FA Cup: Manchester United Shock Liverpool in Quarterfinal Classic

There’s no denying that this hasn’t been a good season by the illustrious standards of Manchester United. They won’t be winning the Premier League, the top-4 seems like it will take a borderline miracle to attain, they lost their League Cup crown earlier in the season, and they are out of all European competitions. They’ve been incredibly inconsistent all year, with injuries playing a massive role in their sputtering form. The Red Devils’ last realistic chance at any trophy this season is in the illustrious FA Cup – the oldest single-elimination football tournament in the world. United squeaked by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground 1-0 in the 5th round, which set up an incredibly juicy quarterfinals tie with their hated rivals Liverpool earlier today at Old Trafford. While these two sides have their own rich histories and traditions of winning, title-contenders Liverpool were the heavy favorites to move on to the semifinals at Wembley Stadium.

But under-fire United manager Erik ten Hag and the squad had other plans. United were the dominant team for the first 10 minutes or so, and cashed in on their dominance thanks a rebound finish from midfielder Scott McTominay. They couldn’t add another one in the first half though, and Liverpool struck back twice at the end of the first half via midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and winger/forward Mohamed Salah. United scored via winger Antony dos Santos (playing at left back today) on 87 minutes though, which forced extra time at 2-2. Liverpool then went ahead again on 105 minutes via attacking midfielder Harvey Elliot, only for United to continue to fight back and get a 3rd from winger/forward Marcus Rashford. Finally, in the dying seconds of stoppage time and after a breathless 120 minutes of football, United winger Amad Diallo found the opposite corner with a low finish after a breakaway. Old Trafford erupted in joy as the ball rolled past Scousers keeper Caoimhin Kelleher for 4-3. Diallo ended up being sent off on a second yellow card for removing his shirt during the goal celebration, but it was an absolutely legendary 30ish minute cameo from the Ivorian winger.

I blitzed through the goals and major incidents recap mostly because there are so many other talking points to discuss. For one, ETH may have saved his job next season with this performance. I have long been a defender of ETH because I generally believe his footballing philosophy is one that can win matches, but it was becoming more and more difficult to defend him with each head-scratching lineup or substitution. But today, he got it 100% right. It was extremely unorthodox at times, with numerous players playing out of position and we didn’t seem to have a midfield late on in the match, but it somehow worked. I could have sworn I saw us in a 4-1-5 formation at some point! I also saw Antony at left back, Bruno Fernandes in central defense, and Harry Maguire was effectively a striker! It was ludicrous, but again, it worked. Bringing on Diallo and Antony ended up being brilliant moves as well. It was chaos ball, but maybe some chaos is just what was needed to make the Scousers uncomfortable.

But moreover, I think the big headline from today is not about ETH, nor is it about United beating their biggest rival in a classic football match. The biggest takeaway from today from the perspective of the supporters is that the Red Devils finally showed some fight. They kept trying to win the match and never stopped, and it paid off big time. Far too often this season and last, this has looked like a team that lacked a competitive spirit. Every once in a while they show some spine, but more often than not United have repeatedly shown a lack of backbone in bigger matches once they get punched in the face. Even with a lead, if they concede a cheap goal or a call from the referee doesn’t go their way, they have often just capitulated and lacked a desire to carry on fighting. That did not happen today, however. Indeed, it was just the opposite. They got a somewhat surprising lead, but conceded two very cheap goals just before halftime. It was sadly expected by many (including me) that they would yet again surrender and not really try in the second half. But they came out with dogged determination, Liverpool were a bit sloppy with some of their chances, and they got an equalizer late on to force extra time. They could have easily capitulated again when Liverpool went ahead 3-2 on 105 minutes, but they just kept running forward and getting the ball ahead to the attacking players. Again, it paid off when Rashford made it 3-3. That put them in a position to go and win it, and they took advantage of some questionable tactics by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to go and win the match.

Brilliant match today. Absolutely brilliant. Likely the best one during the ETH regime. To beat our biggest rival in the FA Cup quarterfinals as underdogs in the dying seconds of extra time is the stuff dreams are made of. Excellent matches from Rashford, Bruno, McTominay, Maguire, Diallo, midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, winger/forward Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony. Some special recognition to right back (left back?) Diogo Dalot as well, who did not put a foot wrong for 120 minutes. When this team believes in themselves, they have the ability to beat some of the best teams in Europe. Well done to the home supporters at Old Trafford too, who were raucous from start to finish.

It’s true this season has not gone well. It’s true that inconsistency and injuries have plagued the Red Devils all year. It’s true that we are still at the beginning of a massive overhaul that will continue for several more seasons. Today made all of that much easier to digest, though. I believe this will show both the Glazers and new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe that ETH is the man to guide us through this rebuild and get us back the promised land. All of the problems surrounding the club can be temporarily forgotten, because today we knocked the Scousers out of the FA Cup. Hope the lads get some good celebrating in tonight.

United have been drawn against Championship side Coventry City in the semifinals of the FA Cup, to be played in about a month’s time at Wembley. They have some difficult matches to be played in the Premier League between now and then, but all eyes are now on the weekend of April 20/21. The top 4 would still be a great achievement given how this season has gone, but honestly, if I had to choose, I’d want us to go and win the FA Cup. Let’s turn this crap season into something positive by finishing strongly with a trophy. Manchester City take on Chelsea in the other half of the semifinal.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

End of Summer Review: Women’s World Cup Reactions; Manchester United Season Preview

We are at the business end of the Women’s World Cup, with the semifinals all set to go. This tournament has been filled with surprises and upsets, which is indicative of a levelling playing field. Perennial favorites such as USA, Germany, Norway, and Brazil are all already out of the tournament, and we are left with four teams who have refreshingly never won the Women’s World Cup. Spain will play Sweden on Tuesday, with England pitted against co-host nation Australia on Wednesday. The matches will be played overnight in the United States and early in the morning Europe time. While the kickoff times have been absolutely brutal for anyone living in the USA, that’s really the only complaint anyone can have. The drama and level of competition in these matches has been nothing short of fantastic. England’s penalty shootout against Nigeria in the Round of 16 was electric, only for it to be topped by the longest penalty shootout in World Cup history (men or women) between Australia and France earlier today. 20 total penalties were taken before Australia finally won!

England have not been at their best so far this tournament in terms of style and flair, but they continue to win matches thanks to thoroughly resilient defensive performances and holding their nerve at the right moments. Pre-tournament injuries were always going to present issues to England this tournament, and unfortunately they have dealt with more player unavailability as the tournament has gone on. Superstar midfielder Kiera Walsh injured herself in the group stage and is not playing at 100%, while Lionesses winger and leading scorer this tournament Lauren James was suspended for this match and will also miss the semifinal against Australia after a red card in the Round of 16. England are fortunately blessed with strength in depth and experience at major tournaments, but they will need every ounce of willpower to get past the Australians in Sydney on Wednesday. The match atmosphere in the quarterfinal earlier today against Colombia was decidedly anti-England, but that will be amplified times ten in the match against the host nation and former British colony. The Matildas are in their first ever World Cup semifinal, and they will do all they can to secure a final on home soil.

But what happened to the Americans? They were the defending champs and a favorite to win it again this year before the tournament started. But they went out in the Round of 16 on penalties to Sweden, after struggling to make it out of their group. While their early exit was joyous to those of us who find USWNT fans’ arrogance and exceptionalism off-putting, it was certainly a major disappointment to a team that is filled to the brim with raw talent. Many casual “fans” who don’t follow the game closely pointed to the team’s political activism and collective attitude as reasons for the loss. That’s potentially a small part of the reason, but a much bigger on-the-pitch issue was their awful tactics. They seemed to be intent on walking the ball into the net, or in the alternative, waiting on a moment of individual brilliance to save them. There did not appear to be a coherent tactical plan from (soon to be former) manager Vlatko Andonovski. His substitutions usually did not make sense, and poor finishing from good chances didn’t help either. As referenced above, the playing field is much more level now in terms of talent and player development, and the Americans failed to take that into account. The result is a lackluster early exit.

