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La Albiceleste thrashed Bolivia 4-1 as captain Lionel Messi hit a brace en route the quarterfinals...

Argentina and Ecuador will be in action in Sunday's Copa America 2021 quater-final at Estadio Olimpico Pedro Ludovico in Goiânia, Brazil.

Since being held to a 1-1 draw against Chile in their opener, Lionel Scaloni's men have bounced back with three wins on the trot. Lionel Messi led from the front in the 4-1 win over Bolivia with a brace of his own. They also defeated Uruguay and Paraguay both with a 1-0 scoreline.

Ecuador finished fourth in Group B and have not yet won a match in tournament but did put up some resilient displays on their way to the final eight. The most notable performance was when they held Brazil to a 1-1 draw in their last group game.

Here's how to watch Argentina vs Ecuador in India.

Contents

What time is Argentina vs Ecuador? How to watch on TV & live stream in India Argentina vs Ecuador: Team news & stats
 

What time does Argentina vs Ecuador start?

Game Argentina vs Ecuador
Date Sunday, July 4
Time 6:30am IST

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How to watch Argentina vs Ecuador on TV & live stream in India

In India, the Copa America 2021 will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

TV channels Online stream
Sony Ten 2 SD & HD SonyLIV, Jio TV

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

Malayalam & Bengali TV channels Tamil & Telugu TV channels
Sony Six SD & HD Sony Ten 4 SD & HD

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Argentina vs Ecuador: Team news & key stats

Cristian Romero and Angel Di Maria are both expected to be fit for the tie. Lisandro Martinez and Nicolas Otamendi are likely to be part of the backline. Manager Luis Scaloni would have to take a call on whether to hand a start to Guido Rodriguez or Leandro Paredes. 

Moises Caicedo is a doubt for Ecuador as the Brighton star was stretchered off against Brazil. Angel Mena could be handed a start after scoring a goal against Brazil. Carlos Gruezo had to join the squad after Damian Diaz's Covid-19 infection.Enner Valencia too is a doubtful starter against Argentina after picking up a knock in the previous game.

 

Key stats:

Argentina have defeated Ecuador 21 out of 36 times they faced, with the latter winning on five occasions while 10 games ended in a draw. 
  The last time the two sides met, Argentina edged it with a solitary goal scored by Lionel Messi, who has three goals and two assists to his name in the Copa America 2021.
  The two goals against Bolivia helped Lionel Messi to surpass India's talismanic forward Sunil Chhetri's international goals tally (74). With 75 goals now, Messi is third behind UAE's Ali Mabkhout (76) among the list of active men's international footballers that sees Cristiano Ronaldo atop with 109 goals.
  The 4-1 win over Bolivia was the first time in 13 games that Argentina scored more than two goals in a match. The last time they score more than two goals was in a 6-1 win over Ecuador.

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Further reading: 

 

(Originally posted by Anselm Noronha)
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How to watch Czech Republic vs Denmark in Euro 2020 from India?

The Danes made it to the quarters by beating Wales 4-0 in the last 16, whereas the Czechs pulled off a shock in the last 16 by beating Netherlands

Denmark and Czech Republic meet in Baku on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals of Euro 2020, with Kasper Hjulmand's side clear favourites to make it through to the last four.

The Czechs have scored in eight of their last 11 games in all competitions and in Patrik Schick they boast one of the competition's top scorers. The Bayer Leverkusen forward has netted four times, with Czech Republic striker scoring in three of their four matches.

On the other hand, following back-to-back defeats in their opening group games, Denmark started their recovery with a 4-1 win over Russia en route the knockout stages. Having scored eight goals in two games, the only time they failed to find the back of the net in the Euro 2020 was in their traumatic opener against Finland with Christian Eriksen's terrifying collapse.

Here's how to watch Czech Republic vs Denmark in India.

Contents

What time is Czech Republic vs Denmark? How to watch Czech Republic vs Denmark Where will Czech Republic vs Denmark take place? Czech Republic vs Denmark: Team news & stats
 

What time does Czech Republic vs Denmark start?

Game Czech Republic vs Denmark
Date Saturday, July 3
Time 9:30pm IST

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How to watch Czech Republic vs Denmark on TV & live stream in India

In India, the Euros will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

TV channels Online stream
Sony Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi) SonyLIV, Jio TV

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

Malayalam & Bengali TV channels Tamil & Telugu TV channels
Sony Six SD & HD Sony Ten 4 SD & HD

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Where will Czech Republic vs Denmark take place?

Olympic Stadium | Baku | Azerbaijan

Capacity: 68,700 | reduced to 50%
Games: Group stage & quarter-final (four games)
Year built: 2015

Baku's Olympic Stadium was one of the venues for games in Group A and would now host the quarter-final showdown between Czech Republic and Denmark.

Built for the 2015 European Games, the Olympic Stadium will hold fond memories for Chelsea supporters as the scene of their 2019 Europa League final triumph over Arsenal.

The 68,700-seater stadium is situated near Lake Boyukshor, which is the second largest lake in Azerbaijan.

