In Group F clash in Budapest, France came back from a goal down to salvage a point against Hungary.

Didier Deschamps’ men fell behind on the verge of halftime, when Attila Fiola charged forward from the left and beat 3 defenders before sending himself and the home stands into a frenzy.

However, the 2018 World Cup champions found the equalizer in the 66th minute, when Kylian Mbappe’s cut back found its way to Antoine Griezmann after a poor clearance by the defender, and the Barcelona striker made no mistake to smash the ball into the back of the net. The draw puts France on 4 points heading into matchday 3, while Hungary pick up their first point so far.

Meanwhile in Group E, Spain were held to another home draw, after Robert Lewandowski scored his first goal of the tournament to rescue a point for Poland, and keep their hopes up for reaching the knockout-stage.

Alvaro Morata put La Roja in front with a precise shot from close range in the 25th minute. The goal had initially been ruled out for offside, but it was given after a VAR review.

However, the Poles who knew that a defeat would mean an early exit, moved into rhythm after the break, and finally found the equalizer, thanks to a masterful header by Lewandowski before the hour mark. After 2 disappointing draws so far, the Spaniards are 3rd behind Sweden and Slovakia, while Poland are at the Bottom.

Source: Presstv

Substitute Kevin de Bruyne set up one goal and scored the winner himself to give Belgium a 2-1 victory over Denmark in a European Championship game marked by an emotional tribute to Christian Eriksen in the first half.

De Bruyne came on after halftime for his first appearance since sustaining a facial fracture in the Champions League final and squared the ball for Thorgan Hazard to equalize in the 55th minute. He then scored in the 71st with a low shot from outside the area.

It was Denmark’s first game since Eriksen’s collapse, and the hosts started at a furious pace at a raucous Parken Stadium. Yussuf Poulsen scored with a low shot inside the far post in only the second minute.

Players from both teams then halted play after 10 minutes as the 25,000 fans rose for a minute of thunderous applause in tribute to Eriksen, who wears the No. 10 shirt for Denmark’s national team.

The players joined the applause as well, as did referee Bjorn Kuipers.

Eriksen remains in a nearby hospital after suffering cardiac arrest in the team’s opening game against Finland.

The victory gives Belgium a spot in the round of 16. Denmark can still advance with a win over Russia on Monday if the Belgians beat Finland.

It had all started so well for Denmark.

Carried forward by the largest crowd in Denmark since the government eased pandemic restrictions, the hosts kept pushing forward in wave after wave after the early goal.

Play resumed at a more normal pace after the tribute to Eriksen, but Denmark still had the better chances in the first half.

Things changed completely when De Bruyne came on after the break.

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand had said the team’s strategy for keeping Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku quiet was to make sure he didn’t get the ball in the first place. And Denmark largely succeeded until the 55th, when Lukaku burst forward down the right flank before passing to De Bruyne. The Manchester City midfielder went around a defender inside the area before teeing up Hazard, who slotted it past a scrambling Kasper Schmeichel.

Eden Hazard, Thorgan’s brother, then came on and set up De Bruyne for the second goal. De Bruyne ran toward the Belgium fans but didn’t celebrate the goal, pushing in hands down in a calming motion out of respect for Eriksen.

Martin Braithwaite had Denmark’s best chances for an equalizer, but his shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois in the 75th and his header glanced against the crossbar in the 87th.

(AP)

Denmark international Christian Eriksen showed no hint of any underlying health condition, Inter Milan’s team doctor said Sunday, after the midfielder’s collapse in Copenhagen.

Midfielder Eriksen, 29, remained in hospital but is in a “stable” condition as he undergoes further tests after his dramatic collapse during a Euro 2020 game against Finland on Saturday.

“We had a bad time, not just me, but the whole family of our club,” Piero Volpi told Gazzetta Dello Sport.

“In the next few days he will be subjected to in-depth examinations.

“The important thing is that he is well, but there had never been any episode that even remotely hinted at a problem when he was at Tottenham nor at Inter. In Italy there are very strict controls.”

The Inter Milan star suddenly fell to the turf in the 43rd minute of Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 game, laying motionless as medical personnel administered CPR.

He laid on the field for about 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch and rushed to hospital.

Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta said that Eriksen had sent a message on the team chat reassuring them: “I’m fine, I hope to be back soon.”

“Those harsh images foreshadowed dramatic things, but luckily it wasn’t so thanks to the doctors,” said Marotta.

“Thanks to everyone, opponents and friends, because they stayed close to us. He never had Covid and he has never been vaccinated, we don’t want to be intrusive because it’s right for the player to be calm.

“He is a champion, we want to hold onto him for a long time and hope he can resolve these health problems.”

Source: AFP

Italy kicked off the European Championship in emphatic style on Friday as they delivered a commanding performance to sweep past toothless Turkey 3-0 in the Stadio Olimpico and stamp their early authority on Group A.

After a goalless first half, an own goal and strikes by Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne were just reward for the home side, who played with relentless positivity from the start.

Their dispiriting failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup looked a distant memory as they stretched their unbeaten run to 28 matches in a buoyant atmosphere.

They were helped by a flat display from Turkey, who lost their fifth consecutive opening match of a European Championship finals and barely mustered a worthwhile attack all night.

“It was important to start well here in Rome and it is a joy for us and for all the Italians,” said coach Roberto Mancini.

“We produced a good performance and I think we satisfied everyone, for the fans and all the Italians watching. (But) there are six games to go and there are a lot of good teams.”

Switzerland and Wales, who meet in the group’s second game in Baku on Saturday, always knew Italy were the group favourites but the size of their task has suddenly looked somewhat bigger.

Strong start

After a build-up featuring a spine-tingling rendition of Nessun Dorma by opera singer Andrea Bocelli – channelling thoughts of Italia ’90 – a spectacular fireworks display and a typically raucous rendition of Italy’s national anthem, the 16,000-strong crowd was in fine voice by kick-off. They were given plenty to cheer too as Italy made all the early running against a Turkish team happy to sit deep and invite pressure. However, Mancini’s side were left frustrated in their efforts to break through the wall of red shirts.

Giorgio Chiellini had a header tipped over with a spectacular one-handed save by Ugurcan Cakir and Immobile nodded a cross wide as Italy went in at the break with 14 attempts to none from Turkey – but without a goal.

They kept probing and their patience was rewarded when Berardi fired a cross into the six-yard box where Demiral chested the ball into the net – the first time in a European Championship that the tournament’s opening goal was an own goal.

The ever-dangerous Leonardo Spinazzola had a shot beaten away and Manuel Locatelli’s low effort was palmed wide before Immobile doubled Italy’s lead by pouncing on Cakir’s parry from another Spinazzola effort to neatly knock in the rebound.

The Azzurri’s dominance was rewarded again when Immobile threaded a pass to Insigne, who placed a precise finish into the bottom corner with 11 minutes remaining.

It marked the first time Italy had scored three goals in a match at the Euros at their 39th attempt and capped a perfect start.

Mancini had told his players they should enjoy themselves and seek to entertain and that was exactly what they did for a jubilant home crowd.

There was only gloom in the visiting camp as veteran coach Senol Gunes, who led Turkey to third place at the 2002 World Cup, apologised for the performance.

“I was expecting a better game, and I am disappointed and we are sorry,” he said. “Italy totally controlled the game.”

On June 16, Italy face Switzerland in Rome and Turkey take on Wales in Baku in the second round of Group A games.

Source: REUTERS

A self-confessed admirer of Pep Guardiola, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel got the better of his mentor as the Blues kept Manchester City waiting for Champions League glory by winning Saturday’s final 1-0.

Victory in Porto rounded off a rollercoaster five months for the German, who was sacked by Paris Saint-Germain on Christmas Eve and handed the chance to revive Chelsea’s fortunes less than a month later.

Chelsea were languishing ninth in the Premier League table at the time with owner Roman Abramovich seeing little return on his £220 million ($312 million) outlay on new players last summer under Frank Lampard.

Kai Havertz was the most expensive purchase of that splurge after his £71 million move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Getting the best out of Havertz was one of Tuchel’s major tasks and the 21-year-old came good on the biggest stage of all with the only goal three minutes before half-time.

Unlike Guardiola, Tuchel did not have a glittering playing career. A series of knee injuries forced him to retire at 25 and take up a job as a waiter, while he began his coaching career in the youth ranks of Stuttgart.

