ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY 9-10, 2021 16

England’s Harry Maguire (left), challenges Denmark’s Jannik Vestergaard (right), during the Euro 2020 soc- cer championship semifi nal match between England and Denmark at Wembley Sta- dium in London. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Three Lions return to Wembley to face Italy England advance to historic final

LONDON, July 8, (AP): England have times in either the World Cup or the Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Sch- their knees by that . mark’s captain who is recovering at broken through its semifinal ceiling European Championship. For that rea- meichel guessed the right way to block And Danish hopes of an equalizer home after suffering cardiac arrest and at major soccer tournaments. A title son, this will go down as one of the Kane’s but the ball came back were damaged by having to play with collapsing on the field against Finland match awaits for the first time in 55 most significant feats in the national to the England captain, who reacted only 10 men for the second half of on June 12 - would have been proud years. team’s history, something David Beck- quickly to put extra time after Jensen was forced off of as his replacement in the team Harry Kane converted the rebound ham, Wayne Rooney, Paul Gascoigne it into the net injured. Denmark had already used up whipped the ball over the defensive after his initial penalty was saved in and Gary Lineker never achieved. from six yards their six substitutes by then. wall and into the top corner. the 104th minute to give England a Two of those semifinals losses - in out. Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand’s At that stage, Denmark were on top, come-from-behind 2-1 win over Den- 1990 and 1996 - were decided via a pen- Denmark’s biggest grievance was with the award- with their pressing and slick passing mark in extra time in the European alty shootout, with Southgate missing a players, whose ing of the penalty. in midfield causing England problems Championship semifinals at Wembley crucial kick in one of them against Ger- emotionally and sparking concern among the previ- Stadium. many. And a shootout looked like where charged run to SOCCER ously boisterous home fans. England will return to their national England and Denmark were headed until the semifinals Moments after Sterling was denied soccer stadium on Sunday to play Italy Raheem Sterling wriggled into the area was powered from point-blank range by Schmeichel, and will be competing in their first fi- down the right, cut inside and fell under by a resolve to England showed another side by ral- Bukayo Saka was sent free down the England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pick- nal since the 1966 World Cup. That the challenge of Mattias Jensen. win the title for lying for victory after conceding a right by Kane’s pass and the winger’s ford celebrates his side’s 2-1 win remains England’s only international The contact looked minimal, and a Kane Christian Er- for the first time at Euro 2020 when low cross was bundled into the net by at the end of the Euro 2020 soc- title. video review was needed. After a brief iksen after the Mikkel Damsgaard scored with a free Denmark defender Simon Kjaer in the cer championship semifinal match In the intervening decades, the Eng- wait that must have felt longer to Eng- midfielder’s collapse on the field dur- kick in the 30th. 39th, under pressure from Sterling. It between England and Denmark at lish have lost in the semifinals four land’s fans, the decision stood. ing the group stage, were almost on It was a that Eriksen - Den- was the 11th own-goal of Euro 2020. Wembley stadium in London. (AP) Lightning repeat as Cup champs

