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Norwich City’s reward for securing an immediate return to the Premier League is a home date with Liverpool to start the 2021-22 season.

It is the reverse of the last time Norwich were in the top flight when they were beaten 4-1 at Anfield on the opening day of the 2019-20 campaign.

The Canaries have been handed a tough start to life back in the top flight as their second game is away at champions Manchester City and their fourth fixture is a trip to Arsenal.

Manchester United will visit Carrow Road in December, while Boxing Day will be the reverse fixture against Arsenal.

The year rounds off with a visit to Crystal Palace and 2022 will begin with a game against Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

February has back-to-back games against Man City and Liverpool scheduled, while their final away game is at Wolves on the penultimate weekend of the season.

The season wraps up for Norwich on May 22 with a home game against Tottenham.

Simba SC midfielder John Mkude has refused the club’s request to undergo a medical examination to ascertain his health before possible action is taken against him for skipping training.

The Tanzania international was suspended by the club after they returned from South Africa where they played against Kaizer Chiefs in the Caf Champions League, and he was summoned by the disciplinary committee, who postponed making a ruling until a medical examination was done.

A source within the club has told Goal Mkude will not attend the medical examination and is instead, waiting for the club to decide his future.

What has been said?

“Jonas [Mkude] has confirmed he will not go for any check-up or visit any hospital, and he is now waiting to hear what the disciplinary committee will rule against him,” the source, who did not want to be named, told Goal on Wednesday.

“He just wants to know the ruling from the committee and that is all.”

What did Simba's statement say?

On sending him to hospital, Simba's disciplinary committee, chaired by Seleman Kova, said in a statement obtained by Goal: “After two reported accounts of indiscipline against Jonas [Mkude] regarding his absence from training on May 18, the disciplinary committee met over the same.

“It heard the evidence presented by the club led by Michael Mhina while Mkude’s side was led by Tumaini Mfinanga.

“After extensive consultation, it was realized the accusations against Mkude have been recurring, and in initial situations, he had been found guilty of the offenses leveled against him.

“The disciplinary committee decided to deal with the issue differently to ensure an amicable solution is reached. As a result, a ruling has been postponed until a medical examination is done. After the examination, the committee will submit its ruling.”

In January, Mkude was fined Tsh200, 000 by the Wekundu wa Msimbazi after he pleaded for forgiveness when he was found culpable for three offenses.

The first offense was his decision to skip the club’s seminar which was held to discuss the team’s targets for the season, his second mistake was reporting late to training ahead of their Mainland Premier League match against Coastal Union with his third mistake being a failure to report to camp on December 26, 2020, without permission.

The Asian Football Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed that the draw for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qualifying third round will be held on July 1, 2021.

The seeding for the draw will be based on a special release of the FIFA Rankings for Asian teams on June 18, 2021.

More to follow...

UAE picked up a 3-2 win over Vietnam at the Zabeel Stadium on Tuesday evening to finish on top of Group G of the 2022 World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup joint qualifiers.

Bert van Marwijk’s side leapfrogged Vietnam with 18 points as they survived a late scare by conceding two late goals.

UAE made a sensational start to their final group game by taking a 3-0 lead in the first 50 minutes. It must be noted that Vietnam had only given away a mere two goals in their first seven group matches.

The first goal came through Ali Salmeen’s exquisite touch after receiving a through-ball by Abdullah Ramadan in the 32nd minute.

Ali Mabkhout got into the act as well as he successfully converted from the spot eight minutes later.

Five minutes into the second half and Bandar Al Ahbabi’s cross saw Fabio Lima look to connect however, Vietnam custodian Bui Tan Truong parried the attempt with Mahmoud Khamis around to head home to make it 3-0.

Vietnam didn’t give up easily as a draw would have helped them finish on top of the cluster. Tien Ling Nguyen pulled one back with a top-notch goal in the 85th minute. Minh Vuong made the most of a mistake by UAE goalkeeper Ali Khaseif to add his name on the score-sheet.

In the final moments of the game, UAE held firm as Vietnam threw the kitchen sink to make it four consecutive wins since the World Cup qualifiers re-started in June.

