SPORT Sunday 8 July 2018 PAGEE | 1919 PAGEPAG | 20 Teary Uruguayy exit CupCup eexit ‘saddest World Cup dreamingming mmoment’om of of Qatar 22022022 NeyNeymar’sm career England sink Sweden to reach semis AFP SAMARA: Harry Maguire and Dele Alli scored as England comfortably defeated Sweden 2-0 in Samara yesterday to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990. Leicester defender Maguire headed in the opening goal from a corner on 30 minutes, with Alli adding a second just before the hour. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then produced a series of crucial saves in the final half-hour to seal England’s long-awaited spot in the last four. “It’s a great achievement for the team, we owed it to the fans back home who believed in us,” Alli said. “It’s always nice to score, espe- cially on occasions like this. It’s an England’s Harry amazing feeling to be going to a Maguire (third, left) semi-final at a World Cup.” scores their first goal Harry Kane failed to score for against Sweden during the first time in the competition, but the third quarter-final the England captain said confidence of the FIFA 2018 World was high after matching the coun- Cup at the Samara try’s best run at a major tournament Arena in Samara, since Euro ‘96. Russia yesterday. It was just a second England victory over Sweden in nine com- petitive meetings, and sets up a stroke of half-time when he bril- over after a scene of panic in the YESTERDAY'S RESULTS clash with either hosts Russia or liantly controlled Jordan Hender- Sweden area as England chased a Croatia on July 11 in Moscow for a son’s lofted pass, but he was unable third goal, although they were twice place in the final. to find a way past Robin Olsen and indebted to Pickford for preserving SWEDEN 0-2 ENGLAND Southgate stuck with the same his follow-up was blocked by their two-goal lead. team that overcame Colombia on Andreas Granqvist. The Everton shot-stopper thrust penalties in the last 16, while Pickford had relatively little to out a hand to superbly keep out RUSSIA 2-2 CROATIA Sebastian Larsson returned for ENGLAND SWEDEN do in a quiet first half, but the Claesson’s low strike from 10 yards CROATIA WON ON PENALTIES (3 - 4) Sweden after missing the 1-0 win England goalkeeper produced a following a neat lay-off by Berg. over Switzerland through vital stop to claw away a Marcus Pickford then showed terrific suspension. 2 0 Berg header minutes after the reflexes to tip over an effort from Viktor Claesson drilled over for MAGUIRE - 30' restart. Berg, who shot on the turn after England in last four Sweden early on with an ambitious England promptly cranked up being picked out in the area by sub- attempt from distance, while Kane, DELE - 59' the pressure and pulled further stitute John Guidetti. the tournament’s leading scorer ahead on 59 minutes when a com- Southgate withdrew Henderson thanks to ‘collective with six goals, dragged wide after Forsberg to nod low into the corner, pletely unmarked Alli sent a for Eric Dier in the closing stages a penetratingpenetrating runrun by RaheemRaheem as EnglandEngland sscoredcored forfor the eighth thumpingtu pingg headereade past OlsenOse and will havehave a full squadsquada Sterling.SterS lingngg. timetim in RussiaRusssiai fromfrom a dead-balldead-ball afterafter a first-timefirsirsrst-tit-time crosscross byby JesseJesse to choosechoose from iinn tthehe spirit’:spir Southgate SwedenSwwweden managermanagnagagger JanneJanneanna situation.situsituation. 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EnEnglEEnglandnglandd wweree a mmatchattccch fofororr doubleddoddouubu lededd thehe leadleal ad ono thehe REUTERSREUTERS ththemem atat sset-setset-pieces,pieces, andanndd so it it provedprovedvedd SAMASAMARA:RA: SSwedenw were lauded for their collective spirit heading whenwwhhenenn MagMMaMaguireguirere intointo their WorldW Cup quarter-final yesterday, however after his connectedccoconnonnneecectecteted withwiw thth sideside securedsecured a 2-0 win it was England manager Gareth Southgate AshleyAshlhlleye Young’sYoung’’s purring aboutabou the togetherness of his young squad. cornercorncocornrnnere after afterftf a Entering the tournament with minimal expecta- low-lowllow-keyowww-kkeyke firsfirstr t tions and the second youngest team at the World Cup, halfhalalff hour.hhooour. England surprised many by reaching their third ever MaguireMaguMagaguagug irere outout-- WorldWorl Cup semi-final. jumpjumjumpedumpummpedd tthehhe TThey have done so off the back of a change in attitude, mumucmmuchh iimplementedmplem by their 47-year-old coach. smalsmasmsmallermamalmala lerlere “That“That collectiveco (spirit) is why we are here,” Southgate told EEmilmilil reporters.reporters. “To getget throught the