SAO PAULO: Lionel Messi is undoubtedly the face of this year’s Copa America.
But there are other players to watch when the South American soccer championship starts this month in the United States with 16 teams from the Western Hemisphere competing.
VINICIUS JUNIOR, BRAZIL
With Neymar out injured, Vinicius Júnior will have his first chance to be Brazil’s main focus during a major tournament. The Real Madrid player has become a better striker, rather than just a great dribbler, in 2024, which has made him a serious candidate for this year’s Ballon d’Or award. He scored 15 goals in the Spanish league this season, five more than in the previous campaign. The 23-year-old Vinicius also scored key goals in his team’s Champions League title campaign, including one in the final, and combines to help Rodrygo excel up front. Vinicius will also have another opportunity to spread his anti-racism message, which has given him more fans back home.
FEDERICO VALVERDE, URUGUAY
Federico Valverde is the past, present and future of both his national team and Real Madrid. The 25-year-old midfielder has established himself as a pacemaker for the Spanish giants, a role that Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa seems eager to give him with the national team. This season, Valverde has scored only three goals and contributed eight assists for his club, but he continues to be one of the best passers in the game.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO, ARGENTINA
Madrid-born left winger Alejandro Garnacho was one of the few positives for Manchester United this season — something that has given hope to Argentina as well. The 19-year-old Garnacho scored one of his team’s goals in the 2-1 win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. The teenager scored 10 goals in 50 matches for his club this season. Garnacho can also play on the right flank, which boosts his chances of appearing in Argentina’s team.
KENDRY PÁEZ, ECUADOR
Kendry Páez has played at home for Independiente del Valle for two years, with long shots and dribbles that turned into great goals. The 17-year-old striker, who will join Chelsea next year, scored five goals in 29 matches in his first professional season and became the youngest to score in the Ecuadorian league. Last year, Páez had an assist in his Ecuador debut, a 2-1 win over Uruguay, in the second round of South American World Cup qualifying. This year, he became a starter and a key player of Independiente del Valle.
CHRISTIAN PULISIC, UNITED STATES
Christian Pulisic just had one of his best seasons in Europe, scoring 12 goals with nine assists in Italy for AC Milan. The 25-year-old striker’s career now looks less promising than it did several years ago when he played for Borussia Dortmund as a young right winger, but he can still score goals, give smart passes and read the game. Pulisic also proved this season he could play on the left and even in the midfield as a sort of playmaker.
SANTI GIMENEZ, MEXICO
Santi Gimenez had a prolific season at Dutch club Feyenoord, making some Mexican watchers believe the team has a shot at winning the Copa America. The 23-year-old Argentina-born striker scored 23 goals and had six assists to help his team finish second in the Dutch league. His coach, Arne Slot, just joined Liverpool and could well take the target man to Anfield. Giménez has skill, power, speed and calm in front of opposing goalkeepers. Dutch players have compared him to a young Robin van Persie.
Besides Messi, there is Vinicius Júnior, Valverde, Garnacho and Pulisic to watch at Copa America
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Besides Messi, there is Vinicius Júnior, Valverde, Garnacho and Pulisic to watch at Copa America
- Vinicius Júnior will have his first chance to be Brazil’s main focus during a major tournament
- Federico Valverde is the past, present and future of his national team Uruguay
Costa penalty heroics rescue Ronaldo as Portugal edge past Slovenia at Euros
FRANKFURT: Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa saved three Slovenia penalties to earn his side a 3-0 shoot-out victory after Cristiano Ronaldo redeemed himself from the spot in a dramatic Euro 2024 last 16 clash on Monday.
Portugal forward Ronaldo broke down in tears after missing a penalty in the first period of extra-time in the goalless tie in Frankfurt.
But he recovered to convert in the shoot-out as Portugal scraped through to set up a blockbuster clash with France in the quarter-finals.
Slovenia battled valiantly to keep Portugal at bay, with Jan Oblak making a stunning save to keep out Ronaldo’s penalty after Diogo Jota was fouled.
However, Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva all scored in the shoot-out and Slovenia’s trio missed, sending the Selecao through in heart-stopping fashion.
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez reverted to a more familiar 4-3-3 system after his side were embarrassed by debutants Georgia in their last group game when he deployed three at the back.
The Euro 2016 winners dominated the ball and created their first chance after 12 minutes when Silva’s inviting cross just evaded Ronaldo and Fernandes could not turn home at the far post.
Slovenia, playing in their first ever knock-out match at a major competition, maintained their defensive shape well and limited Portugal’s opportunities.
Former Real Madrid striker Ronaldo directed a soft header at his old nemesis, Atletico Madrid keeper Oblak, under vital pressure from Vanja Drkusic.
