Spain's reign ends in pain. As Italy advances to the last eight in there expense.

QUARTER-FINAL DRAW

Poland vs Portugal

Wales vs Belgium

Germany vs Italy

France vs Iceland

Not just the end of a tournament for Spain but the end of an era. In all likelihood this meek defeat to a terrific and emerging Italian team will spell the end of coach Vicente del Bosque too.

This was a crushing defeat for Spain, the European champions of 2012 and 2008. Del Bosque’s team were outplayed and out thought by a magnificent Italian side led by the incredible life force that is the incoming Chelsea coach Antonio Conte.

It was a two goal margin but it could have been more.

Goalkeeper David de Gea was Spain’s best player and they only created one good chance all game, Italian totem Gianluigi Buffon saving brilliantly from Gerard Pique in the very last minute of normal time.

Who would have thought we would ever say such a thing about Spain? As usual, they had much of the ball but this time they did nothing with it.


Graziano Pelle fires the ball past David De Gea in the dying stages of the match to make sure of Italy's knockout victory over Spain


MATCH FACTS

Italy (4-4-2): Buffon 8, Barzagli 6, Bonucci 8.5, Chiellini 7, Florenzi 7 (Darmian 84), Parolo 6, De Rossi 6 (Motta 54, 6), Giaccherini 7.5, De Scigilio 7, Pelle 7.5, Eder 7 (Insigne 81)

Subs not used: Ogbonna, Candeva, Zaza, Immobile, Sirigu, Marchetti, Stuaro, Bernadeschi, El Shaarawy

Booked: De Sciglio, Pelle, Motta

Scorers: Chiellini 33, Pelle 90

Manager: Conte, 7

Spain (4-4-2): De Gea 8, Juanfran 6, Pique 5.5, Ramos 5, Alba 5.5, Fabregas 5, Busquets 5, Iniesta 6.5, Silva 6, Morata 4.5 (Vazquez 70, 5), Nolito 4 (Aduriz 45, 5, Pedro 81)

Subs not used: Casillas, Azpilicueta, Bartra, Koke, Bellerin, Alcantara, San Jose, Bruno, Rico

Manager: Vicente Del Bosque, 6

Booked: Nolito

Referee: Cuneyt Cakir, 5

While Italy looked youthful and energetic and hungry, Spain looked like a team short of inspiration and ideas, like a team that knew there was a plane home waiting. They looked like a team that needs the change of direction that will surely now come with a change of coach.

Del Bosque has done his bit, that’s for sure. Two European Championships and one World Cup. His team taught the world a few things in South Africa in 2010 and we shall never forget that. They played football in that tournament that most teams reserve for the five-a-side pitches in training.

Here in France, though, Del Bosque has looked a little like the struggle to maintain impossible standards has finally caught up with him and it has been reflected in his team’s football over their last two games. Maybe, on refection, this was a tournament too far for the 65-year-old.

Yesterday in Paris Spain were caught on the back foot by Italy’s purposeful start and never really recovered. De Gea kept his country in it early on but he is a goalkeeper not a brick wall. Eventually even he had to roll over.

Italy were excellent, surprisingly so. Really they were. Conte’s team have only conceded one goal in the whole tournament but here we saw more than clichéd Italian stubbornness. We saw a team with imagination, dexterity and confidence.

In the Bologna midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini Italy had the game’s best player. The galloping left-wing back Mattia De Sciglio was terrific, too, as was Southampton’s Graziano Pelle in attack. When Pelle’s goal arrived in added time, nobody deserved it more.

Earlier on in the game, as the rain poured down, the signs of what was to come were there, if not the goals.

Italy sprang from the blocks and De Gea was required to make two really good saves in the first eleven minutes. The first, from a Pelle header, was instantly recognisable, a plunge low to the left. Then another followed, this time from a Giacceherini scissor kick.

As Spain struggled to settle and began to visibly ask each other questions, we wondered when they would find themselves.

Cesc Fabregas had a chance but struck the shot poorly and then previous service resumed, Marco Parolo heading a De Sciglio cross wide and another cross from the Milan full-back being sliced over his own bar by a nervous Ramos
Ramos and Pique were awful all game, just as they had been against Croatia last week. Theirs looks less like a partnership and more like an arranged marriage. It will be interesting to see what the next Spain coach makes of it and pretty soon the two of them were reflecting on the first Italian goal.