two games this week we needed all of that. WeWe are not the finished article and we do not have world class playersplayers yet, but we have young players who are prepared to be bravebrave on thethe ball and have shown a real mental resilience. BBeforeefore yyesterday’s win, achieved by goals from Harry Maguire andand Dele Alli,Alli, England had only beaten Sweden twice in their last 15 meetings. MManyany nnarrativesa are being rewritten in Southgate’s first major ttournamentournament since being appointed coach of the senior side in Sep- ttemberember 20120166 after several years coaching England’s youth ranks. SinceSince comingco in, the former defender and his team have looked to instil a newnew philosophy in the players and the coach was quick to credit these changes with England’s success in Russia. Emglish players “We“We havehav an outstanding mentality in these players, a humility celebrate after Dele and recognitionrecognit of where they were 18 months ago and the work Alli (right) scored their needed to geget to here. second goal against “We hahavev got to keep on improving as staff and as players. It Sweden yesterday. isn’isn’tt ababoutout mme, it is about the whole group.” 18 SPORT SUNDAY 8 JULY 2018 Sweden coach Martinez ‘proudest man on Andersson says England ‘can go earth’ after toppling Brazil all the way’ REUTERS way they believed until the last AFP second was incredible.” KAZAN: Belgium coach Roberto Martinez’s side will now take on Martinez said he was the “proudest France as they bid for Belgium’s first SAMARA: Sweden coach Janne Andersson said man on earth” and lavished praise on World Cup final, having emulated Guy England are capable of winning the World Cup his “underdog” team for having the Thys’s side who reached the last four after seeing his side beaten 2-0 by Gareth belief to upset five-times champions at the 1986 tournament in Mexico. Southgate’s side in the quarter-finals yesterday. Brazil on Friday to reach the World France were 2-0 winners over England will meet hosts Russia or Croatia Cup semi-finals for only the second Belgium coach Roberto Martinez Uruguay earlier on Friday. on Tuesday for a spot in the final, after goals time. during a press conference in Belgium needed to weather a from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli sent through A brave Belgium showcased their Kazan on Thursday. fierce second half rally by Tite’s side, to the last four of the competition for the first attacking brilliance then survived a who pegged one goal back with a time since 1990. spirited Brazilian fightback to claim header from substitute Renato “Yes, I definitely believe they are,” a 2-1 win over the tournament Augusto but squandered a number of Andersson responded when asked if England favourites at Kazan Arena and reach late chances for an equaliser. were good enough to win the tournament. the last four for the first time in 32 Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois “They’re strong and well-organised. I’d like years. made a number of fine saves and to pay tribute to both the team and the coach. Martinez shook up his side by needed every inch of his nearly-two “They’re a good football side, they don’t promoting Marouane Fellaini and metre frame to deny Brazil’s talisman give a lot of openings. I believe they are per- Nacer Chadli to the starting line-up, Neymar with a glove in the dying fectly capable of going all the way.” while dropping Dries Mertens to allow minutes. For Sweden, who failed to qualify for the playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to play “For me, Brazil are the best team previous two World Cups, it was their best further forward. in the tournament and without a result since finishing third at the 1994 finals. The ploy proved a masterstroke doubt the biggest threat from open “We came through to the quarter-finals in as De Bruyne tied Brazil’s defence in play,” said Martinez. a World Cup. I think we performed really well knots in a brilliant opening half, “We had to defend well for 90 to get here, we just weren’t good enough to scoring a stunning 31st minute goal minutes. But I felt our performance beat this side today,” Andersson said. to double the lead after Fernandinho’s merited the opportunity to go own goal. through.” Anchored by a so-called ‘golden generation’ of players, Belgium only reached the quarter- finals after overcoming a huge scare against Japan. But they will now head Against them, there’s into a semi-final against France with a psychological barrier huge confidence after taking the scalp of Brazil. -- the yellow tops, the Man-of-the-match De Bruyne five world titles and said his team had passed a “test of everything that goes character” in the closing 15 minutes with that.