Vietnam too progressed as one of the top four second best teams into the next round of World Cup qualifiers.

However, kudos to van Marwijk and his men as they were placed fourth on the table but with four consecutive victories, they managed to finish the campaign as group winners.

India's 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign ended with a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan on Tuesday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

The Blue Tigers took the lead in the 75th minute of the match after Afghanistan goalkeeper Ovays Azizi accidentally sent the ball into his own net. But within just seven minutes, Hossein Zamani scored the equalising goal to restore parity in the match and seal a point for his team.

By finishing third in Group E, Igor Stimac's side directly progressed to the 2023 Asian Cup qualifying third round.

It has been a mixed-bad experience for the Blue Tigers as they ended their campaign with four draws, three losses and one win from their eight matches. They have scored six goals and conceded only seven. 

Stimac's men had three different goalscorers. Sunil Chhetri netted three goals while Adil Khan and Seiminlen Doungel scored a goal each.

Chhetri scored a goal against Oman in their very first match of the group stage and then scored a brace in India's only win of the competition against Bangladesh in the second phase. Adil Khan had scored the equalising goal against Bangladesh in Kolkata in the first leg tie and Doungel scored against Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

List of number of different goalscorers of the third-placed teams

How did India do in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers?

India started their World Cup qualification run with a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Oman at home, followed by a historic goalless draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha. In their third and fourth matches, the Blue Tigers managed 1-1 draws against both Bangladesh and Afghanistan and then they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Oman away from home.

They resumed their campaign against Qatar on June 3 and lost 1-0 but followed it up with a 2-0 win over Bangladesh. In their final match they managed a 1-1 draw against Afghanistan.

Cristiano Ronaldo broke a fair few records with his performance for Portugal in their 3-0 win over Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday. 

In what was the Seleccao's opening match of the tournament, Hungary frustrated Fernando Santos' men but a late charge saw Raphael Guerrero open the scoring and Cristiano Ronaldo followed it up with a penalty and a beautiful finish to make it 3-0.

In doing so, the superstar set a host of records and is in line to create a few more during the course of the tournament. With Portugal expected to go deep into the tournament, the 36-year-old is expected to break them. 

First, let's take a look at all records Ronaldo broke on Tuesday:

1) First player to feature at five Euros

The Juventus forward has represented his country at every Euros since Portugal hosted the tournament in 2004, and he remains the talisman of the reigning champions 17 years later. Ronaldo has now played five Euros - a feat no player has matched so far.

2) First player to score at five Euros

Ronaldo has also scored in every Euro he has taken part in and when he scored a penalty against Hungary, he became the only player to score in five different Euros. 

3) All-time topscorer at the Euros

Before the match against Hungary, Ronaldo was tied with Michel Platini on nine Euro goals as the highest goalscorer in the tournament. He took that record for himself with his brace against Hungary, taking his tally to 11. 

4) Oldest player to score for Portugal in a major tournament

At 36 years, 130 days, Ronaldo became oldest player to score for Portugal at a major tournament, breaking the record set by Pepe at World Cup 2018 (35 years, 124 days).

The Juve star also become the oldest player to score at least two goals in a European Championship match, breaking the record set by Andriy Schevchenko when he was 35 years, 256 days.

5) Most victories by a player at the Euros

Ronaldo was in a three-way tie for most victories at a European Championship, going into the Hungary game. He was tied on 11 wins with Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas. But with the win over Hungary, Ronaldo has taken the record all by himself.

1) All-time highest goalscorer in international football

He now has 106 goals in 176 games for Portugal - only three short of the all-time FIFA international record, held by Iran's Ali Daei. If Portugal progress deep into the tournament, it is highly probable that Ronaldo will break that record during Euro 2020.

2) Most assists at the Euros

Currently, the record for the most assists made in Euros belongs to Karel Poborsky who is on six assists. However, Ronaldo is only one away with five assists and is tied with Raul, David Beckham, Luis Figo, Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

3) Most capped European international

In terms of caps, Sergio Ramos has 180 caps for Spain and is the highest-capped European interntional. Ronaldo has 176 caps after the Hungary match and if Portugal progress to the semifinal, he will have broken Ramos' record. 

