we once again stan our smol king lorenzo insigne pic.twitter.com/TYZJVsMIMt
— World Famous Art Thief (@CalmSporting) June 16, 2021
Reuters Euro 2020 live tracker: The latest scores, stats and updates from the tournament https://t.co/Jn6qKzHnza
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 17, 2021
Denmark’s Eriksen to get heart starter implant after collapse on pitch https://t.co/NVnRcTIg4n pic.twitter.com/UXjDZ672Kq
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 17, 2021
Yesterday, on VOA, I argued with a Russian journalist about Russia's cowardice in the Belgium game. His take was that the team was realistic, playing for a draw. My take was that to get a draw you have to play for a win. When you play for a draw, you lose.
Case in point: Swiss.— Slava Malamud (@SlavaMalamud) June 16, 2021
North Macedonia ???? getting ready to face Ukraine ???? in their own way. ?? #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/srFp74Zmhv
— RouteOneFootball (@Route1futbol) June 17, 2021
Locatelli following Ronaldo’s footsteps, Coca-Cola snub continues at #EURO2020????
pic.twitter.com/MyXjfoFMut— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) June 17, 2021
Uefa has contacted the French Football Federation to find out why France's Benjamin Pavard carried on playing against Germany at Euro 2020 despite losing consciousness briefly.
More ?? #bbceuro2020 #bbcfootball
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 16, 2021
Germany's Antonio Rüdiger says he regrets putting his mouth on France midfielder Paul Pogba’s back at Euro 2020.
Full story by @cfaheyAP: https://t.co/G5k5mtQjAP pic.twitter.com/tbwbatuKlR
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) June 16, 2021
Analysis: Dynamic Italy blazing a trail from ashes of World Cup failure https://t.co/SU20YI6PxW pic.twitter.com/AgOC3hZUdu
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 17, 2021
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My weak twitter skillz fail on finding much Copa America info… or else the only two topics on debate are (a) Messi’s worth, or not; and (b)the latest Covid exposure numbers…
Brazil's health ministry raised the number of COVID-19 cases related to the Copa America to 53, one more than the previous day, after a total of 5,082 tests.https://t.co/gZCRyeTF6j
— Express Sports (@IExpressSports) June 17, 2021
??Lionel Scaloni has everyone at his disposal for the game against Uruguay.
??All the PCR swab tests on the Argentina national team players came back negative. #CopaAmérica #ARG ???? #URU ???? pic.twitter.com/codJ2kuB1c
— infosfcb (@infosfcb) June 17, 2021
Looking forward to see you outclass the other players in Copa America.
Vamos Messi??
Goat? pic.twitter.com/SEPcqWQG5w— Goatessi?LM10 (@messigicianlm10) June 16, 2021
Tony Jay
Ukraine v The Fantasy Kingdom of Northern Macedonia – Ukraine will win this one. The Makedonian Phalanx will defend doggedly and try to pick up something from a set-piece or a lucky break, but Ukraine have goals in them and will be determined to pick up 3 points after their narrow loss to the Dutch. 3-1
Denmark v Belgium – Still fuming that UEFA lied through its teeth about the Danes ‘choosing’ to play the Finland game while the players were still in shock. Play now or tomorrow or forfeit the game doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. That said, and much as I wish them well, I can’t see the Danes getting anything more from this game than a smacked arse. Belgium are the top team in the world for a reason, and even without De Bruyne have all the class in the world to ease through this group as winners. 0-3
Netherlands v Austria – At some point the Dutch are going to come up against a half decent team who will take advantage of their disorganised defensive structure and beat them like a red-headed stepchild mounted on the back of a rented mule. That team won’t be Austria, though. This one might end up as a draw, though not a high scoring one, but I think the Orangemen have this. 2-1
After last night, Italy look a good bet for the Semis at least. They’ve got a touch of the Liverpools about them with their 4-3-3 formation, relentless pressing and swiftness in getting the ball from A to B to Net. Good to see Wales opening their legs and showing their class, at last. Even if Manbun Bale proved that even the best kickers of the round thing in the world can still take shit penalties. Qualification still isn’t certain though, as they could get tonked by Italy and lose out to the Swiss if and when they beat Turkey, but even then it’s likely they’d go through as a decent 3rd place side. Russia’s repeat of the 1940 Winter War keeps them in with a shot of getting out of their group in 2nd, but I would wet my summer shorts with laughter if they lost the last game to Denmark and Finland squeezed through with a draw against the already qualified Belgians.
Football – Politics for athletic people.
Morzer
So now we know the true reason for Italy’s sudden success – they’ve been playing Tyrion Lannister!
Gin & Tonic
Yarmolenko!!
Gin & Tonic
Here we go!
Tony Jay
If the Macedonians aren’t careful this could end considerably worse than 3-1
Gooooooaaaaaaalllllllllllmost. Offside. Still, they’re not closing up shop yet.
Gin & Tonic
ESPN announcer says “this is not working defensively for Macedonia.”
You think?
Ken
@Gin & Tonic: I see futbol announcers provide the same deep analysis that we get from football announcers. Next he’ll be informing us that if the team wants to win, they need to score higher than the opposition.
burnspbesq
North Macedonia’s performance here suggests that UEFA’s decision to award a place to the winner of League D of the Nations League may have been … ill-considered.
If I were a fan of Die Mannschaft I would be asking how the fuck did we lose to these people.
burnspbesq
@Tony Jay:
Shame that didn’t count. Delicious little wedge shot by Pandev.
burnspbesq
How good is Belgium? They are winning with Roberto Martinez as manager. That’s how good Belgium is.
Tony Jay
@burnspbesq:
There was a nice little documentary on last night about what Martinez has brought to Belgium. Data analysis, inexhaustible love of the game at every level, and a dedication to utilising every single nanosquirt of talent the country can produce. The Belgians love him, and it seems to be working.
Maybe Rafa can bring something similar to Goodison when he takes over.
Mo Salad
@Morzer: Wait until you see Switzerland. Shaq has an entirely different meaning over there. A guy content to be the football equivalent of an NBA sixth man and he has two Champion’s League medals to show for it. If LFC has to move him this summer, he will be missed.
In 2018, I got to see LFC v. ManU at the Big House in Ann Arbor during the ICC preseason tournament. It was the beginning of the beginning of the Champion’s League winners and the beginning of the end for Mourinho.
Shaq came on as a second half sub and tore the place apart and set up Sturridge with a amazing assist. They gave Sturridge the Man of the Match for the goal. It should have gone to Shaq.
burnspbesq
@Tony Jay:
My first choice was Eddie Howe, but I’m perfectly comfortable with Rafa
Tony Jay
@burnspbesq:
He’s a great manager, knows exactly what he’s doing and given funds (looking at you, Ashley) he can build exciting teams.
Denmark 1-0 up over Belgium in a minute. I did not expect that!
burnspbesq
@Tony Jay:
Denmark is playing a nearly perfect first half, and Belgium is really missing DeBruyne.
Origuy
TIL that ice cream cones in North Macedonia have square tops. And they’re really big.
Tony Jay
@burnspbesq:
Apparently Martinez agreed. Belgian quality wins out, but the Danes made that a hell of a lot closer than I thought it would be.
jame
@Tony Jay: Thanks for your lovely, lively, and accurate commentary.