A free-kick conceded by Ramos was struck fiercely by Parolo and when De Gea couldn’t hold it defender Giorgio Chiellini hacked the ball over the line.

The lead was fully deserved and Giaccherini would have extended it had De Gea not saved his curling shot just before half-time.

Beyond that, Spain did improve but they were never convincing. A beautiful Pelle flick released Eder in the 56th minute only for De Gea to block and Italy then retreated in an attempt to draw the Spaniards’ sting.

Buffon, 39 next season, had not been over-employed but perhaps knew what was coming. First, he repelled two strong shots from distance from Andres Iniesta and Pique before producing the kind of save of which he is still eminently capable as the clock ticked towards full-time.

Italy conceded a needless free-kick in their own half and when a flick-on dropped over the blue rear guard, Pique turned it goalwards. It was not a sweet contact from the Barcelona player but it looked like being enough until Buffon dropped to his right and pawed the ball away with his bottom hand.

In terms of importance, it was the save of the tournament so far and Italy made good on it by breaking quickly. Lorenzo Insigne spread the ball to Matteo Darmian and when the substitute’s pass was deflected up in to Pelle’s path he crashed the ball past De Gea to settle the argument.



FIXTURES & RESULTS GROUP TABLE KNOCKOUT STAGE


Group APPts

Group BPPts

Group CPPts

Group DPPts

Group EPPts

Group FPPts

Hodgson resigns as England's boss after humiliating defeat.

Roy Hodgson has resigned as England manager after his team were beaten 2-1 by Iceland to seal their humiliating exit from Euro 2016.

The embarrassing defeat to the tournament minnows was one of the lowest points in the nation's footballing history as goals from Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson meant it was a night of yet more abject failure for the dejected Three Lions.

It left Hodgson, who was England's highest-paid manager, earning £3.5million a year on his bumper FA contract, unable to continue as manager. Iceland manager Lars Lagerback, in contrast to Hodgson, is paid just £346,000 a year.

The 68-year-old quit in the immediate aftermath of the post-match press conference after the Iceland defeat

Hodgson's team were humiliated 2-1 by Iceland on Monday night on an evening of abject failure in France

NEXT ENGLAND MANAGER ODDS

Gareth Southgate 6/1

Gary Neville 8/1

Alan Pardew 10/1

Brendan Rodgers 16/1

Sam Allardyce 20/1

Eddie Howe 20/1

Arsene Wenger 20/1

Stewart Baxter 25/1

Jose Mourinho 25/1

David Moyes 25/1 

BAR 33/2

Hodgson, clearly dejected at the performance his team had put in, announced his resignation immediately after the final whistle.

The 68-year-old entered the post-match press conference and gave a short statement before exiting the media circus.  

Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, Hodgson's assistants with England, will also leave their positions with immediate effect. 

'I'm extremely disappointed, of course, about tonight's result and ultimately our exit from the competition,' Hodgson said. 

'We haven't progressed as far as I thought we were capable of, and that's obviously not acceptable. I am actually proud of the work that my coaching staff and I have achieved in our time at the helm with England.' 

 Hodgson realises his time with England is all but over as the Three Lions are humiliated by minnows Iceland

Captain Wayne Rooney receives Hodgson's congratulations despite his team going down to a 2-1 defeat

Joe Hart and the rest of the England team reflect on the defeat which has ultimately cost Hodgson his job

Hodgson added: 'The transition from a squad whose average was 30 to now being the youngest in the tournament is both remarkable and exciting for the future of English football.

'I would have loved to stay on for another two years, however I am pragmatic and know that we are in the results business.

'My contract was always up after the Euros so now is the time for someone else to oversee the progress of this young, hungry and extremely talented group of players.

'They've been fantastic and they have done everything that has been asked of them.

'When I arrived I was told that players didn't turn up to play for their country or that they pull out at the last minute. But I have not seen any of that.

'These players love to play for their country and their commitment has been unquestioned.

'Ray and Gary have asked me to speak on their behalf. They arrived with me as part of my coaching team and they'll leave with me.

'I'd like to thank them for their dedicated support and for the major part they've played in our team preparation.

'Finally I'd like to thank all the support staff, players, the FA and of course the fans.

'It's been a fantastic journey these four years and it's one I'll look back on or remember with pride.