Was Odion Ighalo’s instant impact and subsequent success at Al Shabab really surprising?

The Nigerian’s had an impressive time since signing for the Saudi outfit at the turn of the year after a mildly successful stint at Manchester United and ended the campaign as the club’s joint-second top scorer.

Ighalo’s raw numbers make for fascinating viewing: nine goals in 13 appearances, with only 10 of those being starts. His return came from an average of just 65 minutes on the pitch, with a frequency of a goal every 94 minutes.

The West African’s poaching instincts particularly came to the fore in the White Lion’s league run-in, where he netted six times in his final four appearances last term as the Riyadh outfit ended the campaign in second place.

Throw in the two assists he had in that period into the mix and a goal contribution of eight in only four matches certainly adds even more gloss to an already outstanding strike rate.

A particularly noteworthy aspect of the ex-Super Eagle’s return was how he elevated the centre-forward position that had been a let-down before his arrival in February.

The pair of Abdullah Al-Hamdan and Makhete Diop had netted a combined seven times in the Saudi Pro League, but Ighalo went on to score higher than the Saudi and Senegalese combined.

Of course, there’s always the argument that Al Shabab may have won the league if the Nigerian began the season with the side as opposed to signing with the campaign past its halfway point.

This will never be proven, but there’s got to be a feeling that the frontman’s effectiveness in the final third could turn the club into champions next season for the first time since 2011/12.

The majority of the team’s goals came from midfield, with attacking midfielder Cristian Guanca netting 17 times for the Riyadh side, with the next best scoring eight fewer than the South American.

While Ighalo’s presence definitely increases Al Leith’s prospects, the 32-year-old’s exploits resurrect a previous debate that began when the centre-forward plied his trade in China.

With Changchun Yatai, there was a sentiment that Ighalo’s ability merited a higher level than the Chinese Super League, and his goalscoring numbers somewhat validated that claim.

Despite the Chinese side’s struggles as they battled and eventually succumbed to relegation in 2018, the African was in the hunt for the top scorer’s award for the majority of the campaign. The team’s overall struggles didn’t prevent him from scoring 21 times, six behind eventual winner Wu Lei who finished the campaign on 27 goals.

An opportunity of a lifetime with Manchester United gave Ighalo another shot at a major European club. Until the lockdown and arrival of Edinson Cavani in the summer, he had shown he could still play some sort of role in the major leagues.

His dream move may have ended on a rather underwhelming note, but the former Watford star’s profile means he can still cut it among the elite, even at 32.

Given that his game has never been based on explosive pace or acceleration, Ighalo’s prowess in the opponent’s box can still be harnessed by clubs around Europe.

Having said that, it’ll definitely be dependent on what the player wants in the twilight of his career. He’s guaranteed game time at Al Shabab, just as he was during his spell in China, and the obvious financial advantages of playing in the Middle East may be hard to ignore and prompt a desire to stay.

No European offer will probably match fulfilling his Man United dream last year, and the expected absence of first-team football if he does return anyway, suggest Ighalo may have reservations over departing Saudi Arabia, despite already hinting he’s a class above the league.

At 32, many will suggest the ex-Nigeria marksman still has something to offer in Europe, perhaps even hoping he strives for one last hurrah on the continent.

Unless something drastic changes, Ighalo’s unlikely to be seen in one of the top five divisions till he calls time on his career. While this may sadden observers, what truly matters is what the prolific man favours as he reaches the denouement of his playing days.

Tunisia defeated Mali 1-0 in Tuesday’s international friendly with El Bilal Toure and Boubakar Kouyate getting sent off.

The Reims and Metz stars were shown the way out for second cautions as Anis Slimane’s effort settled the fixture staged at the Stade Olympique de Rades.

Having played a 1-1 draw with Congo DR their last time out, the West Africans travelled north to square up against the Carthage Eagles who bowed 2-0 to Algeria on June 11.

The hosts got off to a flying start and were close to finding the net in the fourth minute, however, Wajdi Kechrida’s goal-bound effort was cleared by Siaka Bagayoko.