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Czech Republic vs Denmark: Team news & stats

The Czechs have no injury concerns heading into the clash and welcome back Slavia Prague defender Jan Boril who started all three group games but missed the last 16 clash with the Netherlands through suspension.

The Danes are likely to welcome back Daniel Wass and Yussuf Poulsen who missed the win over Wales, while defender Simon Kjaer should also be available despite an injury scare in the round of 16.

Key stats:

This is the third meeting between the Czech Republic and Denmark at the European Championship – the Czechs have won both previous games, 2-0 in the EURO 2000 group stages and 3-0 in the 2004 quarter-final.
  Having scored with just one of their first 44 shots at EURO 2020 (2% conversion), Denmark have now scored with eight of their last 31 in the competition (26%).
  Mikkel Damsgaard has been directly involved in seven goals in his six appearances for Denmark in all competitions, scoring three and assisting four. Damsgaard created more chances than any other Danish player in their 4-0 victory against Wales in the last round (3).
  Patrik Schick has scored 15 goals in 30 appearances for the Czech Republic, netting four goals in four games at EURO 2020 so far. Only five players have scored 5+ goals in their first ever EURO tournament, most recently Antoine Griezmann in 2016 for France (six goals), while one of the other previous five was Schick’s compatriot Milan Baros at EURO 2004 (five).

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Further reading: 

 

(Originally posted by Anselm Noronha)
  436 Hits

How to watch Ukraine vs England in Euro 2020 Quarterfinals from India?

After claiming a big scalp in Germany, Gareth Southgate's men will eye a spot in the semifinals...

After the euphoria of overcoming Germany in the Round of 16, England must now turn their attention to Saturday’s Euro 2020 quarter-final against Ukraine.

The mood in the Three Lions camp is high after recording a first ever knockout stage victory over their old rivals, running out 2-0 winners in front of a passionate home crowd at Wembley.

Ukraine will be expected to set up a similarly defensive line-up to the one that ground out an attritional extra-time 2-1 victory over Sweden on Tuesday.

Here's how to watch Ukraine vs England in India.

Contents

What time is Ukraine vs England? How to watch Ukraine vs England Where will Ukraine vs England take place? Ukraine vs England: Team news & stats
 

What time does Ukraine vs England start?

Game Ukraine vs England
Date Sunday, July 4
Time 12:30am IST

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How to watch Ukraine vs England on TV & live stream in India

In India, the Euros will be broadcast live on the Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN). It will be livestreamed on the SonyLIV app.

TV channels Online stream
Sony Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi) SonyLIV, Jio TV

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

Malayalam & Bengali TV channels Tamil & Telugu TV channels
Sony Six SD & HD Sony Ten 4 SD & HD

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Where will Ukraine vs England take place?

Stadio Olimpico | Rome | Italy

Capacity: 72,698 |  reduced to 25% capacity, subject to increase
Games: Group stage & quarter-final (four games)
Year built: 1937 (renovated in 1953 & 1990)

Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy is the venue for the quarter-final game between Ukraine vs England after hosting three Euro 2020 matches in Group A (sharing duties with Baku's Olympic Stadium).

It has been the venue for the final of the European Cup/Champions League on four occasions (1977, 1984, 1996 and 2009) as well as hosting the 1980 European Championship final and the 1990 World Cup final.

Along with Parken Stadium, Hampden Park and the Johan Cruyff Arena, Stadio Olimpico represents one of four 20th century stadiums being used.

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Ukraine vs England: Team news & key stats

Artem Besedin has been ruled out for six months due to the knee injury caused by Markus Danielsson’s red card tackle against Sweden, while Andriy Yarmolenko will be assessed after hobbling off in that clash and Oleksandr Zubkov is also doubtful.

Mason Mount will be hoping to return to the line-up after only returning from COVID-19 isolation on the day of the Germany game, although Declan Rice and Kieran Trippier may not be risked after struggling for fitness towards the end of that game.

Key stats:

England have lost just one of their seven meetings with Ukraine in all competitions (W4 D2), going down 0-1 in October 2009 in a World Cup qualifier. The last two games between the sides have finished level, with this the first meeting since September 2013 (0-0 in Kiev).
  Ukraine have scored just three goals in their seven meetings with England, and never more than once in a match. The last four meetings between the sides have produced just four goals in total (2 each).
  Raheem Sterling has scored three of England’s four goals at EURO 2020 so far, while only two players have ever scored more for the Three Lions in a single edition at the tournament – Alan Shearer in 1996 (5) and Wayne Rooney in 2004 (4).
  Andriy Yarmolenko has either scored (two) or assisted (three) five of Ukraine's eight European Championship goals. Indeed, five goal involvements is level with Andriy Shevchenko (4 goals, 1 assist) for the most by a Ukraine player at major tournaments (World Cup & EUROs).

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Further reading: 

 

(Originally posted by Anselm Noronha)
  374 Hits

LIVE: Brazil vs Chile

38' Neymar has dropped deep into his own half and he sloppily gifts the ball to Vidal with his crossfield pass. He turns before trying to slide in Vargas, but Lodi is there to win it back for Brazil.

