itsbeautifuloutside

IBO Reporter: channonite

|Spain progressed to the Semi-Finals at Wembley next week, after being run close by a determined Swiss side. In fact, even the Swiss defender Remo Freuler being sent off by Premier League referee, Michael Oliver in the 77th minute, wasn't the cause of their defeat, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw after extra time. In their previous match the plucky Swiss had beaten the much fancied French side by scoring five penalties in a row, after that match also ended in stalemate after extra time. The difference this time was that they scored their first penalty, but missed the next three, although the Spanish keeper, Unai Simon saved the first two of those three.

The game began feeling very much one being played by two teams that had played a full match, plus extra time, plus penalties just four days before.

The first goal came after just 8' and was a calamity for the Swiss, after Spain won a corner and Koke's out-swinging kick was volleyed towards the goal by Jordi Alba. Jan Sommer in the Swiss goal, looked to have it covered, but on it's way to him, defender Denis Zakaria got a touch on the ball and deflected it into the corner, past his own keeper. 0-1 Spain

Things didn't improve much for Switzerland, when forward Breel Embolo was injured and had to go off with a suspected hamstring injury after 23'.

Spain should have put the game beyond the Swiss, when two minutes later a Spanish free kick just missed the target and Azpilicueta missed what seemed a straight forward header.

After such a dreadful start, you could have forgiven Switzerland for caving in, but they are made of sterner stuff and by half-time, they were beginning to get a toe-hold on the game. Not unexpectedly, the architect of almost everything good about the Swiss, was Xherdan Shaqiri and he was driving the team forward and making openings, that both Akanji and Widmer should have done better with.

So Spain, one of the pre-tournament favourites, seemed to have the upper hand as the teams headed into the dressing rooms at half-time, 0-1 to the good.

The second half began with Shaqiri leading his team and making things happen. On 57' he took a corner, which Zakaria headed just centimetres wide. Had he scored it would have more than made up for his inadvertent own goal in the first half.

The best chance for Switzerland came with Zuber advancing towards the penalty area playing the ball wide to Vargas, who then played a cute ball between the legs of two Spanish defenders for Zuber to run on to. He clipped the ball goal-wards and it look destined for the back of the net, but somehow the Spanish keeper, Simon threw himself the length of the goalmouth to push the ball wide.

For a while now, you just felt that a goal was coming for the Swiss, as they fashioned chance after chance. Eventually it duly came, but partly courtesy of a mistake in the Spanish defence. A long ball one the top for Freuler to run on to, was missed by two defenders each looking like they thought the other was going for the ball. The end result was the Swiss burst through and squared the ball for the onrushing Shaqiri, who made absolutely no mistake, emphatically shooting into the far corner of the net. 1-1. Game on.

Well, for a few brief minutes that was the case, but the goal also appeared to wake up the Spanish from their mid-game siesta.

Freuler, who minutes earlier had passed for Shaqiri to score, tackled Moreno, with what I thought was a perfectly timed sliding tackle, but Michael Oliver immediately went to his pocket and produced a red card. Replays showed that Freuler had indeed got to the ball first, but his trailing leg had caught Moreno. Very harsh in my humble opinion.

I thought that was that for Switzerland and there was no way they could hold out for the remaining 13 minutes of normal time, let alone take it to extra time, penalties seeming wildly optimistic.

However, up to the plate stepped Swiss goalie Sommer, who pulled off at least three outstanding saves over the course of the rest of normal time, time added and extra time, as a non-stop tide of Spanish attacks bore down on him.

Against all expectations we arrived at penalties and given the performance of Switzerland against France, I began to think that just maybe they could pull it off and win.

The first three penalties went without a hitch, but the next two Swiss penalties were saved by Simon. Vargas stepped up to take the fourth Swiss penalty to keep his side in the competition, but he skied his shot hopelessly over the bar. Moreno then had to simply score to win the game, which he duly did. I felt gutted for Switzerland and for the clear Man of the Match, Xherdan Shaqiri.