Tunisia went close again in the 16th minute, but Bagayoko was at alert to stop Kechrida – who was only a shot away from finding the net.

For the Malians, they were short of chances as Mondher Kebaier’s men restricted them to shooting from outside the goal area.

Sadly, they were reduced to ten men in the 32nd minute after Toure was sent off by referee Ibrahim Noureddine for a second caution.

A minute before the half-time break, Amadou Haidara came close to breaking the stalemate but his effort sailed over the crossbar despite having only goalkeeper Mouez Hassen to beat.

Both teams stepped up their game in the second half. Nonetheless, it was Tunisia who kept asking the questions with Naim Sliti forcing a smart save from goalkeeper Mohamed Niare.

In the 90th minute, the visiting side was reduced to nine men as Kouyate was dismissed after he received a second caution from the Moroccan Fifa referee.

With barely the last kick of the hard-hitting affair, Slimane scored the winner to send the Eagles back home empty-handed. Receiving a pass from Mohamed Drager, the Denmark based star unleashed an unstoppable shot past Niare.

Manchester United wonderkid Hannibal Mejbri was named in the starting XI, albeit, he was replaced by Issam Jebali with 20 minutes left on the clock.

Kebaier’s side would be hoping this form continues in September when they take on Equatorial Guinea and Zambia, respectively, in their World Cup qualifying encounters.

Should Tunisia qualify for Qatar 2022, that would be their sixth appearance at the global football fiesta since their debut in 1978 (Argentina).

Italy got the Euro 2020 show started with a 3-0 win over Turkey and are now set to face Switzerland at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, on Tuesday night.

With the opening day victory, Roberto Mancini's men recorded the biggest ever victory in the opening match of a European Championship.

Here's how to watch Italy vs Switzerland in India.

Contents

What time does Italy vs Switzerland start?

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How to watch Italy vs Switzerland 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.

Commentary will also be available in vernacular languages across India.

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How does the group look like

Not taking the result between Turkey and Wales, which precedes Italy vs Switzerland, Roberto Mancini's side currently lead Group A and would like to build on their opening day win against Turkey.

Group A

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Where will the match 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 will be the venue for one quarter-final game at Euro 2020 as well as three matches in Group A (sharing duties with Baku's Olympic Stadium).

Home of Serie A giants Roma and Lazio, Stadio Olimpico has a storied history in football.

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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Italy vs Switzerland: Team news & stats

It's highly unlikely that Marco Verratti might return to the Italian starting line-up though he has overcome a troubling knee issue. The PSG midfielder has started training but this match might be too soon for him. Another injury doubt for Italy is right-back Alessandro Florenzi who was taken off at half-time in their Euro opener. He has a calf problem and is likely to be replaced by Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

There doesn't seem to be many problems for Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovic as far as injury concerns go. Switzerland did call up uncapped goalkeeper Gregor Kobel to replace injured Jonas Omlin in their 26-man squad. 

Key stats:

Italy striker Ciro Immobile has scored 92 goals in his last 118 appearances at the Stadio Olimpico since moving to Lazio in 2016 – Immobile or Lorenzo Insigne are looking to become the first players to score in Italy’s first two games at a major tournament (Euros + World Cup) since Christian Vieri at the 2002 World Cup.

Switzerland have drawn each of their last four games at the European Championships – no nation has ever drawn five games in a row in the competition.

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Further reading: 

Roy Keane has questioned why Paul Pogba can't produce the same quality of performances for Manchester United as he does with France. 

Pogba turned in a stellar display for Les Bleus on Tuesday, helping them to a 1-0 win over Germany to kick off Euro 2020 play.

The midfielder's performance led Keane to wonder aloud why he can't produce the same displays consistently for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men.

What was said?

"Listen we keep talking about Paul Pogba," Keane said on ITV. "There's no doubt he's a talented boy. I still want more from him, particularly when he's playing for Manchester United.

"No doubt he's surrounded by probably better players and he's more comfortable in that environment with the French team. He plays on the left side and slots in.

"I think when he's with United, he maybe doesn't take responsibility, maybe there's too much responsibility or maybe there's not enough players around him who can take responsibility," added the Irishman.