36' Brazil are knocking it around well at the moment and Firmino knocks it through for Jesus. He pulls it back across goal from the byline, Neymar misses it and Medel follows in behind to put it out for a corner.

34' Mena whips a cross into the box from the left and Silva gets there ahead of Vargas, but he only half-clears it. It loops to Pulgar through the middle and he attempts an ambitious volley from distance but it flies well high and wide of the target.

32' CLOSE! The Chile defenders sit back and allow Danilo to carry the ball forward, so he decides to have a shot from the edge of the box. He drills it towards the far top corner, but it sails just over the bar.

31' Vidal gives away a cheap free-kick out wide on the left and Neymar stands over it. He whips it into the penalty spot, but it hits the first man as Vargas heads it clear.

29' Danilo nicks the ball off Sanchez and makes a brilliant run down the right for Brazil, riding the challenge from Mena to get into the final third. He cuts back before trying to curl a cross into Neymar, but it's blocked by Vegas.

27' GOOD SAVE! Vargas breaks for Chile on the counter and he's up against Lodi on the right. He has to go it alone, so he drills a shot across goal from a tight angle but Ederson gets down quickly to tip it wide.

26' It's a late challenge from Vidal on Richarlison but the referee takes a moment to decide before awarding the free-kick. It's in a good position for Neymar just outside the box, but it comes to nothing.

24' Sanchez is causing all sorts of problems down the left and he turns away from Casemiro to clip a long ball forward for Mena. His first touch lets him down though and Danilo is able to nick it back.

22' GREAT CHANCE! None of the Chile defenders close Neymar down as he drives down the left and he lifts a great cross into the far post. Firmino stretches to reach it on the volley and ends up sending it just wide.

21' Chile are still dominating possession here and they're keeping Brazil penned back in their own half. Sanchez floats another cross into the box from the left, but this one is headed clear by Silva.

19' CLOSE! Sanchez chips the ball over Marquinhos to pick out Vargas' run into the box and he brings it down before lifting his shot over the onrushing Ederson, but it bounces wide just as the offside flag goes up.

17' Sierralta swings a good cross into the box from the right and Sanchez nods it down to Aranguiz before getting it back. He tries to create some space for a shot, but can't find a way past Marquinhos.

15' SAVE! Sierralta's pass to Isla is picked off by Richarlison and he sets off on the counter. He gets away from the defender before drilling a long-range shot on goal from the left wing, but it's straight into Bravo's gloves.

14' Richarlison dances away from three challenges as he cuts inside from the left before laying the ball off to Neymar on the edge of the box. He instantly has two defenders around him and he can't carve out the space for the shot.

12' The last time these sides met in the Copa America was in the 2007 quarter-final, with Brazil coming out on top that day with a 6-1 victory over Chile.

10' SAVE! Isla drives forward down the right, but can't find any space for a cross, so he pulls it back to Vegas. Despite being a long way from goal, he tries his luck, but it's straight at Ederson, who parries away.

8' Sanchez has drifted out to the left to get on the ball and he cuts away from Danilo before floating a cross into the near post. It's just too high for Vargas though, and Ederson comes out to collect it.

6' Vargas steps across Danilo and gives away a free-kick in a good position for Brazil. Neymar curls it towards the far post, but Isla glances it out for a corner just ahead of Silva.

4' Ederson does well to clear his lines as Vidal rushes to close him down and he picks out Fred. The midfielder turns away from his marker before lifting a long ball over the top towards Neymar, but it's over his head and straight to Bravo.

2' Chile are seeing a lot of the ball in the opening minutes here and are knocking it around comfortably in midfield. Sanchez skips his way past three challenges before being knocked to ground by Firmino.

1' Vargas gets the game underway for Chile!

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

Chile have won just one of their last 16 meetings with Brazil in all competitions (D2 L13) - a 2-0 victory in a World Cup qualifier in October 2015.

Martin Lasarte makes just three changes to his team after their loss to Paraguay. Sanchez returns from injury to start, with Vegas and Pulgar also brought in. Alarcon, Pinares and Brereton all drop to the bench.

Tite rested a lot of his key players in the last game against Ecuador, so he makes eight changes today. Ederson replaces Alisson in goal, with Danilo, Silva, Casemiro, Fred, Jesus, Richarlison and Neymar also being brought into the side.

CHILE SUBS: Marceloni Nunez, Enzo Roco, Jean Meneses, Gabriel Arias, Tomas Alarcon, Carlos Palacios, Diego Valencia, Ben Brereton, Claudio Baeza, Pablo Galdames, Cesar Pinares, Gabriel Castellon.

CHILE STARTING XI (5-3-2): Claudio Bravo; Mauricio Isla, Francisco Sierralta, Gary Medel, Sebastian Vegas, Eugenio Mena; Arturo Vidal, Erick Pulgar, Charles Aranguiz; Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas. 

BRAZIL SUBS: Emerson, Everton Ribeiro, Weverton, Fabinho, Gabriel Barbosa, Leo Ortiz, Alisson, Lucas Paqueta, Eder Militao, Vinicius Junior, Douglas Luiz, Everton.