'Finally I'd like to thank you, the media, for the support that you've given me over the four years.

'I am sorry it's had to end this way with another exit from the tournament but these things happen. 

'All I can do is wish everybody all the very best and hope that you will still be able to see an England team in a final of a major tournament fairly soon. 

'We've been unable to deliver. Thank you very much.' 

England were truly awful against Iceland, a country with a total population equivalent to the city of Leicester

Hodgson's England career is now at an end after he failed to secure big tournament success once again

The Football Association insisted Hodgson had composed his resignation statement in the dressing room after the match, rather than having prepared his exit speech before the Iceland result.

But his quitting of the biggest job in English football means the FA must start again in the wake of yet more tournament failure.

A statement released by the FA following their team's disappointment read: 'Like the nation, we are disappointed to lose this evening and that our run in Euro 2016 has come to a premature end. 

'We had high hopes of progressing through to the latter stages of the competition and accept that we have not met our own expectations or those of the country.

'We back Roy Hodgson’s decision to step down as England manager and will discuss the next steps imminently. For now, we congratulate Iceland for reaching the quarter final and wish them well against France at the weekend.

'Finally, our sincere thanks go to the travelling fans for their incredible support tonight and to everyone back home for getting behind the team.'  

Hodgson's departure - alongside that of assistants Lewington and Neville - is the icing on the cake of yet another disastrous few weeks for the national side. 

Failure to win their group at Euro 2016 saw England paired with Iceland in the last 16 but even that proved too much for captain Wayne Rooney and his team of abject disappointments. 

Rooney had opened the scoring with an early penalty but Sigurdsson soon equalised after some shocking England defending from a throw. 

Sigthorsson then put the smallest team in the tournament, a country with a population of the size of Leicester, ahead for an advantage they were to eventually hold on to. 

England huffed and puffed as they tried to get back into the game but they never really looked like scoring in what was a woeful team performance. 

Iceland looked the more organised side as England struggled to string five-yard passes together. 

The result was a night of ignominy and when the dust settles, there will be serious questions to be answered for all of those involved.

England disgracefully bows out of euros.

A lot of people in England have been trying to turn back time over the last few days – and Roy Hodgson managed to get it all the way back to Belo Horizonte in 1950.

Not since a distant World Cup, 66 years ago, have England suffered a humiliation as great as this. Beaten by Iceland – a nation with a population the size of Leicester, playing in their first international tournament. For Hodgson, this was the bitter end. His players were booed, individually and collectively, and there was none of the residue of goodwill felt at the end of the 2014 World Cup.

He will go now, as he should have then, the signs of progress that the Football Association demanded sadly absent in a display as confused and ineffectual as any England have delivered at a major tournament to date. Beaten by the United States in 1950, England at least had mitigation. It was their first tournament, and in South America. These were unfamiliar circumstances.

Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson dives the right way but he fails to keep out Rooney's low right-footed driven penalty

England were awarded a penalty when Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling was brought down by the Iceland custodian

Sterling goes down under an early challenge by Halldorsson to concede a penalty and hand the early initiative to the Three Lions

MATCH FACTS 

ENGLAND XI (4-3-3): Hart 4; Walker 4, Cahill 4.5, Smalling 4.5, Rose 6; Dier 5 (Wilshere 46mins, 6), Alli 4.5, Rooney 4 (Rashford 86, 6.5); Sturridge 4.5, Kane 4, Sterling 5.5 (Vardy 60, 6.5)

Subs not used: Forster, Heaton, Milner, Lallana, Clyne, Henderson, Stones, Barkley, Bertrand 

Goal: Rooney 4

Booked: Sturridge

Manager: Roy Hodgson 3.5 

ICELAND XI (4-4-2): Halldorsson 7; Saevarsson 7, Arnason 8, R. Sigurdsson 9, Skulason 8; Gudmundsson 8.5, G. Sigurdsson 8, Gunnarsson 8.5, Bjarnason 7; Sigthorsson 8.5 (Bjarnason 77, 7), Bodvarsson 8 (Traustason 89, 6)

Subs not used: Hauksson, Hermannsson, Ingason, Finnbogason, Krintinsson, Jonsson, Sigurjonsson, Magnusson, Hallfredsson, Gudjohnsen

Goals: R. Sigurdsson 6, Sigthorsson 18

Booked: G. Sigurdsson, Gunnarsson

Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) 6

Ratings by Rob Draper 

What are the excuses here? It was hot. It's England playing Iceland. It’s a young team? It's England  playing Iceland. England had a lot of possession? It's England  playing Iceland. England will  be better next time. Iceland, Iceland, Iceland.