"I know with France he is sharing this kind of responsibility with other players around. Maybe in Manchester (he is) isolated too much and maybe this is why he is feeling more pressure.

"Obviously there is a difference between the Pogba we know with France and the one we know at United."

Former France midfielder Patrick Vieira added: "There's a question about the performance he has with Manchester United - the ones he has for the French national team are much much better.

"I think maybe the system; maybe he feels more comfortable in the French system than in Manchester. Obviously he's a leader and an important player. When he's in Manchester he has to take responsibility as well."

What's next for France?

After France got their Euro 2020 campaign off to an ideal start, they will resume group play on Saturday when they face Hungary. 

Les Bleus will then close out group play next Wednesday with a match against Portugal.

Further reading

Tyrone Mings has defended England team-mate Harry Kane after the striker's quiet game against Croatia on Sunday. 

Kane was restricted to fewer touches than any other member of England's starting line-up, but the Three Lions still managed to win their Euro 2020 opener 1-0 thanks to Raheem Sterling's goal.

Mings has declared criticism of Kane to be "background noise" as the team looks ahead to their second game of the tournament on Friday against Scotland.

What was said?

"Really irrelevant because I honestly think he is one of the best players in the world and I think so highly of him," Mings said at a press conference when asked about the criticism of Kane.

"I also played against him in the second-to-last game of the season against Tottenham. Let me tell you, when he does drop in, you shouldn’t let him. That’s because when he turns and faces you up, he can pick out pretty much any pass he wants to.

"So when he does drop in, it really isn’t easy for a centre-half to go with him because you are going into an area of the pitch you don’t really want to go into, and it then opens spaces behind you.

"You see that we go in quite a few times on Sunday as well. I can’t speak highly enough on him as a player and captain, so the question marks around him are real background noise."

What's next for England?

The Three Lions will face Scotland at Wembley on Friday before finishing the group against the Czech Republic next Tuesday.

Mings played alongside John Stones against Croatia and looks set to earn another start against Scotland as Harry Maguire continues to work his way back from injury.

The Aston Villa defender has said he is flattered by – though he doesn't necessarily agree with – suggestions he could stay in the line-up even when Maguire is fit. 

"It is a little bit bizarre bearing in mind how much credit in the bank Harry has got and what a fantastic defender he is," Mings added.

"At the same time there is absolutely competition for places and I think he's somebody that I look up to in terms of a centre-back, and somebody that is so consistent with a lot of pressure on his shoulders being captain of Man Utd and being one of the main players for England.

"He’s a person I take a lot of inspiration from. So to be mentioned in the same breath as him is a compliment in itself."

Further reading

Football fans across the continent will be able to stream every match of the UEFA Euro 2020, which runs from 11 June to 11 July 2021, on Showmax Pro. 

Euro traditionally produces outstanding football, with many of the world's leading players given a grand stage. There will be spectator limits in place, and matches will be held in 11 cities across 11 countries to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the tournament.

Portugal will be defending the championship, although France, Belgium, and England are all rated higher, and will be playing with high expectations from fans.

Now football fans will be able to stream all the games of the tournament on Showmax Pro. Launched last year, Showmax Pro bundles the existing Showmax entertainment offering with music channels, news, and live sports streaming from SuperSport. 

Fans can watch online at www.showmax.com or get the Showmax app and watch on their phones.
 

Subscribe to Showmax Pro from N3,200 per month »  

What else is on Showmax?

Other live sports available on Showmax Pro include all the English Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and PSL games as well as a wide range of live sports events including athletics, professional boxing, and the world’s biggest marathons. 

Sport documentaries available on Showmax include HBO’s gripping golfing documentary Tiger; What’s My Name: Muhammad Ali; and Klopp: The Inside Story.

President Julius Maada Bio has praised the Leone Stars following their historic Africa Cup of Nations qualification victory over Benin Republic on Tuesday evening.

John Keister’s men defeated the Squirrels 1-0 in the last Group L qualification fixture staged at the General Lansana Conte Stadium.

