ARAB TIMES, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2021 16 Arizona Diamondbacks start- ing pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the Milwaukee Brew- ers during the fi rst inning of a baseball game in Phoenix. Diamondbacks won 5-1. (AP) - See Page 15 Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Finland have small chance of qualifying as one of four best third-place fi nishers Denmark qualify as Belgium maintain unbeaten run COPENHAGEN, June 22, (AP): After 59th by pouncing on a massive defen- scoring a goal to help Denmark ad- sive error. Roman Zobnin tried to play vance at the European Championship, a back pass to his goalkeeper but in- Joakim Maehle walked straight to a stead gave the ball straight to the Den- TV camera and formed a “10” with his mark forward, who could put it into an Argentina secure place fi ngers. empty net. That was for Christian Eriksen. Russia only needed a draw to ad- Maehle’s 82nd-minute goal put vance and Artem Dzyuba got the visi- some extra gloss on a 4-1 win over tors back in the match when he made it Russia that gave Denmark second 2-1 from the penalty spot in the 70th. place in Group B and an automatic Finland’s Jere Uronen (left), stops However, Andreas Christensen net- in Copa knockout stage spot in the round of 16. Belgium’s Leandro Trossard during ted from outside the area in the 79th After Eriksen’s collapse in the fi rst the Euro 2020 soccer champion- and Maehle fi nished off a quick coun- game and two subsequent losses at ship group B match between Fin- ter to put the game beyond doubt. home, Denmark fi nally was able to land and Belgium at Saint Peters- Russia had frustrated Denmark for Suárez ends Uruguay’s scoring drought celebrate in front of their raucous and burg stadium, in St. Petersburg, much of the fi rst half with its defensive Russia. (AP) jubilant supporters at Parken Stadium. tactics. But Damsgaard - who came SAO PAULO, June 22, Eriksen - who wears No. 10 for the for Denmark in Amsterdam on Satur- into the starting lineup in Eriksen’s ab- have gone better. their fi rst appearance at a major tour- (AP): Papu Gómez scored national team - suffered cardiac arrest day. And a tournament that so nearly sence - produced the opener when he The world’s top-ranked team beat nament. and had to be resuscitated with a de- began with a tragedy could still turn collected a pass from Pierre-Emile Ho- Finland 2-0 to fi nish in fi rst place in Belgium’s second goal, scored by in the 10th minute as Ar- fi brillator. He was released from the into a triumph. jbjerg, took one touch to create some Romelu Lukaku in the 81st minute gentina beat Paraguay 1-0 hospital on Friday. Given all the team’s earlier misfor- space and unleashed a shot that sailed SOCCER Denmark, Russia and Finland all fi n- tune, perhaps it was fi tting that they into the top corner. for his third at Euro 2020, could prove on Monday and secured signifi cant because it left the Finns as ished with three points but the Danes were helped by a massive gift this Three straight wins, seven goals and Group B and join Italy and the Neth- their place in the Copa had the better goal difference. Belgium time. After Mikkel Damsgaard put their top players with game time in the worst third-place team in the three erlands in qualifying with maximum America knockout stage. won the group with nine points after Denmark ahead in the 38th minute their legs. completed groups. They have only a The result at the Mané Garrin- beating Finland 2-0. with a looping shot from outside the For Belgium, the group stage at the points. small chance of qualifying as one of Finland fi nished in third place in cha stadium in Brasilia moved Ar- Now a meeting with Wales awaits area, Yussuf Poulsen made it 2-0 in the European Championship could hardly four best third-place fi nishers. gentina atop Group A with seven points from three matches. The FTs failed Ben game also gave Lionel Messi a record 147th cap for the national 76ers’ Simmons team, equalling the mark of retired defender Javier Mascherano. Chile, which also advanced to the future uncertain quarterfi nals, are second in the group with fi ve points after the 1-1 draw PHILADELPHIA, June 22, (AP): with Uruguay. Paraguay have three Ben Simmons backed his way to points, fol- the basket, spun around Danilo lowed by Uru- Gallinari for the easy look at the guay (1) and net - an uncontested layup, a dunk Bolivia (0). - and he passed. Passed the ball. Captain Mes- Passed on the shot. Passed on the si, seeking his chance to tie the game. fi rst major title Joel Embiid threw up his hands with the na- in disbelief. With