England need to match Wales’s fight but don’t need a special plan for Bale June 15, 2016 The pressure in today’s Euro 2016 clash is firmly on the shoulders of England, who know that defeat would leave them needing to beat an improving Slovakia to have any chance of progress. By contrast, three points from their opening match means Wales can approach this Group B fixture in relaxed mood, and in little [...]
Time to back up your fighting talk, England boss Roy Hodgson tells Wales June 15, 2016 England manager Roy Hodgson has laid down the gauntlet to Wales and challenged them to back up pre-match fighting talk on the pitch in Thursday's Euro 2016 showdown in Lens. Wales stars Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have cranked up the pressure on a Three Lions team who are already acutely aware they can ill [...]
Olympics 2016: BOA chief Bill Sweeney expects Russian athletes to be “heavily tested” if granted permission to compete in Rio by the IAAF June 15, 2016 The British Olympic Association (BOA) will not appeal if Russian athletes are granted permission to compete in this year's Olympics by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) this Friday. BOA chief executive Bill Sweeney believes if Russian athletes are allowed to travel to Rio de Janeiro, they would be heavily tested after being suspended by [...]
Russia 1, Slovakia 2: Slutsky dodges flare probe as defeat pushes Russia closer to Euro 2016 elimination June 15, 2016 Russia boss Leonid Slutsky refused to debate the consequences of the lighting of a flare within a section of the ground populated by his side’s supporters after a potentially pivotal defeat to Slovakia in Lille yesterday. Governing body Uefa are not expected to enact Russia’s suspended disqualification from Euro 2016 following yesterday’s events, a sanction [...]
Iceland’s Kari Arnason returns fire on Cristiano Ronaldo after Portuguese skipper’s scathing attacking on European Championship debutants June 15, 2016 Iceland defender Kari Arnason has hit back after Portugal skipper Cristiano Ronaldo criticised his side’s tactics in the wake of their Euro 2016 draw, claiming his petulant outburst proved why Lionel Messi has a superior standing in the game. Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo poked fun at Iceland’s post-match celebrations after the least populated nation to [...]
Euro 2016: England v Wales – How the two sides have fared against each other throughout history June 15, 2016 Only two players in either England or Wales' squads at Euro 2016 were alive the last time The Dragons got the better of the Three Lions. Wales' David Vaughan and James Collins were both barely a year old when a sprightly Mark Hughes scored a match-winning goal on his international debut in February 1984 in [...]
Euro 2016 betting: Battling point won’t suit either Northern Ireland or Ukraine June 15, 2016 Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 adventure continues on Thursday as they take on Ukraine in Lyon at 5pm. Beaten 1-0 by Poland on Sunday, but certainly not disgraced, getting something against the Ukrainians represents their best chance of progressing from Group C. Michael O’Neill’s side came into the tournament on the back of a 12-match unbeaten [...]
Euro 2016 betting: England to put Welsh dragons to the sword June 15, 2016 Euro 2016’s Battle of Britain is almost upon us as England take on Wales in Lens on Thursday afternoon. Sporting rivalry between the two neighbours is usually confined to the rugby field, but it’s with a round ball rather than an oval that the two meet at 2:00pm. Bigger brother England are favourites – yet, as [...]
Euro 2016: Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham representatives feature in team of the tournament after first round of fixtures June 15, 2016 The first round of Euro 2016 fixtures have come to an end and now every team has played, odds have shifted, wayward pre-tournament predictions have been hastily denied and new heroes have emerged. Pre-tournament favourites France, Spain and Germany got off to predictably strong starts, Italy proved their doom merchants wrong and even England raised an eyebrow or two. Less [...]
Premier League fixtures: Arsenal v Liverpool, Chelsea v West Ham, Bournemouth v Manchester United and Manchester v Sunderland on first weekend of new season June 15, 2016 Runners-up Arsenal are set to host Liverpool and new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte will begin his tenure with a London derby against West Ham on the first day of the 2016-17 Premier League season. Jose Mourinho kicks off his Manchester United reign at Bournemouth, Manchester City host Sunderland in their first competitive game under Pep Guardiola [...]