Quick shoutouts to South Africa, Jamaica, Nigeria, Colombia, and Morocco. Everyone expected those five teams to go out early in the tournament, but they all defied expectations by making it to the knockout rounds.

***

Manchester United have completed their preseason tour, and the Premier League is officially back underway. The Red Devils’ first match of the new season is not until Monday 8/14 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford, but all other Premier League teams played today or will play tomorrow. My first post-match article will be for the 8/14 match.

This summer transfer window has been a very successful one from United’s point of view. Refreshingly, there are still three weeks left in the window and United have already completed three key signings, a far cry from their usual methods of waiting until the very end of the summer before making a desperation signing. One gets the sense that manager Erik ten Hag has been the main impetus and driving force behind getting all of these transfers done. At the end of last season I said we needed a goalkeeper, a a ball-carrying midfielder, and a striker. As of the beginning of August, we have signed a goalkeeper (Andre Onana), a ball-carrying midfielder (Mason Mount), and a striker (Rasmus Højlund). While Højlund is young and will not be available until early September due to injury, his ability to find the back of the net is something United desperately needed. I cannot count the number of chances we created last year that weren’t scored due to poor finishing.

Given that the window is not closed yet, it seems there will be additional signings made to cover some of the departing players. Midfielder Fred, defenders Harry Maguire, Alex Telles, Phil Jones, Axel Tuanzebe, Eric Bailly, winger Anthony Elanga, and goalkeeper David De Gea all left Old Trafford this summer. It’s a massive clearing out, with the goal being to bring some balance to the weekly wage bill and also to make room for players who better fit ETH’s tactical system. De Gea and (former club captain) Maguire are the most obvious examples of this. Both were on massive wages, yet neither really fit the club’s overall football philosophy. It’s a tough decision to let them go, but I believe it’s the correct one. I’d like to thank all of these players for their services to United and I wish them all the best. United are heavily linked with midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and defender Benjamin Pavard, both of which could still come to Old Trafford before the end of August to replace some of the outgoing players.

United need to aim for the Premier League title this season. It has been over a decade since they last won it, and we finally have the manager and the squad to achieve it. Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and even Newcastle will present staunch opposition, but there is no reason why a team with this level of talent can’t make a title push. I think the main thing supporters want to see is improvement to our away form, which was horrendous against the “top 6” clubs last season. Moreover, it is no longer enough to shoot for the top-4 and being happy with meeting that goal. We need to be winning trophies. A deep run in the Champions League and one of the domestic cups is also expected. I am sick and tired of watching Man City win everything, like they did last year.

Unfortunately, there are no major updates on the sale of the club. Indeed, it looks more and more likely every day that the despised Glazer family will stay in control. They were supposedly close to selling over the summer, but it’s very unclear just how genuine those intentions were. They still need to go, and fan groups are planning protests throughout the season that will not stop until the leeches have finally left our club alone.

Speaking of protests, there is another batch of controversy brewing among supporters, and it has to do with the potential reinstatement of winger/forward Mason Greenwood to the team. Greenwood has been away from the club for the better part of two years, having been accused of domestic violence and sexual assault from his former (current?) girlfriend, and many have called for him to never wear a United shirt ever again. His criminal charges over the matter have been dropped, but many in the court of public opinion have already deemed him guilty based on social media videos posted by Greenwood’s girlfriend. The author of this blog is not qualified to make a judgment either way as to the veracity of the claims, but I think it is for the best if Greenwood went to play somewhere else. Whether the allegations are true or not, they will be discussed every time he touches the ball. This is the kind of locker room distraction that can really hurt team chemistry, and Greenwood (despite his obvious natural talents) was supposedly not one for team camaraderie anyway. The club should listen to the open letter posted by a female supporters group and terminate his contract permanently.

Here’s to the Red Devils in 2023/2024! Glazers Out!

World Cup Semifinals: Fr*nce Play Spoiler to History

FIFA is a corrupt cartel and Qatar’s government is built on repression.

France vs. Morocco

Argentina booked their place in the final decisively yesterday, and today it was all about determining who would be joining them there for a chance at history. France were the heavy favorites due to their superior talent in attack, but interestingly it appeared that Morocco’s defense may be better than France’s. Most in the stadium and those watching on TV and online were probably supporting Morocco as well, or they were if they liked rooting for the underdog. It’s been a real-life fairy tale for Morocco at this tournament. The first African side to reach the semis, and they have claimed the scalps of Belgium, Spain, and Portugal already. Very impressive from a team that not many gave a chance to.

But in this match, things were bad for Morocco almost from the off. The first goal was always going to be vital in this match, and it was the Frogs that struck first a scant five minutes into the match. A deflected and bouncing cross from the right side fell directly to left back Theo Hernandez, who was unmarked at the back post. He displayed quite a bit of athleticism to get his left foot to the ball, which had bounced up rather high on him. He struck it sweetly though and beat Moroccan keeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou at his near post. It wasn’t really Bono’s fault though, as Hernandez never should have been given that much space. It was the first time I had seen the Moroccans completely lose a man in the box this whole tournament, and they were punished for it.

I was worried how Morocco would respond as they had not been behind in this tournament up until that point, and it must be said they answered fairly well. They began getting the ball out to their wide men more effectively, and they were asking questions of Hernandez and his full back counter-part Jules Kounde. Forward/winger Hakim Ziyech was in particularly industrious form, seeming to pop up everywhere on the ball. The Moroccans were struggling to seriously test Les Bleus keeper Hugo Lloris though. He made a series of routine saves throughout the course of the first half, but I don’t think he was ever seriously worried. The French center backs Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konaté were somehow always on hand to make the vital final tackle, with defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni helping to cover as well. The Moroccans hit the post on 45 minutes but try as they might, they just couldn’t find a way through and the first half ended at 1-0.

France were happy to have the lead of course, but everyone in the stadium was aware that the lead was an incredibly narrow one. Aside from the goal scored by France, Morocco had largely been the better team in the first half. That trend did continue for the most part in the opening stages of the second half as well. They kept running directly at the French defense, and if not again for those vital clearances at the last minute, Morocco could have exposed their back line. The French however started to find their attack again as the second half wore on. Winger/midfielder Antoine Griezmann was a monster in this match for them, particularly in the second half. His ball carrying and ability to win fouls were indispensable for his team today.

The match was put to bed on 79 minutes when France got their second, and maddeningly it was only their second real attack of the match. They worked the ball around the edge of the area well after Morocco gave the ball away in midfield. It eventually found the feet of striker Kylian Mbappe, who dribbled neatly into the area to get a shot away. A tackle came in at the last second though, which caused his shot to skid at an odd angle along the ground and straight into the path of substitute striker Randal Kolo Muani. Kolo Muani had been on the pitch for all of about 40 seconds before being presented with the greatest gift a striker can receive; the ball directly in front of him two yards from goal with keeper beaten. Bono had been trying to cover his near post to account for Mbappe, but the deflection took him completely out of the play. Well done to Kolo Muani for being in the right place at the right time and credit to France manager Didier Deschamps for the substitution as well, but it was a truly unlucky goal to concede from Morocco’s point of view.

