Euro 2020

JESSE LINGARD has admitted that he was ’emotional, sad and down’ after missing out on Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020.But the Manchester United star is now focused on ‘supporting the boys’.
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Jesse Lingard was in England’s initial 33-man squad but mussed the cut for the EurosCredit: Getty
Lingard, 28, watched England’s first match in a beer gardenCredit: Instagram @jesselingard
Lingard, 28, had been in the international wilderness during the first half of the season, hardly featuring at club level.
But his mid-season loan to West Ham rejuvenated him, with his performances up there with the very best in the Premier League.
He featured in five internationals in a row after being recalled by Southgate in March.
But he was omitted from the Three Lions’ 33-man squad for the Euros.
On receiving the news, Lingard told Sky Sports: “It was emotional. You’re sad and you’re down, but you’ve got to respect the manager’s decision.
“Me and Gareth have a great relationship, and now it’s about supporting the boys.”
Lingard turned up to a beer garden for England’s first game against Croatia wearing a Declan Rice England top.
And he adored the experience, continuing: “I love watching England – I’m a fan myself. I enjoyed going to the beer garden to watch the first game.”
Lingard loved his time at West Ham alongside England pal Declan RiceCredit: Reuters
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On working his way back into contention, Lingard looks back with pride, adding: “Last year, November time, I think no one thought I’d get near the team. But I worked hard, did well on loan and England came knocking.
“I enjoyed the camp in March – it’s always good to be back with the boys. I played in those games, and then coming up to the Euros, being involved in the 33-man squad was brilliant as well.
“I worked so hard to get there. I didn’t get picked, but I’ll always carry on supporting the boys.”
Lingard also opened up on his relationship with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – while stressing the importance of attaining regular first-team football.
After going on loan and getting a good run in the team, you started to see the real me, with the goals and the assistsJesse Lingard
He concluded: “Regular football is the most important thing for me.
“After going on loan and getting a good run in the team, you started to see the real me, with the goals and the assists.
“I’ve never doubted my ability, I’ve always believed in myself. I spoke to the manager (Solskjaer) in pre-season and said, ‘I need game time’. He said, ‘we can discuss it December time’, and we spoke again and he agreed to let me go on loan.
“I had various conversations with him during my time at West Ham. He was very supportive and it was a great loan for me.”
Solskjaer was ‘supportive’ of LingardCredit: EPA

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THE RED DEVILS ARE going to make it hell for anyone they face in this tournament.Ranked No1 in the world, they qualified for Euro 2020 with a 100 per cent record of 10 wins out of ten.
Belgium made it three wins out of three top Group B at Euro 2020Credit: Reuters
Finland meanwhile saw qualification slip through Hradecky’s fingersCredit: Reuters
The Bayer Leverkusen keeper cruelly saw the ball strike the post but hit him and end up in the netCredit: Getty
Now after three straight wins in Group B they march on in style.
The goals came late, but they always looked like coming.

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In the 74th minute veteran Thomas Vermaelen’s header came back of the post and went in off Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.
Then with ten minutes left Kevin De Bruyne, brilliant all night, slipped a pass into Romelu Lukaku to do the rest.
Belgium’s all time leading scorer had his back to goal but touched it with his left to create a bit of space and span round and fired home with his right.
His third goal of the tournament after two in the opening 3-0 win over Russia.
The Golden Generation might be one of the Old-dens out here but goodness me their experience is showing.
They just don’t lose football matches, their reverse was in October 2020 to England in the Nations League.
Lukaku thought he had broken the deadlock but it was later ruled out by VARCredit: Reuters
The Inter Milan striker was adjudged to have been a foot offsideCredit: EPA
Having already qualified boss Roberto Martinez had the luxury of being able to make eight changes to his starting line up last night.
Such is the depth of quality in his squad, however, that is not a problem.
Not when three of the players you bring in are Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel.
All have eased their way back into selection for the starting line-up after varying lengths of time out due to injury.
De Bruyne’s has been the shortest after suffering an eye socket injury in the Champions League Final.
He has lost nothing in a very short period of absence.
He missed game one, came on in the second to score the winner against Denmark, and dictated tonight’s game from the start.
There are moments when he is on the ball and the game has gone quiet and nothing seems on then in flash he has opened things up.
He finds spaces where there are none. He slides balls in for team-mates through the eye of a needle.
He sews pretty patterns of his own with a sudden burst of pace as he shuffles the ball from one foot to another on the run.
Lukaku later got his reward with a well-taken finish in the boxCredit: Reuters
He bagged his third goal of the tournament after two against RussiaCredit: AFP
He delivers a corner too as he did for Vermaelen’s header that came off the post and back in off Hradecky.
Then he found Lukaku to finish things off.
For Finland it spelt doom.
Their coach Markuu Kanerva had described this as the biggest match in Finland’s history in this their first major finals.

