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Home , Austria, Daniel Bachmann, Igor Angelovski, Kasper Hjulmand, Michael Gregoritsch, Stole Dimitrievski

Established 1961 15 Sports Monday, 14, 2021

England’s Sterling sinks as see off LONDON: Raheem Sterling ignited England’s games and can still reach our objective of mov- 2020 campaign as the Manchester City for- ing into the round.” ward’s clinical finish sealed a 1-0 win against Croatia in their Group D opener yesterday. Gareth England hold firm Southgate’s side were struggling to break down England host neighbors in their sec- Croatia until Sterling struck in the second half at ond Group D match on Friday before taking on the sunbaked Wembley. Czech in their final game of the first The 26-year-old’s first goal at a major tourna- stage on June 22. Southgate’s surprise decision to ment - in his 13th game - was the perfect riposte to select Kalvin Phillips proved an inspired move as, critics who questioned Southgate’s decision to along with Sterling, the Leeds midfielder was select him instead of Jack Grealish. Sterling has England’s most accomplished performer. endured a chequered relationship with England fans Manchester City forward Phil Foden, his hair after being hounded following his tame performanc- bleached blond, has drawn comparisons with es at Euro 2016. England legend Gascoigne, who sported the He also struggled to hold down a place with same eye-catching hair cut during Euro 96. champions City this term, culminat- In the absence of the injured Harry Maguire, ing in his lacklustre display in their Champions Tyrone Mings and John Stones were up to the task League final defeat against Chelsea. But, days after as England’s center-backs held firm to clinch a vic- he was given an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday tory in their opening European Championship Honors List for his anti- campaigning, game for the first time. Sterling enjoyed a perfectly-timed moment of Meanwhile, substitutes and redemption. Marko Arnautovic scored late goals as Austria In a rematch of the 2018 Cup semi-final sealed a 3-1 victory over major tournament debu- won by Croatia, England were hampered by a lack tants North Macedonia in their Group C opener at of cutting edge until Sterling came to the rescue. Euro 2020 yesterday. Sterling’s winner eased the tension at Wembley and put the ahead early on in got fans bellowing ‘Football’s coming home’ in the , but 37-year-old captain LONDON: England’s forward Raheem Sterling scores his team first goal past Croatia’s defender Sime Vrsaljko hope England can emulate their run to the semi- levelled before the half-hour mark to become the during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group D football match at Wembley Stadium yesterday. — AFP finals when they hosted Euro 96, and maybe even second-oldest scorer in Euro history and delight the win a major tournament for the first time since the vocal Macedonian fans. Macedonians yesterday, Austria struck against the pass too close to Dimitrievski. 1966 World Cup. But Gregoritsch diverted home the deciding run of in the 18th minute as right-back Lainer But North Macedonia continued to press and “I’m so pleased for Raheem. He was dangerous goal 12 minutes from time and Arnautovic added a met ’s cross at the back post to vol- levelled in the 28th minute as Austria goalkeeper all game. His goalscoring record suggests we should third to ensure Austria claimed their first-ever ley past goalkeeper . lost the ball as he slid out to col- have faith in him and I think he was motivated to European Championship win and struck first blood Lainer celebrated by holding up a shirt with the lect it after some comical defending, and Pandev show that,” Southgate said. In truth, this was a far in a group also containing the and words “Eriksen stay strong” after mid- gleefully accepted the gift to slot into an empty net. from convincing performance, but Southgate will , who meet in later in the day. fielder suffered a cardiac arrest in It was a record-extending 38th goal for the for- take heart from the way his team kept their nerve on Austria next visit the Dutch on Thursday, while their game against on . It was the mer Inter Milan forward for his country, making him a pressure-packed occasion. North Macedonia stay in the Romanian to first time Austria had taken the lead in a European the second-oldest player to net in the tournament Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic added: “We have lots face Ukraine. Championship game. They quickly threatened a after Ivica Vastic at the age of 38 against of optimism. We are looking forward to our next After a bright start by ’s second goal as Sasa Kalajdzic turned Sabitzer’s in 2008. — AFP seek revenge on Scotland for COVID, race rows Muamba says Eriksen GLASGOW: Scotland’s first match at