England are in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990. This blogger will just repeat that, dear blog reader, since he's also having difficulty believing it. England are in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990 - thanks to Harry Maguire and Dele Alli headers against Sweden. So, if one Harry doesn't get you, another one seemingly will. The majority of the country who expressed an interest, promptly went completely bloody mental! Gareth Southgate's side now face Croatia on Wednesday in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium for a place in next Sunday's final. Or, failing that, a place in Saturday's third/fourth place play-off. So, just to correct the frequently-asserted idea that 'England's coming home,' not yet they're not. They're going to be in Moscow for at least another week. Maguire - who, like Jordan Henderson and Kieran Trippier, was magnificent throughout - rose highest to thump home Ashley Young's first-half cross, the eighth of England's ten goals at this World Cup to come from a set-piece. Alli was unmarked to turn home Jesse Lingard's cross against a limited, but hard-working Sweden in Samara. England's keeper Jordan Pickford pulled off three fantastic saves in the second-half to keep Sweden out - first turning away a Marcus Berg header, then producing a low stop from Viktor Claesson and finally tipping Berg's shot over the bar. The Three Lions reached the last four for only the third time. They beat Portugal at Wembley in 1966 and then, of course, went on to win their home tournament but lost to West Germany on penalties in 1990 - before seventeen of the current twenty three man squad were even born. Ah, Gazza's tears. Indelible image, isn't it?
England not only reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time since Italia 90, they did the job under the pressure of the occasion and the requirement to back up their victory over Colombia on penalties in the previous round - with all of the mental toll that will have taken. It was not a perfect performance by any means. They started somewhat sluggishly and gave goalkeeper Pickford rather too much work to do for Southgate's liking in the second-half. On this day, with expectation rising and the unmistakable feeling around the Samara Stadium that the competition really is reaching the business end, England delivered when they had to when they had to. Southgate will, of course, want those flaws addressed - but when the World Cup reaches the knockout stage it is the results that count and England have now won two knockout games in five days after failing to taste victory in one for over twelve years. They have fallen short on so many occasions in the past that an England team who actually rises to the occasion are worthy of the highest praise. England, for all the talk, knew they had history to contend with and it is to the credit of the calm and measured Southgate that he has not only led the team with such confidence and composure, but he has now guided one of the most inexperienced squads in Russia to the last four. Southgate and England deserve huge credit - and now those expectation levels will, inevitably, rise even more. Maguire and Pickford both had occasional moments of uncertainty early in the competition as they took a little time to adjust to the unique pressures of a World Cup. Since the knockout phase began, Everton's twenty four-year-old keeper and Leicester City's giant defender have been simply immense. Maguire may be built in the old-fashioned brick-shithouse mould, but he is also a player with the sort of ambition and power Southgate loves in the three-man defensive system he settled on. It was Maguire who gave England the control they needed in Samara when he met Young's corner and powered a header past Robin Olsen on the half-hour. It summed up the centre-back's recent performances. As for Pickford, he just carried on from where he left off after that magnificent penalty save from Carlos Bacca in the shootout win over Colombia. England needed to beware any sort of Sweden revival at the start of the second-half and it was Pickford who ensured they were not given a lifeline with a supreme one-handed saves from Berg's header and Claesson's shot. Pickford has been desperate to keep a clean sheet at this World Cup and he fully deserved to keep Sweden out with a faultless display. Alli has struggled for fitness and form in Russia but there has never been any doubt he possesses a touch of class and a goalscorer's instinct. There was speculation Southgate might even make the conservative move of replacing Alli, who missed the games against Panama and Belgium after suffering a thigh injury against Tunisia, with his Stottingtot Hotshots team-mate Eric Dier - but the manager was full of praise for the player pre-match and kept faith in him. Southgate underlined Alli's selfless work without the ball and team ethic against Colombia and said it was now up to his England team-mates to deliver service that would allow him to do damage with trademark late runs into the penalty area. In reality, Alli still struggled to make an impact for long spells on Saturday, but the moment Southgate had been waiting for arrived just before the hour when he was on the end of Lingard's clever lofted cross to head past Olsen.
Great moments of the World Cup. Number seven - David Baddiel and Frank Skinner open their latest royalty statement!