In truth they have been hanging on for the extra point they hoped would get them through since their opening victory over Denmark.
That was the case against Russia, who they lost 1-0 to in their second game, and there was no great adventure in this match either and they now have an anxious wait to see if they can still qualify.
Meanwhile Roberto Martinez’s brilliant Belgians march on.
Eden Hazard started his first game of Euro 2020 but missed a second-half sitterCredit: AFP
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CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN congratulated his Denmark team-mates after Andreas Christensen’s stunner fired them into the last-16 of Euro 2020 in a thrilling Group B finale.The Danes erupted into scenes worthy of winning a final after deservedly edging through on goal difference – level on three points with Russia and Finland – after the torment of Christian Eriksen suffering a cardiac arrest in their tournament opener.
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Andreas Christensen hails his special goal as Denmark overcame the opening-match trauma of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest to go throughCredit: Reuters
Christian Eriksen celebrated the win on Instagram

Andreas Christensen finished off an almighty scramble by lashing home this cracker when the ball came loose outside of the boxCredit: Getty
Denmark go wild after Andreas Christensen’s thumper as they reach the last 16Credit: AFP
They will now face Wales in Amsterdam on Saturday evening.
Sampdoria winger Mikkel Damsgaard slammed Denmark’s superb opener on 38 minutes in a rapt Copenhagen stadium.
That made Damsgaard Denmark’s youngest scorer at a major tournament – at 20 years and 353 days.
And at such an event he is the first Dane since Euro 2004 to net from outside the box.

Russia got on top after the break.
But  Fedor Kudryashov and Denmark’s Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg needed lengthy treatment for a clash of heads.
Denmark seemed to have made victory certain on 59 minutes, courtesy of  Roman Zobnin’s horrendous blind backpass back into his box.
Yussuf Poulsen strode on to slide home with his first touch.
But  Jannik Vestergaard was penalised 11 minutes later for manhandling in the box, VAR confirming a penalty that Artem Dzyuba coolly slotted home down the middle.
Christensen, though, thumped a 25-yarder stunner when the ball fell loose after a massive scramble to put Denmark 3-1 up.
Yussuf Poulsen celebrates his goal with Denmark team-mate Martin BraithwaiteCredit: Reuters
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And with Russia now ragged at the back, Joakim Maehle slotted the Danes’ counter-attacking fourth goal.
Finland would have gone through with a point in the simultaneous match against Belgium.
But an own goal from Finnish keeper Lukas Hradecky on 74 minutes broke their resistance, before Romelu Lukaku sealed the Belgians’ 2-0 win and 100 pert cent group record.
Denmark waited patiently at the end until news of Belgium’s victory became official.
Christian Eriksen’s life was saved by the fast reactions of team-mates and medics
Yussuf Poulsen pounces on Roman Zobnin’s blunder to put Denmark 2-1 upCredit: Reuters
Denmark’s Mikkel Damsgaard celebrates with team-mate Martin Braithwaite after his 38th minute openerCredit: Getty
Mikkel Damsgaard hits the sweet opener for Denmark against RussiaCredit: Reuters
Then they let loose the type of emotion perhaps they alone, of all the Euro teams, can fully appreciate, given the trauma of seeing stalwart midfielder Eriksen’s collapse in the 1-0 defeat against Finland nine days ago.
And the Danes huddled round to make a phone call – surely involving the Inter Milan superstar in his hospital bed.
One of those moments when sport and humanity collide unforgettably. When a game, and THE game, mean so much and so little at the same time.
Russia look on in vain as Mikkel Damsgaard arrows the ball into the top cornerCredit: AP
Russia’s Fyodor Kudryashov receives treatment after his collision with Pierre-Emile HojbjergCredit: Reuters
Russia’s Artem Dzyuba halves the deficit with this penalty on 70 minutesCredit: AP

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ENGLAND are through to the Euro 2020 knockout stages – even if they lose to Czech Republic on Tuesday.Despite an uninspring start to the tournament, Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions have four points from their two Group D games.
Gareth Southgate’s England are into the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a game to spareCredit: Getty
The Three Lions can afford to lose to the Czech Republic and still advance to the knockoutsCredit: Getty
England currently have four points, meaning they would be guaranteed a knockout spot, even if they finish third in their group
Croatia play Scotland tomorrow, meaning England are at least guaranteed to finish third.
So even with a shock defeat for Southgate’s men against the Czechs at Wembley, they have done enough to progress through the group stages.
That is because in two of the three completed groups, the third-placed team have only managed three points.
And with the four best third-placed sides qualifying, that guarantees England progression.
Switzerland have also booked their spot in the knockout rounds after finishing third in Group A on four points.
Finland from Group B and Group C’s Ukraine face anxious waits because they are at risk of being the two worst-ranked third-placed teams who would therefore miss out on the last 16.
Denmark’s 4-1 win over Russia ensured they grabbed second in Group B with Finland third after a 2-0 defeat to Belgium.
Those results mean Belgium fly through with nine points from nine and Denmark top a mini league with the remaining teams all on three points.
Earlier, Ukraine lost 1-0 to Austria to come third on three points.

