European Super Football

Spain 1 - 0 Italy Spain secured their spot in the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a scintillating performance against defending champions Italy in Gelsenkirchen. They created countless chances and were utterly dominant, but won by a narrow scoreline thanks to an own goal by Riccardo Calafiori in the second half. After being kept at bay by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma for almost an hour, Alvaro Morata's flick-on was poked in by the knee of the unfortunate Calafiori. There was no response from Italy, who were comfortably second best, despite playing their part in a captivating match. Two European giants meeting in the group stage of the tournament meant there were high hopes and it lived up to its billing with an electric opening half. Spain delivered most of the eye-catching play, moving the ball around beautifully with intensity and creativity, while Italy succeeded in keeping them out - but only just. At the Arena AufSchalke (Veltins-Arena) this evening, watching the Spain v

England 1 - 1 Denmark England wasted the chance to secure their place in the Euro 2024 knockout stages as Group C winners after a draw against Denmark in Frankfurt. Pre match atmosphere in Frankfurt Gareth Southgate’s side would have topped Group C with a win after the earlier draw between Slovenia and Serbia.  Harry Kane scored in his fourth successive major tournament to give England an 18th-minute lead. Still, Denmark soon got an equaliser they deserved when Morten Hjulmand struck a thunderous 25-yard equaliser after 34 minutes. Phil Foden struck the post after the break and, while England are still at the head of their group, they must deliver vast improvements in their final group game against Slovenia. England battle to win against Serbia (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Slovenia hold Denmark to a draw (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) As an audition for potential favourites to win Euro 2024, this was a disappointing failure. England’s players were often seen complaining about

Scotland 1 - 1 Switzerland Scotland entered this match with one aim: to avoid being sent home with regrets.  A loss in Cologne would have left them needing unlikely help from other groups, even if they managed to beat Hungary in Stuttgart on Sunday. Now, Scotland know a win against Hungary would bring them to a four-point total, likely enough to secure a coveted spot in the tournament knockout stages for the first time. The Scots bounced back admirably from their 5-1 thrashing by Germany. However, as the dust settles on this thrilling encounter, they may felt they deserved more. Just 102 seconds in, John McGinn won Scotland a corner, showing more attacking intent than in their painful loss in Munich on Friday. Scott McTominay took the set-piece, but it was deflected by a defender. Euro 2024 news and stories  Scotland's breakthrough came from a Swiss corner. The Swiss hesitated after taking it short, allowing Scotland to counter. Billy Gilmour, back in the starting lineup, calml

Germany 2 - 0 Hungary Jamal Musiala was on form again as Germany continued their strong start to Euro 2024 with a win over Hungary, securing their spot in the knockout stages in the process. There was a fantastic atmosphere pre match in Stuggart.  The Bayern Munich forward was impressive throughout the match, scoring midway through the first half and nearly netting another with a powerful shot that just missed the post. He received a standing ovation when he was substituted late in the second half. Hungary were unhappy with the opening goal, claiming Ilkay Gundogan fouled defender Willi Orban before setting up Musiala to score . However, a video assistant referee (VAR) review upheld the decision, allowing Musiala and his teammates to celebrate in front of the Hungarian supporters. Hungary thought they had equalised just before half-time, but Roland Sallai’s header from a rebound was ruled offside. Germany extended their lead in the second half when former Manchester City player Gu

Portugal 2 - 1 Czech Republic Francisco Conceição scored a late winner as Portugal came from behind to beat the Czech Republic in their Euro 2024 opener in Leipzig. Roberto Martinez’s side, favourites for the tournament after winning every game during qualifying, left it late to overcome their determined opponents. The Czech Republic had spent much of the game defending in their own half but shocked Portugal when Lukáš Provod's powerful second-half strike found the far corner. Their hopes of victory were dashed soon after, as goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk parried Nuno Mendes' header, and the ball bounced off Robin Hranáč into the back of his own net. Euro 2024 news and stories  Diogo Jota had a goal ruled out for offside late on, but Portugal celebrated in stoppage time when Conceição scored. The goal ensured Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo marked his appearance at a record sixth European Championship with a memorable win. Portugal get the win they probably deserved The

