EURO 2020 has reached the semi-final stage – and England are there!
The Three Lions stormed into the semis on Saturday, crashing FOUR past Ukraine to set up a showdown with Denmark at Wembley.
And fans across the country went wild, with millions celebrating in the streets.
Meanwhile Leonardo Spinazzola is reportedly out for months after being stretchered off in Italy’s win against Belgium, meaning he will miss the clash with Spain.
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Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
BEST ENG SHOW
SunSport readers have voted England’s Euro 2020 drubbing of Ukraine as their THIRD best match of the last 25 years.
But the 4-0 demolition job in Rome is still MILES off readers’ favourite game.
Gareth Southgate produced yet another tactical masterclass as England booked their place in the semi-finals.
Harry Kane scored twice – with Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also finding the net – as the Three Lions recorded their biggest-ever margin of victory in a major tournament knockout game.
The 4-0 victory eclipsed 3-0 wins over Denmark and Paraguay at the 2002 and 1986 World Cups respectively.
The Roman battering was also the first time England have scored four goals in a knockout game since the 1966 World Cup final win over West Germany.
ZIZOU ARE YOU?
Luke Shaw delivered two assists for England in the space of three minutes and 51 seconds at Euro 2020
And that was more than French legend Zinedine Zidane managed in 14 appearances at the European Championships.
Shaw set up the second goal for Harry Maguire before crossing for Harry Kane to make it 3-0 in the 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarter-finals.
Told about his achievement of overtaking Zidane’s contributions at a Euro, Shaw said: “A very strange stat! A nice one, I think.
“Obviously, Zidane was one of the best midfielders ever and I can’t compare to him.
“But the most important thing for me was reaching the semi-final, getting another game at Wembley in front of our own crowd and hopefully making them happy again.”
SOUTHGATE YOU’RE THE ONE
Stuart Pearce, former England international and team-mate of Gareth Southgate, has praised his pal for his decision making so far at Euro 2020.
Pearce cleared up a common misconception about Southgate.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “There was a misconception, potentially, and I’m talking from a footballing aspect, that he’s a soft touch, or whatever.
“I don’t think there is now because people in the game have [recognised] he’ll make the tough judgement calls and I’ll give you one or two real examples.
“He put Henderson in the group where a lot of people were saying he shouldn’t be, he’s not good enough for one reason, not fit enough. You can’t take injured players.
“He knew the worth of Henderson [and Harry Maguire], you saw that last night. Both on the score sheet. I’m absolutely delighted for both of them.
“But, because he knows what they both give the group he was prepared to wait. Not a popular choice in some quarters.
“Going into the first game, by the way, there was a lot of people shouting and hollering and rattling about Sterling shouldn’t be playing. Gareth knew his worth.
“All those people have pulled their necks in now because Sterling has probably carried this team, by the way.
“He [Southgate] has made judgement calls.
“Everyone wants Grealish and Foden in, popular choices, they are the sexy choices, but he hasn’t done that all the time. They have played their part as a group member but he picked the team he though was right and credit to him.”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES
SAK BACK, NO JACK
Gary Neville has picked his England XI for the Euro 2020 semi-final clash with Denmark – with Jack Grealish yet again missing out, writes DAVE FRASER.
The Three Lions demolished Ukraine 4-0 in their quarter-final clash in Rome with Jadon Sancho given his first start of the tournament.
The new Manchester United star, 21, looked lively throughout the game and gave England a new dimension in attack – despite being given a bizarrely low 4/10 match rating by L’Equipe.
Fans have been crying out for Gareth Southgate to utilise Grealish more having played just 115 minutes across England’s five games.
But Neville reckons the Three Lions boss should turn back to Bukayo Saka over Grealish or Sancho for the semi-final showdown against Denmark.
The Arsenal whiz, 19, starred in wins over Czech Republic and Germany but missed the Ukraine demolition job with a minor knock.
And Neville wants him back on the right-wing for the last-four clash at Wembley on Wednesday night.
UKRAINE FEEL ENGLAND’S FURY
Tyson Fury’s reaction to England’s win!
ROAD TO WEMBLEY
England are one game away from the Euros final at Wembley!
SANTASTIC
Rio Ferdinand has made a bold prediction for Jadon Sancho’s first season at Man Utd.
Sancho started his first game a major international tournament for England last night in a 4-0 win.
And his dazzling footwork left United fans in awe.
Club legend Ferdinand spoke highly of Sancho on the BBC’s coverage of the game.
He said: “I’ll tell you one thing, next season at Man United, he’ll have people off their seats.
“There’s moments in this game where he draws your breath and you think, ‘Oh, wow, that’s different’ — and he’s a fabulous talent, we know that, but mentally he’s very strong and he’s got a desire to be as good as he can be.
“Players that can up the potential of the game are different and they bring something different to your team in the way that he does.