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There were emotional scenes in Copenhagen as the Danes secured an emphatic victory – helped by wondergoals from Mikkel Damsgaard and Andreas Christensen.
England are currently second in their group with Czech Republic top on goal difference.
A victory for the Three Lions will ensure they finish top and take on the runners-up in Group F – likely France, Germany or Portugal – in the last 16.
A draw would see England come second and take on Group E’s second-placed team with Sweden, Slovakia, Poland and Spain battling it out.
A defeat would mean finishing second or third, depending on the outcome of the Scotland vs Croatia clash at Hampden Park.
Southgate may be without Chelsea stars Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount for the Czech game, though.
The pair were forced to self-isolate after hugging Billy Gilmour on Friday night with the Scotland hero providing a positive Covid-19 test today.
As a result, Chilwell and Mount are currently in quarantine as England discuss their options with Public Health England.
The Three Lions have been making their final preparations to take on the Czechs at WembleyCredit: Getty
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell may be forced to sit out of the game after coming into contact with Billy GilmourCredit: The Sun
Manager Southgate admitted there is ‘quite a doubt’ over their availability for tomorrow’s game.
He said: “We don’t know at the moment. There’s obviously got to be quite a doubt.
“There’s still a lot of discussions and investigations going on behind the scenes.
“They’re isolating at the moment and we have to find out over the next 12 hours or so.”
The entire England team were tested with lateral flow tests on Monday with all returning negative results.
Gilmour, 20, will miss his team’s Group D decider against Croatia while self-isolating for ten days.
Denmark finished second in Group B with a 4-1 win over RussiaCredit: Getty
Romelu Lukaku grabbed another goal as he helped Belgium beat FinlandCredit: AFP
Teemu Pukki and Finland face an anxious wait to see if they will get through to the knockout stagesCredit: AP
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GARETH SOUTHGATE brushed off calls for Jadon Sancho to start against the Czech Republic.The Borussia Dortmund winger is yet to feature for England at Euro 2020.
Jadon Sancho is yet to get a minute of action at Euro 2020 despite his fine Dortmund formCredit: Getty
Now fans are calling on him to get his chance at Wembley tomorrow following his stunning end to the season at club level.
But the Three Lions boss played down the suggestions by referencing the depth of quality in the wide areas at his disposal.
Southgate, who has started Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling to support Harry Kane in attack so far, said: “We just have so many good attacking players so Raheem, Phil Foden in terms of wide players or players that can play in those areas and come inside.
“We have Raheem, with have Phil Foden, we have Jack Grealish, we have Marcus Rashford, we have Bukayo Saka and we have Jadon.
“They are all very good players so if you weren’t asking me about Jadon, you’d be asking me about one of the others. That’s the nature of it.”
Sancho – potentially transferring to Manchester United this summer – did not even make the 23-man matchday squad for the opening game against Croatia.
He was then an unused sub for the 0-0 draw with Scotland on Friday.
Sancho, 21, delivered 16 goals and 20 assists for Dortmund last season from 38 appearances.

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In the last three seasons, Sancho has been involved in 109 goals for the Bundesliga giants.
Only Sterling (110) has more in England’s 26-man squad, with Sancho even boasting more than Kane (106).
Like many, Rio Ferdinand is desperate to see Sancho unleashed at the tournament.
He told BBC 5 Live: “There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve got players on that bench in attacking areas that can change games… utilise them. Sancho’s not even got on the pitch.
“Statistically, in terms of goal involvements in the last three seasons, Raheem Sterling is No1 in the team, Sancho No2 and Harry Kane No3.

“But Sancho’s not got on the pitch.
“So one of your most creative players doesn’t even get in the squad in the first game, he’s in the stands, and in the second doesn’t even get his boots wet.”
Mason Mount’s potential absence due to Billy Gilmour’s positive Covid-19 test result could force Southgate to shake up his starting XI.
Foden could be dropped into a more central position which could pave the way for Sancho to start in the Group D finale.
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Gareth Southgate has plenty of options out wide to support Harry Kane in attackCredit: Getty
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