a chance to tie tional team, had Game 7 against Atlanta late in the to work with a fourth quarter, Simmons surren- team impacted dered the chance to play postsea- by six changes Suarez son hero and fed the ball to Mat- in the starting isse Thybulle. lineup. “I just as- Defenders Germán Pezzella and sumed Gallo Nicolás Tagliafi co, midfi elders Rodri- was com- go de Paul and Leandro Paredes; and ing over my forwards Sergio Aguero and Ángel back,” Sim- di Maria started. Nicolás Otamendi, mons said. Marcos Acuña, Leandro Paredes, Simmons Giovani Lo Celso, Lautaro Martínez thought Gal- and Nico González were left out of linari would the starting lineup. try to foul him - much as the Simmons Hawks did SOCCER throughout the seven-game series victory to reach the Eastern Con- The changes did not stop Argentina ference fi nals - and going to the from starting strongly. Early in the line in the clutch was a risk the All- game, Messi found Di María on the Star guard was not willing to take. right, and the veteran winger eluded His free-throw shooting was Denmark’s Thomas Delaney (left), and Russia’s Aleksei Miranchuk challenge for the ball during the Euro 2020 soccer championship group B match be- the Paraguayan defense with an as- the poison in the postseason that tween Russia and Denmark at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. (AP) sist to Gómez. The striker lifted a shot ultimately knocked out the top- over Paraguay goalkeeper Antony seeded Sixers. Simmons shot Silva. 25-for-73 (34%) from the line in Wembley capacity increased for Euro 2020 semifi nals, fi nal Argentina forced Silva to make the playoffs and missed 27 alone important saves in the fi rst half but against the Hawks. the energy of the team waned in the Unacceptable numbers for any second half, as it has in several recent player, much less a former No. 1 France’s showdown against Portugal lacks punch matches. draft pick with more than $140 Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni million left on his contract. He BUDAPEST, Hungary, June 22, (AP): Wembley Stadium after UEFA secured said he was concerned about play- can’t shoot 3s (5-for-34 career), France advanced without kicking a an agreement Tuesday with the British ers being tired after a long season his free throws failed him and now ball, and Portugal can move on as well government on an an increased capac- and three straight Copa America Simmons is afraid to dunk. Coach even with a loss on Wednesday. Ticket sales for ’22 WC ity. matches. Doc Rivers went from Simmons’ Hardly the heavyweight showdown No details have been provided yet on Messi had his least impressive per- most ardent supporter early in many had hoped for in a match pitting how fans from overseas can potentially formance at the tournament so far, but the playoffs to openly wondering defending champions Portugal against set to begin in January attend without having to quarantine af- he still got praise from the previous about the guard’s fate in Philly. World Cup champion France, and Cris- ter fl ying into London. holder of the record of most matches tiano Ronaldo against Kylian Mbappe. LONDON, June 22, (AP): FIFA FIFA would not say if it agrees The government had already agreed played for Argentina. BASKETBALL Results on Tuesday guaranteed is preparing to start selling tickets with the plan or discuss the logis- to increase the current group-stage Argentina’s last group-stage match France a spot in the round of 16. A one- for the 2022 World Cup in January tics behind checking the vaccina- capacity of about 22,000 to at least will be on Monday against Bolivia. goal loss for Portugal should be enough while still trying to find out more tion status of thousands of visiting 40,000 for one game in the round of 16 Paraguay will take on Chile on Thurs- Simmons lost his shot, his con- as long as Hungary doesn’t win in Ger- on Qatar’s plan to make coronavi- fans. game and the fi nal three matches of the day. The top four in each fi ve-team many in Group F’s other game. fi dence, and potentially his job in rus vaccines mandatory for specta- “Further details will be pro- Euro 2020 tournament at the 90,000- group will advance. Philadelphia. Still, that’s unlikely to alter France seat stadium. coach Didier Deschamps’ way of tors. vided at the appropriate time in Meanwhile, Luis Suárez ended a How can the Sixers justify World football’s governing advance of the start of the ticket Now Wembley will be allowed to be goal scoring drought for Uruguay that bringing him back? “I still be- thinking, and he is thinking only of at about 75% capacity for the semifi - fi rst place.