Brighton at Euro 2020: White and Sanchez have BIG SEMIS
Well, well, well. Brighton & Hove Albion have not one, but two players looking forward to a big semi at Euro 2020 (in 2021) as only four nations remain in the battle to be crowned champions of Europe.
England delivered one of their most convincing and professional knockout tournament performances ever to hammer Ukraine 4-0 in Rome. Watching Brighton in 2020-21 has made it easy to forget how much fun dominating possession can be when you score the goals to match.
It took the Three Lions less than three minutes to break the deadlock through Harry Kane, scoring for the second game running to make a mockery of those claiming he should be dropped.
Harry Maguire, Kane again and substitute Jordan Henderson completed the rout to set up a clash against Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday night.
Ben White may not have made the bench, but Gareth Southgate still had special words for those not involved afterwards. He praised the players have not played a minute of the tournament yet, saying: “They are the ones that are making this team successful because the spirit of this group is phenomenal. Whoever comes in does the job.”
White was in good company in missing out on the matchday 23 against Ukraine. Champions League winner Reece James and Bukayo Saka – one of England’s stars of the tournament – joined White in the stands at Stadio Olimpico.
Southgate added: “I am spending more energy worrying about the three I have to leave out of the 26 because they are all good players, none of them deserve to be left out. They are all giving everything in training, so none of it is because I don’t think they are up to the level.”
Nice words from an England manager who has now led his nation to three successive semi finals in three different competitions – the Euros, the Nations League and the World Cup.
Perhaps it is time we acknowledge that Southgate does know what he is doing – even when that includes not taking Brighton captain Lewis Dunk to Euro 2020 (or awarding him more than one measly cap).
White meanwhile has made a little bit more Brighton history as the Albion player who has now gone furthest at a major tournament with England.
Steve Foster had held that record as part of the Three Lions squad who made it to the second group stage at the 1982 World Cup. England were eliminated after 0-0 draws with Spain and West Germany, exiting the tournament before the semi final stages despite not losing any of their five matches.
Italy went onto win the competition with a typically well organised and robust side. Roberto Mancini’s Class of 2021 are rewriting the rulebooks when it comes to how the Azzurri play and Robert Sanchez and Spain will have their work cut out against these swashbuckling Italians in the first big semi on Tuesday night.
Just ask Leandro Trossard. Belgium came into Euro 2020 as the number one ranked team in the world and yet the Vampire of Genk is heading back to Brighton after a quarter final elimination at the hands of Mancini’s men.
All the goals came in the first half. Italy took the lead when Nicolo Barella wriggled through three defenders before drilling in the opener. Lorenzo Insigne then ran from the halfway line to curl in one of the goals of the tournament, doubling the advantage.
Romelu Lukaku pulled one back from the penalty spot right on the stroke of half time but Belgium could not force an equaliser. Trossard remained an unused substitute as what looks to be the last chance for Belgium’s golden generation to lift some silverware – only two players in their starting line up against Italy were under 28 – has gone.
That should at least afford Trossard more international opportunities in the future. At 26, he is one of the younger members of the team and if he becomes a more consistent player in the Premier League then he could be one of the talents around which the Red Devils rebuild.
Sanchez was also an unused substitute as Spain booked their spot in the final four and that date with Italy via a penalty shootout win over Switzerland.
A Denis Zakaria own goal gave the Spanish an early lead in St Petersburg. Xherdan Shaqiri levelled things up midway through the first half, punishing a mistake in a Spain defence which has now made a couple of those in two knockout ties that have gone all the way to extra time.
Even an additional 30 minutes could not separate Spain and Switzerland and so penalties were required. The Swiss must have been taking spot kick lessons from Brighton as they missed three of theirs – the same number the Albion squandered against Newport County in the FA Cup.
Unai Simon saved two of the Swiss penalties and Ruben Vargas spooned one over the bar. Unfortunately for Switzerland, Yann Sommer could not quite match Jason Steele’s heroics at Rodney Parade of four saves and despite keeping Fabian Schär’s effort out, it was Spain who advanced 3-1 from 12 yards.
Down in South America, there was the welcome sight of Moises Caicedo coming off the bench for Ecuador in their Copa America quarter final against Argentinia.
Caicedo had been earning rave reviews at the tournament before a horrible looking knee injury forced him off early in Ecuador’s final group game against Brazil.
At the time, it appeared serious enough to raise genuine fears that he would face a long time on the shelf. To see Caicedo replacing Alan Franco for the final 20 minutes was therefore a positive sign ahead of a 2021-22 season when big things are expected of the midfielder, especially if Yves Bissouma gets his deserved move to one of the Premier League’s big boys.
Ecuador were trailing 1-0 to a Rodrigo De Paul strike when Caicedo entered the action. Further goals from Lautaro Martinez and Lionel Messi wrapped up a 3-0 win for Argentina, with Messi also claiming two assists.
