ISSUE 163 BELGIUM V ENGLAND 14TH JULY 2018 ...the free England fanzine produced and distributed by the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) as part of FIFA WORLD CUP 2018 our Fans’ Embassy service. TRAVELLER TACTICS 3 Belgium v England ND welcome to St So, while it’s true that we’d all rather Petersburg, for the match be back at the Luzhniki this weekend PAGE Saint Petersburg Stadium Athat no-one wanted to play rather than facing the prospect of a re- Sturday 14th July 2018 in, the losers’ World Cup final. run of last month’s Belgium B v England B fixture, let’s see if we can focus on Kick–off 17:00, local time There are genuinely mixed feelings the positives, and regard this as a final PREPARATION England will probably among the hardy few of us who opportunity to celebrate achievements, Check out the latest travel advice for Russia and play in WHITE. have arrived in Russia’s second city more than mourn shortcomings. information on the different regions, local laws and customs to see our team play their final 2018 World Cup fixture. Clearly there is There are certainly worse locations than disappointment at having fallen at Saint Petersburg to be playing our final Useful Numbers the final hurdle before a second final game; probably the most picturesque Fans’ Embassy Helpline: appearance: so near, and yet so far. of Russia’s host cities, it provides us +44 7956 121314 with yet another chance to enjoy the Healthcare FAN ID VISAS PASSPORT Fans’ Embassy Helpline for But that disappointment is remarkable Russian hospitality and The European Health Insurance Once you have an official ticket If you do not have an official Look after your passport and fans on Russian mobiles: accompanied, and for many of us far superb organisation that we’ve become Card (EHIC) is not valid in you will need to apply for a ticket you will need to apply keep it in a safe place. If you’re Russia, so it is essential Fan ID. This replaces the for a visa to enter Russia. travelling on a visa, make sure +7 977 278 5820 outweighed, by a real sense of pride accustomed to over the last month or that you take out travel need for a separate visa. Allow plenty of time and your passport is valid for at England Supporters Club (FA): at what this young England squad has so. Spasiba, Russia! insurance appropriate for all You must apply for it make sure it covers the least 6 months after the visa +44 7970 146250 the activities you plan to do before you travel length of your stay expiry date. Take 2 copies of it achieved. They have surpassed most and always keep one with you British Embassy in Moscow: expectations; how many of us wouldn’t As always, you can rely on the +7 495 956 7200 have gladly accepted a semi-final support, should you need it, of the Emergency: 112 appearance before the tournament FSF’s fans’ embassy service. We will kicked off? And it has all been done be operating on the afternoon of with a great team spirit, some excellent Friday 13th July between 14:00 and performances and a sense of unity of 17:00, and on match day, Saturday purpose that has spread beyond the 14th July, between 10:00 and 14:00, players and the coaching staff and and we will be based at the tourist MATCH TICKETS GETTING AROUND ACCOMMODATION STAY UP TO DATE Contact Free Lions affected the fans ourselves. information office in Palace Square. Only purchase tickets from Plan your journeys, Russia is You are required to register in Sign up for travel official suppliers. You will a huge country and distances every host city visited within advice email alerts at E-mail: [email protected] need a Fan ID linked to your between cities can be vast. 72 hours of arrival. Book gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/russia ticket to enter a stadium Official match ticket and accommodation in advance Gifts & Postcards to: COVER STORY Fan ID holders can apply for and check that your hotel or Free Lions, c/o the FSF Playing in a semi-final of the World Cup was trippy, scoring a free travel on selected trains host has registered your 1, Ashmore Terrace spectacular free kick on six minutes was Trippier. The wing- stay in each destination Stockton Road back’s night was to end in injury, however, carried off by medical Sunderland staff and limping out of the tournament, a metaphor for his SR2 7DE forlorn team-mates who were soon to follow. BE RESPONSIBLE IF THINGS GO WRONG IT WASN’T ME we have received to produce Free Lions Free Lions is a team effort. This edition was Always follow the advice of local authorities In the event of an emergency, call 112. The Free Lions fanzine is produced by the impacts on what we put in