Poland 1, Portugal 1 (AET, Portugal win 5-3 on penalties): Wonder-kid Renato Sanches shrugs off criticism as Portuguese reaches Euro semi-finals again July 1, 2016 Portugal wonder-kid Renato Sanches brushed off criticism of his side as they reached the European Championship semi-finals for the fourth time in five tournaments with a shoot-out victory over Poland in Marseille last night. Ex-Chelsea winger Ricardo Quaresma had the final word after former Poland skipper Jakub Blaszczykowski had seen his penalty saved. The evening [...]
Brendan Rodgers becomes latest manager to distance himself from succeeding Roy Hodgson as England boss July 1, 2016 English football chiefs were yesterday forced to cross another potential candidate off their shortlist to replace Roy Hodgson as Three Lions boss as Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers ruled himself out of the running. The process is underway to find a replacement for Hodgson, who quit in the wake of England’s dismal Euro 2016 exit, while [...]
Briton Dan Evans not prepared to simply make up number against seven-time Wimbledon champion as duo prepare for battle June 30, 2016 Britain's world No91 Dan Evans is refusing to be content with sharing a court with seven-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer when the duo meet in the third round of the championships on Firday. Evans, 25, booked a date with Federer, following in the footsteps of British qualifier Marcus Willis, after today’s 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-1 [...]
Improving Rashid benefitting from consistent selection as explosive Roy takes game – and England – to new level June 30, 2016 England's displays over the last week or so have provided further evidence that their disastrous World Cup showing less than 18 months ago was nothing short of a blessing in disguise. My former Surrey team-mate Jason Roy was one of the beneficiaries of a change of management and mindset within the England camp. Regular readers [...]
Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie review: A party of pissed up PRs and celebrity cameos June 30, 2016 Given the media obsessed culture we live in, it’s remarkable that cinema audiences haven’t already been introduced to Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone. The drunken duo (played by Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley) amassed a cult following during their 90s small screen run, which has seen several one-off returns over the years. Following the critical [...]
David Hockney: 82 Portraits and 1 Still Life review – The Royal Academy hosts the artist’s first exhibition since returning to Los Angeles June 30, 2016 David Hockney believes there are just three genres of painting: landscapes, portraits and still life. Having successfully packed a wing of the Royal Academy in 2012 with varied (sometimes iPad created) drawings of hawthorn-pocked East Yorkshire hills, he returns now to tick the art world’s two remaining boxes. The Royal Academy’s 82 Portraits and 1 [...]
Football betting: Germany face their fears as they attempt Italian job June 30, 2016 It's almost bizarre to think of Germany having a bogey team. But, in Italy, they have one. In eight tournament matches against their rivals, the Germans have never come out on top, being knocked out of the 1970, 1982 and 2006 World Cups, and losing the Euro 2012 semi-final to the Italians. They have a chance [...]
Football betting: Chris Coleman’s Wales to bow out against Belgium but back Gareth Bale June 30, 2016 Wales readies itself for the biggest match in the country’s recent footballing history on Friday, when the Dragons will face Belgium in the Euro 2016 quarter-final. Chris Coleman’s men have surpassed what even the most optimistic Wales fan would have thought possible, topping a group containing England and beating Northern Ireland to be within a [...]
The Colony film review: Emma Watson takes a starring role in this lacklustre true-story about a religious cult June 30, 2016 Emma Watson is a woman on a mission in her first proper lead role. She plays a flight attendant living in Chile whose boyfriend (Daniel Bruhl) is kidnapped by the oppressive new government and imprisoned in a religious cult, which she infiltrates in order to save him. Even though the colony itself is inspired by [...]
Central Intelligence film review: Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson happily go through the motions in this cop comedy June 30, 2016 Dissatisfied accountant Calvin (Kevin Hart) gets thrown into the firing line (literally) when a former high school friend turned CIA agent, Bob (Dwayne Johnson), arrives in his life asking for help. Comparisons to past Hart films – Ride Along, Get Hard – are obvious, but the formula is tweaked just enough to feel fresh. Johnson [...]