Vasilevskiy wins Conn Smythe Trophy as NHL playoff MVP

The pose with the after defeating the 1-0 in Game 5 to win the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals in Tampa, Fla. (AP) Tokyo under state of emergency TAMPA, Florida, July 8, (AP): Quieting the din inside for just a moment, Ex-Real capt Ramos signs Gary Bettman looked over to the Tampa Bay Lightning and reached back into the dark days 2-year contract with PSG of the pandemic perhaps one last time. Fans banned at Olympics The NHL commissioner beckoned not just captain PARIS, July 8, (AP): Obsessed with winning the but the entire team over to touch, kiss Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain added pre- and hoist the Stanley Cup as champions once more. cious experience to their squad by recruiting former TOKYO, July 8, (AP): Fans were “It’s not too late. Cancel or postpone It was a familiar sight for the back-to-back champions, Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on Thursday. banned from the pandemic-postponed it,” said Yukio Edano, the head of the even if it was different in every possible way. The 35-year-old Ramos signed a two-year deal Tokyo Olympics which will open in Constitutional Democratic Party of Ja- After the Lightning beat the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 on with PSG after Madrid preferred not to renew his two weeks, Tokyo Governor Yuriko pan, the largest opposition party to Su- Wednesday night to end the final in five games, Stamkos contract last month. Koike said after meeting with IOC and ga’s LDP The uptick in infections has hoisted the Cup in front of 18,110 fans — 18,110 more than Ramos was with the Spanish powerhouse since Japanese organizers on Thursday. also forced the Tokyo city government the last time he did back in September. arriving from Sevilla in 2005 when he was 19. The The ban came hours after a state of to pull the Olympic torch relay off Pyrotechnics went off around him to celebrate not only central defender helped the club win 22 titles, in- emergency in the capital starting from capital streets, allowing it to run only Tampa Bay winning during a pandemic once again but the cluding four Champions Leagues and five Spanish Monday, declared by Japanese Prime on remote islands off the Tokyo coast. end of another grueling season played against the backdrops leagues. His 93rd-minute header helped secure Ma- Minister Yoshihide Suga to contain It’s unclear how the torch will enter the of protocols, restrictions and heartbreak. As Stamkos took drid the European trophy in 2014. rising COVID-19 cases. stadium for the opening ceremony. another lap with the Cup, players held up their phones to “This is a big change in my life, a new challenge The twin decisions have turned the “The infections are in their expan- capture video of the fans, the confetti and the joy of being and it’s a day I will never forget,” Ramos said. Olympics into a made-for-TV event sion phase and everyone in this coun- able to really, truly celebrate. in a decision pushed by the Japanese Vasilevskiy had a series-ending for an NHL-re- government and supported by the In- OLYMPICS cord fifth consecutive time dating to the 2020 final. Finish- ternational Olympic Committee. ing with a handful in a frantic final minute, he made 22 saves this world.” The scene couldn’t have been any further from “Many people were looking forward to remain undefeated in games after a loss over the past two the mirthless, empty arena where the Lightning won the Cup to watching the games at the venues, try must firmly understand the seri- , both of them won by Tampa Bay in the pandemic. last September in a quarantined bubble across the continent but I would like everyone to fully ousness of it,” Dr. Shigeru Omi, a top in Edmonton, Alberta. Tampa Bay joined Pittsburgh as the enjoy watching the games on TV at government medical adviser, said. only back-to-back Cup winner in the salary cap era, but even home,” Koike said after the meeting. He urged authorities to quickly take more impressively did it in the shortest span between cham- Fans from aboard were banned Tokyo Olympics Minister Tamayo tough measures ahead of the Olympics, pionships in the long history of the NHL. months ago, and the new measures will Marukawa speaks during the five- with summer vacations approaching. party meeting in Tokyo. (AP) When Vasilevskiy was thrust into the 2015 Stanley Cup How deep? had 32 points to join Ma- clear venues around Tokyo - indoor Omi has repeatedly called for a ban on Final with starting injured, he was a rio Lemieux as the only players to lead the postseason in and outdoor - of any fans at all. the IOC allowed venues to be filled to spectators, and has said it’s “abnormal” shy, unknown player at the beginning of his NHL journey. scoring two years in a row, and scored 14 The emergency declaration made for 50% of capacity but crowds not to ex- to hold the Olympics during a pandemic. Six years later, he’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion goals through three rounds. Kucherov, Point and Hedman all a rude arrival in Japan for IOC President ceed 10,000. The state of emergency has Separately, a government COV- at the peak of his career after backstopping the Tampa played through injuries, too. Thomas Bach, who landed in Tokyo on forced a late turnaround, which was al- ID-19 advisory panel met Wednesday and expressed concerns about the on- Bay Lightning to a second consecutive title. Continuing Thursday just hours before the new mea- ways an option if infections got worse. to validate the organization’s faith in him, Vasilevskiy sures were announced. He was to spend going resurgence of the infections. three days in self-isolation at the five-star “We will have to consider the op- “Two-thirds of the infections in the had a shutout in all four series clinchers, never lost back- tion of no spectators,” Marukawa said to-back games and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as play- hotel that lodges IOC members. capital region are from Tokyo, and Suga said the state of emergency in opening remarks with the IOC and our concern is the spread of the infec- off MVP. others as they went into meetings to So focused on raising the Cup again, Vasilevskiy didn’t would go into effect on Monday and tions to neighboring areas,” said Ryuji last through Aug. 22. This means the discuss a ban on fans. “How to stop Wakita, director-general of the Na- even hear NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman call his name. people enjoying the Olympics from “It was a big surprise,” Vasilevskiy said. “I couldn’t be- Olympics, opening on July 23 and run- tional Institute of Infectious Diseases. ning through Aug. 8, will be held en- going out for drinks is a main issue,” The Olympics are pushing ahead lieve it.” His five consecutive series-clinching dat- Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said. ing to the 2020 final are a league record. After carrying the tirely under emergency measures. The against most medical advice, partially Lightning to another championship, Vasilevskiy sipped a Paralympics open on Aug. 24. The present state of emergency ends because the postponement stalled the sports drink leaning against the bench while his teammates “Taking into consideration the im- Sunday. Tokyo reported 896 new cases IOC’s income flow. It gets almost 75% celebrated — a much deserved breather while fans chanted, pact of the delta strain, and in order on Thursday, up from 673 a week ear- of its income from selling broadcast “Va-sy! Va-sy!” Despite teammate and Russian countryman to prevent the resurgence of infections lier. It’s the 19th straight day that cases rights, and estimates suggest it would Nikita Kucherov continually calling him the best and say- from spreading across the country, we have topped the mark set seven days lose $3 billion to $4 billion if the ing he’d be MVP, Vasilevskiy said - with the Conn Smythe need to step up virus prevention mea- prior. New cases on Wednesday hit Olympics were canceled. Trophy next to him — “I still can be better.” sures,” Suga said. 920, the highest total since 1,010 were About 11,000 Olympians and 4,400 and David Savard weren’t around last year and Suga, who had long favored fans, reported on May 13. Paralympians are expected to enter Ja- The no-fan atmosphere will include made sure to put their stamp on Tampa Bay’s latest title run. Sa- Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender hinted at a no-fan Olympics in an- pan, with tens of thousands of officials, vard set up Colton’s goal midway through the second period past (88) stops Montreal Canadiens right wing Corey Perry nouncing the state of emergency. the opening ceremony at the $1.4 bil- judges, administrators, sponsors, broad- Canadiens stalwart and the packed crowd roared. (94) as Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) defends “I have already said I won’t hesitate lion National Stadium, which is tradi- casters, and media also entering. The “To do it in front of our fans and our families, it’s so spe- during the third period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey to have no spectators,” he added. tionally the most watched event during IOC says more than 80% of resident of cial, special,” defenseman said. “It’s out of Stanley Cup Final in Montreal. (AP) Just two weeks ago, organizers and the Olympics. the Olympic Village will be vaccinated.

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