Daily Archives: June 22, 2024

Belgium 2 Romania 0: Lukaku denied again, a 73-second goal and the tightest of groups

Leave a reply

“Belgium came into their game with Romania on Saturday as the only team yet to score at Euro 2024, but they fixed that particular issue after only 73 seconds, with Youri Tielemans scoring his nation’s quickest goal at a major tournament. Domenico Tedesco’s side dominated the remainder of the first half, but they couldn’t add the second their pressure deserved. For their part, Romania improved significantly after the break, but an entertaining game was sealed when Kevin De Bruyne latched onto a long kick from Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels to make it 2-0. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Guardian: De Bruyne and Tielemans sink Romania to get Belgium back on track

Turkey 0 Portugal 3: Win secures top spot, a calamitous own goal and pitch invaders target Ronaldo

Leave a reply

Portugal’s midfielder #10 Bernardo Silva celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group F football match between Turkey and Portugal at the BVB Stadion in Dortmund on June 22, 2024.
“Portugal began Euro 2024 as one of the teams strongly fancied to win the competition, so they hardly needed the huge helping hand given to them by Turkey in Dortmund. Bernardo Silva’s strike midway through the first half put Portugal in control, but this game will surely be remembered for their second, when a calamitous mix-up in the Turkey defence led to an own goal by Samet Akaydin, gifting the 2016 champions a 2-0 lead. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Guardian: Portugal into last 16 as Silva and Fernandes sink Turkey

 

Georgia 1 Czech Republic 1: Flawed entertainers, Czech misfortune and Schick’s injury blow

Leave a reply

“Georgia and the Czech Republic will head into the final round of matches with little room for error after they couldn’t be separated in Hamburg. The Czech Republic’s Adam Hlozek had a goal ruled out for handball before his side were penalised in the opposite penalty area for the same offence, Robin Hranac judged to have handled, allowing Georges Mikautadze to give Georgia the lead from the spot. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
Guardian: Mikautadze and Georgia denied historic victory as Schick saves Czech Republic

Ranking the best and worst Copa America home kits: A doctor bird, an Ecuador sash and ‘deep red wine’

Leave a reply


“The Copa America has got off to an absolutely terrific start. Also, the football has been pretty good. But as you know the really important stuff, before a ball was even kicked, is that pretty much everyone looks absolutely terrific. The home kits for the big jamboree in the USA are out and, by and large, they’re all really quite good. Even the less good ones are pretty good, with only a couple of real clunkers. But which is the best of them…? …”
NY Times/Athletic

Edson Alvarez the ‘Machin’ – Mexico’s most important player

Leave a reply


“There were two key moments for Edson Alvarez in 2010. Together they proved to be a turning point in his journey to becoming Mexico’s most important player. The first came when he was released from his first club, Pachuca, for being small. Alvarez’s parents encouraged him to continue playing and were it not for their intervention, he would have quit football. The second key moment came that summer. Alvarez and his family watched Mexico beat France 2-0 in the group stage of the World Cup in South Africa. He made a promise to his parents that would one day play for the national team. He vowed not to break it. …”
NY Times/The Athletic