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Diasabra 3 Juli 2021sports a31

Spain beats Switzerland on penalties at Euro 2020

(AP) — Mikel Oyarzabal at Wembley Stadium in Lon-
converted the decisive don. The team is two wins Among them was the red
spot kick Friday to give away from emulating the card to Remo Freuler, whose
Spain a spot in the Euro- country’s golden generation, studs connected with the
pean Championship semi- which won European titles in ankle of Moreno in a sliding
finals following a 3-1 pen- 2008 and 2012. challenge.
alty shootout victory over
Switzerland. Sergio Busquets and Ro- Yet a rearguard effort — re-
dri failed to convert in the quiring a string of diving
The match had ended in a shootout for Spain, which saves by Sommer and a num-
1-1 draw through extra time. has missed its last five penal- ber of last-ditch blocks by
ties in normal time. sprawling defenders — kept
Oyarzabal scored past goal- the Spanish at bay in the extra
keeper Yann Sommer, whose Switzerland made all five 30 minutes.
penalty save on France striker from the spot against World
Kylian Mbappe’s shot in a Cup champion France but Substitute Gerard Moreno,
shootout in the round of 16 failed with three of its four in particular, squandered
had put Switzerland into the attempts this time. Fabian four chances by poor finish- the support of their cowbell- A defensive mix-up brought
quarterfinals at the tourna- Schar, Manuel Akanji and ing or the acrobatics of Som- clanking fans. about the Xherdan Shaqiri’s
ment for the first time. Ruben Vargas all failed to mer, though the striker made equalizer in the 68th, which
score. amends by converting one of Denis Zakaria — Xhaka’s re- came just as Switzerland had
Spain’s players and coaching Spain’s kicks in the shootout. placement — had the misfor- started to threaten.
staff poured onto the field at After the wild fluctuations tune of slicing the ball into his
Saint Petersburg Stadium to of “Manic Monday,” when In normal time, the Swiss own net in the eighth minute Aymeric Laporte came across
celebrate with Oyarzabal as the teams won chaotic games missed the energy and au- after Jordi Alba latched onto to cover a pass over the top
many from the Switzerland in the round of 16 that both thority of suspended captain a corner from the right that but touched the ball onto the
team fell to their knees inside needed extra time and fea- Granit Xhaka. They initially had sailed over everyone’s leg of his center back partner,
the center circle. tured a combined 14 goals, lacked the spark they had heads in the area. Zakaria Pau Torres. Freuler pounced
their quarterfinal match was against France early on and looked distraught and was on the ball and laid it off to
Spain will play either Bel- perhaps unsurprisingly a were unable to keep Spain consoled by his teammates as Shaqiri, whose first-time
gium or Italy in the Euro more labored affair punctu- from settling into its hyp- they prepared to restart. shot crawled into the bottom
2020 semifinals on Tuesday ated by big moments. notic passing rhythm despite corner.

Denmark takes on Czechs for spot in Euro 2020 semifinals

(AP) — From the despair pean Championship. rollercoaster, a big one,” he upset the Netherlands 2-0 in Turkey, Azerbaijan’s close
of seeing a teammate suf- said. “And the good thing is the round of 16. ally, has had more than a cou-
fer cardiac arrest to the “Culture-wise, there’s simi- that we are still hungry. We’re ple hundred fans at games in
European Championship larities. Values of sticking still determined to push for “I would rather have played the city so far.
quarterfinals, somehow (together), one for all and more.” the Netherlands,” Hjulmand
Denmark keeps on going. all for one,” Denmark mid- told Danish broadcaster DR “In my view it doesn’t really
fielder Pierre-Emile Hojb- More than half of the 26-man on Monday. “Now we’re fac- make sense (to play in Baku).
Denmark will face the Czech jerg said Thursday. “There’s squad was not yet born when ing a team for the first time We are a bit frustrated but we
Republic on Saturday, exactly this pride also to be play- Denmark beat Germany 2-0 (in the tournament) that I respect this decision,” Czech
three weeks after midfielder ing for your country and all in the 1992 final. The only think can match our own in- Republic midfielder Michal
Christian Eriksen collapsed these values that I don’t think European quarterfinal ap- tensity.” Sadilek said through an in-
on the field in the team’s have changed too much since pearance since then came in terpreter on Thursday. “We
opening game and had to be 1992. 2004, a 3-0 loss to the Czech Danish striker Yussuf hope for any support we can
resuscitated with a defibrilla- Republic. Hojbjerg was 8 Poulsen could return after get at the stadium and we
tor. “But my biggest respect to years old back then and re- missing the Wales game with are going to play so that we
the guys in ′92 because they calls he was “not very happy” a muscle injury, when re- can have the fans at our next
While Eriksen recovers — went on to win it. We haven’t he couldn’t watch the match placement Kasper Dolberg game.”
initially in the hospital and done anything yet.” because of a school trip. scored twice. One more goal
now at home — Denmark would see Czech Republic Plans for a Czech charter
has improved at Euro 2020. Since the “shock” of Erik- That tournament ended forward Patrik Schick match flight to Baku fell apart be-
A 4-1 win over Russia got sen’s sudden collapse, Hojb- in disappointment for the Cristiano Ronaldo as tourna- cause not enough fans agreed
Denmark out of the group jerg said, Denmark has gone Czechs, too. They lost to ment leader with five. to go. Denmark may have
stage after two losses. Beat- through huge emotional ups eventual champion Greece up to 1,000 supporters and
ing Wales 4-0 in the round of and downs. 1-0 in the semifinals. As Czech Republic midfielder offered 50 of its most loyal
16 matched the team’s best Czechoslovakia, the team Vladimir Darida is set to re- fans a ride on the federation’s
showing since “Danish Dy- “Now we’re in the quarter- won the European title in turn after missing the win plane.
namite” won the 1992 Euro- finals, so it’s been a bit of a 1976. As the Czech Republic, over Wales with a leg injury.
the high point was being run- Denmark has felt closer than
ner-up to Germany in 1996. “Denmark might not sound most teams to its fans, who
as glamorous as the Neth- roared the team on to beat
Both Denmark and the erlands, France or Italy, but Russia in Copenhagen. In
Czech Republic have been they are a very strong op- Amsterdam, too, the Danes
at their best at Euro 2020 ponent,” Darida said Friday. were the local favorites in
when playing high-intensity, “We just want to be success- what felt like a home game
physical soccer against op- ful. I think both our team against Wales.
ponents who wanted posses- and their team, we really play
sion. They could end up can- cohesively. We don’t have “We’ll try to play forward, to
celing each other out in the big stars but we have players defend quickly and give our
quarterfinals. That’s playing from good leagues.” best and give everything for
on Denmark coach Kasper the great support and com-
Hjulmand’s mind, so much Few Danish or Czech fans passion we’ve had from the
so that he admitted he was will be in the Baku Olympic Danish people,” Denmark
disappointed the Czech team Stadium for the game. Only coach Kasper Hjulmand said.