3-5-2 FOOTBALL

Defending champions Brazil defeated Spain 2-1 to win their second consecutive gold medal in men’s football after their Gold in Rio. Spain bagged the Silver, while Mexico clinched the Bronze after defeating host Japan in the third placing match. Substitute Malcom delivered the winner in the 108th minute. Here are some interesting facts about the Olympics  football final. 1. It took Brazil 64 years to win their first Olympic gold medal in football. Just five years later, they won their second. 2. Brazil became the fifth team in history to win back-to-back men’s titles at the Olympics. Argentina was the last to accomplish the feat in 2004 and 2008 3. The Rio Olympic final had been played out in front of 63,000 people at the Maracanã. In Yokohama, the teams were confronted with the familiar spectacle of empty plastic seats. The International Stadium is a huge open concrete bowl, agreeably tatty in places, with the sprawling vista that comes from a six-lane old-school running trac...

Ballon d’Or is the greatest footballing individual achievement anybody can get on a global stage. The winner will be handed a gold trophy and this has been handed out to the best player on the planet since 1956. Ballon d'Or was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID19 is now back. The world cannot wait to see the biggest individual honour the game has to offer to the winner in 2021. Although the award will only be handed out in December, performances over these last few weeks will go a long way to deciding who will and won't be in contention to be the next winner of the Golden Ball. With the European season now well behind us and both Euro 2020 and the Copa America also in the books, the world's best players are beginning to come to the fore. Although world football has dozens of talents and potentials to win this coveted award, but the last decade showed a total duopoly between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi securing 11 of the total awards between themselves in the last 1...

Euphoria erupts in the streets of Rome immediately after the victory.  Roberto Mancini  boys became men as they came back from the shock concede and claim a 3-2 victory over  England  at Wembley. Luke Shaw 's goal inside the opening two minutes gave England a lead, which looked like it would hold onto all night. But a goalmouth scramble midway through the second half allowed  Leonardo Bonucci  to poke home an equalizer for  Italy . It was a similar story in the first additional 15 minutes, though England did briefly force their way back into the game in the second period, albeit without either side creating anything to reward the crowd for their waves of noise. So it went to penalties, where England’s young guns failed and Italy took the championship. It is the  Azzurri 's first major title in 15 years since they won the World Cup over France. Gianlucci Donnarumma  saved from  Jadon Sancho  and  Bukayo Saka  after  Ma...

Lionel Messi  finally able to secure his first international medal with Argentina to his collection of  La Liga ,  Champions League ,  World Club Cup ,  Ballon d’Or  and more. Clearly he is in tears, succumbed to the atmosphere finally realizing the dreams have come true at last. Argentina  have also won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday when an  Angel Di Maria  goal gave them a 1-0 win over  Brazil  and a record-equalling 15th  Copa America . The victory also means they draw level with  Uruguay  as the all-time leading winners. Di Maria, starting for just the second time in the Copa, justified his selection by scoring the opener in the 22nd minute in the first half. Argentina managed to defend even when Brazil piled on the pressure in an exciting second half but even with five strikers on the field they could not get an equaliser against an Argentine defence protected by the outstanding  Rodrigo De...

England reached their first major tournament final since 1966 after defeating Denmark 2-1 in Euro quarterfinals. Captain Harry Kane fired his side into European Championship final by tapping in the rebound to his saved penalty in extra-time. Despite being tired of traveling, Denmark showed a lot of determination from the kick-off. Mikkel Damsgaard ended England's run of clean sheets with a superb freekick to beat Jordan Pickford in the 30th minute. The Three Lions responded with increasing the pressure on Denmark. Nine minutes later, Bukayo Saka delivered a fine pass into the danger area for Raheem Sterling , but was intercepted by Simon Kjaer and the ball ended into his own net. ASIA SPORTS CHANNEL The 1-1 score remained until the full time whistle. As the match got into the extra-time, England pegged back a tiring Denmark side. In the 103rd minute, Sterling was brought down in the penalty area by Joakim Maehle . Kane took the spotkick, Kasper Schmeichel saved it but the...