The climax of England's World Cup penalty shootout win over Colombia was watched by over twenty three million punters on ITV, according to overnight figures. More people tuned-in to a single programme between 21:50-21:55 on Tuesday than at any other time since the 2012 Olympic closing ceremony. A record 3.3 million people watched online via the ITV Hub, ITV said. Tuesday's match ended the so-called 'curse of ITV' - which had seen England lose every World Cup match broadcast solely on the network with one exception over the last twenty years. On the BBC, the team emerged victorious in nine out of thirteen matches during the same time period. Harry Kane gave England the lead with a penalty in the fifty seventh minute before Colombia scored a dramatic equaliser during injury time to send the match to extra time and then penalties. Eric Dier scored the decisive spot-kick to give England victory four-three on penalties. An average of twenty million overnight viewers watched the last sixteen match in its entirety. ITV said that it was the highest peak audience for a live sport event since England played Portugal in the 2004 European Championships. According to the broadcaster's figures, the most-watched single minute of Tuesday's game was 21:52, when 24.4 million people were tuned-in. At this point roughly four in five people watching TV in the UK (eighty one) were tuned to ITV. The knock-out match proved an even bigger draw than England's group games - more than eighteen million watched the matches against Tunisia and Belgium at their peaks, while fourteen million saw the win over Panama. The Colombia game also saw a record number of streams of a live event with 3.3m simulcast requests on the ITV Hub. The biggest-ever average audience for an England World Cup game of recent years is 26.2 million, which was recorded for England's semi-final against West Germany in 1990.
FIFA says it 'strongly rebukes' comments made by its ambassador the convicted drug-cheat Diego Maradona in criticising American referee Mark Geiger's handling of England's win against Colombia. After Gareth Southgate's side had booked their place in the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout, batshit crazy Maradona claimed that Colombia had been 'the victims of a monumental theft.' Maradona also suggested Geiger should have penalised Harry Kane in the build-up to England's second-half penalty and criticised Pierluigi Collina, the widely respected head of FIFA's referee committee, for allowing Geiger to officiate the match. FIFA that says Maradona's 'insinuations' were 'entirely inappropriate and completely unfounded. FIFA strongly rebukes the criticism of the performance of the match officials which it considers to have been positive in a tough and highly emotional match. FIFA is extremely sorry to read such declarations from a player who has written the history of our game,' the world football body said in a statement. Maradona, who mostly attended World Cup games in Russia as a VIP guest of FIFA, was photographed before the game wearing a Colombia shirt. 'I'm just sorry for the whole Colombian people,' Maradona said. 'I cheered Colombia's goal as if I had headed it myself.' Or, indeed, punched it in himself. Maradona subsequently snivellingly apologised for his crass and ignorant comments. One or two people even believed him.
The two Colombian footballers who missed penalties to hand England victory have reportedly received death threats. Mateus Uribe and Carlos Bacca were targeted with online abuse within minutes of the conclusion of the penalty shootout in Moscow. Uribe's penalty rebounded off the crossbar while Jordan Pickford saved to deny Bacca from the spot. The threats emerged just one day after the twenty fourth anniversary of the murder of former Colombian international Andres Escobar. He was shot dead after scoring an own goal at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Bacca was warned against returning home after the tournament while one sinister poster on Twitter told Uribe he had 'played his final game for the team.' Police were already investigating death threats sent to defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez after his red card in Colombia’s opening game with Japan. Escobar's brother, Sachi, spoke earlier this week to express his worry about the potential of another murder after learning of the news about Sanchez. He said: 'As a brother who has gone through this, I know what must be going through their heads and I wouldn't want anyone to go through that. Carlos must be feeling both sad for the mistake he made and very afraid and his family too. My brother never received any threats, they just shot him dead in the most cowardly way. The fact that people are still allowed to say these things on social network sites, even threaten him with death shows me that nothing good came out of Andres' death, nothing was learned. I want to send an important message to those people who think things can be resolved with violence and with weapons, that they can take someone's life just because they make a mistake, in this case the life of a football player. Football should be a vehicle of peace and social transformation and at the end of the day, it is just a game. But I truly hope that, if Colombia failed to meet these expectations, then the tragedy that happened to my brother doesn't repeat itself. God forbid that it happens again. These people are just lowlifes who are not real Colombian football fans, who should be arrested and thrown into jail.'
