Page 22 - Football

Ukraine, North Macedonia need points after Euro 2020 losses

Both Ukraine and North Macedonia conceded late goals in their opening matches at the European Championship, and both lost because of them. The teams will next play each other at Euro 2020 on Thursday, knowing another loss just might end their chances of advancement. The top two teams in each of the six groups advance to the round of 16, along with the four best third-place teams. Ukraine managed to recover from two goals down against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Sunday, but Denzel Dumfries headed in an 85th-minute winner for the Dutch. We come back after 2-0 down and it's so frustrating to lose a game in the last minutes, said Ukraine captain Andriy Yarmolenko, who scored one of his team's goals. We have two more games to go and we will still play with the same energy, he said. If we (advance), then it will be great. North Macedonia, one of the two tournament newcomers at Euro 2020 along with Finland, had been holding Austria to a 1-1 scoreline before substitutes Michael ...

Germany's Rudiger regrets putting mouth on Pogba's back at Euro 2020

Holding France midfielder Paul Pogba from behind, Germany defender Antonio Rudiger appeared to open his mouth and lightly bite his opponent's back.

Brazil keeps search for striker against Peru at Copa America

Brazil coach Tie has hinted he'll continue searching for his ideal strike force in Thursday's Copa America game against Peru. Tite tested Everton Ribeiro, Everton and Gabriel Barbosa up front at practice on Tuesday instead of Lucas Paquet, Richarlison and Gabriel Jesus, who started in Brazil's 3-0 win over Venezuela in the tournament opener on Sunday. Roberto Firmino, who was on the bench against Venezuela, didn't participate in the practice game in the time while the Brazilian soccer confederation broadcast training to the media. The coach also tried a change in defense with Thiago Silva replacing Marquinhos as Eder Militao's partner and a defensive midfield duo with Fabinho joining Fred in place of Casemiro. Tite has said the 20 days of Copa America will be used to test some things, with an eye the World Cup in Qatar next year. He and his players publicly said they were against the Copa America taking place in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic but would always answer the call f

Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo knocks off $4 billion from Coca-Cola's value

Coke is a sponsor of the ongoing Euro 2020 in which the former Real Madrid star is leading Portugal.

Hummels own-goal gives France 1-0 win over Germany at Euro 2020

Mats Hummels' return to the national team went better for France than it did for Germany

Denmark coach steps up UEFA criticism over game resumption

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand stepped up his criticism of UEFA on Tuesday for not giving his players the option to postpone the game against Finland in the wake of Christian Eriksen's collapse

Szczesny's own-goal continues his run of bad luck at Euros

Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny doesn't have much luck in his opening game at European Championships. Sent off in 2012. Injured in 2016. Now an own-goal at Euro 2020. The Juventus player became the first goalkeeper to score an own-goal at the tournament in Poland's 2-1 loss to Slovakia on Monday. Not that he could do much about it. Szczesny had already committed himself to a dive in an attempt to save a shot from Slovakia winger Robert Mak in the 18th minute when the ball rebounded off his near post, onto his outstretched arm as he lay on the ground, and back into the net. He was also left helpless for Slovakia's winner by Milan Skriniar, barely moving as the center back hit a fierce, low shot into the corner in the 69th minute. Szczesny has established himself as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in Europe, his reputation having soared since joining Juventus from Arsenal in 2017. Poland has long been well-stocked with keepers, with Lukasz Fabianski also a solid option, bu

Dinamo Zagreb headlines Champions League qualifying draw

While eight of its squad are playing at the European Championship, Dinamo Zagreb was among the biggest names in a draw on Tuesday for next season's Champions League

Ronaldo becomes first player to feature in five Euro Cup finals tournaments

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday became the first player to feature in games at five Euro 2020 finals tournaments.