They say that the sign of a good side is one that wins when they are not playing well, but the Spanish did ride their luck in this game and held their nerve when it mattered. Make no mistake though that this win will have come at a cost, as they have just four days before their semi-final on Tuesday at Wembley.

IBO Reporter: Spot51

• Quiz Question: Who was the last Italian to score against Belgium? (Answer at end).

|To Munich for the super-heavyweight bout between 2 sides who have Played 4, Won 4. No extra time, no penalties and 9 goals scored and 1 conceded - by both of them.

There were injury concerns over 3 important players: Chiellini returned for Italy replacing his understudy Acerbi, De Bruyne recovered after coming off in the last match, but captain Eden Hazard did not. De Bruyne took the armband with Jeremy Doku coming on in his place. Italy made one other change with Chiesa replacing the erratic Berardi on their right – his goal off the bench against Austria probably helped.

These managers last faced each other when Martinez’s Wigan had shocked Mancini’s Man City side in the 2013 FA Cup Final. Whilst the build up to this ¼ final continued, in St Petersburg Spain were edging out Switzerland in a penalty shoot out so tonight’s teams knew who was waiting for the winner at Wembley next Tuesday. Belgium were in red, Italy in white and our ref was Mr Vincic from Slovenia. It was a warm evening in Bavaria as the anthems played, but Covid kept the attendance under 13,000, however both sets of fans were well represented.

At kick off, both sides took the knee and Italy got an early scare. De Bruyne found Lukaku who turned Chiellini, but the watchful Donnarumma took the ball from his toe. Belgium then won a corner which Italy dealt with before Toby’s raking ball found Lukaku offside. Doku was deployed down the left and is a speed merchant. His first run and cross saw Donnarumma catch the ball. By 8', Italy had settled and were weaving their intricate passing patterns high up the pitch. Meunier’s race down the right won another corner, but Italy got it away.

On 13' Jorginho was fouled on Italy’s right wing and Insigne came over to take the free kick. He curled his cross behind Belgium’s defensive line as white shirts broke through it. At the far post Bonucci turned it home. 1-0 Italy! Or not? VAR was checking for offside and replays showed 2 Italians behind Belgium. Had just one touched the ball the goal was fine – but both had, rendering Bonucci offside. Back to 0-0.

On 15' Tielemanns’ shot deflected for a corner. They worked a short routine, the ball played back to De Bruyne whose shot was headed away by Chiellini. The midfield battle was hotting up. Within a minute Veratti was carded for fouling Tielmanns, before the latter also saw yellow for bringing down Veratti…

On 22' De Bruyne unleashed a ferocious shot which Donnarumma turned round the post. The keeper then came to catch the resulting corner before Italy went back on the attack. Spinazzola was doing his overlapping thing on the left allowing Insigne to move infield. Another Belgian break saw De Bruyne find Lukaku, who drew another save from Donnarumma. Chiesa then tried his luck on the left, cut inside but a partial block allowed Courtois to field the ball. Insigne sent a shot just beyond the far post and Chiesa had another shot blocked, before Spinazzola won a corner. Insigne’s kick was headed out by Vermaelen.

On 30' Hazard fouled Di Lorenzo and Italy took a quick free kick and played the ball forward. Immobile went over in the box but Italy recovered the ball, Barella rounded a defender and fired into the far corner. Now it was 1-0 Italy and a sheepish Immobile got up and went to celebrate with his teammates.

Jorginho conceded a corner which Chiellini headed away, but Belgium kept up the pressure and all 11 Italians got behind the ball. When they won the ball and advanced, Di Lorenzo’s cross was headed behind by Vermaelen. The ball came out to Chiesa who fired a shot just wide. Then Spinazzola got forward, found Immobile who was crowded out by red shirts.

Italy were keeping the ball well now and Insigne dropped into his own half to collect and carry the ball forward. Dropping his shoulder, he cut inside Tielemanns and curled a sweet shot past Courtois’ dive into the top corner. 2-0 Italy now. Just as we though Italy were cruising, Belgium responded. The lively Doku ran by Di Lorenzo and the full back gave him a shove – over he went, and the ref pointed to the spot. It was a soft one, but VAR supported the official (as it doubtless would have had he not given it). Lukaku put the ball on the spot, smashed it down the middle and we were at 2-1 with added time being played: then half time.