“This is his first game, by the way, in the tournament, and he comes in and plays the way he did and creates moments, it shows you the talent that is there.”
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LAMPARD ON SHAW
England and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has praised Man Utd left-back Luke Shaw for his fantastic form.
Shaw registered two more assists last night against Ukraine in England’s 4-0 win.
Speaking after the game, Lampard said: “Something has clicked with him in the last 18 months.
“Sometimes you can’t control injury stuff, he wasn’t in the best of shape. Now he can do what you want from him.”
HAMMER TIME
After England beat Ukraine last night, Declan Rice is the last West Ham player standing at Euro 2020.
Andriy Yarmolenko (Ukraine), Tomas Soucek and Vladimir Coufal (Czech Republic) were knocked out of the competition yesterday.
TOP PICK
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has matched Iker Casillas’ clean sheet record at the European Championships, writes THOMAS BLOW.
The Everton stopper hasn’t conceded in his five matches at this summer’s tournament, matching the record Casillas set in 2012.
Although he didn’t have his best game against Ukraine in their quarter-final clash, Pickford is enjoying an impressive Euros campaign.
The 27-year-old has looked assured in net for England and made a couple of excellent saves against Germany at Wembley.
Legendary goalkeeper Casillas kept five clean sheets at Euro 2012 – including in the final against Italy – as Spain won the tournament.
If Pickford manages to keep Denmark at bay in London on Wednesday he will become the first stopper to record six clean sheets in the competition’s 61-year history.
ON THIS DAY
On this day 17 years ago, Greece shocked Europe and won Euro 2004.
CAPTAIN KANE
Harry Kane got off to a poor start at Euro 2020, but has since scored three in his last two.
And left-back Luke Shaw has registered three assists.
‘LONG TIME COMING’
England midfielder Jordan Henderson finally scored his first international goal after 62 appearances.
And Henderson couldn’t hide his excitement.
He said: “It’s about time, it’s been a long time coming.
“I have felt one coming and thankfully I’ve managed to get on the scoresheet.
“I’m delighted for the lads because overall the performance was fantastic and will give us good momentum going into the next game.
“I always felt it would come eventually, but I always try to contribute the best I can on the pitch, I never really think about that I need to score goals.
“There are a lot of other players to do that. I need to concentrate on my job on the pitch, what I need to do, what the coaching staff and payers need me to do.
“Of course I would have liked to have scored more goals but I can’t complain. I’m here, contributing and managed to get on the scoresheet.”
Credit: GETTY IMAGES FINAL FOUR
Italy, Spain, England and Denmark are the last four teams in the competition.
Italy play Spain at Wembley on Tuesday night.
And England return to Wembley to face Denmark in the second semi-final on Wednesday.
KANTE THE KEY TO UNLOCKING POGBA
Man Utd and England legend Wayne Rooney believes that Paul Pogba having N’Golo Kante next to him, allowed him to express himself.
Pogba played in a slightly deeper role for France at Euro 2020 and played some wonderful balls into Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
Speaking in his Times column, Rooney said: “Like a lot of people, I fancied the French to be champions and as a team they were a massive disappointment.
“That was a particular shame for Paul Pogba. He had been the player of the tournament until they went out.
“Some of the passes Paul played for Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe were incredible.
“It helped him to have N’Golo Kante as his midfield partner but I think the biggest reason that Paul’s performances were so good was his positioning.
“In all France’s games, he was playing deeper than we normally see him for Manchester United and this meant that he was able to pick the ball up in areas of the pitch where he had the time and room to pick a pass.”
Wayne Rooney is now boss of Derby CountyCredit: Getty ‘ONE OF THE PLAYERS’ OF EURO 2020
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has praised potential Arsenal target Raheem Sterling as “one of the players” of Euro 2020.
Sterling has scored three goals for England and set up Harry Kane’s opener yesterday night.
Wright said: “Raheem Sterling is one of the players of the tournament.
“He finds Harry Kane with a brilliant pass (for the opening goal).
“He comes inside. We need players who can run with the ball, progress the ball, into Harry Kane who can take our half-chances. That’s a half-chance.”
‘MAN MOUNTAIN’
England and Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on Man Utd club captain Harry Maguire.
Speaking after the game, he said: “He (Maguire) brings composure and sometimes the team looks different when someone wants the ball.
“He wants to get on the ball and take pressure off the other players. The team breathes more when he’s in the team.
“They are a stronger team and a better when he’s there. He’s so comfortable in international football, some players prefer club level or playing for their country.
“In an England shirt he looks like a man mountain. He comes out and just picks the right passes.
“You saw in his first game back he was threading balls in the lines. He brings someone in and then plays it through.
“That’s the difference between him and other centre-backs.”
YOU SHALL NOT PASS
England have kept several clean sheets in a row, and five at Euro 2020!
