England gets emotional win over Germany
England is unburdened by the weight of agonizing history: Germany has finally been beaten in a tournament again.
No need to endure more penalty heartache or disallowed goals this time.
Just like in the 1966 World Cup final, England triumphed over a German team at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday, winning 2-0 to reach the European Championship quarterfinals.
And just like in England’s two group wins, Raheem Sterling was on the scoresheet, breaking the tense deadlock in the 75th minute in a move he started and completed.
The round of 16 finally saw England net more than once at Euro 2020, and for Harry Kane to shed the pressure on his shoulders by finally scoring. The striker headed in
Jack Grealish’s cross in the 86th minute.
“With all the expectation and pressure,” Kane said. “We delivered.”
It was England’s second-ever win in the knockout stage of the European Championship. The last such triumph came on penalties against Spain at Euro ’96 before the hosts were denied a place in the final by Germany in a shootout at Wembley.
Among the VIPs celebrating at Wembley were were David Beckham, singer Ed Sheeran and
Prince William.
England will playUkraine in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals on Saturday in Rome, eyeing a return to Wembley for the semifinals and the final on July 11.
Artem Dovbyk scored late in extra time to give Ukraine a 2-1 win over Sweden. Dovbyk, a substitute, stooped low to guide a header from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s cross past goalkeeper Robin Olsen.
Elsewhere: Lionel Messi couldn’t let a big milestone night pass without a little celebration at the Copa America. In a match in which he eclipsed Javier Mascherano as Argentina’s most capped player, Messi captained the team and scored two goals and assisted on another in beating Bolivia 4-1 in Rio de Janeiro. His 148th appearance for Argentina helped
to earn the team Group A honors and a quarterfinal against Ecuador.
MCGUSTY STAYS AT UM
The University of Miami men’s basketball team got good news Tuesday: Kameron McGusty, who
was testing the NBA waters, decided to return to school for the 2021-22 season.
The 6-5, 190-pound guard initially put his name into consideration for the 2021 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility, but felt he was better served playing another season with the Hurricanes. It will be his sixth year in college and fourth at UM, as he transferred from Oklahoma.
“I learned a lot while going through the predraft process with NBA teams and feel the best decision for me is to return to Miami and continue to hone my skills,” he said. “I am excited to improve as a player under Coach L’s [Jim Larrañaga’s] guidance, while helping lead this program to wins and getting us back to the postseason. I can’t wait to be back on the court with my teammates at The U.”
McGusty is averaging 12.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 31.0 minutes in 48 games.
ETC.
Tour de France: Veteran sprinter Mark Cavendish sat on the road and cried after posting a 31st stage win in his return to cycling’s biggest race following a three-year absence. Cavendish,
36, powered to victory in a mass sprint at the end of the fourth stage in the western Brittany region. He edged Frenchman
Nacer Bouhanni and
Jasper Philipsen of Belgium.
College baseball: Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee condemned the use of racially offensive language directed at some of the parents of the Commodores players during
Game 1 of the College World Series finals. Vanderbilt is playing Mississippi State in the bestof-three finals; Vandy won 8-2 Monday. Kristyna Engdahl, communications director for the agency that operates TD Ameritrade Park, said stadium officials were aware of an interaction between fans that involved the use of racial slurs. Engdahl said the person or persons who used the offensive language left the stadium once security personnel were notified. She said she didn’t know if the person or persons left on their own or were ejected.
NFL: The Atlanta Falcons signed first-round pick Kyle Pitts, the tight end from Florida, to a four-year deal with a fifth-year option.
WNBA: Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury became the first WNBA player to score over 9,000 points in a triumphant return from a fractured sternum injury that sidelined her for five weeks. The next closest active player is former teammate Candice Dupree, more than 2,000 points behind Taurasi.