BRAZIL STARTING XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Renan Lodi; Casemiro, Fred; Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Richarlison; Neymar.

The holders, Brazil, went unbeaten to qualify top of their group and reach the quarter-final. They won three first three, but a disappointing 1-1 draw with Ecuador last time out means that their 10-match winning run in all competitions was ended. As for Chile, they finished fourth in their group after a strong start to the tournament (W1 D2). They struggled last time out though and come into today on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Paraguay.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Copa America quarter-final meeting between Brazil and Chile at the Estadio Nilton Santos!

  483 Hits

'I'll have to wait for No. 8 another year' - Fernandes happy as 'inspiration' Mata signs new Man Utd deal

The Portuguese midfielder joked about a shirt change while expressing his admiration for his team-mate
  372 Hits

Liverpool star Salah left off Egypt's Olympic roster

The Reds were able to prevent their star forward from participating in the tournament in Japan

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah will not be playing at the Olympics after the Reds prevented the forward from playing for Egypt in Japan.

Head coach Shawky Gharib dropped Salah from his 22-man team after Liverpool declined to release the Egyptian senior national team captain for the tournament that will begin later this month.

Arsenal's Mohamed Elneny also will not play at the tournament, with teams on the men's side fielding Under-23 squads and able to use three overage players.

Salah's struggle

Liverpool were reluctant to release Salah for the Olympics, which is not part of FIFA's calendar due to being considered a youth tournament.

Egypt Football Association president Ahmed Megahed said last month that while Liverpool were trying to prevent Salah from playing, he believed the 29-year-old would "find a way" to be at the Olympics.

However, Liverpool have won out and will have their star for pre-season.

Liverpool's dilemma

The Olympics football competition is due to kick off on July 22 and run until August 7, seven days before the new Premier League campaign begins.

Salah would have missed the Reds' entire pre-season schedule if he had linked up with his country and could have been a doubt for the Reds' opening three top-flight fixtures against Norwich City, Burnley and Chelsea.

Liverpool will likely be without Salah in January for the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning they were reluctant to miss out on his services on two occasions in the 2021-22 season.

Egypt's roster

The 22-man team is majorly dominated by Egyptian Premier League stars with Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy among the overage players alongside former Stoke City and Huddersfield winger Ramadan Sobhi.

Also in the squad is 30-year-old Ahmed Hegazi who previously played for West Brom in the Premier League.

Further reading

Original author: Seth Vertelney
  404 Hits

De Bruyne reveals he played with torn ligaments in Italy loss as Belgium crash out of Euro 2020

The Manchester City star played through the pain as the Red Devils crashed out in the quarter-final

Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he played with torn ankle ligaments throughout Belgium's Euro 2020 exit to Italy, as the Azzurri emerged as 2-1 victors in the quarter-final clash in Munich.

Superb first-half finishes from Nicolo Barella and Lorenzo Insigne proved to be enough for Roberto Mancini's men to knock out the world's top-ranked side at Allianz Arena.

A Romelu Lukaku penalty at half-time kept Robert Martinez's side close throughout, but Belgium fell short in perhaps their final chance to hand their golden generation some much-coveted silverware - and now De Bruyne, an injury doubt pre-match, has confirmed that he was not fully fit despite featuring from the start for the Red Devils.

What has been said?

"For me personally it has been four or five weird weeks. But I especially want to thank the medical staff," De Bruyne said on UEFA.com.

"It was a miracle that I played today because there was definitely damage to my ankle. A tear in my ligaments. But I felt responsibility to play for my country today. Too bad I couldn't do more."

Further pressed on the overall result, De Bruyne added that he felt Belgium gave it their all in defeat, adding to BBC Sport: “I think we tried everything to win that match

“They scored a fantastic goal, but the first one may have been a mistake on our part.

“They had more possession, and the ball didn’t go in for us, which is a shame. Getting eliminated is always a disappointment.”

Courtois admits loss 'hits hard'

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois further expanded on his side's defeat, also telling BBC Sport: “This hits hard But we knew it was going to be a tough game."

Referencing their own chances and Italy's two finishes, in particular Barella's impressively orchestrated solo finish, the shot-stopper further acknowledged that his team could have perhaps done better and that they were bested by a worthy victory in the end.

“We had two opportunities but their keeper made a good save and I think we gave the first goal away a bit too easily," he added. "It really could have gone either way, but Italy deserved to win here.”

The bigger picture

De Bruyne's injury - sustained against Portugal - may well have been further worsened by his performance against Italy in Germany, and with his Euro 2020 campaign at an end, he will likely now return to Manchester City to await further assessment on his condition.

Belgium meanwhile will be forced to consider their standing after failing to transform their number one status in the FIFA World Rankings into a major honour, or at the very least another top-four finish following their third-plac finish at Russia 2018.

Italy meanwhile march on to the semi-finals at Wembley, marking their furthest run in a major tournament since Euro 2012, where they will face Spain in a rematch of that competition's final nine years on.

