Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Gareth Southgate shuffled the pack and watched as his England side recovered from an early goal down to seal their place at next summer’s European Championships in Germany with a 3-1 win over Euro 2020 winners Italy. Harry Kane’s brace – sandwiched between Marcus Rashford’s mazy second-half finish – secured their passage early, as two Group C games still await next month.
Continue reading “England 3-1 Italy: Kane’s brace seals Euro 2024 qualification with comeback win”
It was a tempestuous night with 23 fouls, 11 yellow cards and shaky officiating on the south Coast, yet Premier League overachievers Brighton only had themselves to blame as their maiden European campaign got off to a sour start at home vs. Greek champions AEK Athens. Their summer signing and Argentine striker Ezequiel Ponce, came off the bench to sting them without warning. Continue reading “Brighton 2-3 AEK Athens: Ponce punctures Seagulls’ European debut in late drama”
Championship winners Burnley kick off the new season against last year’s Premier League champions, as Clarets head coach Vincent Kompany braces himself for another reunion against a City side he called home for over a decade during his illustrious playing career. This time, unlike their FA Cup quarterfinal tie back in March, it’ll be at Turf Moor – so is a different result in store too? Continue reading “Burnley vs. Manchester City Preview: Kompany and co seek to start with style on top-flight return in season’s opener”
Four goals, a fair but frustrating outcome. Burton boss Dino Maamria was satisfied but not entirely pleased with his side’s 2-2 home draw vs. Championship side West Brom, as they continue intensifying their pre-season exertions before the new League One campaign proper begins next month. Continue reading “Burton 2-2 West Brom: Kamwa’s late equaliser sees spoils shared in friendly”
In a rematch of their Group C encounter, Lee Carsley’s England side started well and found themselves worthy winners against an ineffective Israel side. It means they’re bound for this weekend’s final against Spain at this summer’s U21 Euros after cruising to a 3-0 win over Israel earlier tonight, thanks to goals from Morgan Gibbs-White, Cole Palmer and second-half sub Cameron Archer. Continue reading “U21 Euros: Palmer pivotal as Young Lions sweep Israel aside, set for Saturday’s final”
Lee Carsley’s England are into this year’s U21 European Championships semi-finals after riding their luck at times and ultimately grinding out a hard-fought 1-0 win over Portugal, courtesy of Anthony Gordon’s well-taken strike ten minutes before half-time. They’ll next play Israel – who they beat in Group C last week – on Wednesday for a place in next weekend’s showpiece event. Continue reading “U21 Euros: Gordon sees England escape with 1-0 win vs. Portugal, semis bound”
Two seasons and 742 days after being an unused substitute, watching from the dugout in Porto as his teammates were sucker punched by a savvy Chelsea side in their maiden Champions League Final, Rodri secured their treble-winning season with a second-half winner as Manchester City at long last seized the one trophy that has eluded their grasp against a wasteful Inter showing in Istanbul. Continue reading “Manchester City 1-0 Inter: Rodri’s strike secures Champions League glory, at last”
England were second best early on and did well enough defensively to survive multiple waves of France pressure as the scoreline remained goalless. Despite fashioning a few promising opportunities which fell to Justin Oboavwoduo and substitute Zak Lovelace, Ryan Garry’s side were beaten late after Mathis Lambourde’s 89th-minute penalty strike – sending them into the semifinals. Continue reading “France 1-0 England – U17 Euros: Lambourde’s late penalty stings Young Lions in quarter-final”
Premier League champions Manchester City banished their demons from twelve months ago, avenging a painful collapse against Real Madrid with a 4-0 (5-1 aggregate) win over the Champions League holders on Wednesday, earning a date with Serie A giants Inter Milan for the Istanbul final on June 10. Five games in 20 days across three competitions between now and then, what’s next?
Continue reading “Istanbul bound: City composed in 4-0 Real rout, as a pivotal three weeks now beckon”
Two goals in three first-half minutes saw Simone Inzaghi’s disciplined Inter side seize a valuable cushion heading into next Tuesday’s second leg, as Edin Dzeko’s venomous volley and Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s composed finish exposed Milan’s meek defending. The 220th Derby della Madonnina, and first in the Champions League since 2005, ultimately proved a happy one for the Nerazzurri.
Continue reading “Milan 0-2 Inter: Dzeko, Mkhitaryan strikes stun Rossoneri in UCL semi-final first leg”
In a tense Champions League semi-final first leg encounter headlined by two excellent strikes from distance, Kevin de Bruyne’s emphatic equaliser midway through the second-half saw Manchester City restore parity vs. defending champions Real Madrid during their nailbiting affair at the Bernabeu tonight. Continue reading “Real Madrid 1-1 Manchester City: de Bruyne keeps semi-final tie finely poised”
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