know him so that I can’t imagine a major tournament for 23 years is him saying anything racist. I also tried collapse brought back laced with acrimony for the Czech to convince the boys in the locker Republic, who travel to Hampden room about that.” today having been forced into a last- On the field, Kudela’s presence will harrowing memories minute change of training camp and be missed. Without him, Slavia were LONDON: Fabrice Muamba has spoken about without suspended defender Ondrej swept aside by Arsenal in the Europa how watching Christian Eriksen receive life-sav- Kudela. Kudela was hit with a 10- League quarter-finals and the ing treatment at Euro 2020 brought back emo- match ban for racially abusing Rangers are not blessed with strength in depth tional memories of his own cardiac arrest as a GLASGOW: Czech Republic’s players attend an MD-1 training session at Hampden midfielder Glen Kamara when Slavia at center-back. “When it comes to doctor warned the Dane was unlikely to play visited Scotland in the Europa Ondrej and his case, the entire team Park yesterday on the of their UEFA EURO 2020 Group D football match against Scotland. — AFP again. Eriksen received CPR as his distraught League last 16 in March. can feel it and we would like to have teammates formed a circle around him to shield The widespread condemnation of Ondrej with us,” Czech Republic assis- the stricken player from the view of 16,000 Kudela in Britain has not been reflect- tant manager Jiri Chytry said this week. the start of Euro 2020 as the Scottish “I personally would be happier if we stunned fans in on Saturday. ed in his homeland, where Slavia and government refused to ease its strict were in a single place and had the base The won 1-0 thanks to a Joel Pohjanpalo many of his club and international ‘Nobody wants to risk anything’ coronavirus rules for close contacts of camp in Scotland. But I also under- header in their first-ever appearance in the teammates have stood by the 34-year- But his ban has not been the only a positive case. Scotland’s own bid to stand nobody wants to risk anything,” European Championship but Eriksen’s plight old and claimed there was a lack of bump in the Czechs preparations. qualify was nearly derailed by those said Burnley striker Matej Vydra. overshadowed the match. Muamba, the former evidence against him. “I fight for Thanks to qualifying automatically, rules when key players Kieran Tierney To stir the pot even further, the Bolton midfielder who collapsed after suffering a Ondra all the time,” Tomas Soucek, months before Scotland did so via the and Ryan Christie missed a playoff Czech FA even failed in a late attempt cardiac arrest during a televised FA Cup game in who starred in the Premier League for Nations League playoffs, Jaroslav semi-final against due to a posi- to get the match switched from 2012, tweeted “Please God” following the inci- Ham this season told Czech pub- Silhavy’s men had snapped up the tive for Southampton’s Stuart Hampden due to the strict travel rules dent. “To watch it from that distance and not lication Idnes. Scottish national team’s normal base in Armstrong. that prevent travelling fans from knowing the expectation of what was going to “I believe that he did not tell him with the first two of their Under those rules, one positive case attending without spending 10 days in happen - it’s scary,” he told the BBC. “It’s anything racist, there was no evidence, Group D matches in Glasgow before in camp could force a host of players quarantine. By contrast, Scotland will to the medical staff that they’ve come in and they but a lot of people on the (the facing England at Wembley. into isolation. As a result, the Czechs be roared on by home fans for the first did an amazing job on Christian.” UK) condemned him and he received a However, those plans had to be will be based in Prague and fly into the time since Nov 2019, with 12,000 in Muamba said he was impressed by how severe sentence. I find it absurd. I changed just over two weeks before UK for all three of their group games. attendance. — AFP Eriksen’s teammates had surrounded him to “pro- tect the whole situation”. “It just brought back emotion that you’ve literally put down there for a promising youngsters and high- long time that you don’t want to re-live,” he said. Uncertainty, COVID chaos end performers arrive without any Doctor confirms “To see it on the other side, when it happened I real sense of what fills the asked my missus ‘how did you even cope know- curb excitement for void. Since the last World Cup, 61 Eriksen suffered ing this has happened to me’? “I’m hoping that players have played for Spain’s things turn out to be OK for him. I really, really, : After a week without defeat in Moscow was clear - the senior team as the desire for a really hope he comes through.” training and three