ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021 16 England’s Raheem Sterling reacts after scoring his team’s fi rst goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship Group D match between Eng- land and Croatia at Wembley Stadium in London. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Lukaku sends message to Eriksen as Belgium dominate Russia England begin Euro 2020 with victory LONDON, June 13, (AP): Raheem Sterling grew up in the shadow of Wembley Stadium as it was being rebuilt, even getting a tattoo of its fa- South Korea advance in Asian WC qualifying mous arch on his left forearm. SEOUL, June 13, (AP): Son Heung-min sent a message of way China can add to their sole World Cup appearance in Now playing for his country at the support to former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Christian 2002. A win over Group A leaders Syria on Tuesday will iconic venue, he used his right foot to Eriksen on Sunday after his second-half penalty gave South be enough but a draw will leave the team needing results in give England the start they had been Korea a 2-1 win over Lebanon in Asia’s second round of other groups to go its way. longing for at the European Champi- World Cup qualifying. “We know what we have to do,” said China coach Li Tie onship. Sonny Saad gave Lebanon a surprise lead in Goyang after after his team’s 5-0 thrashing of the Maldives on Friday, The winger’s goal - his fi rst in a just 12 minutes but it was erased early in the second half by their third successive win. “We know that Syria are strong tournament in his 13th match through a Song Min-kyu header. team but the players are looking forward to the challenge. four competitions - gave England a 1-0 Son converted a penalty in the 66th minute and appeared Everything is going as planned.” win over Croatia on Sunday in their to say “Chris, stay strong’’to television cameras in a mes- opening Euro 2020 game. sage of support for Eriksen who collapsed on the fi eld while “I always said to myself ... growing playing for Denmark in a European championship game SOCCER up two minutes down the road, I’ve got against Finland on Saturday. to score,” Sterling said. “It’s a great Son’s goal, his fi rst for his country since 2019, means that feeling doing it.” South Korea are one of the eight group winners who will Iran, seeking a third successive World Cup appearance,are Never before had England made a progress automatically to the third round, scheduled to start also in second place and need a win over Group C leaders winning start to the continental tourna- in September. Lebanon will have to wait until the second Iraq in Bahrain to be sure of advancing. After losing to Iraq Belgium’s Timothy Castagne, (left), and Russia’s Artem Dzyuba challenge ment in nine previous tries. round ends on Tuesday to fi nd out if they go into the next and Bahrain in November 2019, Iran have returned to form for the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship Group B match stage as one of the best four runners-up. with three comfortable wins this month, the most recent a between Russia and Belgium at Gazprom arena stadium in St. Petersburg, Far more comfortable than in the Russia. (AP) loss to Croatia in the 2018 World Cup Advancing a one of the top runners-up is also the only 10-0 beatdown of Cambodia on Friday. semifi nals, this was an England side packed with youthful debutants and with Sterling, still only 26, the team’s most experienced tournament player. Sterling, who has struggled for game time at Manchester City in re- cent months, found the breakthrough Resilient Djokovic edges Tsitsipas for England in the 57th minute. It was the vision of Kalvin Phillips, one of fi ve England starters making their tournament debut, that created the opening. The Leeds midfi elder shook of challenges before releasing Sterling, in Paris for 19th Grand Slam title who slipped a shot into the net via a touch off Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livaković. The sparkling moment for Sterling came two days after he was named in the queen’s birthday honors list for his campaigning against racial injustice. But at the fi rst England game at Wembley with fans since 2019, there was a sour start when players taking a knee were jeered by their own fans. That was despite pleas from the Eng- land team to respect the anti-racism gesture. There was a more unifi ed atmos- phere among the crowd of about 20,000 at the end as fans sang the team’s “Three Lions” anthem while the players applauded them. England’s next game in Group D is against