England’s opponents were organised and defended magnificently, but this is a limited team who were thrilled to be involved in a knockout game at a debut tournament. All week they talked of their excitement at facing England – a team of players brought up on the Premier League. Yet there was no gulf in class on the night, no suggestion that England had the answers as they huffed and puffed their way through the second half.

Hodgson’s England, packed full of matchwinners we were told, had 70 minutes to equalise and could not. Joe Hart made the best two saves after half-time. There is no way back for Hodgson now. England will spend the rest of the summer looking for a new manager – and a way forward from here. 

It was hard to compute the feeling of shock inside this stadium when Slovakian referee Damir Skomina blew for half-time. Iceland jubilant in a way few can have imagined, England despairing and fearful. Any optimism was based on history and presumption, the inherent belief that there was no way England, this team that has been built up to be so full of promise and verve, could lose to Iceland, even on a bad day. 

Yet this was a very a bad day; a day gone bad beyond all expectation. England had the dream start, the early goal that it was felt would decide this match without doubt in their favour. Iceland would then have to come out of their shell, which is not their style, and attack, which is not their strength.

Bring it on. Ha ha. Two goals and 15 minutes later it transpired England’s defence are in no position to lay down that gauntlet to any opponent – even one built on resilience and cussedness as Iceland are. 

Before this tournament, Roy Hodgson scoffed when told England defence was weak. He pointed to a strong defensive record in a qualifying group that was not so much toothless as positively gummy; he flagged up a clean sheet against a Portugal team shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo and its 11th man before half-time in a friendly. Here was the dreaded reality. An England team unable to hold a lead against Iceland for, what, two minutes. 

An England goalkeeper now at fault for two goals in four games in a tournament. Hart, it transpires, is not as free of flakiness as his shampoo sponsors would have us believe.

Hodgson will have had a plan for this match and we can presume the first five minutes went to it. Daniel Sturridge cut inside from the right, where he is presently exiled, and hit a weak shot wide. A loosener, really. A statement of intent. This was going to be how the game unfolded. England having a go, Iceland establishing banks of resistance. 

Just two minutes later, Sturridge played a ball to his former Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling, and England were away. Out came Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson – hero of the win over Austria that brought them here – and he clumsily took Sterling down. It was a silly foul, one of a player unused to the nerves that an occasion such as this can bring. Sterling was heading away from goal, going nowhere. Still, it was a penalty and Wayne Rooney stepped up to take it. Low, to the left, it was his 53rd goal in an England shirt, and the one intended to settle the nerves. England did not last long enough to even consider their emotional state.

Iceland levelled the scoreline just two minutes after England's opener as Ragnar Sigurdsson poked home from close range to make it 1-1

Sigurdsson's equalising goal came from Cardiff City midfielder Aron Gunnarsson's long throw-in which evaded England defenders.

Kari Arnason flicked the ball on from the initial Gunnarsson throw before the ball eventually fell at the feet of Sigurdsson to poke home

HOW LEE DIXON SLAMMED ENGLAND 

England’s defending at the long throw that let Iceland back into the game was slammed by former England and Arsenal defender Lee Dixon.

The ITV pundit savaged the way Ragnar Sigurdsson was allowed to equalise. ‘I don’t know where to start,’ said Dixon. ‘We knew we were going to get throw-ins. They (Iceland) set up the same way every single time. So you’ve got to mark properly.

‘Their two target men, one of them is being marked by Smalling and Kane. The other one, who they mainly throw to, at the edge of the box, Arnason, is marked by Rooney. Why? How is that right? How is Rooney picking up? And Kyle Walker can look at this and hang his head in shame. The fact is you’ve got to go with runners.’

OUR BIGGEST EMBARRASSMENTS  

USA 1-0 England (1950 World Cup)

A result that shocked the world as America’s amateurs inflicted a humiliating defeat on England’s professionals. It remains England’s worst-ever result at the World Cup.

