Written as it happened, Euro 2020, the rich pickings. Italy riding on a wave of a thirty plus match undefeated run, the Italians look good but is it a deceptive look? Breezed through their group. As for the tournament’s favourites France, struggled v Hungary, match result one to one. The world’s number one ranked country Belgium, looked very strong in attacking mode, but to suggest that the defence looks shaky. Roy Keane stated that Belgium should be given a bye to the quarter finals, not with that defence Roy. Onto team England, first match up v Croatia, a win one to nil, job done, followed by Scotland’s World Cup Final ending with a 0-0 draw, a point good enough with a last sixteen berth being confirmed 1 to nil v Czech Republic with criticism of the garbage variety being strewn Southgate’s way. Second placed, the Czech’s went onto defeat Holland in the last sixteen phase with the orange men crashing out with their usual whimper. The before mentioned Italy hit the sharp end of the reality zone v Austria followed with a disallowed Marko Arnautovic goal and a certain penalty would have been awarded, with again an Austrian player being offside, it should have been goodnight Vienna for Italy. The white lucky feather was flapping in the wind, the white streak in Mancini’s hair, no bird droppings then, mama mia, end result 2-0 to Italy.

Wales’ expected crash came four to nil v Denmark who are playing with rocket charges up one’s wind assisted adrenalin rush, will Gareth Bale, bale out on Wales? Altitude good, parachute waiting. Favourites France crashed out on nightmare penalty skid row. Shootouts to the Switzerland who have claimed the trophy for the most air miles clocked up courtesy of the UEFA’s disjointed road map, cars in the sky? The planes will suffice, 9000 miles at the last check point. The golden generation has passed them by but the current Spanish team came good converting chances into goals 5-3 v the Stubborn Croats, Croatia. Onto England’s biggest opponent Germany, the Scots may argue. Southgate squatted his doubters like an annoying scratch, the silent assassin, filed down, patience, rich pickings, stem from a solid defence, look for invention as team England progress into the tournament, keep the faith, keep believing, first half foundations set, Grealish introduced to unlock the door, Jack duly obliged, two crosses splintered the German defence, Stirling an Kane responded, 2-0 to England. Laid to rest and in camera view, Müller broke the ranks, the English fortress, clear run on goal ringing in the ears, has to be a goal, Pickford advanced off his line, Müller gets the shot off, the ball was agonisingly heading for the far low corner of the net, would have been an equaliser as we flashback, then the moment of time came England’s way, the hand of Gazza rose up from beneath the turf and palmed the ball away, the ghost of Gazza, redemption, Euro ‘96 banished ‘let’s all do the swagger’!

In bonny Scotland, at Hampden, the Ukraine v Sweden encounter was taking place with both seeking second phase qualification. The match became very physical and fast paced, players were dropping like flies with fatigue and injuries. The Swedes went down to ten men, the solitary red card did not go amiss, signalled their impending defeat, into extra time and Ukraine scored the second goal, a 2-1 victory.

Onto the quarter final stage de Euro 2020-21, Spain v Switzerland. The match was evenly balanced until a red card was issued to Switzerland’s Freuler, a dubious sending off, to suggest, not a red card offence, not every tackle is a foul, memo to Michael Oliver the referee. The Swiss displayed great heart and fight. The dreaded penalties shootout advanced, the Swiss looked mentally drained, four penalties were missed, dreadful penalties, the technique was shot to bits, lucky for Spain who pocketed three penalties, a 3 to 1 success, of the opinion that the Spanish are physically lightweight and could be bulldozed out in the semi-final. The tournament’s favourites Belgium faced up to the physicality of the Italians and were stretching every sinu to match up. The Italians’ Lorenzo Insigne scored the decisive goal from the Italian’s usual cut across the defence and deliver the cross shot, more central on the match winning goal. Not in the ream talk then Roberto Martinez? How to stop Insigne. The pocket Insigne could have been stopped, Martinez paid the price, failure, is the exit door looming? Marked down, a 2 to 1 defeat. A long trek to the Baku Stadium in Azerbaijan for Denmark and Sweden, UEFA’s favourite destination, a country rich in oil reflected with pipes of money flowing to the UEFA, perhaps is the real appeal, an outpost for major sporting events, not just football. As for the match it did not attract too much of one’s attention, the result being 2-1 to Denmark, next stop Wembley Stadium, a proper football setting for a semi-final date. Denmark’s possible opponents England faced up to Ukraine in Rome and reverted to a back four with Rice and Phillips offering protection from the opposition’s forward movements. The Three Lions started with the same resounding message, play across the back line, look for the forward movement, look for the delivery, on five minutes the moment had arrived, Stirling opens the Ukraine’s defence, Kane explodes in behind the lines, goal, England, further goals came for England on 46, 47 and 62 minutes with the two Harry’s, Kane and Maguire respectively, with Jamie Henderson grabbing the fourth, four nil to England area of concern for England is Kyle Walker’s defending and positional play on occasions which is not of the required standard, Ukraine failed to capitalise.

Two opponents lined up for the first semi-final, Italy v Spain. The Spanish imposed their possession play restricting the Italians to thirty five per cent ball retention, in response the Azzurri imposed their physicality on the Spanish. Against the grain, the possession stat, Italia task the lead on sixty minutes with Mr Robust, Chiesa scoffing with a curling shot, the much maligned Alvaro Morata sought redemption and delivered on eighty minutes slotting in the equaliser. Extra time approached, the signposts ahead, avoid the penalty shootouts, it was not to be. The killer missed penalty fell at the lottery door of Morata, from saint to sinner, pull on the slot machine lever, draw three lemons and you’re out! If the match was decided on stats (ref Manero article, July 2021, The Penalty Farce) then the match would have fallen in favour of the Spanish, possession wise Italia were blown away, passed off the park at a ratio of three to one, 900 passes for the Spanish v 300 passes for the Azzurri. The two year qualification period for Spain blown away with football’s penalty farce.

An enthralled nation England v Denmark, the semi-final, can the Three Lions reach a second major final match on, England open the early exchanges of play with a spring in their step, looking to threaten, difficult carve out goalscoring opportunities, Raheem Stirling let rip with a goal bound shot but lacked any powder keg. As the half progressed the Danes were looking to impose in the forward areas. On thirty minutes England conceded a soft free kick, Jordan Pickford’s positioning to one side of the goal was disconcerting strike the ball, strike the goal on invite into the open goal, one to nil to Denmark, too much ground for Pickford to cover, Damsgaard duly obliged, goal one – nil to Denmark. Pickford’s at fault or is it the goalkeeper’s coaching manual, needs to be shredded on the GK’s free kick positioning, time and time again this occurs with goalkeepers.

England responded, upped the gears, the turbo charged Saka blows the Danish defence away, in behind the Dane’s defence lines, facing their own goal, a Stirling assist come Kjaer own goal on the thirty nine minutes a quick response from England. Into the second half, the teams were evenly matched and extra time became inevitable. Fourteen minutes into the extra period England were awarded a penalty with Raheem Stirling appearing to induce the penalty, up stepped Harry Kane, Schmeichel saved the penalty, Kane followed up on the rebound, 2-1 to England. The Three Lions ran the clock down, progression to the final, Italy awaits.