Although the north Africans were visibly deflated after the second goal went in, they kept fighting nevertheless. They won a series of free kicks and corners that would have worried French fans, but nothing direct ever really came of them. Their best chance of the match came in stoppage time when a shot from close range was cleared off the line by Kounde with Lloris stranded. It was just not Morocco’s day today, and that happens sometimes in this sport. You can do everything right, but the ball just doesn’t want to go in. France were the more clinical side despite being less attacking-inclined, and they won 2-0. They are the first team with a chance to win successive World Cups in close to 60 years.

For Morocco, that early France goal really did them in. They are not a team built to chase games. They should be proud though. No matter the result today, just getting to the semifinals was a massive achievement for them. They did ever so well in this tournament and will be a nation to reckon with for years to come. Defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat needs to be in the team of the tournament, along with one or two of their back line. Defenders the world over can take lessons from the discipline and tackling shown by Morocco at this World Cup.

World Cup Final – France vs. Argentina – Sunday, December 18th 11 AM PST (there’s also the third place match on Saturday between Croatia and Morocco but I am decidedly unenthusiastic about third place)

World Cup Semifinals – Magical Messi Shines

This post is dedicated to victims of oppression, in Qatar and the world over.

Argentina vs. Croatia

Not many picked Croatia to make it to this stage of the tournament. They were considered to have peaked in at the 2018 tournament when they made the final. They were too old and too slow. But they have shown that experience gets you a long way in major tournaments, and their team mentality is collectively very strong. They had beaten two teams on penalties already and would look to keep this match against a dangerous Argentina side at 0-0 for as long as they could. Their workhorses in midfield – Luka Modrić, Marcelo Brozović, and Mateo Kovacić -would need to play an almost perfect match.

Argentina meanwhile seemed to be a team living slightly recklessly. They shockingly lost their first group match to Saudi Arabia 2-1, but recovered to win their group. They were then comfortably in the lead against Australia in the Round of 16 before giving up a goal that led to a nervy finish, and then were nearly knocked out of the tournament by the Netherlands when they surrendered a two goal lead late on. They won on penalties, but Argentina had certainly ridden their luck to get this far. They had been doing this weird thing where they got a two goal lead and then stopped attacking, opting instead to play more defensively. The decidedly mixed results it yielded led many in Buenos Aires to question the tactics of manager Lionel Scaloni late-on in matches.

Sadly, no matter the outcome, a legend would likely be finished after today. This would be the last World Cup the 37 year-old midfielder Modrić, the greatest player in the brief history of Croatia as an independently competing nation. It was also more than likely the last World Cup for the iconic Argentina attacking midfielder Lionel Messi, a man who many consider to be the greatest player of all time. His résumé speaks for itself, but the one glaring omission is a World Cup trophy. He has won literally everything else individually, at the club level, and for his country.

This match was a tense affair for the first 30 minutes, with maybe a slight edge to Argentina. Neither team was really forging anything dangerous, but Argentina’s attackers were moving the ball more fluidly up front. The match was blown wide open however on 33 minutes when Croatia keeper Dominik Livaković was adjudged to have fouled Argentine striker Julián Álvarez in the penalty area. I thought the foul was harsh on the big Croatian keeper at first, but replays showed Livaković was late coming off his line to collect a loose ball and Álvarez got a touch to it before Livaković barged into him. It was probably a penalty in most scenarios. Álvarez went down and the referee pointed to the spot. It was time for a Messi moment. He stepped up and buried the penalty high and straight on, with Livaković diving out of the way after guessing wrong. Messi celebrated with his teammates and with the mostly Argentine crowd.

The goal forced Croatia to change their game plan and move towards attack, which unfortunately is not their strong suit. Striker Andrej Kramarić has proven himself to be a good goal-scorer at times, but he lacked the physicality needed today for the Croatians in the penalty area. They simply had no one to pass it to up there at times. Croatia did well to move the ball through midfield, but their attacks always broke down at the end. Sometimes they couldn’t even move it through their usual rhythm of passes though due to a very effective Argentine press. The Croatians usually do not get overrun in midfield, but it almost happened several times today.

Croatian backs were up against the wall on 39 minutes when Argentina got their second, this time via Álvarez himself. It was a good counter-attack by Argentina, although Alvarez carried the ball most of the way on his own. He showed amazing balance and strength to ride the challenges coming in from Croatian defenders, and he got a little lucky with the bounce at the end of his amazing run, but he toe-poked it home past Livaković from close range to spark even wilder celebrations. It went to halftime at 2-0 with the Croatians well and truly behind the 8-ball. A stunning solo goal from the young man!

Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was forced into tactical substitutions at half-time, and he brought on additional attacking threats. The Croatians were able to sustain a little bit of pressure to open the half, but they still struggled to create shots on target. Throughout this match, they were mostly limited to long range efforts or set pieces. Argentina’s defense held firm throughout, thanks in part to Manchester United center back (and substitute on the day) Lisandro Martinez.

But then Messi decided he wanted to have his signature moment and claim this tournament as his own. He picked up the ball on the right wing just inside the Croatian half, and he was being marked by center back Joško Gvardiol. Gvardiol had emerged as one of the best defenders at this World Cup, and at 22 you would think he could stick to the 35 year-old Messi fairly easily. That was not the case though. Messi demonstrated again why he is the best player ever with a twisting and turning run with the ball that left Gvardiol unaware of what country he was in. It was truly a thing of beauty to watch. Messi has better close control on the ball than anyone ever, and he made getting the end line and around Gvardiol look easy. Livaković had closed down the angle for a shot though, so Messi quickly hit a cutback cross along the top of the grass to the onrushing Álvarez. He hit the ball first time low and away from Livaković for 3-0. Álvarez got the goal, but Messi was the architect. A signature run from the diminutive magician.

Croatia kept throwing men forward, but truthfully never really tested Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez. Again, it was long-range efforts or set pieces that they failed to convert. In the end, the star-power of Argentina shown through. The final whistle blew and they were in the World Cup final again! Congrats to the Albiceleste and to Messi. He gets one final shot at the Jules Rimet trophy. The last time Argentina was in the final was 2014 when they lost to Germany, but this Argentina team is better than the 2014 iteration Messi dragged to the final. He has support in attack this time. Álvarez has been extremely good, and they have been getting goal contributions from midfield. The defense has also been difficult to penetrate, but most importantly they figured out they need to keep attacking today. Much like England, Argentina’s best defense is a good attack. When in doubt, give Messi the ball and let him work! They did that today and they won in dominant fashion instead of scraping by at the end.

Commiserations to Modrić and Croatia. They simply didn’t have enough in attack to compensate for the firepower of Argentina. That penalty in the first half really ruined things for them. Throwing men forward left them perilously exposed to counter-attacks. They have come from behind before in this tournament, but conceding two in five minutes was absolutely devastating. They did their nation proud though. These lads never stopped running and they never stopped trying to get back into the game. A very professional display that all 3.9 million Croatians can be proud of! Scalping Brazil on penalties will go down in their history as a legendary result. I am sure they will give Modrić a proper sending off should he decide to call it quits.

World Cup Final – Argentina vs. France/Morocco – Sunday December 18th – 11 AM PST

World Cup Quarterfinals – Morocco Make History, France and Their Referee Progress

This post is dedicated to American soccer journalist Grant Wahl and Qatari photojournalist Khalid Al-Misslam. Both of them died in Qatar recently and very suddenly. Wahl was (rightfully) a vocal critic of Qatar’s government and a very well-respected sports journalist. The causes of death for each of these gentlemen are unknown, but any time a journalist dies in a repressive country like Qatar, the death needs to be fully investigated. It’s unknown if foul play was involved or not as their causes of death have not been released, but there is always that suspicion when a public critic of a country unexpectedly dies while in that country. Also, whatever Qatar or FIFA says about his death should probably be met with a high degree of scrutiny.

