Euro 2020

ARTEM DOVBYK was Ukraine’s hero at Hampden Park last night with a dramatic late winner to sink Sweden.But his wild goal celebration left Twitter users needing to get something off their chest.
Artem Dovbyk was Ukraine’s late hero – and his sports bra got fans talkingCredit: EPA

Dovbyk’s top raised eyebrowsCredit: AFP
Artem Dovbyk scored the winner as Ukraine beat Sweden to reach the quarter-finalsCredit: Reuters
Dovbyk headed Ukraine into a quarter-final clash with England on Saturday night with his extra-time winner.
And his celebration caught the eye of football fans across the globe.
The 24-year-old striker whipped off his shirt and sprinted over to the crowd – revealing a sporty crop-top vest.
The vest donned the logo of STATSports, a GPS monitoring and analysis company.
The devices are popular in the world of elite sport and allow coaches and analysts to track performance.
It measures distance covered, speed, acceleration, deceleration and heart rate and provides coaches with valuable information on each individual.
The data that is collected can be then streamed to a phone, tablet or smartwatch for further analysis and studied by team officials.
The technology isn’t just used to push players to their limits, it also ensures players aren’t at risk of injury without burning them out.
The highly-sophisticated device costs around £200 and is worn by Premier League players with Arsenal and Liverpool among the clubs wearing them.

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Artem Dovbyk has just immortalised himself by scoring the biggest goal in Ukrainian history, and immediately whipping his shirt off to reveal a sports bra. Just brilliant— Case (@ROCRedDog) June 29, 2021

Man of the match = Artem Dovbyk’s bra!— Ricky Wright 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@MC_Ricky_Wright) June 29, 2021

Anyone know why Artem Dovbyk was wearing a sports bra? @Ukraine— Alyssa Mok (@Alyssa_Mok) June 29, 2021

He scores in a bra, he scores in a braaaaa. Artem Dovbyk, he scores in a bra— Craig (@csrandall87) June 29, 2021

But the vests has caused a bit of confusion – and amusement – among fans on Tuesday night.
One commented: “Artem Dovbyk has just immortalised himself by scoring the biggest goal in Ukrainian history, and immediately whipping his shirt off to reveal a sports bra. Just brilliant.”
Another said: “Ukrainian goal scoring hero Artem Dovbyk’s bra-like vest became instantly iconic tonight.”
And another social media post said: “Man of the match = Artem Dovbyk’s bra!”

Meanwhile, one fan asked: “Anyone know why Artem Dovbyk was wearing a sports bra?”
Dovbyk’s winner last night timed at 120 minutes and 37 seconds is the second latest goal in Euros history – after Semih Senturk for Turkey in 2008 (121min 1sec).
And it set-up a showdown with England in Rome on Saturday night in the quarter-finals.
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SWEDEN defender Marcus Danielson was sent off for a potential leg-breaker on Ukraine’s Artem Besedin in their crunch Euro 2020 clash.The 32-year-old was given his marching orders via a VAR review into his challenge in extra time with the scores level – only for his country to lose the game seconds before a penalty shoot-out.
Sweden star Marcus Danielson was sent off for a rough challenge on Ukraine’s Artem BesedinCredit: Reuters
The defender’s forceful tackle garnered split opinion on social mediaCredit: Getty

That’s not a red card. He’s perfectly entitled to clear that ball. Slow motion once again turning an innocuous challenge look more than it was. Ridiculous.— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) June 29, 2021

Says the bloke who never tackled. It was a recklessly high challenge that could have broken his opponent’s leg. Definite red card. https://t.co/tEmwHisPJb— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) June 29, 2021

Danielson was initially awarded a yellow after his attempted clearance ended with him catching Besedin on the follow-through.
However, Italian referee Daniele Orsato was advised to have another look at the tackle on the pitch-side monitor.
And replays showed that although Danielson got the ball first, his studs were high and they caught Besedin’s leg – bending it awkwardly.
The centre-back – who plays his club football at Chinese Super League club Dalian Professional – was furious with the decision.
Gary Lineker and Joey Barton were among those watching at home who clearly had sympathy for Danielson as he took to social media to claim it was never a red card.
Lineker tweeted: “That’s not a red card. He’s perfectly entitled to clear that ball.
“Slow motion once again turning an innocuous challenge look more than it was. Ridiculous.”
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey told SunSport he did think it was a red.
And plenty agreed with him that Danielson should have been being given his marching orders after Besedin’s knee hyperextended under the pressure and he was forced to come off.

