football
Wembley may have 65,000 fans for Euro 2020 semifinals, final
UEFA is in talks with the British government about increasing the attendance at Wembley Stadium to 65,000 for the semifinals and final of the European Championship, people with knowledge of the discussions said Monday.
The government had already agreed to increase the current group-stage capacity of about 22,000 to at least 40,000 for one game in the round of 16 game and the final three matches of the Euro 2020 tournament at the 90,000-seat stadium.
UEFA hopes to increase that further by securing more quarantine exemptions for visitors, including sponsors and VIPs, the people told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private talks.
There are fears Britain is seeing the start of a third wave of coronavirus infections with cases rising to 68,449 over the last seven days. The resurgence, which is the result of the delta variant first identified in India, led Italian Premier Mario Draghi to call for moving the Euro 2020 final away from Britain.
READ: Germany clicks at Euro 2020 with 4-2 win over Portugal
“I advocate that the final should not take place in a country in which the risk of infection is very big,” Draghi said Monday.
Italy’s team has to fly to London this week for a last-16 game against Austria at Wembley on Saturday.
Last week, UEFA said it was in talks with authorities in London about allowing fans of the participating teams to attend the semifinals and final by staying in the country less than 24 hours and staying within bubbles.
UEFA raised the prospect of taking the games from London — with Budapest as a backup — if there was not an agreement regarding fans coming to London.
READ: France held to 1-1 draw by Hungary at Euro 2020
Tourists from all the non-British nations competing at Euro 2020 have to quarantine for at least five days upon arrival in the country under general pandemic regulations to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Women's Football: ARB College thump Cumilla United 7-0
Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College SC made a flying start to the second phase of the Women's Football League 2020-21, crushing Cumilla United Club 7-0 at the Kamalapur Stadium Monday.
The winners dominated the first half 3-0.
Nasrin Akter (21 min), Kohati Kisku (37 min), Mahfuza Khatun (44 min), Anika Tanjum (47 min), Anuching Mogini (62 min), Afeida Khandaker (71 min) and Sohagi Kisku (90+1 min) scored one goal each for Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan College.
In Monday's other match, FC Brahmanbaria defeated Jamalpur Kacharipara Ekadash 3-1 at the same venue in the morning.
READ: Germany clicks at Euro 2020 with 4-2 win over Portugal
Munmun Akter put FC Brahmanbaria ahead in the 19th minute (1-0) while Lipi Akter restored parity for Jamalpur in the 53rd minute (1-1).
FC Brahmanbaria took the lead again as Jamalpur's Khaleda Khatun scored an own goal in the 61st minute (2-1).
Sadia Akter sealed the fate of the match, scoring the third goal for FC Brahmanbaria in the 77th minute (3-1).
READ: Women's Football: Bashundhara crush Suddopuskorini 5-0
Women's Football: Bashundhara crush Suddopuskorini 5-0
Title aspirants Bashundhara Kings made a flying start to the second phase of the Women's Football League 2020-21, outplaying Suddopuskorini Jubo SC 5-0 at the Kamalapur Stadium Sunday.
With the victory, the national star-studded Kings maintained their 100% record after securing 24 points from eight straight matches.
Also read: Women's Football: Bashundhara hands 20-0 drubbing to Nasrin DA
National women's team captain Sabina Khatun emerged as the country's first women footballer to reach the landmark of scoring 100 goals in the top-level football league.
Germany clicks at Euro 2020 with 4-2 win over Portugal
Germany finally clicked into gear at the European Championship, with a little help from defending champion Portugal.
The Portuguese became the first team to score two own-goals in one game at the continental tournament, giving Germany a 4-2 victory.
Cristiano Ronaldo put Portugal in the lead in the 15th minute against the run of play. It was his first goal against Germany and his third at Euro 2020. It also extended his all-time tournament record to 12 goals.
But defenders Rúben Dias and Raphaël Guerreiro soon put Germany ahead by scoring into their own net in the first half.
