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Euro 2024: Belgium off the mark in Group E

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Belgium 2 - 0 Romania Kevin De Bruyne led Belgium to a crucial Euro 2024 victory with an exceptional performance in a thrilling match against Romania in Cologne. Belgium, under pressure in Group E after losing their first game to Slovakia, delivered an outstanding attacking display, proving why they are among the favourites in Germany. In a vibrant and colourful atmosphere, Youri Tielemans' low shot put Belgium ahead just 73 seconds into the game, setting the stage for numerous scoring opportunities. Belgium and De Bruyne were unstoppable. The Manchester City midfielder secured the victory with a close-range goal after 79 minutes, leaving Group E finely balanced with all four teams on three points each. Romelu Lukaku was unlucky to have a goal disallowed by the  Video Assistant Referee,  who ruled him offside from De Bruyne’s perfect pass. After the disappointing defeat to Slovakia, Belgium responded impressively in a lively and action-packed encounter on Saturday. Tielemans&

Euro 2024: Belgium progress as Ukraine knocked out

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Ukraine 0 -  0 Belgium Belgium advanced to the knockout stages of Euro 2024 as group runners-up, while Ukraine bowed out of the competition after a goalless draw in Stuttgart. All four teams in Group E began the evening on equal points, each with a shot at progressing. Ukraine's chances were hampered by an inferior goal difference, meaning their fate hinged on the outcome of Slovakia's match against Romania, which ended 1-1. Despite limiting Belgium to few chances, Ukraine struggled to mount a consistent attacking threat until the latter stages of the game. Leicester City's Wout Faes stood out in Belgium's defence, making two crucial blocks late on to deny Artem Dovbyk a shot at goalkeeper Koen Casteels. With Chelsea forward Mykhailo Mudryk injured, Roman Yaremchuk served as Ukraine's sporadic attacking outlet, while Ruslan Malinovskyi almost curled a corner past Casteels and inside the near post. Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne added a touch of class for Bel

International Friendly: England and Belgium play out enjoyable draw

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England 2 - 2 Belgium Jude Bellingham late on to secure a draw for England in a friendly against Belgium, preventing a second consecutive defeat at Wembley. More reaction to #ENGBEL coming up on https://t.co/kHngVy25Il https://t.co/SFvnhfj4d4 — European Super Football (@ESFootballNews) March 27, 2024 Having lost at home to Brazil, Gareth Southgate's reshuffled side was a mixed bag. They displayed good potential at times in attack but they were vulnerable at the back, and this was ruthlessly exploited by Belgium before Bellingham's dramatic intervention seconds from time. England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a rare error, his first to cost a goal in 60 international appearances, when his poor clearance led to Youri Tielemans putting Belgium ahead after 11 minutes. Ivan Toney scored his first international goal on his first England start, equalizing from the spot just six minutes after he was brought down by Jan Vertonghen. Click here to read more news and stories

Euro 2024: France edge past Belgium

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France 1 - 0 Belgium A late own goal by Jan Vertonghen sent France into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 at Belgium's expense. A game that had lacked quality and excitement for much of its duration seemed destined for extra time. However, a shot by substitute Randal Kolo Muani deflected off Vertonghen with five minutes remaining, ultimately sealing a French victory at Düsseldorf Arena. There was a fantastic atmosphere before the match France had missed several opportunities before that, with their lack of finishing touch once again letting them down. Even captain Kylian Mbappe squandered chances that he would normally convert. Belgium nearly took the lead themselves before France's late goal. Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne charged into space through the middle, but his shot was pushed behind by Mike Maignan. That had been the underwhelming Belgians' only decent opportunity as France saw out the final few minutes to progress to the last eight, where they will

Nations League: France ease to comfortable win

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France 2 - 0 Belgium France picked up their first victory of their Nations League campaign with a comfortable win over Belgium.  After losing 3-1 to Italy in their first League A Group 2 match and they faced a tough challenge against Belgium.  Kylian Mbappe, the France captain, started on the bench for this game as he had played the full 90 minutes against Italy.  France's coach, Didier Deschamps, decided to change the entire forward line for this match. Belgium had a bright start but fell behind just before the half-hour mark when Kolo Muani scored his sixth goal for France after pouncing on a loose ball.  Ousmane Dembele, Muani's teammate at Paris St-Germain, made it 2-0 after the break with a well-struck shot. Mbappe came on in the second half and had two good chances but was unable to score. Click here for more news and stories from across France What next for Belgium? They opened their Nations League campaign with a 3-1 win against Israel - with De Bruyne scoring t