Some unsung heroes have helped the Three Lions get the job done. Massive achievement.
WON IN ROME
England fans were in dreamland last night after the Three Lions scored FOUR times to set up a historic semi-final.
Millions partied deep into the night in packed pubs, parks and streets across the country – while 5,000 Three Lions fans roared on the team in Rome.
Jubilant fans sprayed booze and danced on tables as Gareth Southgate’s side cruised to their first Euro’s semi-final in 25 years.
The win set up a titanic clash with Denmark at Wembley in front of a boosted home crowd of 60,000 on Wednesday night – and PM Boris Johnson hailed an “outstanding performance”.
GOOD MORNING EUROS FANS
Harry Kane has set his sights on reaching the final after his two goals helped England beat Ukraine 4-0 in the Euro 2020 quarter-finals.
He said on BBC One: “What a great performance in a big game.
“We were favourites; there was a lot of pressure and a lot of expectations. The performance was top-drawer. Another clean sheet, four goals, it was a perfect night for us.
“We’re building on [clean sheets]. We have a great unit here from front to back. It’s a vital part of winning games and tournaments.
“We’ve got a big semi-final coming up. We’re on the right path.
“It’s where we wanted to be. We set out a vision before the World Cup of what we want to achieve. We are knocking it off step by step.
“The World Cup was great but we fell short; we had a good run in the Nations League. We’re in another semi-final.
“Now it’s about getting over the line, the next step that we have got to do on Wednesday.”
Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho is on his way to Manchester United but right now he is only focusing on England.
Sancho told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m feeling over the moon. Today was must-win and I’m just happy to have got an opportunity to play. This is a special moment for me.
“Every time I haven’t been playing I’ve been going back to training and been giving it everything.
“I’ve just been focusing on myself while I’ve been at England. I’ve always been ready if I needed to come on.
“We knew today was going to be a big game, Ukraine are a very good side. I’m delighted.
“To be fair, I don’t want to talk about Manchester United. Right now I just want to focus on England.”
England will now face Denmark on Wednesday after they beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to all of his players, including the substitutes.
Southgate told BBC One: “The players have been fantastic. To play as well as they did in a game with so much resting on it was impressive.
“It’s a strange feeling. I’m thinking of the lads we didn’t get on the pitch – Conor Coady, Ben Chilwell, Sam Johnstone, Aaron Ramsdale, they’re the ones making this team successful. The spirit in the group is phenomenal.
“Whoever comes in does the job, whoever isn’t in – it is really difficult to leave three out of the matchday squad – the squad mentality is fantastic. That’s uppermost in my mind, looking after those guys.
“I’m spending more energy worrying about the three I have to leave out because they’re all good players. None of them deserve to be left out.
“They’re all giving everything in training. None of it is because I don’t think they’re up to the level but we have to make the decisions.”
BAE-DON
Jadon Sancho was praised by BBC pundits after an impressive first half display against Ukraine.
During the half-time break, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker said: “He’s a player that obviously a lot of people at home wouldn’t have seen too frequently because he’s been playing at Dortmund.
“But I think it’s quite clear to see Manchester United have got something special.”
And ex-United captain Rio Ferdinand responded: “Yes, they have.
“This isn’t a surprise, this isn’t something that I would just think, ‘This is what he does, is it?’
“This is what German fans have been seeing for three years in the Bundesliga.”
ENGLAND 4 UKRAINE 0
Three years ago, England fell back in love with its football team in a joyous, but ultimately doomed, summer romance.
Yet this march to a major tournament has been far more impressive than that Russian odyssey at the 2018 World Cup.
Read more HERE.
BALLON SHAW
Luke Shaw has the second most assists in the delayed European Championships and matched a knockout game record.
The Manchester United left-back has been an instrumental part of Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions during the tournament.
And after setting up United team-mate Harry Maguire and captain Harry Kane, he took his Euros assists tally up to three.
He also helped Raheem Sterling open the scoring against Germany in the 2-0, last 16 win.
Only Switzerland’s Steven Zuber is ahead of him with one more assist.
TO BE FRANK
Frank Lampard hailed Kalvin Phillips ‘the machine’ and said the Leeds man must be ‘so thankful’ to Marcelo Bielsa.
After watching a montage of him and Declan Rice shutting Germany out, the Chelsea legend said: “You can always improve but you could take those clips Rio’s shown there and tell any young midfield player ‘if you’re playing in a two, this is how you do it’.
“Because there’s a lot of unselfish work that maybe you don’t see. There’s a lot of miles in there.
“Phillips must be so thankful to Bielsa for what he’s done to him at Leeds.
“He’s turned into this machine who can play as a No6 with discipline, he can play higher up the pitch and it’s not a problem for him.
“And Rice is pretty similar and they’re both comfortable on the ball.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
