Iceland shock England 2-1 to reach Euro quarterfinal
Nice (France), June 28 (IANS) Iceland shocked England 2-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the European Championship here.
England pulled ahead only two minutes into the first half as captain Wayne Rooney fired a penalty kick into the bottom right corner after Raheem Sterling had been brought down by Iceland goalkeeper Halldorsson during the match on Monday.
But Iceland, the smallest country in the 24-team tournament, levelled the score two minutes later. Kari Arnason nodded a huge throw-in for Ragnar Sigurdsson to slot home from close range, Xinhua news agency reported.
England were in control of the game but Iceland made it 2-1 in the 18th minute from their only second meaningful attack.
Their striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson fired home from the edge of the box and England keeper Joe Hart got his left hand to it but could not stop the ball flying into the net.
Roy Hodgson’s side failed to create any good chances in the second half, managing only two shots in 45 minutes.
Iceland almost scored a third goal in the 83rd minute, when captain Aron Gunnarsson raced down from the middle and had only Jack Wilshere to beat. But his shot was blocked by Hart.
Iceland will face France in the quarterfinals.
Argentina’s coach to stay with national side
Buenos Aires, June 28 (IANS) The coach for Argentina’s national soccer team Gerardo Martino will continue with the side and lead the Under-23 team through the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro.
The news came from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Monday, putting an end to rumours of Martino’s possible resignation after his team lost the 2016 Centennial Copa America to Chile on Sunday in the US, Xinhua news agency reported.
The coach faced his second consecutive frustration in the regional soccer tournament after Argentina lost the final to Chile back in the 2015 edition.
Both matches ended 0-0 after extra time and then Chile went on to take the title in the penalty shootout.
According to the AFA, from next Monday, Martino and his coaching team will begin working with the Under-23 national side ahead of their participation in the Olympic Games in August.
I don’t really get it.
23 men running behind one ball, peevishly being petulant at every silly opportunity, complaining about the fellow players just like the school kids on the ground, while this entire spectacle is being watched boisterously by a bunch of beer-belching, pot-bellied hooligans, all in the name of entertainment. And that’s supposed to make the life on this planet worthwhile?
Watching …-mating in rural India during monsoon is a better spectator sport I must tell you. You will never be disappointed by the end results.