Further reading

  324 Hits

Liverpool almost signed £35m Sarr in January and Man Utd wanted Watford star on loan, claims agent

Goal takes a look at the biggest transfer news and rumours from the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and around the world
Original author: Goal
  152 Hits

‘I loved every moment’ – Moses sends message to Chelsea after completing Spartak Moscow move

The former Super Eagles star completed a permanent switch to Spartak Moscow on Friday after impressing on loan last season

Victor Moses has penned an emotional message to Chelsea after completing a permanent move to Russian Premier League club Spartak Moscow.

The 30-year-old penned a two-year contract with the People's Team on Friday after the club triggered a clause that allows them to sign him permanently following their qualification for next season's Uefa Champions League.

Last term, the former Liverpool midfielder helped Spartak Moscow finish second in the Russian top-flight with his contribution of four goals and two assists in 19 league matches.

His 82nd-minute strike earned Spartak a 2-2 draw against Akhmat Grozny in the final Premier League match of the season and eventually sealed their second spot on the table, and a return to the elite European competition for next season.

Friday’s deal brought an end to Moses’ nine-year spell at Chelsea, after he joined the Blues from Wigan Athletic in 2012.

During his stint at Stamford Bridge, the former Nigeria international was loaned out six times with spells at Liverpool, Stoke City, West Ham United, Fenerbahce, Inter Milan and Spartak Moscow.

He also won several laurels at Chelsea including two Uefa Europa League titles, the FA Cup and the Premier League crown.

Across his different spells in the Premier League, the 30-year-old played in 220 matches and scored 20 goals.

“After 9 fantastic years and 128 games for Chelsea, I have now officially left the club to join Spartak Moscow on a permanent transfer,” Moses wrote on Instagram.

“I’ve loved every moment playing for Chelsea and leave with memories that I will cherish forever, including winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League.

“I’ve always appreciated the love and support shown to me during my time at Stamford Bridge and would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody connected with the club, with a special mention to the incredible Chelsea fans who have always been brilliant with me.

“I would like to wish the club every success in the future. Thank you for everything. I’ll always have blue in my heart.”

(Originally posted by Taiye Taiwo)
  479 Hits

'The heart of Italians!' - Bonucci thrilled after 'dominating' Belgium en route to Euro 2020 semi-final

The Azzurri brought their A-game once again as they pushed their way into the competition's final four

Leonardo Bonucci says he and his team-mates showed "the heart of this Italy side and of the Italians" in a 2-1 win over Belgium in the Euro 2020 quarter-final on Friday.

The victory pushes Italy into the tournament's semi-finals, where they will face Spain for a spot in the finale.

So far, Italy have been perfect through the Euros, having allowed just two goals while scoring 11 of their own.

What was said?

“We knew Belgium’s quality, especially in attack and the danger they posed to us on the counter,” Bonucci told RAI Sport.

“We went 2-0 up and were dominating the game, then they got back into it with a dubious penalty, we did really well to hold on and showed once again how important the heart of this Italy side and of the Italians is."

'A deserved victory'

Italy boss Roberto Mancini said he believed his side deserved their win, even if they had to "suffer" through the last 10 minutes.

Italy took the lead in the 31st minute on a goal from Nicolo Barella, having previously seen a goal waved off due to an offside call.

They doubled that lead 13 minutes later on a goal from Lorenzo Insigne, but conceded a penalty just before half-time that was converted by Romelu Lukaku.

The second half of the game was far from free-flowing, but Mancini had little issue with that as his side held onto the win.

“We deserved the victory. The lads were extraordinary, and clearly we suffered in the last 10 minutes as we were really tired, but we could’ve scored more goals earlier,” the coach told RAI Sport.

“I didn’t see 25 minutes of struggle at the start. There were chances at both ends, it was an open game. We only struggled in the last 10 minutes when Belgium started playing a long ball game.”

'It just wouldn't end!'

Gianluigi Donnarumma, playing in his first major tournament, was also left beaming with pride after Italy's win

The young goalkeeper, who is expected to join Paris Saint-Germain in the coming days, made a key first-half save on Kevin De Bruyne before helping Italy kill the game in its final moments.

Just seconds before the final whistle, Donnarumma turned towards the Italian fans and pumped his fists with pride as Italy moved one step closer to a trophy.

"The game was endless! It just wouldn’t end! This group is extraordinary, we deserve this and now we’ll play the semi-final, as we slowly approach our objective,” the goalkeeper told RAI Sport.

He added: “I always try to help the team, I’m emotional as this is my first major tournament and I wanted to progress as much as possible with the Italy jersey. I hope to make everyone’s dream come true.”

Further reading

  469 Hits

Bayern sign Cancelo on loan with €70m option

The Nigeria international is drawing transfer interest from the Bees which could see him move the English top-flight this summer

Midtjylland midfielder Frank Onyeka would play a key role in helping Brentford remain in the Premier League beyond the 2021-22 season if he eventually moves to England, according to Goal Africa readers.

The Nigeria international is reported to be closing in on a permanent move to the 2021 Championship play-offs winners after his eye-catching performances in the Danish Superliga last season.