With no changes the second half began with more Italy pressure. Insigne’s cross from the left went behind Chiesa before Verratti set up the Juventus man but his shot flew wide. They then wasted a corner before Chiesa created a chance that Immobile hit wide. Meunier got Belgium back up field winning a corner. Italy’s love of heading the ball away was forcing Belgium to try short corners and this one got Doku round the back, but his low cross was pounced on by Donnarumma.

Spinnazola carried Italy forward. Belgium survived a corner but Italian pressing kept getting the ball off them. Belgium then came close to an equaliser when De Bruyne broke into their box and looked for Lukaku at the back post. Spinazzola had tracked the forward’s run and Lukaku had trouble sorting his stride out. He did turn the ball goal-wards, but it bounced off the retreating defender and looped wide of the post. The Italian defenders celebrated like it was Christmas!

Italy forced Courtois to make a couple of saves before a super move down the left saw Insigne pick out the run of Spinazzola, who took it on the volley, firing just wide. A Vermaelen foul allowed Insigne to send another cross into Belgium’s box. De Bruyne carried the ball out before he was swamped in a sea of white shirts. Insigne drew a further save from Courtois before Martinez made two substitutions on 70': Mertens and Chadli replaced Tilemanns and Meunier.

Both were soon involved, Mertans sending Chadli away down the left. He tried to drive the ball across the box but a fortunate nick off Di Lorenzo looped the ball over Lukaku and behind Hazard queuing at the back post. That was that for Chadli – he clearly pulled something in that move and had to go off, replaced by Praet. Italy made their first changes at the same time, Belotti and Cristante coming on for Immobile and Verratti. Belgium worked an opportunity for Lukaku but Jorginho’s block allowed Donnarumma to pick up the ball.

Spinnazzola went on another left wing run but suddenly pulled up clutching the back of his leg. Cristante persuaded him to lie down and the players had a drinks break. When the Roma full back left the field he was in tears, on a stretcher, knowing his involvement in Euro 2021 was over. Chelsea’s Emerson came on instead.

Belgium got forward but Mertens’ foul on Emerson relieved the pressure. Italy were still keeping the ball well and winning all the important second balls as Belgium tried to recover. When Witsel got behind them Bonucci blocked his cross, then Doku ran across the edge of Italy’s box, before firing a shot just past the top corner.

As players tired, a few fouls were creeping in and increasingly Italy looked happy to sit back and let Belgium try to break them down. In the last minute, Berardi was booked for a foul on De Bruyne. Donnarumma came for the cross, got clattered by Witsel and went down. As he was being treated, we moved into +5' and Italy replaced Chiesa with Toloi.

Italy used up added time as Italians always have. De Lorenzo down hurt – Donnarumma catching a cross and holding onto the ball as long as possible – Berardi reaching the corner flag and keeping the ball there. In the final seconds Chiellini headed a cross behind but Belgium did not make the final corner count. When the ref awarded a goal kick to Italy they began to celebrate. Moments later the whistle went, sending Italy to Wembley to meet Spain in the first semi-final.

I’ve loved watching Belgium in recent years. They are still a top side but time rolls on and a number of this “golden generation” won’t be around next year at the Desert World cup.

Italy are great. Mancini was the antidote to failing to get to Russia in 2018. He has built a canny squad combining Italian flair with the grittiest of defending and their unbeaten run stretches back years. Spain are decent but will get a real test from these guys.

• Quiz Answer: At Euro 2016 Italy’s 2nd goal against Belgium was scored by Graziano Pelle.

IBO Reporter : Spot51

|This quarter final sent these European sides halfway across Asia to play in the blazing heat of Azerbaijan. The Danes had suspended their own isolation rules for travelling supporters – the Czechs had not, so had far fewer fans at the game.