Russia's remarkable World Cup run ended in a heart-breaking quarter-final defeat on penalties as Croatia bounced back from a late extra-time equaliser to set up a last-four meeting with England. Mario Fernandes, who had brought his side level through a header in the one hundred and fifteenth-minute, missed what proved to be the decisive spot-kick, with Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitić making no mistake as he ended the hosts' remarkable run at this tournament. Despite defeat, the home fans broke into heartfelt applause as they cheered their beaten side long and loud after the final whistle in recognition of their achievements against the odds. Brazil-born defender Fernandes' miss - blazed low and wide of the post - was the second of two failed Russian spot-kicks. Fyodor Smolov missed the first with a weak effort that was easily stopped by Danijel Subašić, while opposite number Igor Akinfeev also stopped one - a fabulous low save from Mateo Kovačić. But in the end that was irrelevant. As was the stunning goal that gave Russia the lead in this, their first quarter-final appearance since 1970 and the days of the USSR. That came through a Denis Cheryshev first-half curler from outside the box, his fourth goal of the tournament. But, only eight minutes later an Andrej Kramarić header amid slack marking brought Croatia level, and after the break Ivan Perišić saw a low shot crash against the post and out across the face of goal as Zlatko Dalić's side began to control the game. Yet they only led for the first time when Domagoj Vida's header found its way into the net through a crowd of players in the first half of extra time. And, after Fernandes' late equaliser from Alan Dzagoev's free-kick - the midfielder was making his first appearance as a substitute since suffering injury in Russia's opening game - one felt the momentum would be with Russia. But victory was Croatia's and it means they emulate their great side of 1998, who were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual winners France. As the national anthem soared around the ground before kick-off, Russia fans unfurled two banners that read: 'If not you, who? If not now, when?' But Russia can be hugely proud of what they have achieved and not only in this performance where the players clearly showed they understood only too well that a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was at stake. They almost pulled off another sensational triumph - and it was recognised in the reaction of the home support, who applauded their team off the pitch for a final time in emotional scenes. For Croatia, this is a generation that is quite probably playing its last World Cup together. Real Madrid's Luka Modrić is thirty two, Barcelona's Rakitić, thirty, Juventus forward Mario Mandžukić is thirty two and Inter Milan forward Perisić twenty nine. Despite those stellar names this was not a dominant performance - up against a battling Russia team Dalić's side failed to make their supposed superior quality count. But, just as they did against Denmark in the previous round, they found their way through on penalties again, after extra time again.
France are into the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since 2006 after seeing off Uruguay with the help of a terrible error by goalkeeper Fernando Muslera. In terms of excitement, the quarter-final tie did not come close to Les Bleus' win over Argentina in the previous round but will still be remembered for the contrasting fates of the two goalkeepers, with Hugo Lloris producing a contender for save of the tournament while his opposite number made a mistake that was even more memorable. Raphael Varane headed France into a first-half lead from a free-kick that came straight off the training field, with Antoine Griezmann checking his run before delivering the perfect cross for the Real Madrid defender to glance home. Uruguay, with injured striker Edinson Cavani failing to even make the bench, almost struck back immediately from a free-kick of their own, but Lloris produced a brilliant diving stop to deny Martin Caceres, before Diego Godin blasted the rebound over when it looked harder to miss than score. The second-half started with France continuing to control possession, but they were gifted the goal that made certain of their victory. There seemed little danger when Griezmann let fly from the edge of the area but Muslera misjudged the flight of the ball, flapped at the shot, and saw it loop slowly over the line. Uruguay, roared on by their huge travelling support, threw bodies forward in the closing stages but could not seriously trouble Lloris again.
Belgium produced a brilliant performance to knock five-time winners Brazil out of the World Cup and reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1986. Roberto Martinez's side turned on the style in Kazan to clock up their fifth straight win of the tournament and ensure the semi-finals will be contested by four European sides for the first time. Brazil had conceded just one goal in their past four games in Russia but were behind early when Nacer Chadli's corner struck Fernandinho's arm and flew into the net, the tenth own goal of this World Cup. Fernandinho's Sheikh Yer Man City team-mate Kevin de Bruyne doubled Belgium's lead with a sublime arrowed finish from twenty yards after Romelu Lukaku's powerful run.