Kei Kamara’s first-half penalty separated both teams in the keenly-contested affair as Michel Dussuyer’s men would rue missing several scoring opportunities.

The victory ensured Sierra Leone ended their 26-year Afcon hiatus. Their last outing was at the 1996 edition staged in South Africa.

There, they crashed out of the preliminary round after failing to qualify from Group B that paraded Zambia, Algeria, and Burkina Faso.

“Congratulations to Sierra Leone. We are a football-loving nation, and today, our boys have made history. My government is committed to promoting football and other sports disciplines,” president Bio wrote on Twitter.

In March, the country’s number one citizen had promised each member of the Leone Stars the sum of $10,000 (Ten thousand US dollars) should they silence the Squirrels to reach the biennial African football showpiece.

Tuesday’s game was initially billed for Tuesday, March 30, at the National Stadium, Freetown, nonetheless, it did not take place owing to a Covid-19 controversy.

The Confederation of African Football moved the encounter to June 14, yet, the game did not go as planned owing to another Covid controversy.

Finally, the game was moved a day further – as the result would determine the last team to secure a place in Cameroon.

"There is no pressure. Our ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, and there is no discomfort within our squad,” Keister told Caf website prior to the game.

"This squad is a blend of both young and experienced players; I've rationally selected 11 local and 15 foreign-based players.

"What I need now is support from our fans at home and abroad. Already there is a huge willingness among the players and the whole nation wants us to qualify.

“So, I'm on to guide the team to get the best result against Benin and proceed to Cameroon next year."

Benin Republic’s last outing at Afcon was at Egypt 2019 where they bowed out in the quarter-final after a 1-0 defeat to Senegal in Cairo’s 30 June Stadium.

France defender Benjamin Pavard ha admitted he was knocked out for "10 to 15 seconds" before returning to Tuesday's Euro 2020 match against Germany.

Germany's Robin Gosens crashed full-on into Pavard's head in the second half as the France defender ducked down to win a header in the box.

Pavard was treated on the pitch by France's medical staff and was allowed to return to the match, a 1-0 win for Les Bleus.

What was said?

“I took a real shock, yeah," Pavard told beIN Sports. "I was a little knocked out for 10, 15 seconds.

"It’s true that we came across a good team from Germany, which had possession, but we had a very good game defensively and offensively, and we were united.

"We feel good. Physically, we will gain even more power. It bodes well for the future. 

"We defended well collectively. It's a more than positive game. Yes, for sure it's special to win against the Germans. We knew that this first game was important. Now, we will quickly recover because there is the second match which will come quickly in Hungary."

What's next for France?

After starting Group F with a win, France will travel to Budapest to face Hungary on Saturday. Les Bleus will finish the pool with a repeat of the Euro 2016 final against Portugal next Wednesday.

Further reading

Germany centre-back Mats Hummels became the third player to score an own goal at  Euro 2020 when he turned the ball into the wrong net in the first half of their 1-0 defeat to France on Tuesday, equalling the record for an entire Euopean Championship tournament.

Poland's Wojciech Szczesny and Turkey's Merih Demiral had already scored own goals in the group stage - the latter inadvertently netting the first goal of Euro 2020 in the opening match - before Hummels' error in the first half of the match in Munich.

Euro 2016 also featured three self-inflicted wounds, but this year's competition now has plenty of time remaining to pass that tally as only 12 games have been played to this point.

Rare German mistake

The own goal on Tuesday was the first from Germany at a major tournament since 1978, when Berti Vogts erred at the World Cup against Austria.

For Hummels, it was his second own goal in the national team's jersey. He also put the ball past team-mate Manuel Neuer in 2015 in European Championship qualification against Scotland.

No blame for Hummels

"No reproach to Mats for the own goal," said Germany head coach Joachim Low to ZDF after the game. "It was difficult for him to clear.

"It was a brutally intense game. We fought until the end. I can't blame the team, we gave it everything we had. What was missing was a bit of penetrating power in the final third. We didn't do enough there."

Midfielder Toni Kroos said to ARD: "We did a lot of what we wanted to do. We had chances to score - I think no less than the French. An unfortunate goal decided the game."

Further reading