Portugal vs. Morocco

Morocco made history last Saturday when they beat Portugal 1-0 and became the first African team to progress to the semifinals of the World Cup! Huge result for them, and it cannot be understated just how important that victory is for African football. Their style of play is not pretty and it has attracted plenty of criticism, although most of that is coming from the players of teams they have already beaten. It doesn’t matter what tactics a team uses to win though, so long as they’re legal. And of course, there’s nothing improper about parking the bus!

Striker Yousseff En-Nesyri got the only goal on 42 minutes, after he got his head to a lovely cross from left back Yahia Attiat-Allah. He beat Portuguese keeper Diogo Costa to the ball, and his downward header bounced over the line and back up into the roof of the net. The fans in the stadium were overwhelmingly in support of Morocco, and the crowd erupted into pandemonium once the ball went in. The Moroccan defense, marshalled by defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, then did their now-customary job of holding firm while waves of Portuguese attacks crashed against their defense for the entirety of the second half.

Despite going down to 10 men in stoppage time, the Moroccans held firm and were the winners at the final whistle. Well done to them all. They’ve now scalped Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. The Iberians for their part were not direct enough in this match. They had all the possession of course, but that possession was not purposeful enough. It’s going to take something special to breach this incredibly stout Moroccan defense, and Portugal lacked the creativity to find a goal. The north Africans shut down in-form striker Gonçalo Ramos, and striker Cristiano Ronaldo was once again ineffective. Ronaldo has not officially retired from Portugal now that his team is out, but this was surely his last chance to win it. I would almost be sad if he wasn’t so egotistical.

Well done Morocco! All of Africa, the Middle East, and this author will be supporting you going forward!

England vs. France

Alright, let’s get this post-mortem examination over with. England were the better team for the majority of the match. Simple as. France had a good spell to open the game, but England grew into possession and were the more dangerous team as the match went on.

France’s opening goal was a quality strike from distance by defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, but the goal is tainted by the fact that Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio missed an obvious foul on England winger Bukayo Saka in the build-up to the goal. France wouldn’t have been on the ball in the first place had the foul been properly called! Not making excuses for England’s defending after the missed foul and it was indeed a wonder strike from Tchouaméni, but it never should have counted in the first place. Simple as.

England got back into the match just after halftime when Saka was fouled (again) in the box by Tchouaméni, and this time Sampaio remembered he had a whistle. He blew for an obvious penalty, and striker Harry Kane stepped up to the spot. After a long-ish delay he dispatched the penalty with authority by sending France keeper Hugo Lloris the wrong way. Kane is now tied with Wayne Rooney as England’s all-time leading scorer!

The match continued in back and forth fashion, with Sampaio missing fouls on England players left and right. England were trying to play the game, while France was content just to foul our lads every time they got close. Sampaio was enabling this tactic by not calling fouls. He called yellow-card worthy fouls on occasion, but then failed to apply the appropriate punishment. He was mostly awful for England the whole match.

The Frogs forged themselves ahead again on 76 minutes unfortunately, and it was from a strong header by striker Olivier Giroud. The big man was allowed to steal into a good position by the England defense, and he headed home from close range. England keeper Jordan Pickford had no chance to get to it. England’s defense let them down on this goal, but it was the only legitimate goal France scored in this match. Giroud is damn near unplayable in the box sometimes, so every effort must be made to stop the cross from coming in the first place.

England had a golden chance to go level again in the 80th minute or so when substitute midfielder Mason Mount won England yet another penalty. He was ran into by French fullback Theo Hernandez while attempting to get on the end of a cross. Sampaio didn’t indicate a penalty right away though. VAR had to intervene and send him over to the monitor to check again. He did award the penalty after VAR got involved, but he wouldn’t have otherwise. It was as clear a penalty as the first one he awarded, so where’s the consistency?

Unfortunately, Kane skied the penalty over the bar and he joins the numerous ranks of England players who have missed key penalties at the World Cup. I was devastated for him. He had done so well in this match and England overall had played well, but it was still a missed pen. Kane doesn’t need me to tell him he has to put those away. He knows. England did not get another chance as good as that one, despite forward Marcus Rashford blazing just over the bar from a free kick in the dying seconds. The final whistle blew and all twelve (lol) French players on the pitch were elated.

Whenever England go out of a major tournament, there’s always a grand inquiry as to why. Was it the players? Manager Gareth Southgate? Some other crappy reason? Well, this time it’s especially maddening to try and figure that out because England didn’t do a whole lot wrong in this game. France were good in spells, but their defense is suspect and really only scored one valid goal in the whole match. Now it’s true that Kane needs to be burying his penalties and there’s no getting around that, but aside from that there isn’t much more England could have done here. Maybe Southgate should have gotten midfielder/winger Jack Grealish on earlier, but on the other hand his substitute Mount had won the penalty earlier. Can’t really blame England were attacking, playing with purpose, frustrating star forward Kylian Mbappe, and they almost nicked a result despite being hacked to death by the French. Southgate had them doing what every England fan wanted them to do!

The wait for another World Cup goes on. It’ll be 60 years without one come 2026. It is insanely difficult to be an optimist about this team, but we will still be very good in four years. We have a lot of players in their early 20s who got experience at this World Cup, and most of them will be at Euro 2024 as well. I didn’t expect to be saying this pre-tournament, but I want Southgate to stick around as well. What he may lack in tactical prowess he makes up for in facilitating team chemistry and a positive environment. He understands that the players’ collective mentality is of vital importance at a major tournament, and he has created an environment where England players look forward to playing for their country instead of worrying about being vilified. More relaxed players equals better football, as it were.

Speaking of, very happy to see a majority of England fans not vilifying Kane after he missed his penalty. Our lads took a beating from “fans” on social media after Euro 2021, but I am happy that has not been repeated. You can’t expect our most talented players to want to play for the national side if they’re going to be roasted and lampooned by the traditional media and social media should they lose. We have to support them, and when they play as well as they did, it’s a lot easier to do so. I do hope though that Sampaio stubs his toe rather hard in the coming weeks and that it hurts him way longer than it should.

Three Lions on the Shirts!

Semifinals – Morocco vs. France – Wednesday December 14th at 11 AM PST

World Cup Quarterfinals: Croatia and Argentina Progress on a Wild Day

Now more than ever we must remember that FIFA is a corrupt cartel and Qatar is exploiting that greed for their own benefit.

On the pitch, it was an absolutely brilliant day. Both matches went to extra time, and both matches went to penalties! Days like today are what make the World Cup so special.

Brazil vs. Croatia

This was the early match of the day, and it got underway at a rather slow pace in the opening 20 minutes or so. Neither team was really willing to take the risk of sending men forward. Each team had half-chances, but at half time it was 0-0 and unfortunately a little on the tepid side of things.

Brazil kicked into gear a little more after the resumption of play, and they began to display the talent they have in attack. Keeper Dominik Livaković was called into action early and often, with his save from a deflected clearance on 46 minutes where he effectively did the splits to keep the ball out among the highlights. Striker Neymar was then denied from close range by a last-ditch block. Livaković then denied Neymar again with a save from close range at a tight angle on 55 minutes. Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta was also denied from close range by Livaković just 10 minutes later. Every time Brazil came close to scoring, it seemed like the big keeper was always in the way. Croatia would have the occasional spell of possession here and there, but they failed to register a shot on goal in the opening 90 minutes. They have their Dynamo Zagreb-based keeper to thank for getting them through that very one-sided second half. He made a stunning 8 saves in 90 minutes.