The Slovenian defender was booked moments later for bringing down the surging Rafael Leao as he charged toward Oblak’s goal.
Ronaldo smashed the free-kick narrowly over the bar with the goalkeeper at full stretch.
Slovenia produced their first effort on target just before half-time when RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko fired at Costa from the edge of the box.
Portugal’s holding midfielder Joao Palhinha hit the outside of the post with a low drive, the final kick of the first half, after more good work by the menacing Leao.
Ronaldo forced a solid stop by Oblak with another venomous free-kick early in the second half as the Al-Nassr forward tried in vain to break down Slovenia’s defensive wall, which comfortably held England to a goalless draw in the group stage.
Matjaz Kek’s side had a golden chance to take the lead on a rare burst forward, but Sesko dragged wide after beating the oldest player in the competition’s history, 41-year-old Pepe, for pace.
Still determined to score, Portugal captain Ronaldo thumped yet another free-kick over the crossbar with 20 minutes remaining.
The striker had a chance to settle the game in open play with two minutes to go but, in down the left, could only shoot straight at Oblak, leading to extra-time.
The pace dipped in extra-time and the first period was uneventful, until the 103rd minute when Jota barged into the area and went down over Drkusic’s leg for a penalty.
Ronaldo fired it hard to Oblak’s left but the goalkeeper produced a stunning save to deny him, tipping his effort against the post and out.
In half-time of extra-time, Ronaldo was in tears after his miss, and Portugal fans sang his name to try to raise his shattered morale.
Slovenia missed another huge opening of their own when Pepe gave the ball away with a loose pass and Sesko stole it to race through on goal.
The forward fired too close to Costa who produced an excellent save with his leg, forcing a penalty shoot-out — Slovenia’s first ever.
Slovenia went first and substitute Josip Ilicic’s effort was brilliantly saved by Costa.
Ronaldo buried his kick and asked for forgiveness from the fans behind the goal for his extra-time miss, before Costa saved Slovenia’s second from Jure Balkovec.
Costa made a third consecutive penalty save from Benjamin Verbic after Fernandes converted and Silva won it as he sent Oblak the wrong way.
France edge tense clash with Belgium to reach Euro 2024 quarter-finals
- Muani collected the ball inside the Belgian penalty area and hit a shot that was going wide until a deflection off the unfortunate Vertonghen
- French goalkeeper Maignan finally had to make a save 20 minutes from the end of normal time, to keep out a drive from Lukaku
DUSSELDORF, Germany: Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal took France into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 on Monday as they edged Belgium 1-0 in a tense tie in Duesseldorf.
France had dominated the last-16 clash but their profligate finishing looked set to force extra time until they finally found a way through with five minutes left.
Substitute Randal Kolo Muani collected the ball inside the Belgian penalty area and hit a shot that was going wide until a deflection off the unfortunate Vertonghen took it past goalkeeper Koen Casteels.
The lucky break sent the 2022 World Cup runners-up into a last-eight tie in Hamburg on Friday as they remain on course to become European champions for the third time.
France are yet to score from open play in four matches at the tournament — captain Kylian Mbappe netted once from a penalty against Poland, while their other two goals came from opposition defenders.
Crucially, however, they are rock solid in defense, having conceded only one goal, from a penalty, so far.
Their back line was outstanding against Romelu Lukaku and his fellow attackers, and Belgium bow out after what will go down as a disappointing tournament for them.
Both of these sides were looking for revenge, in Belgium’s case for their 1-0 defeat against France in the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup, a result that still hurts six years on.
France, meanwhile, had a point to prove at the Euros after going out in the last 16 three years ago on penalties to Switzerland, a deeply disappointing result in between runs to consecutive World Cup finals.
The French were widely seen as the favorites to win this tournament before arriving in Germany, but they were below par during the group phase.
The broken nose suffered by Mbappe in their opening game against Austria did not help, and the uncertain form of Antoine Griezmann has been a problem too.
Griezmann was dropped for the last group match against Poland but returned here in one of two changes, with Marcus Thuram also coming in as wingers Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola made way.
Meanwhile Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco’s reaction to his own side’s unconvincing displays in the group stage was striking.
Yannick Carrasco and Lois Openda were given starts to provide as much attacking threat as possible in support of Lukaku, while skipper Kevin De Bruyne played a more withdrawn role.
The hope, for the neutrals at least, was that so much attacking talent would lead to an open game full of goals, but the reality was rather different.
Belgium were happy to sit back and thwart France, and did not test opposition goalkeeper Mike Maignan at all in the first half.