After winning the league crown in 2020, Onyeka helped the Wolves finish second in the Danish top-flight last season with his contribution of three goals in 27 appearances.

Although he has three years to go on his contract at the MCH Arena, the Bees are working to use their relationship with Midtjylland to secure the transfer as both clubs are owned by Matthew Benham.

Going by the poll on Goal Africa’s Twitter page, almost 85 per cent of readers are backing the ex-FC Ebedei prodigy to shine in the Premier League and also help the Bees maintain their top-flight status while 15.2 per cent of the voters do not believe his presence will not make Thomas Frank's side struggle next season.

While the debate about Onyeka’s potential influence in Brentford squad continues, Midtjylland sporting director director Svend Graversen believes the 23-year-old is ripe for a new challenge in ‘the biggest league in the world’.

“It's there. There is also something in the fact that he has the interest of a lot of clubs. Our evaluation of Frank is that he is ready for one of the big leagues,” Graversen said.

“One has to assess that the Premier League is perhaps the biggest, so he is ready for that. Then we must find the right solution, and he must not least think it is the right solution. Then we have to see where it ends.

“But there is no doubt that he has deserved it, and he is where a change is right for him. Then we must find the right solution for all three parties.”

On the international scene, Onyeka was first invited to the Super Eagles in September 2020, and he later made his debut for the three-time African champions in a 1-0 friendly loss to Algeria on October 9, 2020.

(Originally posted by Taiye Taiwo)
  159 Hits

'He's got big balls!' - Koke full of praise for Spain hero Unai Simon after shootout win

The goalkeeper made two big saves in the shootout to lead his team to the semi-final round of the Euros

Spain midfielder Koke says his team-mate Unai Simon has "big balls" after the goalkeeper stepped up to lead the way in a shootout win over Switzerland.

Simon made two saves in the shootout, stopping Fabian Schar and Manuel Akanji before Swiss youngster Ruben Vargas fired his spot-kick over the bar as Spain reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals.

The goalkeeper's heroics come just days after his mistake led to an unfortunate own goal, earning praise from his team-mate for his ability to bounce back from a disaster.

What was said?

"He has such big balls," Koke said of his team-mate. “What happened to him against Croatia was unfortunate but what he did afterwards was incredible, with great tranquility. I hope it continues at this level."

He added: "How can it not make us strong to overcome adversity? That unites more and, in the end, things work out. You can see from the outside that the group is united and we are all 100 per cent."

A feeling of euphoria

Simon explained his own views of the shootout, saying that he was, at least at first, frustrated it had come to that stage.

Spain had been playing up a man since the 77th minute, when referee Michael Oliver opted to send off Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler for a studs-up tackle.

Despite the man advantage, Spain were unable to find the goal they needed to avoid a shootout.

Once there, though, Simon stepped up, leading Spain to a quarter-final clash with either Belgium or Italy.

“It's a feeling of euphoria, but also of anger at all the work the team was doing in the 120 minutes," he said. "We should not have gotten there but we were lucky, the coin fell on our side and we are very happy about it."

"Today is very good," he added, "but we still have to win this European Championship."

Further reading

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The two-time African Footballer of the Year will begin the 2021-22 Premier League season with the Reds after missing the chance to go to Tokyo

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah and Arsenal's Mohamed Elneny will not be playing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after they were dropped from Egypt's 22-man squad.

Shawky Gharib dropped Salah from his selection after Liverpool declined to release the Egyptian senior national team captain for the tournament that will begin later this month.

Another notable star who did not make the final shortlist was Zamalek loanee Mostafa Mohamed who has been impressive in the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray.

Mohamed is currently nursing a knee injury but the Lions reportedly declined the participation of the 23-year-old because of crunch Uefa Champions League qualifying games ahead of the game. They are scheduled to play Dutch Eredivisie club PSV on July 27.

Egypt, who won the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations on home soil, have been drawn against Argentina, Spain and Australia in Group C.

Their outing in Tokyo would be their 13th appearance in the men’s football event at the Olympics but they are yet to win a medal in any of their previous outings.

The 22-man team is majorly dominated by Egyptian Premier League stars with Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shennawy among the overage players alongside former Stoke City and Huddersfield Town winger Ramadan Sobhi.

Also in the squad is 30-year-old Ahmed Hegazi who previously played for West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League and his addition is expected to strengthen the Pharaohs' defence.

Full Squad.

Goalkeepers: Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al Ahly), Mohamed Sobhi (Ittihad of Alexandria), Mahmoud Gad (ENPPI).

Defenders: Ahmed Hegazi (Ittihad Jeddah), Mahmoud El-Wensh, Mohamed Abdel-Salam, Ahmed Fetouh (Zamalek), Osama Galal (Pyramids FC), Ahmed Ramadan Beckham (Al Ahly), Karim El-Eraky (Al Masry), Karim Fouad (ENPPI).

Midfielders: Akram Tawfik, Nasser Maher (Al Ahly), Amar Hamdi (Ittihad of Alexandria), Emam Ashour (Zamalek).