At 0-0 though an additional 30 minutes would be needed to sort out the winner. Croatia got the first half-chance but saw a shot blazed over the bar from a good position. Brazil then forged themselves ahead on 105+1 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal orchestrated by Neymar. He played a quick succession of 1-2 passes with two Brazilian teammates very rapidly, all while continuing a run forward into the box. The touch passes in the build-up were sublime. Neymar almost lost possession right at the end from a Croatian tackle less than 5 yards from goal, but the ball fell to him again. He took a touch to get around the onrushing Livaković, and then blasted it into the roof of the net! It was s spectacular passing move, and it saw Neymar equal the scoring record of the legendary Pelé, both of whom have now scored 77 goals for Brazil. An amazing goal and amazing achievement from an amazing player that was worthy of being the match winner!

But someone forgot to ask Croatia how they felt about that. Interestingly, despite be 1-0 to the good, Brazil kept sending men forward. I know attack is their philosophy and scoring goals is something they take very seriously, but it was curious that they were leaving themselves exposed at the back to such a high degree. Croatia noticed the tactic as well, and they got their equalizer on 117 minutes on a classic counter-attack. The ball was brought forward through midfield rather easily, as Brazil had four men still standing in Croatia’s box. It was played out to the left to winger Mislav Oršić, who dribbled the ball into the box before playing a cross along the ground just inside Brazil’s 18 yard box. Brazil then failed to pick up the late run of striker Bruno Petković. He was mostly unmarked and hit the ball first time, seeming to hit the ball into the ground slightly. It took an awkward bounce and settled into the corner of the goal, with the diving keeper Alisson beaten. It took Croatia 117 minutes to get a shot on target, but they scored with their very first one! It was absolute bedlam inside the stadium. The Brazilians were in shock.

The final whistle blew without too many further incidents, as both teams were utterly spent. A penalty shootout would decide this one. Going into it I was concerned about Brazil’s mentality, having had the game won and then conceding so late. You have to think it affected them, as they lost 4-2 in the shootout. Livakovic further cemented his national hero status with a save, and another penalty from Brazil came back off the post to seal it for Croatia. For their part, Croatia’s penalties were all very good. All of them hit with power and placement, just like they probably practiced them. These Croatians are stone cold assassins! Incredibly strong team mentality.

This will go down as an upset in the history books, and Brazil will be a nation in mourning for at least a week. This was a prime opportunity for them to win the whole tournament, given all the talent they have. They had the match won, but overly aggressive tactics and tired legs let Croatia back into it. All credit to the Croatians for showing resolve and determination. And how about the story of two Dinamo Zagreb players being heroes on the day? Given that this team has players in England, Spain, and Italy, I think it’s great that the men who effectively won the match for them still play in Croatia. Livaković will be tempted by lucrative offers from the bigger leagues very soon though, no doubt.

Croatia in the semifinals of the World Cup for the second straight tournament! Underestimate this lot at your own peril.

Netherlands vs. Argentina

It was going to be hard for this match to top the dramatics of the first one, but it did.

This match was also somewhat tepid for the opening 30 minutes or so, with both teams making runs at the opposite defenses, but nothing really came of them. Both defenses were holding firm. The match sprung to life on 35 minutes though when the Argentines went ahead via right back Nahuel Molina. I don’t want to bury the lede though, as this goal was crafted purely by the genius of attacking midfielder Lionel Messi. He is the greatest player of all time for a variety of reasons, and everyone knows about his dribbling and goal-scoring abilities. But today he displayed a tactical and positional awareness not possessed by many others in this sport. He was moving with the ball in midfield running kind of diagonally towards the Dutch goal, about 45 yards away from it. He – somehow – spotted the run of Molina into the area, after which he played one of the best passes I have ever seen directly into his feet. Molina took a touch and beat the onrushing Dutch keeper Andries Noppert to the ball and slotted it home for 1-0. Good composure on the finish for sure, but Messi didn’t even look up for the pass! His head was down the whole time! He just seemed to know that Molina was there, and he pulled off a minor miracle to get the ball through the sea of legs in between the two of them. Simply sublime from Messi the magician. It was 1-0 at halftime and the Albiceleste were good value for their lead.

The second half quickly began trending in favor of Argentina as well. They were simply the more confident side now that they had a lead. They more or less controlled the game while the Dutch were limited to half-chances on counter-attacks. Argentina got their second goal from the penalty spot thanks to Messi, after Dutch wingback Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to have fouled left back Marcos Acuña on the very edge of the box. The contact was light, but it was there and of course Acuña went down like he’d been punched in the face. The ref pointed to the spot, and Messi dispatched it rather simply. At 2-0 on 73 minutes, it felt as if the South Americans were in cruise control for the quarterfinals.

But Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal knew a change was needed, and he had been making subs throughout to try and conjure up a goal. But the wily old manager had a few more tricks up his sleeve. He brought on striker Wout Weghorst, a 6’6” giant of a man, and Van Gaal told him to play as a forward destroyer. His job was to simply outjump the diminutive Argentine center backs and knock the ball down to teammates in the penalty box. It was a roll of the dice but 2-0 down the Dutch had nothing to lose. They began to throw men forward in large numbers, and it payed off on 83 minutes when Weghorst found the back of the net himself with a flicked header! The cross from the right was a good one, and Weghorst showed great technique to use the muscles in his neck to flick the ball into the far corner past keeper Emilio Martinez. It was poor marking from Argentina, but game on nevertheless!

Now this is where the match started getting out of hand. It had been a physical match, and Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz had been doling out the yellow cards left and right. The physical nature of the match had led to some tempers flaring over the course of the game, but things really kicked off when midfielder Leandro Paredes cleared the ball forcefully and directly into the Dutch bench. The Dutch substitute players and coaching staff stormed the field, and it seemed like we were about to have a massive brawl on our hands. There was some pushing and shoving, but cooler heads prevailed and several more players were shown yellow cards. What was odd though was the lack of a red for Paredes. Lahoz really should not have left him on the pitch. There were also some very questionable tackles put in by players already on yellow cards, none of which were enforced by Lahoz. Overall, he really did a poor job with this match. His only saving grace is that he got so many things wrong for both teams that they almost cancelled each other out. Paredes really should have been off the pitch, though.

I tell you all of this because it led to a whopping 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the 90, and the Dutch got their equalizer right as that 10 minutes was expiring. It came from a well-worked set piece, and it is the closest thing you will ever see to a buzzer beater in this sport. The Dutch won a free kick just outside the Argentine penalty area, and it was taken by midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Everyone expected him to shoot due to the advantageous position of the ball, but he instead played a short pass forward into the feet of Weghorst, who had positioned himself next to the wall of Argentine defenders. He took a touch and used his size to hold off his marker before slotting home from about 7 yards out past a bewildered Martinez in goal. Ecstasy for the Dutch, agony for Argentina. Just like their South American counterparts earlier, they had the match won but let the opposition back in it. The goal was scored at the 101 minute mark! And it took a fair bit of…let’s say gumption and gall to attempt something like that at this stage. Van “Gall”, as it were. Credit to Van Gaal and his players for being prepared for the situation. The whistle blew shortly after the re-start and we were headed to extra time!

The first 15 minutes of it was uneventful, aside from each manager making substitutions in the event of penalties. Argentina crafted some half-chances in the second half of extra time, but this match was always heading to penalties. And what a shoot-out it was! Argentina went ahead 3-1, but then the Dutch managed to tie it up at 3-3. The Dutch then missed again however, and then striker Lautaro Martinez buried home the 4th and winning penalty for his side. Heart attack after heart attack in both these matches. A sad day for the Dutch, but their team is mostly pretty young still and they will be even stronger for having gone through this. But ultimately it was Messi’s day, and his last World Cup marches on.