From afar he watched and was inspired as Guardiola won 14 trophies in four years at Barcelona before joining him in Germany where they battled for Bundesliga supremacy in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.

During Tuchel’s first meeting with Guardiola the two football obsessives talked long into the night using glasses and salt and pepper shakers to mimic formations.

“It’s easier to demonstrate a position or defending a position or building some gaps you can play through, and it’s easier to do this when you have some glasses and salt and pepper on the table,” Tuchel said this week.

“I was such a huge admirer of Pep when he was a player and then when he became a coach it was like learning on the job for me. I was an academy coach and then in the Bundesliga with Mainz, but I don’t think I missed a game because there was so much to learn.

“There was a lot of tactical talking and discussions and it was so interesting to hear his beliefs, his self-confidence and also the doubts in what he’s doing.”

The Catalan’s confidence will be shaken when he comes face-to-face with Tuchel again in the Premier League next season.

Tuchel did not win any of the first five clashes between the pair during his time at Mainz and Dortmund against Guardiola’s dominant Bayern side.

But he has now won three in the past six weeks as Chelsea completed a treble of victories over the English champions after wins in the FA Cup semi-final and Premier League.

– Tactical battle –

Guardiola spoke glowingly ahead of the game on how Tuchel has revived Chelsea’s fortunes by changing to a 3-4-3 formation that denied City’s abundance of creative midfielders space between the lines.

That allowed Tuchel to arguably win the tactical battle before a ball had even been kicked.

Often accused of overly tinkering with his line-ups when the pressure is ramped up in the final stages of the Champions League, Guardiola’s bold call to start without a recognised holding midfielder backfired.

Tuchel was dismissed by PSG despite leading the French giants to their own first Champions League final in August.

That time he had to suffer the pain of a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich, but his desire not to leave Portugal empty-handed again was in evidence as he prowled the touchline, constantly cajoling his players and whipping up the Chelsea fans into a frenzy.

The travelling support from London were among a 14,000 crowd that contributed hugely to the spectacle after almost a full season of European football behind closed doors.

Chelsea fans showed they have not forgotten the club’s all-time record goalscorer with cries of “super Frank” in honour of Lampard’s part in getting the Blues into the top four last season to qualify, and through the group stages before his dismissal.

But this was Tuchel’s triumph.

Source: AFP

Chelsea’s Kai Havertz repaid some of his huge transfer fee as his first-half goal sealed a 1-0 win for his side over Manchester City in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The German youngster, Chelsea’s record signing, latched on to Mason Mount’s pass and evaded City keeper Ederson before rolling the ball into an empty net in the 42nd minute.

Premier League champions City were favourites ahead of the final but suffered a desperately disappointing night in Porto in what was their first Champions League final.

Pep Guardiola’s side were never allowed to play their normal fluent game and could not respond as a disciplined Chelsea sealed a second Champions League triumph.

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel won the tactical battle against his City counterpart Guardiola and his side could have won by more had Timo Werner converted two gilt-edged chances.

City laboured after the break searching for openings and their cause was not helped when playmaker Kevin de Bruyne went off injured after a clash of heads.

Chelsea survived seven minutes of stoppage time with Riyad Mahrez going agonisingly close for City before the celebrations from Chelsea’s travelling fans could begin.

Source: REUTERS

In 2015, Senegalese Edouard Mendy was in Le Havre, northern France, desperate to find a professional club. Six years later, he could be the first African goalkeeper to play in a Champions League final.

He is poised to follow in the footsteps of the heroic Zimbabwean goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, two times finalist in the European Champions Cup with Liverpool FC in the 80s’.

The Senegalese international goalkeeper, who has kept 24 clean sheets this season, becomes a master of his future when he will appear in Porto on Saturday for his first Champions League final against Manchester City.

It will be the crowning achievement of a journey entangled with difficulties for the 29-year-old goalkeeper, who had a promising start.

Born near Le Havre, he became a goalkeeper at the age of 10 years in his neighborhood and was quickly spotted by HAC Academy.

“He had a certain talent, explosiveness, a character that allowed him to have a certain presence in the goal but also in attitude even as a discreet boy,” Michel Courel, his former coach at the HAC Academy said. “He was very diligent and very serious and was a very motivated kid”, he added.