This match was covered by ITV who have generally been good at this tournament, but we had to endure the damned sponsors’ messages: “True fans have no borders” say Qatar Airways. WTF?? I see Toni Kroos retired from international football rather than play at your World Cup.

Tilsley and McCoist were doing commentary and Bjorn Kuipers from Holland was the Ref. Denmark were unchanged and the Czechs made one change, bringing back Boril at left back who served a suspension in their previous game. Czech Republic were in their red and blue home kit and Denmark in white. Hummel kit, Big Jan and the spirit of Christian Eriksen – how could they fail?

We’ve seen the importance of wing-backs in modern football, so when Maehle went down hurt early on there were concerned faces on Denmark’s bench. The Atalanta man was soon up and able to re-join the early sparring. The Czechs enjoyed early possession but the big guys at the back for Denmark stood strong. On 5' Denmark’s sweep upfield won a corner off Celustka. Stryger Larsson swung the cross in and it was met by Delaney who headed home. 1-0 Denmark.

Denmark continued to attack, Højbjerg’s cross was headed away by Holes, before Maehle played in Dolberg, whose blocked shot earned another corner. Kalas put this behind and when Stryger sent his next corner in, Big Jan stuck it wide. Schick then cut in from the right wing, his shot deflecting for a Czech corner. Barak’s cross was headed out and a long ball forward found Damsgaard breaking forward, but he was unable to finish and the defenders cleared. At the other end Sevcik played it to Soucek but his went too high.

Denmark were playing a neat passing game and a sweeping move got Stryger free on the right. His cross was met by Delaney at the near post, but he only managed to get his knee to the ball and it flew wide. Then Schick got forward but was swamped by white shirts, PEH emerging with the ball. Delaney conceded a corner, taken by Barak, but while the ball was in the air the Ref clocked rough-house tactics from Soucek and gave Denmark a free kick. Whilst Denmark were looking fairly sound at the back, a poor kick out from Schmeichel allowed Masopust to play in Holes. The keeper atoned for his error at the cost of a corner, which Big Jan was able to head away.

The Czechs continued to get forward, with Stryger obliged to head Coufal’s cross behind. Soucek got on the end of Sevcik’s corner, but couldn’t guide his header accurately. Up the other end on 27', Martin Braithwaite got on the end of a decent move, but slashed his shot wide. Some tasty tackles were going on and when Damsgaard was penalised for a trip, Czechia sent the free kick just beyond the head of Celustka.

Delaney’s foul on Sevcik allowed Barak to send over another free kick, but Dolberg cleared. Masopust then won a corner, but the Danes got that away too. Then Schick looked for a shooting opportunity until Kjaer took the ball. Braithwaite carried the ball forward and tried to find Stryger, but Vaclik pounced on the ball. On 35', a good Czech move saw Soucek set up Holes, whose volley was batted away by Schmeichel, Christiansen putting it out for a corner. Barak’s corner was headed away by Vestergaard, allowing Denmark to move up. The ball was passed back to Jannik Vestergaard, who slotted a lovely pass in to Damsgaard who forced Vaclic to save.

With Stryger and Boril down hurt, the players enjoyed a drinks break, until the downed combatants were put right. Højbjerg was having another good game in the middle of the park, but it was the man still at Southampton that played the next killer pass. Vestergaard’s pass through the Czechs found Maehle’s run and he cut inside and played a sweet ball into the box with the outside of his right boot. Dolberg met it and volleyed home. 2-0 Denmark.

The Czechs came back, but Kjaer’s defending was sublime. When Schick got a sight of goal, the lino put up his flag. Added time came – and went. HT = 2-0.

The Czechs made two subs for the 2nd half – Krmencik and Jankto for Holes and Masopust. They had an immediate impact, bringing aggression and urgency to their side. Within 30s the big striker had forced a save from Schmeichel and the winger looked happy to raid down either flank. Barak forced Kasper to turn his shot round the post and Denmark were able to deal with the corner.