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Mark Halsey’s viewMARCUS DANIELSON can have no complaints after the Sweden defender was sent off for serious foul play in extra-time against Ukraine.
When you lunge at the ball with one or two feet you run the risk of being red carded for a challenge of this type.
Danielson was high and, although he won the ball first, his follow through caught Artem Besedin.
It was a challenge which endangered a player’s safety with excessive force and met the criteria for a dismissal for me.
I thought it was a good use of VAR by Italian official Massimiliano Irrati, who advised countryman Daniele Orsato to consult the pitchside monitor.
Once Orsato saw the challenge again there was no doubt he was going to dish out a red card to Danielson.

Never a red that! Nonsense— Joey Barton🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (@Joey7Barton) June 29, 2021

Lineker’s friend Piers Morgan replied to the BBC pundit saying: “Says the bloke who never tackled.
“It was a recklessly high challenge that could have broken his opponent’s leg. Definite red card.”
Danielson’s red card meant he became only the fourth player to receive his marching orders in extra-time of a Euros match.
And Ukraine finally made the extra man count with Artem Dovbyk’s stopping header enough to set up a quarter-final clash against England.
Jurgen Klinsmann congratulates England and admits Three Lions deserved to beat Germany in classy message More

I’M PACKING my bags for Rome and singing ‘It’s Coming Home’.England are ready for everything and I will be really disappointed if they don’t get to the final.
Harry Kane has so much more to offer England after his goal against GermanyCredit: AP
The Three Lions captain deserves his first goal of the tournamentCredit: Getty
We should, we really should.
But I still think the Three Lions need to learn what Harry Kane wants and needs.
At 1-0, after Raheem Sterling’s goal, Harry would have been more than happy.
Knowing him as I do, I know he just wants his team to win.
He is not chasing individual trophies, he is chasing a trophy England have never won.
But, of course, a goal will mean everything to him.
To score against Germany, in the knockouts, at Wembley, in an England shirt, means everything for the kid.
He deserves his first goal of the tournament and has a lot more to give.

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For periods of the game England could not find him. Sterling is playing amazingly well but when he drops back he occupies some of the areas where Harry likes to play.
Sterling, when attacking space in behind, can hurt teams even more.
Harry is a fantastic link player, is technically very good, has great vision and can easily find other guys making runs.
Sterling can then break the lines, with Harry dropping to become the connection.
For periods of the game England could not find Kane before his goalCredit: Reuters
Sterling is playing amazingly well and can break the lines for the Spurs strikerCredit: Getty
But looking ahead, England will not have the same space as they did against Germany. This was a game that will be similar to the final against the likes of either Italy or Belgium.
But the quarter-final and semi will not be the same because of the opponents, with England having to make the game.
The big thing now is that a back three going forward doesn’t make sense to me. It was the right thing to do against Germany and it was not as though they didn’t have the tactical knowledge to switch to it.
England had not conceded in three games during the group stages going with a four.
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But they have used that system before, and we saw earlier in the Euros what Germany did to Portugal’s back four — they killed their full-backs.
It wasn’t as though Gareth Southgate one day slept, spoke with his pillow and then decided to go with three.
And, in the end, where was their left wing-back Robin Gosens? I saw him only once trying to head the ball at the end of the first half.
Luke Shaw and Kieran Trippier both won their duels, while Kalvin Phillips and Declan Rice were giants in midfield.
But on Saturday the game will be given to England, they have it in their hands, and can easily go back to a four to add one creative player.
The Three Lions then have to be able to destroy the organisation of a team who considers England favourites.
Yet the same way England need balance in the bad moments, they also need balance in the good.
There is still a long way to go, even if in normal conditions England will be in the final because I don’t see them losing against one of the others they can play on the way.
But we need to respect football. To respect football is to respect the unpredictability of the game, anything can happen.
Jose Mourinho will be really disappointed if England don’t get to the finalCredit: The Sun

I say it to my teams, that I don’t want them in the bad moments to be in hell, and in the good moments I don’t want them to be in heaven.
England should be thinking exactly the same. Calm down.
Respecting football is the best way to be ready for the next game. But I am very pleased and just hope it comes home.
Jose Mourinho was talking to talkSPORT.
England beat Germany in tense Euro 2020 match at Wembley More