Kai Havertz and Robin Gosens then scored two more for Germany early in the second half — becoming the first players within the squad to score at a European Championship.
Diogo Jota got one back for Portugal in the 67th minute.
Both Portugal and Germany have three points in Group F, one behind France, which was surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by Hungary in Budapest.
Hungary has one point before its final group game against Germany on Wednesday in Munich. France will play Portugal in Budapest.
France held to 1-1 draw by Hungary at Euro 2020
France needed a second-half equalizer from Antoine Griezmann to avoid the biggest upset of the tournament.
Hungary, playing in front of a raucous crowd yet again at the European Championship, held the World Cup champions to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
After Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema wasted chances, Griezmann scored in the 66th minute to dampen the spirit of a crowd which gave Hungary unwavering support throughout the Group F match.
It was Griezmann’s 38th goal for France, moving him three behind third-place Michel Platini on the national team’s scoring list, and he did a little celebratory dance in front of the blue-shirted fans.
The 67,215-capacity Puskas Arena in Budapest is the only stadium at Euro 2020 to allow full crowds, and it produced an atmosphere to remember.
“It’s the first time with a full stadium, it’s different from what you are used to,” Griezmann said. “You can’t hear anything. We couldn’t even hear each other on the field. But it’s a great pleasure to play in front of fans again.”
Hungary’s fans went wild when Attila Fiola gave the home team the lead.
Latching onto the ball after Roland Sallai won a header down the left flank, Fiola burst into the penalty area and held off defender Raphael Varane before clipping the ball into the bottom corner.
Some flares were lit and Hungary goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi had to remove paper thrown from the stands which landed in his penalty area.
Mbappe and Benzema both wasted chances before Hungary’s goal.
“We should have been in front. It’s not good enough given what we expected, but that’s soccer,” France coach Didier Deschamps said. “They scored with their only chance. Considering the context, we’ll take the point.”
Given the quality of their opponents, Hungary’s draw was more like a victory and Gulacsi pumped his fists as the crowd gave the players a massive ovation.
“Today we managed to earn some glory,” Hungary coach Marco Rossi said through a translator. “Tomorrow life will go on as usual.”
The Hungarian players lined up in front of their home fans behind one goal after the match and stood with their hands on their hearts as the crowd sang.
“The Hungarian fans are unmatched. We have unique fans,” Rossi said. “That’s why we work so hard to please them.”
Many of the fans waved the green-white-and-red national flag, while others were clad in black T-shirts with Magyaroszag (Hungary) written on them. Still others stood bare-chested behind one of the goals in bright afternoon sunshine.
The French team did have some of their own fans, however, about 5,700 of them, according to UEFA.
The mood became intimidating when some sections of the crowd jeered the French national anthem, La Marseillaise. But France had enough chances to quiet them down in the first half.
The unmarked Mbappe headed wide from left back Lucas Digne’s cross in the 18th. Benzema then fluffed a straightforward chance when he ran onto Mbappe’s clever flick behind and sent a shot wide near the penalty spot.
Benzema has still not scored in the competition, after failing at Euro 2008 and Euro 2012. He was left out of Euro 2016.
“As a forward, he knows what people expect from him,” Deschamps said. “But the main thing is that he stays confident and that I keep believing in him.”
Mbappe has not scored at this tournament. Both had a goal ruled out for offside in the 1-0 over against Germany on Tuesday.
The draw gives Hungary one point in the group ahead of Wednesday’s match against Germany in Munich. Two-time champion France has four points and will stay in Budapest to face defending champion Portugal.
“It’s not as if we were going to crush everyone,” Deschamps said. “We still hold the cards. If we win then we’ll finish first.”
Deschamps may have an injury concern for that game.
Substitute Ousmane Dembele, who hit the post moments after coming on as second-half substitute, went off near the end of the game after appearing to hurt his knee.
“I hope it’s only a minor injury,” Deschamps said. “We’ll know more in the next few days.”