Italy beat Spain 4-2 in penalty shootouts to booked a spot in the Euro 2020 final. The semifinal clash at Wembley Stadium ended with a 1-1 draw and the winner have to be decided through penalties. Alvaro Morata failed to score his spot kick, and Jorginho delivered the winner for the Azzurri . After having impressive runs in this tournament, the match between the two sides was expected to be a very tight contest. In the 60th minute, Federico Chiesa looked as if he had sent Italy through with a wonderful shot from a counter attack. However, Morata came on to slot the equaliser with just 10 minutes left on the clock. Roberto Mancini had lead Italy to be one the best team in this tournament. They had won all their previous 13 games and deserve the place in the final. The Azzurri will play against England or Denmark in the final this Sunday. Photo:  UEFA EURO 2020 THE MATCH

England displayed extraordinary performance when they thrashed Ukraine 4-0 in Rome on Saturday. Skipper Harry Kane found the net twice as they reached the Euro semifinals for the first time in 25 years. England were ahead after just four minutes at the Stadio Olimpico when Kane converted Raheem Sterling through ball. Both teams went into the break with just one goal separating them. Then Harry Maguire headed home for England's second in less than a minute into the second half. SUFI SUPER YACHTS In the 50th minute, Kane scored England's third as Ukraine's losing their focus. Gareth Southgate sent in Jordan Henderson and scored his first international goal in the 63rd minute to ensure England comfortably cruise into the last four. The Three Lions will face Denmark at Wembley in the semifinals. In another quarterfinals match, Denmark edged Czech Republic 2-1 to join the last four. Thomas Delaney opened the scoring in the 5th minute, before Kasper Dolberg doubled t...

Italy ended Belgium's good run in Euro 2020 with a narrow 2-1 win at Allianz Arena. The clash between the two favourites can be regarded as an anti-climax because both sides have been showing entertaining performance throughout this campaign. It was very unfortunate as they had to meet in the quarterfinals. As expected, the match started with a lot of qualities. However, Nicolo Barella managed to get the breakthrough for Italy with a goal in the 31st minute. Lorenzo Insigne doubled the lead for the Azzurri  in the 44th minute. Romelu Lukaku brought Belgium back into the match with a goal right before the break. THE MATCH Belgium went all out in the second half in search for an equaliser. However, Italy were rock solid and hard to break. The score remained until the final whistle and Italy are through into the semifinals. In another Euro quarterfinals, Spain beat Switzerland in penalty shootouts to reach the next stage. Denis Zakaria own goal in the 8th minute gave Spain th...

Spain overcame a late scare by Croatia to secure a place in the Euro quarterfinals. The three time Euro champions were already in a comfortable zone until the 85th minute when Croatia made a comeback attempt and dragged the match into extra-time. Croatia took the lead in the 20th minute from Pedri 's own goal. However Pablo Sarabia leveled the score 38th minute. Cesar Azpilicueta put Spain ahead in the 57th minute. In the 77th minute, Ferran Torres netted the third goal for Spain. Croatia did not give up and increased the pressure in search for goal. Just five minutes before the final whistle, Mislav Orsic gave his team a fighting chance. As they pushed for a miracle, Mario Pasalic made it 3-3 in the added time. SUFI SUPER YACHTS Both teams have to play another 30 minutes of extra-time. Alvaro Morata scored Spain's fourth goal in the 100th minute. Three minutes later, Mikel Oyarzabal added their fifth and sealed a place in the quarterfinals.  Switzerland pulled-off a...

Denmark produced one of their best performance in Euro championship as they thrashed Wales 4-0 in the last 16. Kasper Dolberg became the hero in Amsterdam by scoring the first two goals for his team. After having a poor start in this campaign, Denmark is improving in every match. Dolberg opened the scoring in the 27th minute and gave his team a 1-0 lead at half time. Just three minutes after the match resumed, Dolberg found the net again to double their lead. Joakim Mæhle scored the third goal in the 88th minute to shut any chance for a Welsh comeback. Martin Braithwaite ensured Denmark marched into the quarterfinals as a serious title challenger with another goal in the added time. In another match, Italy edged Austria 2-1 to move into the last eight. After a goalless 90 minutes, Federico Chiesa broke the deadlock just five minutes into extra time. Matteo Pessina scored Italy's second in the 105th minute. In the 114th minute Saša Kalajdžić found the net for Austria, but Italy ...