It's time to explore Crystal Palace's 2023/2024 season. It marked Crystal Palace's 118th season and their eleventh consecutive campaign in the Premier League. They also competed in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup. It was the first season since 2013–14 without Wilfried Zaha, who departed for Turkish club Galatasaray in the summer, and Scottish midfielder James McArthur, who retired. As a result, Joel Ward was appointed club captain at the beginning of the season, replacing the departed Luka Milivojević. Despite being 15th and just 5 points above the relegation zone in mid-February, the appointment of Oliver Glasner revived the team's fortunes, and a strong finish saw the Eagles equal their highest league finish in the Premier League era. Let's examine some of the moments from another interesting year at Selhurst Park. In September, they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Manchester United. They were beaten 3-0, and many fans criticised the weakened squad put out.  Un

Romania 3 - 0 Ukraine Romania secured their first European Championship victory in 24 years with an impressive win over Ukraine in Group E. Captain Nicolae Stanciu unexpectedly put Romania ahead in the 29th minute , hitting the top corner with a superb strike from 20 yards out. Razvan Marin then extended Romania’s lead after 53 minutes, with a long-range shot that slipped under Ukrainian goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.Four minutes later, Denis Dragus sealed the win by tapping in Dennis Man's cross from close range. Romania’s only previous win at the Euros came in 2000 when a late Lonel Ganea penalty secured a 3-2 victory over England in the group stage. Ranked 24 places below Ukraine in the world rankings, Romania had prepared for the Euros with lacklustre goalless draws against Bulgaria and Liechtenstein. However, supported by a sea of yellow in Munich, they were given an early boost when Lunin’s poor clearance was intercepted by Man, who set up Stanciu for a splendid first-time shot

The fixtures for the 2024/2025 Premier League season have been announced What's happening on the opening weekend? Newly promoted Ipswich Town will host Liverpool, while champions Manchester City will travel to Chelsea for the opening weekend of the new Premier League season. Ipswich, returning to the top flight after a 22-year absence, will play on Saturday, 17 August. Their last Premier League match was a 5-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield on the final day of the 2001-02 season. Their relegation came just a year after they surprisingly finished fifth in the top flight. Manchester City will begin their title defence at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 18 August. This represents a great opportunity for Chelsea to show how much they have improved. The season starts with Manchester United hosting Fulham at Old Trafford on Friday, 16 August. The weekend before the Premier League starts, United will face City in the Community Shield at Wembley.  Fulham: 23/24 Season Review (eurosuperfootb

Austria 0 - 1 France France began their tournament with a composed 1-0 victory over a spirited Austria. The match was decided by a first-half own goal.  Didier Deschamps’ team played within their capabilities, exploiting Austria’s right-side defence whenever Kylian Mbappé, who finished the game with a broken nose, accelerated down the wing. Starting slowly and conserving energy, this French team displayed their confidence and experience. Not much has changed since the 2022 World Cup. They maintained their familiar 4-3-3 formation, embodying Deschamps' philosophy with athleticism and technical prowess in every position. Mbappé remains a constant threat, always poised to deliver a decisive moment. France’s manager will be pleased with the midfield control offered by Adrien Rabiot and the dynamic performance of N’Golo Kanté , who rolled back the years with his display. By the end of the match, one thing was evident: France remains the team to beat. Their victory seems almost inev

Slovenia 1 - 1 Denmark Christian Eriksen made a triumphant return to the European Championship but this goal wasn't enough against a determined Slovenia side.  Eriksen's tournament began spectacularly as he scored the opening goal for his team 17 minutes in, skilfully slotting the ball into the bottom left corner after a clever flick-on from Jonas Wind. He was a standout performer, with Denmark dominating possession in the first half and creating several opportunities to increase their lead. However, Slovenia, supported by their loud and enthusiastic fans, equalised when Erik Janza’s powerful shot flew past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with just 13 minutes remaining. Click here for more news from the tournament:  Euro 2024 news and stories  Slovenia's pressure had been mounting in the second half, and star player Benjamin Sesko had already sent a warning shot when he struck the post earlier. Matjaz Kek’s team, who struggled to contain Eriksen in the first half, nearly c