Scot- land on Friday at Lukaku Wembley. Croa- tia will play the Czech Republic in Glasgow. Belgium 3, Russia 0 In St. Petersburg, Romelu Lukaku’s fi rst thought after scoring at the Eu- ropean Championship wasn’t to cel- ebrate with his Belgium teammates. Instead, the striker wanted to send a heartfelt message to a close friend Christian Eriksen who was in the hos- pital. SOCCER Lukaku had taken the fi eld in Bel- gium’s 3-0 win over Russia only a short time after seeing Eriksen, his teammate at Italian champions Inter Milan, fall to the ground and require Serbia’s Novak Djokovic kisses the Cup after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece in their fi nal match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris. Djokovic urgent medical attention during Den- won 6-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. (AP) mark’s game against Finland in Co- penhagen. his clash with Castagne but went off Lukaku was watching the match himself a few minutes later, the fi rst of Serb closes in on Federer, Nadal with the rest of the Belgium squad. He fi ve substitutions - the maximum allot- said he cried. ted - made by Russia coach Stanislav PARIS, June 13, (AP): Tal- The top-seeded Djokovic came all The 34-year-old Djokovic elimi- two sets to none in the fourth round “I was scared, obviously,” he said. Cherchesov by the 63rd minute. “You live strong moments together. ented and tenacious as they the way back to beat the fi fth-seeded nated 13-time French Open cham- - is the fi rst man in the professional Belgium center back Jan Vertong- Tsitsipas 6-7 (6), 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 pion Nadal - a challenge the Serb era to win a Grand Slam tournament It was all the more impressive given hen also went off with an apparent leg come, Novak Djokovic was the Belgians were without playmaker injury in the second half but Martinez for his second championship at Ro- likened to scaling Mt. Everest - in a after twice facing a 2-0 defi cit in Kevin De Bruyne, who wasn’t deemed said it wasn’t serious. not about to concede a thing land Garros and 19th Grand Slam semifi nal that lasted more than four sets. Experience could have been a ready after a minor operation on a frac- hours Friday night. factor, too. Finland 1, Denmark 0 after dropping the fi rst two title overall. tured nose and eye socket, and with sets of the French Open fi - Djokovic is now just one major That was only Nadal’s third ca- This was the fi rst major fi nal for captain Eden Hazard only playing the In Copenhagen, Joel Pohjanpalo trophy away from tying the men’s reer loss in 108 matches at the clay- Tsitsipas and 29th for Djokovic, fi nal 19 minutes as a substitute. scored and Lukas Hradecky saved nal against his younger, record of 20 shared by Rafael Nadal court major tournament. who also won the French Open in Belgium also had to deal with the a penalty to give Finland a 1-0 vic- fresher foe, Stefanos Tsit- Djokovic also defeated Nadal 2016, along with nine titles at the withdrawal of right wing back Timo- tory over Denmark. The game was and Roger Federer. And reigning thy Castagne in the 26th minute after suspended for about 90 minutes after sipas. Australian Open champion Djoko- in Paris in 2015 before losing that Australian Open, fi ve at Wimbledon he clashed heads with Russia mid- Eriksen needed urgent medical treat- Djokovic looked diminished and vic now stands halfway to a calen- year’s fi nal, and it appeared as if the and three at the U.S. Open. fi elder Daler Kuzyaev. Belgium coach ment near the end of the first half depleted at the outset Sunday. By dar-year Grand Slam, something no same fate was waiting Sunday. Of just as much, if not more, sig- Roberto Martinez said Castagne had before being taken to a hospital. The the end, he was at his imperious man has accomplished since Rod Djokovic looked drained early, nifi cance to the ultimate outcome sustained a double fracture of his eye Danish soccer federation said Erik- best. Laver in 1969. and the 22-year-old Tsitsipas had Sunday: Djokovic entered the day socket and has been ruled out of the sen was awake and in stable condi- the upper hand for two sets. with a 34-10 record in fi ve-setters - rest of the tournament. tion. “It was not easy for me, both including a men’s-record 31 wins in Castagne’s replacement, Thomas When play resumed, Pohjanpalo put physically and mentally,” Djokovic Grand Slam matches of that length Meunier, scored Belgium’s second Finland ahead against the run of play said, “especially over the past two - while Tsitsipas was 5-4.