Germany  bounced back from their unimpressive starts in their  Euro 2020  campaign with a 4-2 victory over defending champions  Portugal . The Germans were more organized in the match at the Allianz Arena while Portugal struggled with chaotic moments in the defence. Cristiano Ronaldo  gave Portugal a perfect start in the 15th minute. It is his 12th goal from five Euro competitions. However the Portugal's defenders could not play the same level as their captain. Two own goals by  Ruben Dias  and  Raphael Guerreiro  put them behind at half time. TIGERS UNITED Kai Havertz  scored Germany's third, just six minutes after the match resumed.  Robin Gosens  made it four in the 60th minute to send Germany further ahead.  Diogo Jota  pulled one back for Portugal, but the score remained until the final whistle. In another Group F match, World Champions  France  were held to a 1-1 draw by  Hungary . Hungary took th...

Belgium tightened their grip at the top of Euro 2020 Group B after claiming their second win in two matches. The team did not look convincing in the first half after Denmark took the lead, and struggled in the defends set-up. Despite the absence of Christian Eriksen , Denmark started the match impressively. Yussuf Poulsen scored the opener for Denmark just after two minutes into the match, and the score remained until the break. Then Kevin De Bruyne was introduced and Belgium looked more organise in the second half. Thorgan Hazard levelled the score in the 55th minute from a good play by Romelo Lukaku and De Bruyne. And in the 70th minute, De Bruyne beat Kasper Schmeichel to give Belgium the victory. In another Group B match, Russia edged Finland 1-0 in St Petersburg. Aleksei Miranchuk late first half goal was enough to give Russia their first win in the campaign. Belgium are in good position to cruise into the next stage, but both Finland and Russia are tied with three point...

Defending champions, Portugal kicked-off their Euro 2020 campaign with a solid performance by defeating Hungary 3-0 at Ferenc Puskás Stadium in Budapest. By playing in the match, Cristiano Ronaldo became the only player to have played in five Euro final tournaments. It was a difficult task for Hungary as they have to face the reigning Champions in Euro opening match. They defended well through out the match until the final 10 minutes of the match when Raphael Guerreiro got the breakthrough for Portugal in the 84th minute. THE MATCH Three minutes later, Ronaldo doubled the lead from the penalty spot. And the Portuguese skipper netted his second in the added time, which is his 11th goal in Euro finals. Ronaldo has now scored the most Euro final goals in the tournament history, two clear of Michel Platini .  In another Group F match, France edged Germany 1-0 at Allianz Arena in Munich. Mats Hummels 20th minute own goal gave the World Cup Champions a winning start in the tourna...

United Arab Emirates toppled Vietnam from the top spot of Group G on the final day to reach the final round of the World Cup 2022 Asian Qualifiers . The Al-Abyad were leading 3-0 before a late scare by Vietnam to end the game with a 3-2 final score. Vietnam will also play in the final qualifying round for finishing second best in the group. UAE to control of the match from the start. Ali Salmeen broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Five minutes before the break, UAE were awarded a penalty and Ali Mabkhout scored his 76th international goal. Early in the second half, Mahmoud Khamis found the net to give his team a comfortable 3 goals lead. SUFI SUPER YACHTS The never-say-die Vietnam team played their hearts out until the final minutes. Nguyen Tien Linh gave his team a fighting chance in the 84th minute. And Tran Minh Vuong scored Vietnam's second after three minutes into the injury time. In another group match, Malaysia edged Thailand 1-0 to finish third in the group. S...

