switch to Old Trafford. The clubs have reached an agreement over a fee and only the formalities of the deal need take place before he becomes a Manchester United player.

On Saturday, he was given his first start for England at the European Championship as the Three Lions beat Ukraine 4-0 in the quarter-finals, and he has promised this is where his focus will continue to lie.

What was said?

"To be fair, I don't want to talk about Manchester United. Right now I just want to focus on England,” he told BBC Radio5 Live when quizzed about his upcoming move.

Instead, he focused on the European Championship match, which took place in Rome.

"I'm feeling over the moon. Today was must-win and I'm just happy to have got an opportunity to play. This is a special moment for me,” he said.

"Every time I haven't been playing I've been going back to training and been giving it everything.

"I've just been focusing on myself while I've been at England. I've always been ready if I needed to come on.

"We knew today was going to be a big game, Ukraine are a very good side. I'm delighted.”

What next?

Sancho will hope to feature in Wednesday’s semi-final against Denmark at Wembley, then potentially in the final versus Spain or Italy a week on Sunday.

Only after the tournament is over for England will he complete his move to Manchester United.

Further Reading

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Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand are among the former England players to express their excitement at the 4-0 thrashing of Ukraine in the Euro 2020 quarter-final on Saturday.

The group has watched with pride as the Three Lions have kept clean sheets in each of their five games while improving their attack as the tournament has progressed.

Shearer has said that "something special is happening" with Gareth Southgate's team, and the ex-players all lauded the mentality demonstrated by the current squad.

What has been said?

"Something special is happening," Shearer told BBC One. "We started the tournament slowly but we are improving with every game. My head is telling me to calm down but my heart is getting carried away.

"Really, really positive, well done Gareth and well done England!"

Lampard, meanwhile, said "now is the time for us [observers] to get excited about [the performance] and the time for them to keep their heads down and keep confident."

Ferdinand praised the way Southgate has used his abundant squad options.

"I am even more confident now," the former centre-back said. "Biggest compliment I can give this side is I have never ever seen a side so composed.

"All the players coming on are impacting the game in a positive way, the manager is utilising the squad. Everyone is justifying their selection. They are hard to play against."

England's attacking growth

During the group stage, the Three Lions were criticised for playing negative football despite their glut of available attackers. They produced 0.0 expected goals in the second half of a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic to close the round - a sign of their intention to kill games at any cost.

But England have now scored six goals in two knockout matches, first defeating Germany 2-0 and then dominating Ukraine.

Harry Kane scored twice on Saturday, while Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also chipped in with second-half goals. Henderson's header marked his first goal for England.

Further reading

England supporters are dreaming of Euro 2020 glory after watching their side demolish Ukraine 4-0 on Saturday.

Gareth Southgate’s side will return to Wembley on Wednesday to face Denmark in the semi-finals of the competition, with their opponents travelling from Baku for the fixture.

As such, England stand a strong chance of progressing to the final, also at Wembley, on July 11.

Two goals from Harry Kane, plus efforts from Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson sealed the win and got the country in a state of rapture.

What was said?

Further Reading