Salonika’s big centre-forward was able to win balls in the air and his knockdown to Schick was dangerous, but a timely block took the sting off the shot so Kasper could field. The next time the ball arrived in his box, the big keeper was beaten. The ball was worked wide to Coufal and his driven cross was turned in by Patrik Schick, 2-1 and the Leverkusen striker was level with Cristiano Ronaldo, 5 goals apiece (both wallowing in the wake of Own Goal , a shoe in for the Golden Boot!)

On 50', Schick caught Kjaer with a flying elbow, not deliberate but the big man was flattened and got the free kick. This allowed Denmark to move out of their half, Braithwaite earning them a corner. Stryger got on the end of it, but headed wide. We had a good game now: at half-time Denmark had one foot at Wembley, but the Czechs were making a decent attempt to get back in contention.

The Czechs enjoyed plenty of possession and a rare break by Braithwaite did not produce an attempt on goal. His foul on Kalas created another Czech chance involving both their subs – Jankto finding Krmencik, whose shot was blocked. They were really up for this now. Even when Chritiansen won a corner, the Czechs quickly won the ball and moved threateningly up the park. Vestergaard had sprinted all the way back to his box and must have been delighted when a loose pass let him shepherd the ball back to his Keeper.

After surviving another attack involving Jankto, the Danes made their first changes on 60m. Dolburg and Damsgaard were both withdrawn, replaced by Poulsen and Norgaard and these two soon combined with the Leipzig man’s shot blocked by Soufal. There were two players down – on came the Medics. Celustka was unable to carry on and was replaced in the Czech defence by Brabec. Soucek was able to continue, but spent the rest of the match wearing an increasingly bloodstained bandage round his skull.

Jannik Vestergaard had made it his job to mark Krmencik and twice in quick succession he stepped up, leaving the striker offside. The game was noticeably slower now and Denmark were able to begin bossing things again. Braithwaite got the ball forward to Poulsen, who had Vaclik at full stretch to stop his goal-bound effort.

On 70', the Bats’ Daniel Wass replaced Stryger, who’d run himself to a standstill wide right. Wass made a hash of his first attempted clearance, letting Czechia in and giving Jankto a sight of goal. Kjaer then tracked and felled Sevcik near the corner of the box and Schmeichel had to tip the cross over his bar. Vestergaard met the the corner, sending out of his box. On 78', Wass got down the right and picked out Poulsen with his cross. A great shot was met by the save of the match from Vaclik – terrific stuff! Wass took the resulting corner – way too long. The Czechs then made two more changes. Their usual Captain, Darida from Hertha came on for Sevcik and Burnley’s Vydra replaced Schick.

In a final push, armed with the kitchen sink, the Czechs poured forward. Jankto set up Soucek (bloodier – if not quite Terry Butcher ’89), but the Hammer’s shot appeared to hit a team-mate and fly wide. As Braithwaite moved forward, he was fouled by Boril and Denmark used the break for two further changes. Jensen and Andersen (who both spent last season in the championship) replaced Delaney and Christiansen.

On 82' Denmark should have put the game to bed. Maele cut in from the left but, with teammates breaking into the box, he opted to try to beat Vaclik at his near post: bad idea. Jensen’s corner only led to a forward fouling a defender and play stopped. Now Boril was down and, when the medics had done, he too was sporting a head bandage. It was easy to tell who was who – Boril’s was white.

The Czechs next attack saw Krmencik find Vydra in the box. Over he went, looking towards the ref pleadingly. Krmencik on the other hand, delivered such a verbal volley that Bjorn was obliged to show his yellow card. With the clock ticking down, Denmark opted to keep what they had and remained very tidy at the back. Their opponents grew more frustrated, with Kalas seeing yellow for a crude challenge on Norgaard. The Danes even went five at the back now, with Højbjerg and Norgaard prowling the territory ahead of their back line.

