England sink Sweden, clinch semis berth
‘Great achievement’
SAMARA, Russia, July 7, (AFP): Harry Maguire and Dele Alli scored as England comfortably defeated Sweden 2-0 in Samara on Saturday to reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time since 1990.
Leicester defender Maguire headed in the opening goal from a corner on 30 minutes, with Alli adding a second just before the hour.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then produced a series of crucial saves in
SOCCER
the final half-hour to seal England’s long-awaited spot in the last four.
“It’s a great achievement for the team, we owed it to the fans back home who believed in us,” Alli said.
“It’s always nice to score, especially on occasions like this. It’s an amazing feeling to be going to a semifinal at a World Cup.”
Harry Kane failed to score for the first time in the competition, but the England captain said confidence was high after matching the country’s best run at a major tournament since Euro ‘96.
“We’re buzzing. We know there is still a big game ahead, but we’re feeling really good,” he said.
“We were composed and we controlled the game. We’ve just got to keep doing what we are doing.”
It was just a second England victory over Sweden in nine competitive meetings, and sets up a clash with either hosts Russia or Croatia on July 11 in Moscow for a place in the final.
Southgate stuck with the same team that overcame Colombia on penalties in the last 16, while Sebastian Larsson returned for Sweden after missing the 1-0 win over Switzerland through suspension.
Viktor Claesson drilled over for Sweden early on with an ambitious at- tempt from distance, while Kane, the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals, dragged wide after a penetrating run by Raheem Sterling.
Sweden manager Janne Andersson had warned his side England were a match for them at set-pieces, and so it proved when Maguire connected with Ashley Young’s corner after a low-key first half hour.
Maguire outjumped the much smaller Emil Forsberg to nod low into the corner, as England scored for the eighth time in Russia from a dead-ball situation.
The lively Sterling should have doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time when he brilliantly controlled Jordan Henderson’s lofted pass, but he was unable to find a way past Robin Olsen and his follow-up was blocked by Andreas Granqvist.
Pickford had relatively little to do in a quiet first half, but the England goalkeeper produced a vital stop to claw away a Marcus Berg header minutes after the restart.
England promptly cranked up the pressure and pulled further ahead on 59 minutes when a completely unmarked Alli sent a thumping header past Olsen after a first-time cross by Jesse Lingard.
Maguire then lashed over after a scene of panic in the Sweden area as England chased a third goal, although they were twice indebted to Pickford for preserving their two-goal lead.
The Everton shot-stopper thrust out a hand to superbly keep out Claesson’s low strike from 10 yards following a neat lay-off by Berg.
Pickford then showed terrific reflexes to tip over an effort from Berg, who shot on the turn after being picked out in the area by substitute John Guidetti.
Southgate withdrew Henderson for Eric Dier in the closing stages and will have a full squad to choose from in the semifinal, injuries permitting.
NIZHNY NOVGOROD, Russia, July 7, (RTRS): Uruguay’s never-say-die players fell to the floor in tears after losing their World Cup quarter-final to France, but they depart with heads high after yet again shaking it up among the world’s best.
Despite a tiny population of 3.3 million people, Uruguay got out of the group stages in the last three tournaments, reaching the semifinal in 2010 and the last eight this time.
In Russia, they won three group games without conceding a goal, before eliminating Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal 2-1 in the last 16. They were well-beaten 2-0 by France on Friday, but will always wonder what might have been if influential striker Edinson
Cavani had not been out with injury.
The absence of Cavani, who scored two wonder goals against Portugal and draws defenders away from strike partner Luis Suarez, distorted Uruguay’s game plan and gave France an easy evening except for one superb save by goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
“I didn’t even get a shot in,” lamented a frustrated Suarez, who astonishingly did not have a touch in the French box.
Yet the team walked off to resounding chants of “Uruguay!” from Russian fans, an ovation from their own supporters, hugs from the French, and inspiring words by their coach.
“We dream on. Things never end. A World Cup comes around every four
years,” said Oscar Tabarez, noting Uruguay had surpassed great soccer nations like Germany and Argentina in reaching the last eight.
At home, Uruguayans were sad but bursting with pride.
“There’s nothing to reproach,” said former captain Diego Lugano. “Thanks to the players for again being World Cup protagonists and stirring a nation.”
There was huge sympathy from Uruguayans towards defender Jose Gimenez, whom cameras caught crying minutes before the end as he realised it was too late to turn the game around.
One British pundit called that “embarrassing”, but for Uruguayans it
was proof of the passion that has seen them punch above their weight since winning the first World Cup in 1930.
Once the emotions settle, Uruguay have some serious work to groom a new generation, given mainstays like captain Diego Godin and strikers Cavani and Suarez are now all in their early 30s.
Tabarez, in charge for 12 years and known lovingly as ‘El Maestro’ (The Teacher) at home, said his future was up to local football association bosses — but there has been no sign they want to move him on after such success and stability.
Inevitably, it was French forward Antoine Griezmann — a fan of
Uruguay and friend of Godin and Gimenez from Atletico Madrid — who put the nail in the South Americans’ coffin.
Not only did he supply the cross for France’s first goal, but it was his shot that squirmed through goalkeeper Fernando Muslera’s hands for the second. Out of respect, he did not celebrate. “Uruguay are a tough team, who remind me of my club side Atletico ... They are a pleasure to watch,” he said.
Griezmann has promised to visit Uruguay for the first time in December. Despite putting them out of the World Cup, Uruguayans are sure to give their
French amigo a warm welcome.
Tabarez said that France were worthy winners of Friday’s World Cup quarter-final but that his small country had once again shown why it deserves its place alongside the best nations in global soccer.
In charge of Uruguay for the last three World Cups, Tabarez has taken his teams beyond the group stage each time — to the semifinal in 2010, the last 16 in 2014, and the quarters in Russia.
“We couldn’t control their strengths,” Tabarez said, looking sad but calm after his players left the field in tears to an ovation from their travelling fans.