years of historic crop of 2008 to 2012 had clean slate under ‘cardiac arrest’ upheaval, Spain into their grown old and the style that and, briefly, Robert Moreno, Cardiologist warning COPENHAGEN: Denmark’s team doctor said yes- Euro 2020 opener against placed Barcelona and Spain at the meant opportunities were spread A sports cardiologist who previously worked terday there was still “no explanation” for why mid- today determined to vanguard of football was painfully far and wide. with Eriksen at Tottenham said the midfielder, fielder Christian Eriksen collapsed during his coun- leave the past behind but unsure out of date. At La Cartuja in But a crystallization of those now at Inter Milan, was unlikely to play again. try’s opening Euro 2020 game against Finland, but about what comes next. Luis Seville today, only Jordi Alba will ideas never really materialized, “Clearly something went terribly wrong,” Sanjay confirmed he had suffered a cardiac arrest. “He was Enrique was appointed to ring remain from the Euro success nine meaning even the most forensic Sharma, professor of sports cardiology at St gone, and we did cardiac resuscitation,” team doc- the changes in the aftermath of years ago, with Sergio Ramos cut observers are struggling to pre- George’s, University of London, told the Press the 2018 World Cup, when going and Sergio Busquets self-isolating dict who will start today’s opener tor Morten Boesen told a press conference. “How Association agency. “But they managed to get out on penalties to had after testing positive for COVID in Group E, which also includes close were we? I don’t know. We got him back after him back. The question is what happened? And made it three consecutive failures last weekend. Poland and . Some of the one defib (defibrillation), so that’s quite fast,” why did it happen? This guy had normal tests all to reach the quarter-finals of a And yet while the names bear biggest question marks hang over Boesen added. However, the physician also said they the way up to 2019 so how do you explain this major tournament. almost no resemblance to what the most important positions, with had yet to discover that cause of the 29-year-old’s cardiac arrest?” Sharma, who chairs the Football Association’s The conclusion in the wake of went before, Spain’s fresh mix of Luis Enrique refusing to confirm if heart attack. “There’s no explanation so far,” Boesen Athletic Bilbao’s Unai Simon will said, adding that all tests done so far on the player, expert cardiac consensus group, said there were play in goal, ahead of David de who is still in hospital, have come back fine. That is multiple reasons a cardiac arrest could have hap- Gea and Brighton’s Robert also one of the reasons that he is still in the hospi- pened, such as high temperatures or an unidenti- Sanchez. tal,” the physician added. fied condition. But he said reports after the match Ramos’ omission means Pau The Inter Milan suddenly collapsed in the that Eriksen, 29, was awake in hospital were “a Torres is expected to be partnered 43rd minute of Denmark’s Group B game against very good sign”. by Aymeric Laporte, the former Finland on Saturday, laying motionless as medical “I’m very pleased,” he said. “The fact he’s sta- ble and awake, his outlook is going to be very defender who declared for personnel administered CPR. He laid on the field for good. I don’t know whether he’ll ever play foot- Spain last month and would be about 15 minutes before being carried off the pitch ball again. Without putting it too bluntly, he died earning only his second cap and rushed to hospital. The game was temporarily today, albeit for a few minutes, but he did die and against Sweden. Koke, Rodri or suspended awaiting updates on Eriksen’s health, but would the medical professional allow him to die resumed later in the evening after reports filtered Thiago Alcantara could all form the again? The answer is no.” Former Tottenham through that the player was in a stable condition base of the midfield trio while the player and manager Glenn Hoddle, who suffered central striker might be either and awake. It ended in a 1-0 win for debutants SEVILLA: Sweden’s players pose with a banner displaying a message in sup- a cardiac arrest while working for TV in 2018, Finland. Players in the Danish team were given the port of Denmark’s midfielder Christian Eriksen prior to an MD-1 training ses- Villarreal’s in-form Gerard Moreno tweeted: “Thank God Christian is OK. And to sion at La Cartuja Stadium yesterday on the eve of their UEFA EURO 2020 or Alvaro Morata, who was option to continue the game or postpone it, but those who did the CPR, it’s simple, you saved his Group E football match against Spain. — AFP mocked by his own fans in the last yesterday head coach said he life as I know so well.” —AFP friendly against . — AFP regretted the decision. — AFP