In an entertaining and open game, Brazil hit the post when the match was goalless - Thiago Silva missing in front of a gaping net after Neymar's corner - before substitute Renato Augusto gave Brazil hope with a headed goal after Philippe Coutinho's delicious pass. However, the South Americans became the latest heavyweight to depart the competition after holders Germany and other previous winners Argentina, Spain and Uruguay. Belgium - for whom Lukaku, De Bruyne, Marouane Fellaini and Eden Hazard in particular were hugely impressive - will now face France in pne semi-final in St Petersburg next Tuesday. There is a steely determination about this Belgium side that they did not have four years ago when they narrowly lost a quarter-final to Argentina. Eight of the starting eleven against Brazil also played in that game in Brasilia in 2014 but this time there was no hard luck story for The Red Devils as they ruthlessly dispatched the most successful country in World Cup history. Energy and belief is coursing through a Belgium team packed with Premier League winners, and many are starting to seriously ask whether this squad full of thirtysomethings is finally about to deliver. If there was a touch of fortune about the first goal - as the ball rolled off Fernandinho's arm and into the net - the second was beautifully crafted. Lukaku has scored four times at this tournament but his run which lead to De Bruyne making it two-nil was a sight to behold, the striker receiving the ball inside his own half before turning and embarking on a superb run. On a glorious night in Belgium football history, there was one negative as defender Thomas Meunier picked up another booking and will be suspended against France. Thousands of Brazil fans had packed the Kazan Arena hoping to see their team take a huge step towards a first World Cup triumph since 2002. At the end, many were in tears. Brazil had arrived at the tournament full of optimism after Neymar was declared fit after recovering from a broken foot. They depart Russia unfulfilled and with Neymar's crass and amateur theatrics one of the talking points of the tournament. When Neymar went down inside the Belgium penalty area in the second-half like he'd been his by a steamroller, he was told - in no uncertain terms - by referee Milorad Mazic to get back on his feet. Brazil, who had twenty seven shots on goal, might have enjoyed a different outcome but for an astonishing display by Thibaut Courtois. The Belgium goalkeeper produced a string of excellent saves particularly towards the end as the South Americans pressed for an equaliser. His finger-tip stop to keep out Neymar in the third minute of stoppage time was magnificent and added to Brazil's frustration after they had been denied a penalty following Vincent Kompany's challenge on Gabriel Jesus. Brazil are a much changed team since their embarrassing semi-final defeat to Germany four years ago. Nevertheless, this was another painful exit for the boys in yellow.
Barcelona have denied that former president Sandro Rosell illegally bought a liver for ex-France defender Eric Abidal. Abidal, who is now the club's technical secretary, had a transplant in 2012 after a tumour was found in his liver. Reports in Spain claim that Rosell, who was arrested for money-laundering in 2017, purchased the organ. Barcelona say they 'roundly deny any irregularity in the matter.' The claim has also been denied by Abidal and by the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, where the player had the operation. In a statement, Abidal spoke of his 'annoyance and sadness' regarding the claims. 'My cousin Gerard donated his liver to save my life and for this I am truly grateful to him,' he said on Twitter. 'Existing procedures and protocols were followed at all times and all the medical documentation that proves so is available.' Barcelona added: 'The club are saddened by the lack of rigor [sic] in the spreading of such information about such a sensitive issue.' A spokesperson for the Catalan Justice Department told the BBC Sport website that a case against Rosell for the 'alleged illegal purchase of an organ' was 'closed without charge' earlier this year. Spain's national transplant organisation said that an investigation it launched together with the hospital and the Catalan Transplant Organisation showed the donation and transplant 'was in accordance with current legislation and common clinical protocols.' Abidal, who spent six seasons at the Nou Camp, made his comeback for Barcelona in April 2013 before joining Monaco three months later. Last week a Spanish court ruled that Rosell, who is currently in custody, will stand trial on charges of money laundering involving the sale of television rights for Brazil matches.