Semifinals: Argentina vs. Croatia – Tuesday December 13th, 11 AM PST

Lionesses Romp to Victory, On To the Final of Women’s Euro 2022

The first match of two semifinals at Women’s Euro 2022 took place today with England taking on Sweden at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, UK. On paper this was set to be a matchup of heavyweights in women’s football. England were in their fourth straight major semifinal, while Sweden were the highest-ranked team (2) left in the tournament. Both sides boasted a lot of attacking talent and even though it was a semifinal of a major tournament, most fans knew there was potential for a goal-fest this evening. Bramall Lane was sold out for the occasion and the crowd provided a raucous atmosphere for this match.

England got off to a slow start as they have sometimes done in this tournament, but a sharp save from keeper Mary Earps just 22 seconds in kept things level. The Swedes continued their sharpness for the opening half an hour, creating most of their chances via set-pieces. They were perhaps wasteful with the chances they created, though. Then, against the run of play, it was England ahead on 34 minutes after a sensational strike from winger Beth Mead. She controlled the aerial cross from the right brilliantly with her first touch, which allowed her to turn and lash a shot on the half-volley into the far corner past Sweden keeper Hedvig Lindahl. Despite being under significant pressure from the Swedes, England found themselves ahead. The goal seemed to give them confidence too, as all of a sudden England were playing with a lot more confidence and Sweden weren’t sure how to respond.

At halftime it was 1-0 to England, but there was a general sense that they were somewhat fortunate to be ahead. That was probably the case, but possession and chances don’t win matches. Goals do, and England had taken their chance while Sweden had not. The general consensus at halftime though was that England needed a stronger second half in order to keep Sweden out.

And what a strong second half they delivered! England’s all-world right back Lucy Bronze found herself free at the back post from a corner on 48 minutes, and she nodded down a fairly simple header back across goal that Lindahl could not keep out. No one was expecting England to be up 2-0 at any point in this match especially when Sweden were the better team for the opening half hour, but all credit to Bronze for being in the right place at the right time. There was a VAR check for offside, but the goal stood. Bronze had actually had a somewhat questionable performance defensively up until that point, but her attacking prowess has never been in question. With a two goal lead in the second half, many England eyes were turning to Wembley on Sunday.

The match was put on ice by substitute and Manchester United striker Alessia Russo, who continued her sublime tournament performance with arguably the best goal of it so far. A good passing move down the left wing opened up the Swedish defense, but Russo’s shot on target was too direct and blocked by Lindahl. The rebound along the ground came back to her, and even though everyone thought the chance was gone, Russo was able to backheel a shot towards goal that nutmegged Lindahl for 3-0. Easily the most audacious and downright filthy goal I have ever seen in a semifinal of a major tournament. Her level of confidence is sky-high right now and with her four goals at this tournament she has proven to be one of the most effective substitutes maybe ever. To even have the audacity to attempt that shot speaks volumes by itself.

Even though Sweden were finished from a competitive standpoint, England were not. Attacking midfielder Fran Kirby, having probably her best match of the tournament thus far, added England’s fourth with a chip over Lindahl from about 20 yards out. The strike wasn’t the prettiest, but Lindahl was perilously far off her line for some reason. She got a hand to it the looping shot, but couldn’t get enough contact on the ball to keep it out. England were up 4-0 and the final loomed large.

I couldn’t be more complimentary of this team. Yes there was a bit of luck in the beginning with how Sweden were dominating possession and set pieces, but the finishing in the penalty area was the difference today. England converted their chances, and Sweden became more despondent as the goals went in. Earps also made a spectacular save when England were up 2-0 to keep the score the same, and it was right after that save that Russo got the 3rd. The second half in particular was one of the most complete performances I have seen from any England team – men’s or women’s.

The Lionesses are now in their first major final since 2009, where they will play either France or Germany at Wembley on Sunday morning (America time). They have a chance to be the first England team – men’s or women’s – to win a major trophy since 1966. This team could not be any more ready for it. Mead has now levelled the record of goals scored in a Euros with 6. The back four looks very solid. Russo is toying with defenses when she comes on. Manager Sarina Wiegman has worked wonders with this team, and she deserves all the credit in the world for getting the most out of these exceptionally-talented players. This victory is the result of long-term investment in the women’s game in England by the Football Association, and the success they’ve experienced should ensure that England is a powerhouse of women’s football for years to come.

But we’re not done yet. England in recent years has been a team that has come excruciatingly close to a trophy, only to fall short at one stage or another. That can’t happen now. This team is too good, and they’ve come too far to not win it.

A legacy-defining 90 minutes awaits on Sunday.

Three Lion(esse)s on the Shirts!

Lionesses Come From Behind to Beat Spain, Advance to Semifinals

The quarterfinals of Women’s Euro 2022 kicked off today, and it featured a mouth-watering fixture between host nation England and an up-and-coming Spain side at the Amex Stadium in Brighton. England won Group A handily, while Spain finished second to Germany in Group B. Even though England were probably favorites in this match, no one was underestimating the Spanish. Much like Spain’s men’s team, the women’s team is capable of maintaining possession with ease, and it can be very difficult to take the ball off of them.

And indeed, the first hour or so was dominated by La Furia Roja. They were compact in possession and England were having a hell of a time just getting on the ball. When England were on the ball, they looked slow and lethargic. The Spanish were able to capitalize on their dominance just after half time when Real Madrid striker Esther González slotted home past England keeper Mary Earps. Given the lack of goal scoring chances for England up until that point, a sense of all-too-familiar dread crept over the England fans. It could even be argued that the Spanish should have had another one just a few minutes later, if not for the heroics of Earps.

This game changed however upon some poor Spanish substitutions and a complete switch of tactics by England manager Sarina Wiegman. The Spanish took off several attacking players and elected to try and defend their lead. England switched from a back-4 to a back-3, which allowed players like Beth Mead to push higher up the pitch. The Spanish seemed to be more stretched out defensively as a result, and the press from England became much more effective.

England were six minutes plus stoppage time from going out of the tournament. They were that close to losing this. But then a goal arrived on 84 minutes, and it was crafted at Carrington training ground. A cross was played into the box from the right, and it was headed down by Manchester United striker Alessia Russo straight into the path of her club teammate (and best friend) Ella Toone, who bundled the ball over the line for England’s equalizer. The Amex erupted in celebration, despite the protestations of the Spanish who felt that Russo fouled her marker in the build-up to the goal. VAR was consulted however, and the goal stood. A massive sigh of relief came over the stadium when the goal was confirmed. England pushed for a winner in normal time, but it was not to come. Extra time and potentially penalties would be the order of the day.

But not to worry, because England found themselves ahead on 96 minutes thanks to an absolute worldie from attacking midfielder Georgia Stanway. She received the ball from midfielder Kiera Walsh in space, about 45 yards from the goal. None of the Spanish players elected to press her, so she ran forward about 20 yards with the ball. The Spanish kept backing off of her and giving her room, so she elected to shoot from just outside the box. It was truly a wonderful strike with her right foot, crossing in front of the Spanish keeper in the air and into the far corner. It was truly a goal worth winning a match!

Even though they were ahead and in the driver’s seat, England still had to see off the opposition, who were hell bent on winning their first ever knockout game as a women’s side. Due to fatigue from both sides though the final 18+ minutes were rather disjointed. The Spanish created one or two moments for potential heart attack, but England’s defenders were all brilliant at closing the game out. Earps was not really troubled in goal, despite the Spanish having lots of possession at the end when trying to find their own equalizer.

We knew going in that the Lionesses can score goals. We knew that they were a very complete team. The win today however showed that this team has another world class trait: resilience. They hadn’t been behind at any point in the tournament up until today, and they handled the adversity splendidly. The players were clearly frustrated when they went behind, but they never stopped pressing, running, and haranguing the Spanish when off the ball. It’s true the Spanish didn’t help themselves with their substitutes, but Wiegman deserves a lot of credit for the win today as well. Without the tactical change to a back-3 and making some key substitutions, it’s entirely possible that England lose this match 1-0. A note to men’s manager Gareth Southgate – sometimes you’ve got to roll the dice if things aren’t going your way!