Iconic Euros Moments: Wales v Belgium (2016)

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 Wales 3 - 1 Belgium (Euro 2016) Let's explore another iconic moment from the European Championships. Wales recorded the greatest night in their football history as they came from a goal down to beat Belgium at Euro 2016. Radja Nainggolan put Belgium ahead in Lille with a stunning 25-yard strike but Wales captain Ashley Williams headed in from a corner to equalise in a breathless first half littered with chances at both ends. Welsh celebrations reached stratospheric levels when Hal Robson-Kanu, a striker without a club at the time, gave them the lead with a divine turn and finish. Iconic Euros Moments: Throwback to England v Scotland (1996) After withstanding late Belgium pressure, Wales sealed victory through a header from substitute Sam Vokes to set up a semi-final against Portugal and what many believed would be a mouth-watering duel between Gareth Bale and his former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Wales manager Chris Coleman later described the last-eight tie as W

Women's Euro 2022: Iceland out after France draw

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Iceland 1 - 1 France Iceland saw their Euro 2022 tournament come to an end, despite snatching a late draw against France as Belgium won in the other group game to claim second place in Group D. Dagny Brynjarsdottir converted a penalty in the 12th minute of stoppage time after a spot kick was awarded by the Video Assistant Referee following a tangle inside the area. However, Belgium's 1-0 win against Italy meant it counted for nothing as Iceland finished a point behind them in third place. You can watch highlights in the video below. Footage from BBC Sport.  BBC Sport - YouTube   A much-changed France side made the perfect start in this game as they took the lead after just 46 seconds when Melvine Malard struck, stroking home from Clara Mateo's pass. That scoreline was still enough to see Iceland go through, provided the other game ended goalless, but that hope was extinguished when Tine de Caigny gave Belgium victory against Italy.  A disappointing end to the tournament for

International break preview

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A quick preview of the upcoming international break. Who needs what to qualify for the Qatar World Cup? England are close England will be looking to confirm their World Cup place this month. They could qualify on Friday if they beat Albania, but they would also need second-placed Poland to fail to beat minnows Andorra. This is unlikely. More realistically, they need four points from the Albania game and then San Marino away three days later. It would be up there with the greatest shocks in England's history if they didn't qualify from this position. Arsenal's Emily Smith Rowe could potentially get first cap for the national side. He said to the media: "I'm always proud to wear the shirt, no matter what age group, and I'm happy to be here." "I'm always proud to wear the shirt, no matter what age group, and I'm happy to be here." 🦁 Love that, @emilesmithrowe 🙌 pic.twitter.com/XHWqfq5yq9 — England (@England) November 10, 2021 Cli

Ballon d'Or shortlist announced

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The shortlist for Ballon d'Or 2022  has been announced, and there have been some interesting developments. Let's take a look at some of the talking points. No Messi and Neymar! Lionel Messi and Neymar have not been included on the 30-man shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. The Argentina international has won the most Ballons d'Or in history with seven, but he did not make the list despite scoring 11 goals in 34 matches for Paris Saint-Germain last season. His team-mate Neymar is also not on the list. He played just 28 times for PSG last season in an injury-hit campaign. Kylian Mbappe does make the list. Recognition for the Lionesses  England's Euro 2022 success has been recognised. Millie Bright, Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze have been nominated for the women's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the best female footballer of 2022. Women's Euro 2022: England win after dramatic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Who could win it? Real Madrid's Karim Benzema,

Euro 2024 preview: Players to watch out for

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The players to watch out for at Euro 2024 In the first of several Euro 2024 preview articles, this story will explore some of the players that will be looking to have an impact in Germany. Johan Bakayoko - Belgium  This player began to make a significant contribution to PSV early in 2023, and very quickly, he had managed to score seven goals and provide five assists. With fantastic speed and outstanding one-on-one skills, he is a constant threat to defenders as a traditional right-winger. He recently made his international debut for Belgium in March and could shine for his country in Germany.  Cole Palmer - England Despite scoring in the 2023 UEFA Super Cup, Palmer made a brave decision to leave Manchester City during the summer. This decision has paid off as he is now regularly starting and scoring goals for Chelsea. Palmer is not only important in pressing off the ball but also a creative force on it, whether he is playing centrally or coming off the right flank. You can watch s