Mendy has been a key player in Chelsea’s squad this season, with 16 clean sheets in 31 EPL games.

The Senegalese goalkeeper has also shined in Chelsea’s UEFA Champions League run, making sure no shot went past him in 8 out of 11 European games.

He hadn’t even been the first-choice goalkeeper there – he spent much of his time on the bench – and he struggled to find another club, repeatedly let down by an agent who was unable to find Mendy a new team in France or in the third tier of England, as promised.

The phone call that changed everything came in 2015 when he was offered a trial at Marseille to become the southern team’s fourth-choice goalkeeper. His pregnant girlfriend stayed in Le Havre.

“When I went down there, it was a case of just giving my absolute everything to get the opportunity to join that club,” Mendy said.

Although he wasn’t the first choice at Marseille, his career was back up and running. He moved to Reims in France’s second division in 2016 and then to Rennes in 2019.

After one season, he had done enough to convince Chelsea’s technical director, Petr Cech – a former player for Rennes and then Chelsea – to bring him to England.

“Now it is up to me to repay their interest in me.”

He has made a good start. Tall and good with the ball at his feet, Mendy already looks a massive upgrade on the erratic Kepa. Crucially, Chelsea’s defenders appear more at ease with Mendy behind them.

Mendy will look to make it three shutouts in three games when Chelsea visits Manchester United on Saturday for the standout match of the Premier League’s sixth round.

Source: Africa News

Zinedine Zidane resigned as Real Madrid manager with immediate effect, the Spanish club said Thursday, just days after the club were beaten to the La Liga title by Atletico Madrid.

The Frenchman’s departure came at the end of a disappointing campaign for the 13-time European champions, who also lost to Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals as they failed to win a trophy for the first time in 11 seasons.

“Real Madrid announces that Zinedine Zidane has decided to bring an end to his current spell as coach of our club,” said a Real Madrid statement.

“Now’s the time to respect his decision and show our respect and gratitude for his professionalism, dedication and passion in the last few years and for what he represents for Real Madrid.

“Zidane is one of Real Madrid’s all-time greats and his legend goes beyond what he has done as a coach and player for our club. He knows that he is always in the heart of the club’s supporters and that Real Madrid will always be his home.”

Zidane had a contract through June 2022.

He left the club for the first time after leading Madrid to one of its most successful runs from 2016-2018, with three consecutive Champions League titles. In his two years and five months in charge, Madrid won a total of nine trophies, including two Club World Cups, two UEFA Super Cups, one Spanish league and one Spanish Super Cup.

He only won the league title once and a Spanish Super Cup in his second stint.

ZIdane quit the first time less than a week after leading the team to its third straight Champions League title, saying it was time for a change and that he didn’t see it clearly that the club would keep winning with him in charge.

He had been dismissing talks about his future recently, saying that he would discuss it with the club. He said he believed that Madrid could do well without him as coach.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS)

Marcus Rashford says he was racially abused on social media following Manchester United’s defeat in the Europa League final.

The 23-year-old, who has previously been a victim of online attacks, said he had received “at least 70 racial slurs” following United’s penalty shootout loss to Villarreal in Gdansk on Wednesday.

United, who lost 11-10 on penalties, later tweeted to say their players had been subjected to “disgraceful racist abuse”.

“At least 70 racial slurs on my social accounts counted so far,” Rashford wrote on Twitter. “For those working to make me feel any worse than I already do, good luck trying.

“I’m more outraged that one of the abusers that left a mountain of monkey emojis in my DM is a maths teacher with an open profile. He teaches children!! And knows that he can freely racially abuse without consequence…”

Last month English football, along with other sporting bodies, united for a four-day social media boycott to urge the companies to take a stronger stance over racial abuse.

Speaking before the latest incidents of abuse, England boss Gareth Southgate praised the job players had done in highlighting the issue.

“I do think there has been progress over the last year on the issue of racism because social media is just in general a poor reflection of what happens through society,” he told the BBC.

“But the reality is if it wasn’t social media these situations are happening on our streets at certain times.

“(The players) have used their voice in a very positive manner, in particularly the last 12 months. We have to keep fighting racism.”

Source: AFP