BCL Football: Fortis beat Wanderers 2-1
Fortis Football Club earned a 2-1 victory against Dhaka Wanderers Club in the second phase of the 12-team Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) Football 2020-21 at the Kamalapur Stadium Saturday.
Zillur put the winners ahead in the 19th minute (1-0) and Ekbal doubled the margin in the 63rd minute (2-0).
Also read: BCL Football: Both matches end in draws Friday
Jewel scored the consolation goal for Wanderers in the 80th minute (2-1).
The day's other match between Uttara Football Club and Swadhinata Krira Sangha ended in a 1-1 draw at the same venue in the evening.
Also read: BCL Football: Wanderers play 1-1 draw with Farashganj
Rasel scored for Swadhinata KS in the 37th minute while Masud restored the parity for Uttara FC in the 86th minute from a penalty.
BFF celebrates AFC Grassroots Football Day 2021
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), with the support of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), celebrated the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2021 in the capital and three other districts of the country Saturday.
BFF EC members Ameer Khan, Mahidur Rahman Miraz; Technical Director Paul Thomas Smalley, General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag, Grassroots Brand Ambassador and National Women's team captain Sabina Khatun were present at the inaugural programme at the BFF artificial turf in Dhaka.
Eriksen released from hospital after ‘successful’ operation
Christian Eriksen was discharged from the hospital on Friday and immediately went to visit his Denmark teammates nearly a week after suffering cardiac arrest during a European Championship match.
The Danish soccer federation wrote on Twitter that Eriksen was released from the Rigshospitalet in central Copenhagen after a successful operation. The federation previously said Eriksen would be fitted with an ICD, an implantable device that can function as both a pacemaker and defibrillator.
“The operation went well, and I am doing well under the circumstances,” Eriksen was quoted as saying in the tweet.
Also read: Eriksen to be fitted with implanted heart monitoring device
The 29-year-old Eriksen has been in the hospital since collapsing on the field during his team’s opening Euro 2020 match against Finland on Saturday. His heart stopped and he had to be resuscitated with a defibrillator.
A tribute was held for him during Denmark’s second game against Belgium on Thursday, when play stopped after 10 minutes for a minute’s applause in the stadium.
The Danish federation said Eriksen went to see the team Friday at its training base in Helsingor, outside Copenhagen, and would then go home to spend time with his family.
Also read: Doctor: Eriksen ‘was gone’ before being resuscitated
”It was really great to see the guys again after the fantastic game they played last night,” Eriksen said in the tweet. “No need to say that I will be cheering on them on Monday against Russia.”
Denmark lost its first two games but still has a chance to advance to the round of 16 with a win over Russia in its final Group B game.
BCL Football: Both matches end in draws Friday
Both second phase matches of the 12-team Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) Football 2020-21 ended in draws at the Kamalapur Stadium Friday.
In the day's first match, Dhaka City FC played out a 1-1 draw against Victoria Sporting Club.
Mehedi scored for Victoria in the 60th minute (1-0) while Sabbir levelled the margin for Dhaka City in the 75th minute (1-1).
The day's other match between Fakirerpool Youngmen's Club and Agrani Bank ended in a goalless draw at the same venue in the evening.
BFF to celebrate AFC Grassroots Football Day' 21 on Saturday
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) with the cooperation of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to celebrate the AFC Grassroots Football Day' 21 in the capital and three other district venues across the country on Saturday.
BFF Vice-President cum Chairman of the Games Development Committee M Ataur Rahman Bhuiyan Manik will inaugurate the program on Saturday at 11:30 am at the BFF artificial turf in Motijheel.
The AFC Day' 21 will also be observed at the BFF grassroot zones at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari, District Stadium in Madaripur and Vhasa Shaheed Salam Stadium in Feni without crowd following the health guidelines of the government.
A total of 800 budding footballers of Under-8 to Under-15 age groups, 200 each from the four zones will participate in the AFC program.