UEL: Kilmarnock fight back against Belgian side

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Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Cercle Brugge Kilmarnock will head to Belgium on level terms with Cercle Brugge after a comeback draw in the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier. There was a fantastic atmosphere before the match started After an evenly matched first half at Rugby Park, the visitors burst into action and were rewarded with Kazeem Olaigbe’s powerful finish. However, Kilmarnock equalised when Kyle Vassell’s f licked header deflected off David Watson and into the top corner. This sets the stage for an exciting second leg at the Jan Breydel Stadium next Thursday. The hosts nearly got off to a perfect start in torrential rain when Danny Armstrong appeared to be fouled in the box. Referee Martin Dohal pointed to the spot, but it was later confirmed that the ball had already gone out of play, calming the excitement. The high intensity, possibly aided by the slick surface, persisted throughout most of the first half but didn’t result in many clear-cut chances for Kilmar

Scotland: Celtic keep up perfect start

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Celtic 2 - 0 Hearts Celtic maintained their perfect start to the season as both sides faced contrasting outcomes with VAR for the champions and Hearts. Early in the match, the visitors were initially awarded a penalty in the first half after Lawrence Shankland's header struck Liam Scales' arm. However, the decision was overturned after a VAR review. In the second half, a cross from Nicolas Kuhn made contact with James Penrice's hand, leading to another VAR review. This time, the result was a penalty, and record signing Arne Engels scored his first goal for Celtic from the spot. To seal the victory, Luke McCowan also scored his first goal for Celtic with a late strike.  What about Hearts? Hearts find themselves one point behind at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership. This was an improved performance from the visitors, but the match ultimately ended in a seventh straight defeat in all competitions. Referee Colin Steven had been quick to point to the spot after the Sca

UCL: Manchester City 2 - 1 Paris Saint Germain

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Manchester City came back from behind to beat Paris St-Germain and secure qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League. They have also done so as group winners.  The home side's outstanding display reaped the reward it deserved, as they showed great character after Kylian Mbappe swept PSG into the lead. The PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino was left disappointed as City hit back in style to turn the game around. Raheem Sterling's recent good run carried on as he turned home Kyle Walker's far post touch to equalise after 63 minutes. Then Gabriel Jesus was the beneficiary of a superb pass from Bernardo Silva to beat Kaylor Navas from close range.  All the reaction Pep Guardiola said: "Of course, PSG, what a team, what players, what could I say. Performance is quite similar to Paris a month ago. Today we created more chances in the first half. We played well and always we had the sense that they could run in behind." Kyle Walker tweeted: "Buzzing

Transfer rumours: Chelsea interested in Leandro Trossard

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 It has been reported that Chelsea have opened preliminary talks with Leandro Trossard. Those stories have suggested that Chelsea made the Brighton attacker a top target ahead of his Brighton contract expiring next summer. Brighton are allegedly not willing to sell the Belgian international in January but they could face losing him on a free transfer next summer. He was in outstanding form before the World Cup break, with his 14 Premier League matches seeing him score seven goals and made three assists. He has earned 22 Belgium caps and scored five goals for his country and made his first World Cup appearance off the bench against Canada. Reaction from the internet One Chelsea fan said on Twitter: "Not sure about him, he’s not creative and not a dribbler, so exactly the opposite of what we need right now, maybe if the price is decent it’s okay. If we spend more than 20 million and think he can improve us then we are going nowhere with this board." https://t.co/7s63UB1

UEL: Kilmarnock demoted to Conference League

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Cercle Brugge 1 - 0 Kilmarnock (Cercle Brugge won 2-1 on aggregate) Before the match, Bruges was awash in blue and white as 2,500 Kilmarnock fans flocked to the city. However, there was no European triumph for the Ayrshire men, who fell to a 1-0 defeat against Cercle Brugge, losing 2-1 on aggregate in their Europa League second qualifying round tie. The matchwinner for the hosts was Thibo Somers, who capitalised on a defensive mix-up by Liam Donnelly and Lewis Mayo to score in a scrappy affair at the Jan Breydelstadion. Despite the defeat, the travelling fans had something to cheer about early in the second half when Robby McCrorie saved a Kevin Denkey penalty. Kilmarnock, despite their efforts, couldn’t find a breakthrough and will now move to the Europa Conference League, facing Norwegian side Tromso in the third qualifying round, with the home leg at Rugby Park next Thursday. Derek McInnes made two changes to the side from the first leg, with last season's top scorer Marley