England have now reached the semifinals of their last four major tournaments. Truly an era of dominance in terms of consistency. We just need a trophy now. Two more matches with winning results, and England will have their first one since 1966. The Lionesses will now face either Sweden or Belgium in the semifinals of Women’s Euro 2022!

Three Lion(esses) on the Shirts!

Euro 2020(1) Semifinal Day 1 – Italy Edge Spain on Penalties, Plus England-Denmark Preview

I did pick Italy to win yesterday, but I did not think it would be as close as it was. Indeed, Spain did an excellent job today against the Italians in terms of disrupting their normal tactics, but Italy showed a real resiliency as the match wore on.

The first half was goalless but based on possession and chances created, you would say that Spain were the better side. They took a page out of Italy’s book and decided to incorporate more pressing into their normal possession-based tactics. Spain played the same as they always do when they were on the ball, which is to spring some passes together in midfield and eventually move the ball up to the edge of the box. They tried to work several openings free in the first half, with attacking midfielder Dani Olmo looking very lively. His dribbling and passing was causing the Italians problems, but they always managed to get a final block in.

The most notable aspect of their press though was when they went at Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. He normally likes to play it short to one of his defenders when it comes to clearing the ball or taking a goal kick, but he could not do that today due to Spain’s forwards playing tight to the defenders. That forced Donnarumma into longer passes up the pitch, something he clearly was not comfortable doing today. Spain fashioned several half-chances using this method of pressing, but while they did not score this also prevented Italy from growing into the game and creating their own chances.

I have to say that in the first half, the epic battle in the midfield was won by Spain. Sergio Busquets and Pedri were dominating the middle, and Spain manager Luis Enrique deployed midfielder Koke (CO-kay) to man- mark Italian midfield general Marco Veratti. When Veratti is allowed time on the ball he can play some devastating passes to his teammates, but with Koke constantly harassing him, he never really found time on the ball to makes those passes. The same could be said for Italy’s defensive midfielder Jorginho. When he was on the ball, Busquets and others were always on him quickly so he could not find an outlet pass. This resulted in Spain winning possession much more frequently than Italy would have liked.

Despite Spain being the better team, the Italians went ahead on the hour mark after a now-familiar error in the Spanish defense. Italy hit them on a counter-attack, and a slick backheel from striker Ciro Immobile found Federico Chiesa on the left-sided edge of the penalty box. Spain didn’t have many men back and failed to clear the pass. Chiesa launched a shot at goal, and it found the top corner of the net. The positioning of the defenders and the angle of the shot did not give Chiesa a lot to aim for, but he put the ball probably in the one place it stood a chance of going in. Misery for Spain as they had been the better team. With a 1-0 lead fairly late on in the game, I figured the Italians would shithouse the rest of the match and escape with the win.

All credit to Spain though, as they kept fighting and created several good chances in an effort to equalize. Mikel Oyarzabal was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance when he missed making contact with a cross by a matter of centimeters. Spain were rewarded for their efforts though 20 minutes later when Olmo found himself in a good position with the ball on the edge of the Italian penalty box. He played a lovely 1-2 with substitute striker Alvaro Morata, who exorcised some of his earlier tournament demons by finishing along the ground from close range. No chance for Donnarumma, and we had ourselves a semifinal.

There weren’t many further chances in normal time, and it ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The same pattern of play continued in extra time, with Spain probably being the better of the two sides but stalwart Italian defending kept them out. It was just incredibly crowded in the box every time Spain got close, and that made it very difficult to have time for a shot. Italy sometimes broke out and attempted to hit Spain on the counter, but some tired legs and timely challenges from Spain kept it 1-1. Penalties were needed.

Football is such a fickle sport, and penalties are the most fickle part. Both sides missed their first respective penalty, with Olmo and substitute Manuel Locatelli both missing. That would be the last penalty the Italians would miss though. It stayed tied until Morata stepped up on the 3rd penalty for Spain and hit a rather tame effort low and to Donnarumma’s left. Donnarumma made the correct choice with his dive, and he saved Morata’s effort. Jorginho then took the decisive fourth penalty, and he showed some real ice in his veins by calmly sending Spain keeper Unai Simon the wrong way with his shot. The Italians stormed the field having won, and Spain were left to wonder what could have been.

Commiserations to Spain. They were the better team on the day, but Italy has been the best team this tournament. Italy showed an ability to adapt today that only elite-level teams have. They completely changed their usual tactics and still managed to execute the game plan almost to perfection. That’s very difficult to do in the middle of a tournament. They deserve a lot of credit, with manager Roberto Mancini deserving in particular. You have to feel also that a lack of finishing, both today and throughout the tournament, was a major problem for the Spanish. Morata did well to finish his chance, but they had several other opportunities to score today that they did not cash-in on. I do hope that the idiots on social media do not blame Morata for this loss. It’s not on him, at least not solely. Yes he should have done better with his penalty, but this is a team sport. Spain could have helped him out a lot more today by scoring other chances, and had they done so penalties might not have even been necessary.

Italy will play in the Euro 2020(1) final at Wembley next Sunday, July 11. They await the winner of England/Denmark. Whoever they play, it will be very difficult to beat them. They don’t quit, they have a lot of talent, and they know how to manage different scenarios well.

England vs. Denmark – Preview

Noon (PDT) at Wembley tomorrow. 60,000 fans are expected to fill Wembley to 3/4 capacity and the atmosphere should be electric.

Denmark

Denmark came into the semis as the lowest-ranked remaining team, but they don’t care about that. Not at all. England have played against more talented teams this tournament, but I am not sure we have played a team quite like Denmark so far. That is not to say they are without talent – indeed they have players who ply their trades in the top divisions across Europe, including the Premier League. What I mean is that this is a team that truly believes it is a team of destiny, and it’s hard to argue against that point. Yes they lost their two opening group games, but they have shown a resilience and team spirit in this tournament that vastly makes up for their lack of superstar talent. This is a team on a “Cinderella run” in every sense of the phrase. They are playing for Christian Eriksen, and that kind of motivation is impossible to duplicate. Denmark actually won the Euros back in 1992 and they were a “Cinderella” team back then as well, but they haven’t really come close to winning it again since then. This is the most unified and determined team left at this tournament, and that unity and determination gives them a strong sense of confidence in themselves.

It could be argued that the Danes have had an “easy” path so far, seeing off Wales in the Round of 16 and then the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. That take is slightly disrespectful to those two other countries, but when you consider that the Swiss had to beat France and England had to beat Germany, you get the sense that the draw has been kinder to them than to other teams. The last time the Danes lost was to Belgium in the group stage, a team with an actual degree of quality about them. Yes the Danes scored first but they conceded two after that as they were not capable of dealing with the technical abilities of Kevin De Bruyne. Sometimes, an overwhelming amount of talent is really the only thing that can beat a stubborn defensive unit.

The Danes do have some talented attacking players, and I think tomorrow they will use their speedier players to try and break out quickly and hit England on the counter-attack. I don’t think they have the talent in midfield to hold possession against England for long spells, so the counter and opportunities from set pieces will be key. They scored four in a knockout match earlier this tournament in the Round of 16 against Wales, so they are capable of getting goals when they need to.

