Page 31 - bon-dia-aruba-20210629

A31
sports Diamars 29 Juni 2021

Morata scores as Spain beats Croatia 5-3 in extra time

(AP) — Spain first gifted quets said. “The most impor-
Croatia a bizarre own- tant thing is to pick yourself
goal, then threw away a up and show a strong men-
late 3-1 lead. Alvaro Mo- tality. And I think both Unai
rata made sure it didn’t and the whole team did that
matter in the end. today.”

Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal Spain quickly recovered and
scored in extra time Mon- Pablo Sarabia equalized in the
day to give Spain a 5-3 win 38th. Right back Cesar Azpi-
over Croatia and a place in licueta then made it 2-1 with
the European Championship a header in the 57th and Fer-
quarterfinals after a wildly ran Torres doubled the lead
entertaining see-saw match when he finished off a quick
at Parken Stadium. counterattack with a low shot
past Livakovic in the 77th.
It was the second-highest
scoring game in the history Croatia’s late surge allowed
of the European Champion- both Simon and Morata to
ship, trailing only Yugosla- redeem themselves.
via’s 5-4 win over France in
the opening game of the in- The goalkeeper made a cru-
augural tournament in 1960. cial save to deny Andrej Kra-
maric at the start of extra time,
And it had nearly as many then got up and punched the
momentum shifts as goals. and then sent a rising shot stage. But his fierce finish 20 minutes but goalkeeper air in celebration before Mo-
past goalkeeper Dominik Li- from a tight angle proved de- Unai Simon was at fault for rata put in the winning goal.
After Croatia midfielder Ma- vakovic for his second goal of cisive on Monday. his team’s early deficit after
rio Pasalic equalized in injury the tournament. a massive blunder when he “We have complete confi-
time to cap an improbable Spain had led 3-1 in the 85th failed to control a long back dence in (Simon),” Busquets
late comeback, the much- Oyarzabal doubled the lead minute but Mislav Orsic pass. The ball bounced over said. “He was unlucky with
maligned Morata scored three minutes later. pulled one back after a goal- Simon’s foot and trickled that own-goal but Unai has a
what proved the winner in mouth scramble and Pasalic into the net behind him. very laid-back mentality. He’s
the 100th minute. Morata had received a torrent equalized with a header in very ambitious at the same
of online abuse — including injury time. “We know that’s football and time and I think he showed
The Spain striker controlled death threats — after a string that those things happen,” that with his reaction, and
a cross with one deft touch of misses during the group Spain had dominated the first Spain captain Sergio Bus- with the saves he made.”

Euro 2020 elimination caps lackluster season for Ronaldo

(AP) — Cristiano Ron- Even though he scored more Daei as the men’s all-time dium in Seville, but Ronaldo
aldo was slowly walking than 40 goals with his club top scorer with 109 goals. himself wasn’t much of a Portugal lost at the same stage
off the field when Romelu and his country, his numbers threat. He had a few chances at the 2018 World Cup, two
Lulaku came over to give were far from impressive by If he kept scoring, and if off free kicks in each half, years after winning its first
him a hug. his standards. He failed to Portugal stayed on track for and with a shot from inside major title at Euro 2016. The
win the Italian league with another title, he could have the area near the end of the team’s other triumph was
The two embraced for a Juventus, where his future been back in the conversation match. winning the inaugural Na-
few moments, with Lukaku remains uncertain with his for player of the year. tions League in 2019.
speaking into the Portugal contract ending next year. Ronaldo was backed by a
great’s ear. Ronaldo politely His only titles in 2021 came It didn’t happen. talented Portugal squad that “It’s a big disappointment
thanked him, but quickly in the Italian Cup and the included Bernardo Silva, for us because we believed
made his way back to the Italian Super Cup. Ronaldo threw his captain’s Bruno Fernandes and Diogo we could win, like we did in
tunnel. armband to the ground after Jota, among others. But they 2016,” Portugal coach Fer-
Ronaldo got off to a fantastic the final whistle against Bel- also faltered in attack on Sun- nando Santos said. “But there
He wasn’t in much of a chat- start at Euro 2020, though, gium, then was one of the day, and Thorgan Hazard’s are things to look forward to.
ting mood. scoring five goals in the first first to walk off. Portugal had first-half goal ended up being In 2018, we were eliminated
three matches to move level several chances throughout enough to send Belgium to as well but then in 2019 we
While Lukaku was moving with former Iran striker Ali the match at La Cartuja Sta- the quarterfinals. won the Nations League.
on to the European Cham- Now we will try to win the
pionship quarterfinals with World Cup (in 2022).”
Belgium, Ronaldo was head-
ing home after a disappoint- Ronaldo will be 37 by then,
ing end to his tournament — and most likely will already
and to his season. have broken the international
scoring record.
There was no repeat Europe-
an title. There was no world For now, he could still take
scoring record. And there solace from having a chance
probably won’t be a player of to finish as the top scorer at
the year award, either. Euro 2020. He remains the
tournament’s leading scorer
The 36-year-old Ronaldo with five goals, one more
capped a lackluster season than Patrick Schick of the
in Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Bel- Czech Republic, who has ad-
gium in the round of 16 at vanced to the quarterfinals.
Euro 2020 on Sunday.