France had lots of the ball, yet often looked untidy, imprecise and rather flat, with Griezmann appearing lost on the right wing.
But they had chances in the first half, with Thuram heading just wide from Jules Kounde’s inviting cross just after the half-hour mark and Aurelien Tchouameni twice firing off-target.
Real Madrid midfielder Tchouameni then tested Casteels with a deflected long-range strike as France upped their game at the beginning of the second half.
Mbappe accelerated inside and smashed a shot just over, and there was a sense a goal might be coming.
The breakthrough almost came for Belgium an hour in as William Saliba lost possession on halfway and De Bruyne released Carrasco, who was about to pull the trigger when Theo Hernandez arrived to make a brilliant saving block.
Maignan finally had to make a save 20 minutes from the end of normal time, to keep out a drive from Lukaku, and was called into action again to deny De Bruyne.
It was becoming clear that one goal would decide the contest, and France got it in the 85th minute as N’Golo Kante fed Kolo Muani, and his shot went in off Vertonghen to take Les Bleus through.
Mexico eliminated from Copa America as Ecuador earns spot in quarterfinals after 0-0 draw
- Mexico was initially awarded a penalty kick by referee Mario Alberto Escobar Toca, but a VAR review rescinded the penalty
GLENDALE, Arizona: Mexico was eliminated from the Copa America after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador, which advanced to the quarterfinals Sunday night after avoiding a penalty in stoppage time thanks to a VAR review.
Mexico was initially awarded a penalty kick by referee Mario Alberto Escobar Toca when Ecuador’s Felix Torres took down Mexican forward Guillermo Martinez in the penalty box. VAR rescinded the penalty because Torres touched the ball and Mexico was awarded a corner kick, sending in a chorus of boos raining down from the Mexican fans at State Farm Stadium.
“I don’t like to talk about our referee. It is what it is and I believe we have more possibilities now that we have VAR,” Mexico coach Jaime Lozano said. “After an early exit, I don’t want to talk about the referee.”
Ecuador weathered a second-half push by Mexico in front of 62,656 mostly pro-Mexico fans to finish second in Group B behind Venezuela. Ecuador and Mexico finished level on four points from three games but Ecuador advanced thanks to a better goal differential and will face Group A winner Argentina in the quarterfinals Thursday in Houston.
“Playing against Argentina in our experience is a very tough team because they have the world’s best players, they play in the best leagues at a high level,” Ecuador coach Felix Sanchez said through an interpreter. “They are very versatile, have been playing together for a long time with the same coach and they still have a lot of ambition.”
Mexico failed to get out of the group stage for the fourth time in its last five Copa America appearances, which could put Lozano’s job in jeopardy.
El Tri was eliminated in the first round of the World Cup for the first time since 1978 in Qatar two years ago and lost to the United States in CONCACAF Nations League final in March.
Mexico had one goal on 57 shots in three Copa America games.
“There were many players who had never played in a tournament like this, which is directly below the World Cup,” Lozano said. “Other players (who played) in the Cup didn’t have the results of other games. But I believe the team has grown in many aspects. The decision is not up to me.”
Mexico needed a win to advance after losing 1-0 to Venezuela on a penalty kick in the 57th minute and beating Jamaica 1-0 in the tournament opener.
Ecuador, ahead 4-1 in goal differential, only needed a draw to reach the quarterfinals following a 3-1 win over Jamaica and a 2-1 loss to group leader Venezuela.
Mexico had a slight advantage in possession the first half (54 percent) and took seven shots, but continued its struggles with efficiency.
El Tri didn’t have a shot on goal and its best scoring chance came in the final minutes of the half, when Santiago Gimenez sent a header over the crossbar.
Ecuador had the best chance of the half in the 19th minute, when Kendry Paez’s shot to the near post on free kick forced Julio Gonzalez to make a save.
“We’ve discussed when there was a pass backward, we should try to move ahead but they were trying to press with two or three players,” Sánchez said. We created two or three counter attacks, but in futbol today you have to be good in every phase.”
Mexico began ramping up the pressure early in the second half, creating more scoring opportunities.
El Tri and its fans were irate when Toca didn’t call a foul after Torres took down Gerardo Arteaga in the penalty box, but the non-call was upheld on VAR. Gimenez sent another header over the crossbar on the ensuing corner kick.
Julián Quiñones had Mexico’s best chance a few minutes later, rifling a shot from just inside the box that Alexander Domínguez sprawled out to knock away. Gimenez’s shot on the rebound hit the outside of the goal.
Mexico continued to pressure Ecuador and thought it had a potential tournament-saving penalty shot, only to have it taken away.