Players to Watch: Youseff Poulsen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Joakim Mæhle, Kasper Dolberg, Simon Kjær, Kasper Schmeichel 

Side note on Schmeichel: he is a Premier League winning goalkeeper with Leicester City and is the son of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time: Peter Schmeichel. It was Peter who helped the Danes to glory in 1992, and now his son is trying to do the same thing! It’s a great story, and while Kasper is probably not quite as good as his father, he definitely has the ability to morph into a brick wall on a given day. Harry Maguire and probably a few other England players will be fully aware of his talents, having played both with and against him. Kasper perhaps was a tad braggadocios today by making jokes about the phrase “it’s coming home” in his media interview, and I hope England players saw that. People in the media or online coming with banter is one thing, but it’s completely different when an opposition player is saying something. Perhaps could serve as a motivation to England’s forwards. Speaking of!

England

England, both the team and that nation, are positively rocking right now. The match against Ukraine was the best I have seen this team play in a tournament probably ever. We hadn’t scored 4 goals in a tournament knockout match since 1966, and we will have a distinct home advantage at Wembley. 95+% of the fans in attendance will be supporting England, and I expect every single one of them to be in full throat for all 90 minutes.

Given that the best way to beat Denmark appears to be to overwhelm them with attacking talent, I suggest England does that very thing. Manager Gareth Southgate doesn’t need to change the lineup much or if at all, as the most important thing will be an aggressive approach. The entire game plan can be summed up in one two words: aggression, ruthlessness. We need to come out and be ruthless from the get-go, and if we can score another early goal it will get us a long way to the final. The longer it stays 0-0, the more confident Denmark will feel. We need to be on the ball, dribbling with the ball, and making forward runs. When we are not on the ball, I would like to see England constantly haranguing the Danes and trying to win the ball high up the pitch. No matter who is on the pitch for us, they need to be playing with unrelenting aggression and ruthlessness. Even if the Danes can withstand it for the first 45 minutes, they will eventually tire. Once again, you can expect England’s depth of talent on the bench to factor in heavily if things are not going our way.

Denmark’s defense has been “good enough” this whole tournament. They’re doing enough to win matches, but I do not think Denmark will be able to keep England at bay for 90 minutes. They have conceded at least 1 goal in every match they’ve played in so far except for one. England were dangerous from both set pieces and open play in the match against Ukraine, and we have proven to be exceptionally efficient at crossing the ball over the top. Most of our goals this tournament have come from crosses over the top. The wingers and full backs, in particular Luke Shaw, have been nothing short of incredible.

We are the first team in the history of the Euros not to concede a goal in their first five matches. Jordan Pickford looks locked to win the Golden Gloves for fewest goals conceded. The back line communicates well with each other and we have the athleticism at the back to keep up with anyone. As good as we are at heading the ball in for goals, we are equally as good at heading them away from goal when defending. Denmark’s best chances for a goal will probably come from set pieces, so alertness and concentration will be vital when those inevitably happen.

This match is England’s to lose. Having said that, it would be very English of us to come this far and do this well only to falter in the semis. I must say though, it feels different this time. I hope that line doesn’t come back to bit me in the ass, but it really does. The draw has been somewhat kind to us as well after beating Germany, and we must take advantage. The stars will not align like this for England again.

Players to Watch: Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho, Shaw, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount

No prediction because of course not, I’m not stupid.

Euro 2020(1) Semifinal Preview Part 1 – Italy vs. Spain

Two giants of European football will face off tomorrow at Wembley Stadium in London (noon PDT), and it truly is a marquee matchup between Italy and Spain. These two teams have played each other many times in this tournament, with the Italians being victorious in the Round of 16 at Euro 2016 and the Spanish prevailing in the final of Euro 2012. As alluded to, both these teams have won World Cups and both have won the Euros. Spain have three European titles (1964, 2008, 2012) while the Italians have only one (1968), but Italy has several more World Cups. No matter which you slice it, fans of both of these teams have high expectations whenever their national sides are on the pitch.

Italy

The Italians have probably been the best team at this tournament so far, dominating in the group stages and taking down a stubborn Austria side in the Round of 16. The victory over Belgium in the quarterfinals is what really sold me on this particular Italian team though. Yes they are talented, coached well, and did well against weaker opposition; but Belgium was the first real stiff test for them at this tournament and they did just enough to advance. That match was entertaining in the first half but dreadfully boring in the second, but I think that was done on purpose. The Italians had the lead, and they have a very stout defense anchored by long-tenured center backs Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. What those two lack in athleticism they more than make up for in positioning, strength, and tactical nous. It is very difficult to get in behind them, as Belgium and other teams have found out. The structure of the team is built on the resilient back line, and so far it has worked for Italian manager Roberto Mancini.

When off the ball, the Italians are on the prowl like a pack of wild dogs. Their tactics are based on pressing high up the pitch to force the opposition into mistakes, and when they are on the ball and looking to score they run directly at defenses. Italy are traditionally a team that likes to create chances through slow build up play, but Mancini has thrown tradition out the window. These aggressive tactics can be risky, but it works when you have speedy players and a solid back line. They also have the depth of talent needed to keep using these tactics late into matches when the opposition is tiring. Mancini has however kept alive the tradition of Italian shithousery (diving, moaning for fouls, time wasting), and that makes them very effective at running out the clock. If Italy has a lead with 10 or so minutes left, look for them all to start falling over like they’ve been shot every time the other team’s players go near them. Not being cynical because it’s part of the sport and everyone is guilty of it to a degree, but that is what they will do if they’re trying to protect a lead.

Players to Watch: Bonucci, Chiellini, Lorenzo Insigne, Marco Veratti, Manuel Locatelli, Federico Chiesa, Ciro Immobile

Notably absent is left back Leonardo Spinazzola. He tore his ACL in the match against Belgium, and it’s a shame he can’t play anymore because he’s been absolutely electric down Italy’s left hand side. Pace, dribbling, crosses, it’s all been magic and his loss is a huge one.

Spain

Spain are a much more curious team. They’re certainly talented of course and have a manager in Luis Enrique who has won a ton of trophies at the club level, but they have been somewhat inconsistent this tournament. They struggled to two draws in their opening two group matches against Sweden and Slovakia, but then came alive and scored 10 goals in the next two games against Russia and Croatia. In their quarterfinal match with Switzerland though they were back to struggling in attack and needed penalties to finally put away the Swiss. The inconsistency of their form and whether or not they can create quality chances will be two large concerns for Spain. Which team is going to show up?

One positive for Spain is that they do not have to worry about the Italians putting 10 men behind the ball and parking the proverbial bus in front of their own net. Italy will come at them for large portions of the match, and that will inevitably leave gaps in midfield that Spain can potentially work the ball into with their passing game. Spain’s tactics are based entirely on short and medium passes that enable them to more easily retain possession. Possession of the ball is the foundation of their tactics, the logic being that the less the other team has the ball, the less likely they are to score. Spain do not take many chances with the ball when it comes to passing the ball forward, but they are very good at passing it around the edge of the box and trying to create gaps in defenses that way. It worked wonderfully well from 2008-2012 when Spain won 3 major trophies, but a lack of cutting edge at the center forward position in recent years has frequently been Spain’s undoing. After all, you don’t win a match by possessing the ball more. You win by scoring more, and when your strikers are in poor form, all the possession in the world doesn’t really matter.

This match will be won by whichever side wins the passing/pressing cat-and-mouse game. Will the Spanish be able to pass the ball around the press effectively, or will Italy be all over them and cause them to make mistakes? The Spanish have been prone to defensive breakdowns and mistakes this tournament, most notably against Croatia and Switzerland. They will need to be at their very best in order to beat Italy. Concentration will be vital. The mental aspect of the game is so important and never gets talked about, really. It doesn’t matter what your tactics are as a manager if your players lose concentration in key moments and fail to execute.

Players to watch: Ferran Torres, Gerard Moreno, Alvaro Morata, Koke, Jordi Alba, Pedri, Aymeric Laporte

Prediction

I think Italy has the edge in terms of depth. They win a closely contested match, 2-1.