it. Consequently, edited by Kevin Miles and thanks are due to and respect local laws and customs. For consular assistance, for example if you Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), the none of our supporters can be held in any Phil Rowley; Clive Hetherington, Joe Anti-social behaviour including excessive lose your passport, call +7 495 956 7200 national membership-based organisation for way responsible for the contents of, nor Hetherington; Harpreet Robertson; Thomas alcohol consumption will not be tolerated fans. We have tried to ensure the accuracy of the views expressed in, this fanzine. Smith, Violetta Vladimirovna; Pete Daykin; Luc all the information provided in this fanzine, but Jones and Irina Borisova for all their efforts can accept no responsibility for any loss, injury THANK YOU arranging printers and to Ashley Brown, for or inconvenience suffered by any one relying We are grateful to PA Images for the leaving most hotel receptionists unpunched on #BeOnTheBall on its contents. None of the financial support cover photo. our little Russian adventure. gov.uk/russia2018 @fcotravel @FCOtravel Website: www.fsf.org.uk Email: [email protected] FSF helpline: +44 7956 121314 @FSF_FreeLions PRODUCES FREE LIONS From Russian mobiles: +7 977 278 5820 facebook.com/FreeLions PRIDE AND BELIEF AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH CLIVE HETHERINGTON? BY CLIVE HETHERINGTON CONTACT CLIVE VIA [email protected] 4 5 Former England right-back Gary For those scouring the record books But Kane was agonisingly close to Neville, speaking on ITV, said: for omens, the Croatia crunch extending England’s lead on the PAGE PAGE “The first thing to say is, this team marked the anniversary of the half-hour. Jesse Lingard played him has taken us to a place we never start of England’s campaign in ’66, in on goal, but Subasic saved the imagined we’d get to. I said before when they drew 0-0 with Uruguay initial effort. Kane kept it alive and the tournament that England never at Wembley. The hope was July 11 hit the near post from a tight angle over-achieve, but this team have would be another date to remember. before the ball ricocheted off the over-achieved getting to a semi- It is now, but for the wrong reasons. keeper to safety. final and they can all be absolutely proud – they’ve taken the nation Croatia indicated intent with Lingard wasted an inviting opening with them. Marcelo Brozovic preferred to the in the 36th minute when the more attacking Andrej Kramaric, Manchester United man found “We did say before the game freeing up skipper Luka Modric and himself unmarked in the middle but that these lads had to take this Ivan Rakitic to press further into couldn’t wrap his foot around his opportunity now because it may the final third. finish and shot wide. T’S coming home, was the Tottenham right-back Kieran never happen again. And all I hope, cry. Well, not this time sadly, Trippier scored his first England having seen them disappointed, But it was Modric who gave away As the teams headed for the tunnel All of a sudden, it was a different Ibut what an adventure this goal in only the fifth minute, upset and crying, is that they get a free-kick for a foul on Dele Alli at half-time, Lovren complained game and Perisic hit a post soon summer has been for England and but Croatia replied in the 68th another opportunity as good as the in a dangerous position around to the referee that he was hauled afterwards as England reeled. their loyal followers. Pride and minute through Inter Milan’s Ivan one they’ve had because that was 25 yards out and Trippier curled down in the box by Maguire at a Mandzukic stung Pickford’s hands belief, at least, have been restored Perisic and Juventus striker Mario a huge opportunity and I feel for home right-footed over the wall, free-kick. There was a VAR check before Perisic lifted the ball over an to the nation’s football ranks. Mandzukic struck the decisive them most because of that.’’ with goalkeeper Danijel Subasic but, rightly, nothing doing. unguarded goal when the keeper blow four minutes into the second struggling to react, as England came out to punch clear. St Petersburg it is, rather than period of extra-time. Ex-England striker Ian Wright made a dream start. Lovren had to make a vital clearance back-to-back matches at Moscow’s said: “We have to be very proud to deny the diving Kane as he But it was extra-time for the third Luzhniki Stadium, and a third place Croatia, of course, have done of what the team have done up Harry Maguire, who scored a attempted to get his head to Trippier’s game running for Croatia, and the play-off with Belgium.