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Euro 2024: England off to winning start with victory over Serbia

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Jude Bellingham was the match winner as England came through a nervy opening match against Serbia at Euro 2024.

Bellingham gave England the lead in the 13th minute when he headed in Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross before Aleksandar Mitrovic fired a good chance wide. Kyle Walker failed to make the most of an opening on the break, but England went in at the break with a comfortable 1-0 lead.

 

That comfort disappeared in the second half, with England dropping deeper and Serbia growing in confidence. A few nervy moments came and went before substitute Jarrod Bowen crossed for Harry Kane, who struck the underside of the crossbar via a strong save from Predrag Rajkovic.

Jordan Pickford had to be on his toes to keep out a long-range effort from Dusan Vlahovic as an unconvincing England held on to claim three points in Group C. Here are the talking points from the match in Gelsenkirchen.

 

Speaking before kick-off, Cesc Fabregas compared Bellingham to Frank Lampard due to his uncanny ability to arrive in the box at the perfect moment. Lampard made a career out of those late runs which allowed him to charge onto cutbacks and crosses and chalk up a staggering goal tally from midfield.

 

Bellingham, as we are often reminded, is still only 20 years old but he already has that happy knack. He scored 23 goals in his debut campaign for Real Madrid and has been entrusted with the No10 role for his country already, his form so good that the Premier League player of the season, Phil Foden, has been shunted to the left.

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England’s opening goal was a textbook example of the value of arriving at the right time, with Bellingham starting the move off by passing square to Kyle Walker before galloping into the area to nod in Saka’s deflected cross. He has been appointed the team’s talisman and this was a perfect start to the tournament for the nation’s great hope. Chants of “JUUUUUUUUDE” were frequent throughout the first half as he ran the show.


Harry Maguire has been a key player during Southgate’s reign as England boss and his absence from Euro 2024, due a calf injury, was an obvious problem that needed to be addressed. Marc Guehi only returned from a long-term injury for Crystal Palace in May following three months out but, like Bellingham, he timed his run perfectly.

 

Guehi has taken Maguire’s role alongside John Stones and, after a wobble in the first minute, there were no signs of nerves. The 23-year-old looked the part of a player being hyped for a £55million transfer this summer, with interest from Manchester United and Arsenal.

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His best moment came after 33 minutes when Serbia swung a dangerous ball into the box for Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic to attack. Guehi took charge, rose highest and headed it clear.

 

 

 

He ended the first half with a flawless statistical record, having completed 32 of his 32 attempted passes and won both of his attempted aerial duels and his one tackle. “Literally everything he’s done, he’s done right,” said Joe Hart on the BBC at half-time. Central defence could be regarded as a weak spot for England, with Lewis Dunk and Ezri Konsa the other options, but Guehi’s performance will ease those concerns slightly.

 

England started impressively in Gelsenkirchen with Bellingham strutting his stuff and Saka and Declan Rice standing out. But their complete dominance of the ball didn’t last and old habits started creeping back into their play. By the time the middle of the second half arrived, it was Serbia who were on top and it was their fans who were most audible in the stands.

Having previously been brave on the ball and played their way out from the back, suddenly England were guilty of lumping the ball up in the general direction of Kane and Phil Foden. Unsurprisingly, the ball wasn’t sticking and Serbia had a new spring in their step; only a poor first touch and some misfortune from crosses prevented them from testing Jordan Pickford, with a nervy moment coming when England’s keeper leapt on a loose ball at Guehi’s feet. Later in the tournament, better teams are likely to make those moments count.

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With their backs to the wall, England needed their goalkeeper to be alert – and Pickford did not disappoint. As they edged towards the final whistle, Vlahovic picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box and smashed an effort goalward. Thankfully, Pickford was deep in concentration and reacted to push the Juventus striker’s effort over the bar.

 

The end of this match wasn’t pretty – and there are many improvements that need to be made in possession – but at least their goalkeeper was on hand to maintain their clean sheet. The Everton keeper has been Southgate’s main man since 2018 and he continues to impress in the big occasions.

 

UK MIRROR

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Osimhen nets brace as Galatasaray settle for draw in 6-goal thriller

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Victor Osimhen scored his first brace for Galatasaray in the club’s 3-3 draw with Kasimpasa in their Turkish Super Lig match at RAMS Park in Istanbul on Saturday.

In his third league match for the club, the on-loan 25-year-old striker serenaded the home fans with two well-taken goals to add to four assists since his arrival at the table-topping club.

Osimhen opened his club account in the 20th minute when his attempted control from a cross fooled a committed goalkeeper and the Super Eagles striker watched the ball cross the line to a loud jubilation from the crowd.

If the first was ingenious, the second goal — eight minutes later — reeked of pure class. The former Lille striker latched on to a deep cross and swiveled despite the presence of a defender on him before lashing a volley into the roof of the net for 2-0 to his club.

Mauro Icardi made it 3-0 in the 34th minute before Kasimpasa reduced the deficit before halftime.