Forwards: Ramadan Sobhi, Ibrahim Adel (Pyramids FC), Abdelrahman Magdy (Ismaily) Taher Mohamed, Salah Mohsen (Al Ahly), Nasser Mansi (El-Gaish), Ahmed Yasser Rayan (Ceramica Cleopatra).

Original author: Taiye Taiwo
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The 28-year-old had been one of his country's most important players at Euro 2020

Italy have suffered a major blow after Leonardo Spinazzola, one of their biggest stars in Euro 2020, went off on a stretcher against Belgium on Friday. 

The wing-back was chasing down a long ball with 15 minutes to play in the Euro 2020 quarter-final when he pulled up and immediately signaled for a substitution.

After receiving treatment on the pitch, Spinazzola had to be loaded onto a stretcher and carried off the pitch.

Spinazzola's tournament so far

Spinazzola has been one of Italy's standout performers so far during this tournament, having started four of the team's five games at the Euros so far.

The lone game he missed was the group stage finale against Wales, with Italy having already wrapped up their spot in the knockout rounds.

His play on the left-hand side has made him a standout for Italy, who have now pushed their way all the way to the semi-finals with Friday's win over Belgium.

A potential move?

Spinazzola's efforts have earned him some rumoured transfer interest, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea all linked in recent weeks.

The 28-year-old defender has dealt with injury issues in recent years, but he's featured a total of 71 times for Roma since making the move from Juventus in 2019.

Spinazzola was with Juve for seven years, making 12 total appearances while going out on loan spells to seven different clubs.

Further reading

Original author: Seth Vertelney
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The Buccaneers are said to have beaten their rivals Sundowns and Chiefs to the signatures of the two Bafana internationals

Baroka FC chairman Khurishi Mphahlele has indicated that they are willing to sell their star players Evidence Makgopa and Goodman Mosele.

Orlando Pirates are reportedly in pole position to sign Mosele and Makgopa from Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele after they impressed in the 2020/21 season.

It is believed that 21-year-old marksman Makgopa would remain at Baroka on loan, before moving to Pirates next year having enjoyed his breakthrough season during the recent campaign.

Mphahlele could not confirm or deny that they have received offers for the two promising youngsters and he explained that they are still their players at the moment. 

“All the players are still contracted to us and if something happens before the window closes, that will be communicated to you [media],” Mphahlele told Sowetan.

“But as I’m speaking to you, all the players are still here and everybody is coming back after the international games.”

Makgopa scooped the 2020/21 PSL Young Player of the Season as a reward for his outstanding performances for Baroka and he went on to score a brace on his international debut for Bafana Bafana as they defeated Uganda 3-2 in a friendly game last month.

While Mosele, 21, who is among the top central midfielders in the country, has also been linked with Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, having won the 2019/20 PSL Young Player of the Season accolade.

Bakgaga Ba Mphahlele recently unveiled eight new signings including University of Pretoria central midfielder Athenkosi Dlala, who is reportedly a direct replacement for Mosele at the Limpopo-based side. 

The Baroka trio of Mosele, Makgopa, and Denwin Farmer have been included in the Bafana squad that will compete in the upcoming 2021 Cosafa Cup. 

Mphahlele is pleased to see his club being represented at the regional tournament which will be held in Gqeberha from July 6 and 18. 

“I’m humbled because this is the first time in history that we have more international players who are South Africans in the national team and six foreign international players. It is pleasing,” he added.

“That makes us proud to see that we got quality in the team. We don’t doubt that the team will perform.”

 

Original author: Austin Ditlhobolo
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Sources: Ten Hag demands Sancho apology

The 29-year-old was unhappy after he was denied entry by Israeli authorities to join his team for pre-season

Bafana Bafana defender Siyanda Xulu felt demeaned after being denied entry to Israel to join Hapoel Tel Aviv for pre-season.

The experienced defender was held at the airport and had to go back to South Africa after the Israeli officials felt the documents he had was not legitimate.

His club has been faulted for the situation that led to the player's unsuccessful journey.

"As you know South Africa is on the red list, however, Siyanda has got a work permit and he has been inoculated for Covid-19. So from a Covid-perspective everything was in place," Paul Mitchell, who is the player's agent, told iDiski Times.

"He also had the permission of entry from the Ministry of Health, but the problem was that one of the documents given to him in the Hebrew language from the club, was a document that immigration felt was a forged document or a document that wasn’t in good standing.

"Obviously that document was given to Siyanda by the club, so somebody at the club is responsible. Unfortunately because of that document, they denied him entry and he’s had to come home now.

"The South African embassy tried their utmost best to help and were very good, but unfortunately this is the rule.

"Until we get to the bottom of the document with his club, we’ll just wait for 24-48 hours to see what the next correspondence from the club will be."

The agent has further explained how the player was affected by the occurrences at their airport.

"[Xulu stated it was] 'a day to forget, never thought I'll be treated this way when I am only human.' It was a bad experience," Mitchell continued.

"He’s not banned from entry in Israel, but obviously this had an effect on him. We’re going to give it 24 hours and let Siyanda rest because now he’s back in South Africa.

"Maybe, for him to go back to Israel, he first has to spend 14 days in another country that is not on the red list.