ENGLAND can now look forward to starting their DREAM route to Euro 2020 glory after beating Germany 2-0 in the last 16.Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane scored in the second half as Gareth Southgate’s squad booked their spot in the quarter-finals.
⚽ Follow ALL of the latest news and updates from Euro 2020 with our live blog

And now – thanks to other results going in their favour – England have as straightforward a run to the final as they could ever have dreamed.
As the young Three Lions squad prepared to take on Germany, Holland were shock casualties in the last 16, losing to Czech Republic – costing Frank de Boer his job.
That meant the toughest opponents in England’s half of the draw were gone.
And with France and Portugal – winners at the last two major tournaments – crashing out in the last 16 too, Southgate will be dreaming of making up for his Euro 96 heartbreak 25 years on.
England recorded 1-0 victories over Croatia and Czech Republic in the group stage, with a hard-fought draw over Scotland sandwiched in between.
After Southgate ant Co finished top of Group D, they knew they faced the unenviable challenge of taking on the runners-up from Group F – the so-called ‘Group of Death’.
Germany snatched second place with a 2-2 draw against Hungary, but crashed out 2-0 at Wembley on Tuesday night.
Sweden did England a huge favour by pipping Spain to the top spot in Group E.

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Their group-stage performance means the Three Lions will either face the Swedes or Ukraine in the quarter-finals, rather than the Spaniards.
England famously beat Sweden 2-0 in the quarter-finals at the 2018 World Cup and will hope for more of the same, should the Scandinavians progress.
The quarter-final clash will take place on July 3, with kick-off in Rome at 8pm.
In the semis, England are now in line to face either Wales’ conquerors Denmark or the Czechs again should they win their last-eight showdown.
With Portugal and France now shockingly OUT – losing to Belgium and Switzerland respectively in the last 16 – England’s potential final clash will have fans slightly more optimistic.
The Three Lions will play one of Belgium, Switzerland, Italy or Spain, should they continue their quest to end 55 years of hurt.
If all goes well, England will line up for the final at Wembley on July 11.
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Fans go wild as they celebrate England beating Germany More

JOSE MOURINHO has joined in the celebrations after England vanquished bitter rivals Germany… and even sung ‘it’s coming home’!The Three Lions beat the Germans in the knockout stages of a major international tournament for the first time since 1966 after to a 2-0 victory at Wembley.
Jose Mourinho has admitted he sang ‘It’s Coming Home’ after England beat GermanyCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane’s goals led Gareth Southgate’s men to the quarter-finals, where they will face Ukraine on Saturday in Rome.
The historic triumph has led to English fans singing ‘It’s Coming Home’ louder than ever – and Mourinho admits he is on board with the celebrations by playing the song himself.
However, the former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager warned England not to let their success go to their heads.
The incoming Roma boss insists Southgate’s men should keep their feet on the ground so that they don’t replicate the same mistakes as France, who were shockingly eliminated by Switzerland.

Mourinho told talkSPORT: “I watched the game, I expected to watch a big game.
“Honestly, the geometry was there, the duels were there, both teams respecting each other a lot, but England in my opinion are very, very solid, very compact.
“And then in the right moment, it couldn’t be a better moment to do it [score] with 10 minutes to go, and then the little bit of luck in that one-on-one with [Thomas] Muller.
“I’m really happy for Southgate, the players and the fans. I’m singing ‘it’s coming home’ to show my happiness. but it’s not yet coming home.

“England need balance in the bad moments and in the good moments. The same way media is critical in the bad moments, we have to be balanced now, there’s still a long way to go.
“In the normal conditions England are going to be in the final, because I don’t see them losing against the teams they could face in the next rounds.
“But we must respect football and the unpredictability. France are not in the quarter-finals because they didn’t respect the game in the final 10 minutes.

“I’m very, very pleased. I just hope it ends well, I hope it comes home. But football is football.
“I always say, in the bad moments I don’t want me and my team to be in hell, but in the good moments I don’t want to be in heaven. So I would say to them calm down, and just focus on the next game.
“But, in my opinion, England are ready for anything and I will be very disappointed if we don’t make the final, because we should, we should, we definitely should.”
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Jose Mourinho says he sung ‘it’s coming home’ after watching England beat Germany 2-0 to reach Euro 2020 quarter-finals More