Euro 2024: After shaky group stage, Netherlands still favored against Romania in round of 16
- The Netherlands have traditionally dominated this fixture but the Dutch also hadn’t lost to Austria since 1990 until last week
MUNICH: Romania plays the Netherlands on Tuesday in the round of 16 at the European Championship. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) in Munich. The Netherlands have traditionally dominated this fixture but the Dutch also hadn’t lost to Austria since 1990 — until last week. Romania topped its group while a disappointing Netherlands team progressed as one of the four best third-place teams. Despite the problems, the Netherlands will be favored to overcome Romania, potentially giving Ronald Koeman’s team another shot at Austria in the quarterfinals. Here’s what to know about the match:
Match facts
— Romania finished top of its group thanks mainly to a 3-0 win against Ukraine in Munich in their opening fixture. They then lost 2-0 against Belgium and drew 1-1 against Slovakia as all four teams in the section finished with four points – a European Championship first.
— The Netherlands started its Euro 2024 campaign with a 2-1 comeback win over Poland, but then drew 0-0 against France before losing a thrilling match 3-2 to Austria. That saw Austria top the group and relegated the Dutch to third, below France.
— The winner will advance to face Austria or Turkiye in the quarterfinals on Saturday. That could see a quick rematch between the Netherlands and Austria in Berlin.
— This is only Romania’s second time in the knockout stage of the European Championship. It reached the quarterfinals in 2000.
— The Netherlands won the tournament in 1988.
Team news
— Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has reported no injury concerns.
— Romania winger Nicuşor Bancu is suspended and will likely be replaced by Deian Sorescu.
By the numbers
— The Netherlands have won 10 of the 14 matches between the two teams, scoring 29 goals in the process to Romania’s three.
— Romania’s solitary win was in October 2007, in qualifying for the following year’s European Championship.
— The Netherlands’ loss to Austria was only their second defeat in seven matches this year, having won four of those.
— Romania’s win over Ukraine in their opener was only its second ever at the Euros, after beating England in the group stage in 2000.
— Romania has lost both penalty shootouts it has been involved in at major tournaments. The Dutch have lost six out of eight.
What they’re saying
“I understand the Dutch fans are disappointed after the Austria game. All I can say is that we will do everything we can against Romania to change that. I still believe completely in our team.” — Netherlands midfielder Jerdy Schouten.
“We are really happy and proud to be first in our group to qualify. The joy that we brought to all Romanians is one of the proudest moments of my life. It’s been a long and hard road because it didn’t start one or two months ago, but instead two years ago.” — Romania defender Radu Drăguşin.
“I am not afraid of anything at this point. I am doing what I love, and I do it with enthusiasm and passion. Why should I be afraid?” — Romania goalkeeper Florin Niță.
Spain beats Georgia 4-1 to reach Euro 2024 quarterfinals. It next plays host Germany
- Spain will play host nation Germany in the quarterfinals on Friday in Stuttgart
COLOGNE, Germany: Spain recovered from conceding an early own-goal to beat Georgia 4-1 for a spot in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, ending one of the tournament’s most compelling underdog stories.
Goals from midfielders Rodri and Fabián Ruiz brought Spain back into the game after Robin Le Normand’s own-goal in the 18th minute had given Georgia a shock lead. Nico Williams and Dani OImo took the game out of Georgia’s reach with two more goals late in the game as heavy rain fell.
Spain will play host nation Germany in the quarterfinals on Friday in Stuttgart.
The loss ends Georgia’s first ever major tournament campaign, which included a 2-0 upset win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Despite the lopsided score, Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had another standout game with nine saves to prevent a rout.
Spain had beaten Georgia 7-1 in qualifying last year, but this game was a close contest until the last 20 minutes and testament to Georgia’s rapid improvement under coach Willy Sagnol.
Playing its fourth game of Euro 2024, Spain had yet to concede a goal all tournament.
That soon changed when Otar Kakabadze surged down the right flank for Georgia and crossed low. Le Normand chested the ball past his own goalkeeper, with the defender apparently distracted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia arriving behind him to meet the cross.
Spain took its time to get back into the game, but Rodri — back from a one-game suspension — leveled the score in the 39th with a low shot from just outside the box.
Georgia remained a threat on the counter, including with an audacious shot from the halfway line by Kvaratskhelia, but Spain midfielder Ruiz made it 2-1 in the 51st when he rose unmarked to meet a cross from the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.
Needing a goal, Georgia had to open up its compact defensive formation and conceded twice more as Williams scored in the 75th and substitute Olmo eight minutes later.
After the final whistle, Georgia’s players gathered in front of their fans for a slow-clap chant reminiscent of another European Championship underdog — Iceland — when it beat England in 2016.