From Serie B to Euro 2020, Italy players shaped by Zeman

A 74-year-old chain-smoking Czech coach might have made just as much of an impact on this Italy squad as Roberto Mancini has

Finland plays Russia with Euro 2020 knockout stage in reach

Lost, perhaps, in the drama surrounding Christian Eriksen's collapse during Denmark's game against Finland at the European Championship was the result after play resumed. The Finns, playing in their first ever game at a major soccer tournament, won 1-0 in Copenhagen. It will likely go down as one of the most overlooked scorelines in the history of the tournament, given what had happened to Eriksen. Indeed, Finland captain Tim Sparv said there were barely any celebrations in the dressing room. It was very quiet, Sparv said, and understandably so. Maybe Finland can now start to get excited. A place in the knockout stage at Euro 2020 is within reach and will be guaranteed with a win over Russia on Wednesday. That hasn't happened in more than a century since a 2-1 victory at the Olympic soccer tournament in 1912, when Finland was under the control of Russia but the Finns might not have a better chance to end that long wait. Russia was beaten by Belgium 3-0 in its opening game in G

Euro Cup 2021 highlights: Portugal beats Hungary 3-0; Ronaldo scores twice

Raphael Guerreiro scores the first goal for Portugal while Ronaldo converts the penalty stroke. Check Euro Cup's match schedule on June 15 (Indian time), live streaming, telecast

India vs Afghanistan highlights: India 1 | 1 Afghanistan at full time

A howler by Afghanistan goalie Ovays Azizi handed India a 1-0 lead in the 75th minute but Hossein Zamani equalised in the 81st minute in a match marred by poor refereeing.

Ronaldo becomes first player to feature in five Euro Cup finals tournaments

Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday became the first player to feature in games at five Euro 2020 finals tournaments

Copa America: My biggest dream is to get a title with Argentina, says Messi

Argentina football captain Messi has reiterated that his biggest dream is to win a title with the national team and feels the team is currently "on the right track" ahead of the opener against Chile

Indian football coach's philosophy is bearing fruit: Afghan defender Amiri

India's chief football coach Igor Stimac has implemented a "philosophy of playing differently" and the change in strategy is bearing fruit, Afghanistan defender Haroon Amiri has said.

Netherlands, Austria, England start with wins in Uefa Euro 2020

Gritty Ukraine bounced back from two goals down but Denzel Dumfries's late winner helped the Netherlands snatch a 3-2 win on home soil in Euro 2020 on Sunday.

France and Germany in rare early meeting at Euro 2020

France and Germany usually play each other in the latter stages of major soccer tournaments. Not this time. The teams will meet in the group stage of a European Championship or World Cup for the first time on Tuesday when they open their Euro 2020 campaigns in Munich. Their last match at a major tournament came in the Euro 2016 semifinals. Antoine Griezmann scored twice for France in the 2-0 victory over then-World Cup champion Germany in Marseille. Germany has never really recovered, and though the French lost to Portugal in the final five years ago, they went on to win the World Cup two years later. Remarkably, no player in Germany's current squad has ever scored in a European Championship match. Thomas Mller, who has played 11 tournament games, missed a penalty in the 2016 quarterfinal shootout win over Italy. German hopes this time are pinned on a good start in Munich to set the team up for success in Joachim Lw's last tournament as coach after 15 years in charge. Germany wi

Hungary hosts defending champion Portugal at Euro 2020

Home advantage at the European Championship may not count for much when Hungary faces a Portugal team with scoring talent and one particular player looking to make history. Cristiano Ronaldo needs six more goals to become the all-time leading scorer for a men's national team. If the defending champions go far at Euro 2020, Ronaldo could indeed break Iran striker Ali Daei's record of 109 goals. And he'll get his first chance to add to his total on Tuesday against the Hungarians at the Puskas Arena. Portugal beat France 1-0 in the Euro 2016 final in extra time after losing Ronaldo to injury. He hobbled off injured midway through the first half. Besides Ronaldo, the team has scoring threats in standout midfielder Bruno Fernandes, winger Bernardo Silva and forward Diogo Jota. Fernandes had a superb season at Manchester United, earning the Premier League's Player of the Month award four times in his second season. He finished in the Premier League's Team of the Year and scored 28 goals

Experience of Maguire, Henderson will be vital moving forward, feels Rooney

Former England player Wayne Rooney feels it's vital that Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson get fit as soon as possible because they will be vital moving forward in the Euro 2020 for the Three Lions