Poland 1 - 2 Netherlands Substitute Wout Weghorst clinched a late winner just two minutes after coming on, as the Netherlands kicked off their Euro 2024 campaign with a victory over Poland in Hamburg. Despite missing their all-time top scorer Robert Lewandowski due to a thigh injury, Poland stunned the Dutch early on when Adam Buksa scored with a header. The Netherlands dominated play but missed several chances before Liverpool's Cody Gakpo equalised with a deflected shot past Wojciech Szczesny. The Dutch continued to create opportunities, with Gakpo missing a clear chance before the break, sending Nathan Ake’s pullback over the bar from close range. After the interval, Ronald Koeman’s side maintained their dominance. Szczesny made a crucial save from Denzel Dumfries, and youngster Xavi Simons drove an effort wide after being set up by Gakpo. Just as it seemed they would have to settle for a draw, Weghorst, introduced in the 81st minute, secured the win with a close-range fin

England 1 - 0 Serbia Jude Bellingham inspired England to the start they hoped for at Euro 2024, netting the winning goal and delivering a stellar performance in their victory over Serbia in Gelsenkirchen. Bellingham's dream season continued, after clinching the Champions League in his debut campaign with Real Madrid, he showcased why he’s seen as England's latest superstar. The 20-year-old rose magnificently to meet Bukayo Saka 's deflected cross with a powerful header after 13 minutes, earning Gareth Southgate's side an early lead. Despite starting strongly with Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield, England fell into familiar patterns after the break, sitting back and allowing Serbia to press. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a crucial late save from Dusan Vlahovic to maintain their lead. Harry Kane nearly doubled England’s tally when his header from Jarrod Bowen's cross was superbly tipped onto the bar by Serbia's keeper, Predrag Rajkovic. Wh

Brighton have appointed Fabian Hurzeler as their new manager. They have made him the youngest full-time boss in Premier League history. Hurzeler, who led St Pauli to the Bundesliga 2 title last season with 20 wins out of 34 matches, has signed a contract running until 2027. He will join the team once he receives his work permit, just in time for Brighton's pre-season preparations in July. If any club was likely to appoint a 31-year-old manager, younger than their captain and several key players, it would be Brighton. The club has a reputation for pushing boundaries and thinking outside the box to compete with bigger, richer, and more established Premier League teams. Hurzeler’s CV may not be extensive, but it includes notable success and a commitment to a playing style similar to that of his predecessors, De Zerbi and Graham Potter. Brighton & Hove Albion: 23/24 Season Review De Zerbi to leave Brighton  Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories Every managerial appointme

Italy 2 - 1 Albania Holders Italy overcome a huge scare from group outsiders Albania. Italy recovered from the shock of conceding the fastest goal ever scored at a European Championship to beat Albania 2-1 with Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolò Barella ensuring the defending champions made a winning start. Such a narrow margin of defeat may prove useful to Albania’s hopes of scraping third place in the group of death. They will almost certainly need to win their next game though. Not an easy task. Nedim Bajrami’s emphatic finish set a new record for the fastest goal in European Championship history, lifting the roof off a stadium that had never experienced anything like the Albanian influx, which kept the atmosphere electric throughout. Within 23 seconds, Bajrami ensured that this already intense occasion would go down in history. It was inevitable Albania would start aggressively, spurred on by a noisy support that filled at least three-quarters of the venue. Italy wasn't ready.

Spain 3 - 0 Croatia  Spain kicked off their campaign for a fourth European Championship in spectacular fashion, securing a convincing win against Croatia in Berlin. Alvaro Morata, Fabian Ruiz, and Dani Carvajal each found the net in the first half, effectively deciding the match before the interval. Despite Croatia's lacklustre performance, this victory stands as a significant statement for the European champions of 2008 and 2012. Inspired by Barcelona's prodigy Lamine Yamal, who made history as the youngest player ever to feature in a European Championship at just 16 years and 338 days, Spain dominated the first half, scoring all three of their goals. Euro 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) The first two goals came within three minutes. Captain Alvaro Morata coolly finished a one-on-one chance from Fabian Ruiz's precise through-ball, and soon after, Ruiz himself twisted and turned in the Croatia box before firing home the second. Despite being led