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Osimhen did not have the chance to complete a hattrick due to injury and was substituted at halftime, while the visitors staged a comeback late in the second period to snatch a point at the death.

The draw sees unbeaten Galatasaray lose their perfect start to the season but remain top of the Super Lig with 19 points from seven matches, four ahead of second-placed Samsunspor.

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Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time to beat Leicester 4-2

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A Wilfred Ndidi own goal in the 94th minute and a close-range Kai Havertz strike in the ninth minute of stoppage time denied a Foxes side who were within reach of an unlikely point at Emirates Stadium after clawing back a two-goal deficit in the second half.

Gabriel Martinelli had given the dominant Gunners a deserved first-half lead when he steered home Jurrien Timber’s cross, before providing the pass for the second, converted by Leandro Trossard, on the stroke of half-time.

 

Leicester had managed only one touch in the Arsenal area before the break, but they reduced the arrears a little over a minute into the second half when James Justin’s header from Facundo Buonanotte’s free-kick struck Havertz on its way in.


Justin doubled his personal tally in spectacular fashion shortly after the hour mark, meeting Ndidi’s left-wing delivery with a swerving volley that beat David Raya via the inside of the post.

 

If Arsenal were momentarily stunned by Leicester’s recovery, they soon recovered their poise and Mads Hermansen produced two superb saves to keep the Foxes level, denying Havertz with a point-blank stop before keeping out Trossard’s shot – moments after giving the ball away inside his own area.

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But Trossard’s late effort was deflected past the Danish goalkeeper by Ndidi before Havertz struck from close-range to complete the scoring.

 

Victory lifts Arsenal level on points with Manchester City, who could be overtaken by Liverpool if they beat Wolves at Molineux in Saturday’s late game.

 

Arsenal fans must have been scratching their heads as the game entered second-half stoppage time, as Leicester closed in on a draw that had barely seemed possible at the halfway point of the contest.

Notwithstanding a Justin shot which was blocked by Riccardo Calafiori, the first 45 minutes took place almost entirely inside the Leicester half, with Bukayo Saka and Martinelli both going close before the Brazilian’s 20th-minute opener.

 

Calafiori stung Hermansen’s palms and Havertz sent a header narrowly wide from Trossard’s cross, before the Belgian – back from suspension after his dismissal against City last weekend – gave the home side a richly deserved two-goal cushion.

 

Justin’s first of the afternoon came almost out of nothing and, buoyed by his header, the Foxes continued to venture forward and eventually restored parity through the defender’s spectacular swerving strike.

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Time appeared to be running out for Arteta’s team, who had registered more than 30 shots – including 14 on target – and racked up 14 corners as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.

 

Hermansen did brilliantly to keep out goalbound efforts from Havertz and Trossard before denying Calafiori and substitute Ethan Nwaneri as the Gunners piled forward in increasing desperation.


But they were finally rewarded for their pressure and persistence with just over three of the allotted seven minutes of added time remaining, before Havertz completed the scoring with virtually the final touch of the game.

 

Pain for Foxes, but positives for Cooper
Steve Cooper said he would not shy away from criticism after Leicester fans were heard chanting “Cooper, sort it out” and “this is embarrassing” during Tuesday’s penalty shootout victory at Walsall in the Carabao Cup.

At half-time on Saturday, it looked like being another painful afternoon for the Foxes and their manager as Arsenal sailed serenely into a two-goal lead, but Leicester’s second-half recovery – though ultimately in vain – will give fans heart for the battles ahead.

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Cooper’s team were vastly improved after the restart and Justin’s sensational drive will live long in the memories of the away fans nestled in the lower tier of the Emirates Stadium’s south east corner.

 

Hermansen was sensational in the latter stages, producing a string of fine saves to keep Arsenal at bay – but there was little he could do about Ndidi’s own goal or Havertz’s last-gasp effort.

 

Not for the first time this season, Cooper was frustrated by some of the officiating at Emirates Stadium, with referee Sam Barrott refusing to penalise William Saliba for a tug on Jamie Vardy in the build-up to Martinelli’s opener.

 

Cooper and Vardy were both booked after remonstrating with the officials in the aftermath of the goal.

Once the dust settles on this pulsating contest, Cooper can reflect with pride on his team’s fightback against one of the Premier League’s title challengers – but the manner of the defeat may take a while to digest.

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War at The Etihad: Man City vs Arsenal’s 13 flashpoints

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Manchester City and Arsenal have been the Premier League’s best teams over the course of the last two seasons.

Their meetings have felt like gargantuan clashes in the journey of discovering who will win the country’s top division but not always delivered the entertainment that some would expect from the quality of players on display. Sunday’s meeting perhaps did not show an abundance of free-flowing football but it delivered the entertainment and drama worthy of the game, in a manner nearing clashes between Manchester United and Arsenal of old.

 

When Rodri hit the floor in the opening seconds of the game, the stage was set for what was about to transpire. The Spain star was left clutching his face after colliding with Kai Havertz but there was deemed to be no red card offence having taken place.