Netherlands claimed their first win at Euro 2020 after in a hard-fight match against Ukraine . The Netherlands looked set to win their opening match, but Ukraine staged a comeback before Denzel Dumfries netted the winner. After a goalless first half, the Netherlands came on to the pitch with a stronger determination. Georginio Wijnaldum scored the opener in the 52nd minute, and Wouter Weghorst added the second six minutes later. Then Ukraine were back into the match with a goal from Andriy Yarmolenko in the 75th minute. Just four minutes later, Roman Yaremchuk stunned the crowd in Amsterdam with the equaliser. However, Dumfries turned hero for the home side with the winning goal in the 85th minute. In another Euro 2020 match played yesterday, England passed their first test with a narrow 1-0 win over Croatia . It was a crucial match for England as they need a morale booster after losing to the same opponent at World Cup 2018. Raheem Sterling scored the winning goal in the 57th...

Belgium tamed Russia with a 3-0 win in their opening match of Euro 2020. Romelu Lukaku struck twice to confirm their status as favourite to win the tournament. The victory lifted Belgium to the top of Group B. Belgium started the match without key player Kevin De Bruyne . However, Roberto Martinez 's team did not take long to impress. Lukaku found the net just after 10 minutes into the game. Then Thomas Meunier doubled their lead in the 34th minute. Lukaku scored his second goal in the 88th minute to seal their victory. Finland had a debut to remember as they defeated Denmark 1-0 in Copehagen. However, the match was overshadowed by Christian Eriksen collapsing on the pitch. The 29 years-old Danish midfielder collapsed after 41 minutes and received CPR on the pitch. When the match resumed, Denmark could not play up to their actual potential. Finland got the winner through Joel Pohjanpalo header in the 59th minute. Photo:  UEFA EURO 2020 TIGERS UNITED

Italy recorded the first win at Euro 2020 after defeating Turkey 3-0 at the Olimpico in Rome. The Azzurri dominated the match as Turkey struggled to compete against the superior opponent. In the 53rd minute Merih Demiral gave Italy the lead after he accidentally chested the ball into his own net. Ciro Immobile doubled the lead with a goal in the 66th minute. Lorenzo Insigne scored Italy's third in the 79th minute. The win sent the Azzurri to the top of Group A. In another match, Wales were held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland . Breel Embolo opened the scoring with a goal just four minutes into the second half. Wales reacted stronger and Kieffer Moore equalised in the 73th minute. The Swiss had the better share possessions in the match at Baku Olympic Stadium. Photo: UEFA EURO 2020 TSS EVERWHERE | TRAVEL BLOG

Vietnam  edged  Malaysia  2-1 to stay on top of Group G and ready to secure a place in the final round of the  Asian Qualifiers  for the  FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 . With 2 points clear ahead of UAE, they just need a draw to confirmed their place in the final round. Nguyen Tien Linh  gave his team the lead in the 27th minute, but Malaysia fought back to keep their chances alive.  Guilherme De Paula  scored the equaliser for Malaysia in the 72nd minutes from the penalty spot. However, Vietnam got a penalty in the 81st minute, and  Que Ngoc Hai  made no mistake to give his team the win. UAE  hammered  Indonesia  5-0 in another Group G match earlier. Two goals each by  Ali Mabkhout  and  Fabio Lima , plus a goal by  Sebastian Tagliabúe  sealed the win at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai. It is their third consecutive win in Asian Qualifiers and still in the race to win their Group. UAE will face Vietnam o...

Despite missing a penalty in a warm-up match against Romania last weekend, Jordan Henderson has declared he is fit for the Euro 2020 campaign. His fitness was questioned after he was introduced into the match in the last 45 minutes after not playing for club or country since suffering a groin injury in February. Henderson believes that England's manager, Gareth Southgate has been assessing his fitness level before making a decision to include him into the squad. "We know a little bit more detail, I know more detail and so does the manager." The Liverpool captain suffered a groin injury in a match against Everton in February. He completed the surgery soon after the match focused on recovery and fitness with the tournament on his mind. "You probably wouldn’t know but I’ve trained for a long time. It’s a little bit different training on your own instead of team training, although I managed to do that towards the back end of the season with Liverpool." Henderson...