Iconic Euros moments: Throwback to England v Italy (2021)

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Ahead of Euro 2024, we will start looking back at some iconic moments from previous competitions.  First up is a recap of the final of the last tournament.  You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below. What were your memories of that memorable night?  HIGHLIGHTS | More penalty pain for England as Italy win Euro 2020 (youtube.com) England's hopes of ending a 55-year wait for a major trophy were crushed heartbreakingly as they lost 3-2 on penalties to Italy in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.  On a night of incredible tension played in a feverish atmosphere, England looked on course for their most joyous day since the 1966 World Cup final when Luke Shaw gave them the dream start after only two minutes. Italy eventually edged their way back into the game and were level in the 67th minute when Leonardo Bonucci pounced after England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford turned Marco Verratti's header onto the post. More news from across Italy England look ahead to Euro

Nations League: The 2022/23 draw has been made

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The UEFA Nations League is still a fairly new idea. It is a biennial international football competition contested by the member associations of UEFA. The last edition of the competition was won by France. You can read about it here. UEFA Nations League: Spain 1 - 2 France (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Ahead of a busy year of international football, nations are now preparing for the next edition of the competition. Here are the UEFA Nations League groups in full. We have highlighted some of the more interesting groups. Group A1: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France. Group A2: Czech Republic, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain. Group A3: Hungary, England, Germany, Italy. England have faced all of these sides in recent times. They beat Germany in a memorable Euro 2020 last-16 match before eventually losing to Italy in the final of the same competition. More recently, they beat Hungary in a World Cup qualifier. England manager Gareth Southgate believes that the tough Nations League group is

UCL: Inter Milan in control of quarter-final

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Benfica 0 - 2 Inter Milan Romelu Lukaku scored an 82nd-minute penalty as Inter Milan put themselves in a strong position to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League after a deserved win away to Benfica. Nicolo Barella's downward header gave Inter the lead in the quarter-final first leg in Lisbon. Benfica struggled to dictate play in front of their own fans as Inter produced a defensive masterclass in Lisbon. This was almost reminiscent of their 2010 triumph with Jose Mourinho.  <Click here to find more news and stories from across Italy> Rafa Silva was denied by Andre Onana's first-half save before Inter's Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries produced a crucial block from close range as Benfica pushed for an equaliser. The Italian visitors wrapped up their win when substitute Lukaku, on loan from Chelsea, scored from the spot after former Inter player Joao Mario handled. Premier League referee Michael Oliver awarded the penalty after watching the incide

Transfer news: Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Erling Haaland

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They are on the verge of another Premier League title, but Manchester City are already planning for next season. It has been announced that Manchester City have reached an agreement to sign Norway striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund. Haaland will join in July after City activated a 60m euro (£51.2m) release clause in his contract. ---- Will he be worth money? Take a look at his best Bundesliga goals ---- The deal ends the club's hunt for a successor to their all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero. Haaland, who passed his City medical in Belgium on Monday, has scored 85 goals in 88 appearances for Dortmund since joining from Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020. Even though City are within touching distance of a second successive Premier League title achieved without an orthodox centre-forward, Guardiola has always stressed his desire to have one. City tried hard to get Harry Kane from Premier League rivals Tottenham last summer but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy stood firm and re

The Big Discussion: Young up-and-coming stars

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This article will explore some of the most exciting talents in the world at the moment.  Will any of them be on the move this summer? Warren Zaïre-Emery - PSG Warren Zaïre-Emery, a 17-year-old football player, has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming a regular player at one of Europe's biggest clubs. The midfielder has already made more than 50 first-team appearances for the French champions and is also a part of France's senior squad. You wouldn't expect him to leave PSG just yet but many clubs from England and Spain will be paying close attention to his development. Eduardo Camavinga - Real Madrid Given the amount of games he's played, you would have forgotten that Camavinga is still relatively young. His knack for playing in several positions across the pitch must make him a dream player for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.  Julian Rijkhoff - Ajax Ajax are renowned for producing technically gifted midfielders and wingers, but less well-known for creating genu