Have to give the Czechs credit, they kept trying to score. Soucek’s effort was cleared and on 90', Højbjerg and Braithwaite took an excursion forward, the latter going over in the box, more in hope than expectation. Six added minutes were indicated and back came the Czechs. They amassed two further chances. With 3' remaining, Boril headed the ball back across the box and Krmencik attempted an acrobatic volley that merely sent the ball skywards. The Danes briefly tried to keep the ball up field, but that didn’t work so, backs to the wall again. The Czechs piled forward in numbers but, when Antonin Barak fired wide in the dying seconds, that was their last chance gone.

So Denmark go to Wembley to meet, we now know, England in their own back yard. On paper, you wouldn’t rate their chances, but this Danish side have been to hell and back already, so nothing will frighten them. Kasper Hjulman’s squad comprises a number of leaders - captains and former captains of their club sides and the Eriksen business has given them something else – they are on a Mission. England will need to become the bad guys and find yet another level on the pitch to go all the way to next Sunday’s final.

IBO Reporter : jickster

|Is it coming home? It could be. England beat Ukraine comfortably in Rome and played very well, looking like a free-scoring side for the first time in the tournament while keeping a 5th clean sheet in a row. It could all come crashing down at any point, but for now England have navigated the tournament very nicely.

The evening couldn't really have gone any better. Southgate brought in Sancho for a first start of the tournament and any potential nerves were settled early on, as Sterling played a nice through pass and Kane just about reached it on the stretch to score inside 5 minutes.

Ukraine tried to build a way into the game, but England kept things composed for the most part. This England side doesn't go full throttle very much, but patient play eventually meant that the game was played on their terms - an unusual approach from an England team, but one that is paying off so far.

It took a while for further chances to arrive, but after about half an hour, good work from Sterling down the left led to the ball being half-cleared to Rice, who smashed a swerving shot that was well blocked by Buschan: "England smell a second goal" says Jermaine Jenas, but nothing arrives straight away.

England's only concerns in the first half come from their own errors. A weak Walker back-header is intercepted by Yaremchuk and Pickford has to save well. Later another Walker loss of concentration in the area causes some panic, which Pickford has to deal with. Don't underestimate how well Pickford has played so far in this tournament, he has made a number of good saves at key times to maintain this run of clean sheets.

Southgate's half time message will have been to cut out the sloppy play, as that represents Ukraine's only real hope. But within 5 minutes of the restart, all fears have gone and the game is over at 3-0. Luke Shaw sets up two quickfire goals: first his free kick from the left is ideal for Maguire to head in from close range. Then Shaw is released down the left for a chipped cross, which Kane heads down for his second of the game. Kane is so vital to England's play and the goals give him renewed confidence. Soon after he hits a thumping volley, which almost gets him his hat-trick, but another good save from Buschan turns it round the post. From the resulting Mount corner, substitute Henderson glances in at the near post to make it 4-0.

Southgate and his coaching staff are deep in conversation, but the topic is the luxury of deciding which players can be rested now. A flurry of substitutions and the knowledge of a semi-final in a few days time, means that the rest of the game is a glorified training session, with England passing the ball carefully and preserving energy. None of the subs can really impress in this kind of context.

So a 4-0 win and a load of positives for Southgate: no yellow cards, no injuries, a star striker finding form at the right time, another clean sheet, a match that only lasted for about an hour in reality, a general sense of confidence around the whole team and a belief in their manager's methods. This wasn't evidence that England can beat (as it turns out) Italy in a potential final, but it was evidence that they know how to show their superiority against teams that are weaker on paper, which bodes well for the Denmark semi-final (in theory).

Perhaps the one negative is that Jadon Sancho, while showing flashes of skill, probably didn't do enough to stake a strong claim for further starts given the competition for his position, although he might get used if tactics demand it.

As for Ukraine, they had little chance here, once Kane had put England in front. They get an excellent reception from their fans after the final whistle, clapping in rhythm to their drummer. They have had a successful tournament in reaching the last 8 and can be proud of their overall efforts.

England are back to Wembley, where they will face a Denmark side with some good players who are also on a roll at the moment. But England will be favourites for the game and know that they have the ability to reach the final with another performance like this one.