 

A physical start to the game followed and Erling Haaland soon opened the scoring. The City forward scored his 100th goal for the club in 105 appearances and his 10th of the season, and outpaced Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes before slotting past David Raya.

Arsenal cruelly denied famous Man City win after 10-men concede in last minute – 6 talking points
Pep Guardiola’s side did not have to wait long to suffer a blow however. As early as the 16th minute Rodri went down under the challenge of Thomas Partey, clutching his leg.

Once again VAR deemed the incident unworthy of intervention but Rodri was left in tears as he was ultimately forced from the field. The momentum of the game quickly changed as Mateo Kovacic was introduced to replace the 28-year-old.

Soon after the restart, Arsenal found themselves quickly taking a free kick. Gabriel Martinelli drove at City’s defence before laying the ball off to Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian defender, on his full debut, launched an impressive strike to level the game.

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City were left furious. There was a suggestion that Arsenal took their initial free kick from a more advantageous position which saw Ederson eventually earn a yellow card.

The Gunners took control of the game at this point and were able to find more success before the end of the half. Gabriel headed home from Bukayo Saka’s corner to give the visitors an advantage.

 

It was another goal that was not without contention. VAR deemed that Gabriel Martinelli did not foul Ederson in the build up to Gabriel’s effort but Ruben Dias earned a yellow card for his protests.

The half would not end there however as more drama emerged as late as the eighth minute of stoppage time. Leandro Trossard cynically fouled Bernado Silva before launching the ball away after the referee’s whistle had gone.

To the disbelief of Arsenal, it was a second yellow card for the Belgian who was given his marching orders. The Gunners stars frantically protested on the pitch, while Arteta half took off his jumper before making his case to the fourth official to no avail.

 

The break saw Ben White replace Bukayo Saka as Arsenal opted to utilise a back five in a bid to suppress the Premier League champions. Manchester City dominated possession with their one-man advantage and the first 15 minutes following half-time saw the Gunners manage just 13 passes compared to City’s 138.

 

Opportunities were taken by Arsenal’s stars to go down in a bid to tick time over, to the extent Michael Oliver was not always forthcoming in believing the Gunners’ claims of cramps. As David Raya looked to stretch out and frustrate his opposition, Arsenal youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly was cautioned by the official for something he said, despite having yet to make his Premier League debut.

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Once again it was in stoppage time where the drama racheted up. First Jurrien Timber went down claiming an injury, to which Oliver invited Arsenal to kick the ball out themselves. Raya launched the ball up the field but not out of play as City were able to keep the ball in but the official then stopped play to the home side’s frustrations and Bernado Silva picked up a yellow card.

 

Seven minutes later City eventually found the net. The ball fell to John Stones to scramble into the net to spark jubilant celebrations that included Haaland throwing the ball of an Arsenal defender, with some tension also present between the benchs.

 

Following the restart, things flared up on the pitch. Looking to press the ball, Haaland flattened Partey, who had now made his debut, as the midfielder attempted to block him. Gabriel then came head-to-head with City’s forward as full-time soon arrived.

 

Below Mirror Football have listed some of the flashpoints from a dramatic match that saw 33 shots from City compared to Arsenal’s five, and seven yellow cards shared between the sides.

 

Timeline of drama
1 min – Rodri falls to the floor and holds his face after colliding with Havertz from kick-off. Players from both teams crowd the Spaniard but no card is produced as VAR looks at the incident without intervening.

5 mins – Haaland throws himself into a challenge with William Saliba as the pair contest for an aerial ball. It was forceful from the Norway international to continue to set the tone for the game as each player went flying through the air.

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9 mins – Haaland scores his 100th Manchester City goal to hand his side the lead and quell any fears he could not score against Saliba and Gabriel.

16 mins – Rodri goes down injured under the challenge of Partey. The midfielder, a key part of City’s control until this points, was forced off on his first Premier League start of the season.


22 mins – Riccardo Calafiori scores on his Premier League full debut with a thunderbolt before Manchester City protest where Arsenal took a free kick from in the build up. Ederson shown a yellow card.

34 mins – Trossard receives first yellow card for a cynical foul.

45+1 mins – Gabriel scores his second header in a week as it was decided Martinelli did not foul Ederson. Ruben Dias shown yellow after demanding a foul be awarded.

45+8 mins – Leandro Trossard sent off after being shown a second yellow card.

65 mins – Lewis-Skelly awarded a yellow card after speaking to the referee despite having not yet featured in the Premier League.

83 mins – Declan Rice shown a yellow card for delaying a restart before a throw-in.

91 mins – Timber goes down and Oliver invites Arsenal to kick the ball out,. Referee eventually blows up to City frustrations despite Raya’s kick upfield being kept in by City.

98 mins -John Stones scores City’s equaliser and Haaland throws ball off an Arsenal player in his celebrations

99 mins – Play stopped after Haaland barges into Thomas Partey after the Arsenal player attempts to block his run from the restart. Haaland then squares up with Gabriel.

 

 

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