"It wasn’t nice, it wasn’t comfortable because he arrived at 04:00 in the morning, and he only flew out at 01:00 the next day. He spent the whole day in an immigration room, it wasn’t nice."

(Originally posted by Seth Willis)
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The forward has received backing after his challenges in front of goal in the Black Stars’ recent matches

Dutch-born former Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng has urged Ghana to be more patient with Crystal Palace striker Jordan Ayew, who has struggled for goals in recent times.

Ayew, 29, endured a frustrating 2020-21 campaign for club and country, drawing a deluge of criticism.

In his last games of the term, he drew blanks as Ghana faced Morocco and Cote d'Ivoire in international friendly matches.

“People should be a little bit more helpful and support Jordan rather than criticise him because it’s not easy to play for a team such as Crystal Palace because you don’t have many opportunities to score goals," Boateng, born in Ghana, but who played international football for the Netherlands, told Citi TV.

“When he comes to play for Ghana, it is a whole different ball game. They are not excuses but they are reasons.

“We have to try and support more and try to understand the players."

Ayew, who scored only one league goal for Crystal Palace last season, last netted for Ghana in a 3-1 win over Sao Tome and Principe in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Black Stars’ lead striker, his recent struggles has left many worried as the continental showpiece in January beckons.

“It’s a source of worry if we are not scoring goals. If you have to win a game then it means you must be scoring. Is it really an issue of striking? Don’t you think it's probably because of the strategy or format we are planning?" former Ghana striker Augustine Arhinful said after the Morocco and Cote d’Ivoire friendlies.

“How is our striker supposed to score if he doesn’t get the support? We are not creating enough, maybe because of the format we are planning? We need to look at those things. Are we lacking strikers or a complete team play that will result in bringing in the goals?

“We are not creating the chances in the game for the strikers to score. We need to find the best position for some of these players to play a system that will enable us to score. Everybody must be allowed to play and we have to be concerned about how the team is playing on the field as well."

Ayew and the Black Stars team are set to return to action in September when they face Ethiopia and South Africa in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

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18' When Belgium are defending they are dropping into a back five to try and stop Italy from breaking through the lines. The wing-backs then push forward as quickly as they can when they go on the attack.

16' The pace of the game has picked up slightly since Italy had a good ruled out, it has certainly livened up the atmosphere inside the stadium.

14' GOAL DISALLOWED! The replays of the goal show that both Di Lorenzo and Bonucci were offside, so it has been quickly ruled out. It remains goalless between Belgium and Italy.

13' POSSIBLE GOAL! Italy think they had taken the lead after Insigne whipped a low free-kick into the penalty area, which is flicked on by Di Lorenzo at the near post and then fired into the back of the net by Bonucci at the back post from just a few yards out. However, VAR are taking a look to check for offside and it doesn't look good for the Italians.

11' This will be the fifth meeting between Belgium and Italy at a major tournament – all four previous meetings came in the group stages, in the 1954 World Cup and European Championship in 1980, 2000 and 2016. Italy avoided defeat in all four matches, winning three and drawing one.

9' The winners of this game will face Spain in the semi-finals, after they beat Switzerland on penalties earlier today.

7' This is a bit better from Italy, they are just starting to settle into the game now and force Belgium back, however, they haven't been able to get into the final third.

5' Belgium are enjoying the early possession here, with Italy getting everyone back and soaking up the pressure in the opening few minutes.

3' Early corner here for Belgium after a mistake by Chiellini. The centre-back is put under heavy pressure down the right by Lukaku and he tries to flick it back to his keeper, who can't keep it in play and it hands Belgium the opportunity.

1' Good start by Belgium! De Bruyne plays a good ball through the Italian defence which Lukaku tries to sprint onto the end of, but Donnarumma reads it well and comes out to gather.

1' We're under way!

The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just a few minutes away, stay tuned for all the match action!

Meanwhile Italy have made two changes to their starting XI, with Acerbi and Berardi dropping to the bench and they have been replaced by Chiellini and Chiesa.

Belgium are without Eden Hazard today after he limped off against Portugal, he has been replaced by Doku in the starting line-up. De Bruyne was also forced off with an injury in that game, but he is fit enough to start.

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

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

BELGIUM SUBS: Thomas Kaminski, Matz Sels, Dedryck Boyata, Jason Denayer, Yannick Carrasco, Dries Mertens, Leander Dendoncker, Nacer Chadli, Dennis Praet, Christian Benteke, Michy Batshuayi, Leandro Trossard.

BELGIUM (3-4-2-1): Thibaut Courtois; Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen; Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Thorgan Hazard; Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku; Romelu Lukaku.

Both Belgium and Italy reached this stage of the competition in 2016, with Belgium suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wales and Italy were knocked out by Germany.

Belgium beat the defending champions Portugal in the Round of 16, with Thorgan Hazard scoring the only goal of the game. Meanwhile, Italy had to go to extra-time in order to clinch a 2-1 victory over Austria in the last round.

Hello and welcome to our LIVE match commentary of the Euro 2020 quarter-final clash between Belgium and Italy at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

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