Harry Maguire’s very loud head
THIS WAS ENGLAND’S BIGGEST EUROS VICTORY, SURPASSING EURO 96’ S 4- 1 WIN OVER THE DUTCH
Friday July 2
Switzerland 1- 1 Spain ( 1- 3 pens)
Belgium 1- 2 Italy
Saturday July 3
Czech Republic 1- 2 Denmark
Ukraine 0- 4 England
STORY OF THE ROUND
Spain take the Portuguese route to the semi- finals, drawing for a fourth time in five games before securing a shootout victory over Switzerland ( far right), for whom Remo Freuler sees red. Michael Oliver’s decision looks harsh, but inevitably ITV refbot Peter Walton backs him up – if a ref decreed mid- match that the Euros should be cancelled and that football should be banned forever, Walton would probably insist that on balance, it was the right decision. Spain are the tournament’s top scorers at this point yet still look hopeless upfront, not least when Gerard Moreno misses from five yards, then boots the post in a fit of pique. “That was a better strike on the post,” Lee Dixon chuckles.
Italy are better, dumping out Belgium – the Azzurri lose impressive left- back Leonardo Spinazzola to Achilles aggro, but even their medical team are draped in Armani as they stretcher him off.
Schick draws level with Ronaldo in the top scorer stakes, but the Czech Republic lose to Denmark ( far right).
Briefly interrupting the Official Euro 96 Nostalgia Tour, England revisit Italia 90 by visiting Rome to pummel Ukraine 4- 0: a bigger victory in Italy than even Italy managed. Kane nets twice – the latter thanks to Shaw, aka Shawberto Carlos, who equals David Beckham’s haul of three assists from 2000.
So rampant are Southgate’s side that even Jordan Henderson scores his first goal in 62 England appearances. Ukraine’s first Euros quarter- final ends with the saddest thunderclap ever.
THE GOOD
Following their biggest ever win at the World Cup against Panama three years ago, this is England’s biggest victory at the Euros – surpassing that famous 4- 1 win over the Dutch in ’ 96. It makes Southgate only the second England boss to reach two major semi- finals, after Sir Alf Ramsey.
THE BAD
Travel restrictions mean the average attendance for this round is 16,000 – a real downside of the decision to host across Europe. Quarantine regulations mean only England fans based outside the UK can go to Rome for their only away game at these Euros, although thousands seem to make it anyway, dominating the stadium and singing
Three Lions all the way back to the city centre. Even some of the locals join in.
THE WEIRD
Despite various subs and three goals in the second half, German ref Felix Brych doesn’t bother playing any injury time at the end of England vs Ukraine – bad news for Oleksandr Tymchyk and Heorhiy Sudakov, standing on the touchline ready to come on for their tournament debuts. Ouch.
TV WATCH
Ally Mccoist’s microphone fails during Denmark vs Czech Republic but no one bothers to tell him, so he’s left faintly jabbering away like a man trapped inside a box for two minutes. During half- time of England vs Ukraine, the BBC go live to Trent Alexander- Arnold, who looks like he’s being held in some sort of hostage situation, told to smile and say nice things about the Three Lions without revealing that he’s actually chained to a radiator. At least he’s in Marbella, though – there are worse places to be held hostage.
Travel complications mean that, weirdly, the Beeb’s only representatives in Rome appear to be Matthew Upson and Juliette Ferrington, who eagerly tells Harry Maguire after the game,
“I was behind the goal when you scored – the thud when the ball connected with your head was so loud.” Well, he’s not called Slabhead for nothing, is he?
THEY SAID WHAT?
Proving that laddism isn’t dead, the Daily Star print a picture of Kane holding two footballs on their front page pre- match, urging readers to “rub Harry’s lucky balls, and give us a semi”. Two goals later, their next front page says, “You rubbed Harry’s balls, and he exploded.” Just no.