England 0-1 Republic of Ireland 1 (Euro 1988)

Ray Houghton’s early strike gave Ireland victory in their first-ever tournament match. Bobby Robson’s team then lost their next two group games before heading home humiliated. 

Norway 2-1 England (World Cup qualifier, 1981)

Defeat by the part-timers generated one of the most famous soundbites of all time as Norwegian commentator Bjorn Lillelien hollered: ‘Maggie Thatcher? Your boys took one hell of a beating!’

N Ireland 1-0 England (World Cup qualifier, 2005)

England stunned at Windsor Park when David Healy handed Sven-Goran Eriksson his only qualifying defeat in charge.

It was like watching Arsenal trying to defend against Stoke’s Rory Delap. That same confusion, the same frustration that good players were so totally flummoxed by such a simple tactic. Aron Gunnarsson delivers a throw-in as Delap once did, flat, fast, accurate. Like a decent cross. Yet England’s defenders deal with decent crosses all the time. What is it about this that so scrambles their minds?

Kari Arnason won the header, flicking it on for Ragnar Sigurdsson, who had completely lost his man Kyle Walker. He has been brilliant in this tournament going forward, Walker, but there have always been questions about his defensive smarts. Sigurdsson had space, a proper run at the ball and left Hart no chance from close range. Nobody can say England were not warned. Hodgson had mentioned Gunnarsson’s throws as a principal line of attack in his press conference on Sunday – while Iceland joint coach Heimir Hallgrímsson had flagged up that his team were dangerous from set pieces. What did England’s defenders need? A five minute warning? Written notice?

England were rocked, obviously, but the night was young, and there would be opportunity aplenty to put this right. Still, it took them another 10 minutes to have a crack at Iceland’s goal, when Dele Alli returned a clearance from outside the area. Soon after, Harry Kane held the ball up on the left, before turning inside to hit a shot. And then the unthinkable happened.

It was a neat interchange of passes by Iceland, around the edge of England’s area before Gylfi Sigurdsson threaded it through to Kolbeinn Sigthorsson. Yet there was little pressure on the ball and Iceland’s No 9 had the sight of goal to try his luck. What followed was a small catastrophe for goalkeeper Hart. 

He got a hand to the ball, but not with the force to repel it, and it trickled away from him, over the line. Iceland’s players celebrated wildly, Hart smacked his forehead repeatedly, his team-mates looked haunted. Again, it took them 10 minutes to regroup. Yet now, there was a sense of panic in the play. Passes going astray, moves breaking down at crucial moments.

Kane met a Sturridge cross on the volley after 30 minutes, tipped over by Halldorsson – sheer instinct over-riding any nerves – and a deep free-kick by Kane was just too much for Alli at the far post, but it wasn’t a case of England dominating and Iceland meekly hanging on. 

Ari Skulason had one go wide from 30 yards after 35 minutes – and another sloppily defender set piece after 55 minutes ended with Ragnar Sigurdsson attempting an ambitious overhead kick which Hart kept out from seven yards. Had that gone in, it would have been all over.

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere replaced Eric Dier at the half-time interval as Hodgson and his  coaching staff tries to tweak things a little.

Leicester striker Jamie Vardy was given half an hour to prove his worth to the England national team but failed to make a difference

The former Fleetwood Town striker went down under a challenge by Sigurdsson in the penalty area but the Iceland defender won the ball

Roy Hodgson quits as England manager after embarrassing Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland in last-16 tie

Federer advances to second round at Wimbledon

Roger Federer survived a tough couple of opening sets to beat Guido Pella and reach the second round of Wimbledon.

The No 3 seed came through 7-6 7-6 6-3 after he was pushed to tie-breaks by the Argentine before winning the third set fairly comfortably.

Federer will now face Marcus Willis, the world No 772 and surprise winner over Ricardas Berankis. 

Messi retires from international football.

Messi retires from international football after falling to Chile 4-2 on penalties at the Copa America finals.

"It's tough, it's not the time for analysis," he was quoted as saying on the Argentine national team's Twitter feed. "In the dressing room I thought that the national team was over, it's not for me."

"It's been four finals, it's not meant for me. I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn't get it, so I think it's over."

The 29-year-old retires having scored 55 goals in 113 appearances for Argentina. He set a new record at the Copa America by surpassing Gabriel Batistuta's 54 goals in the semi final against USA.

Messi missed his penalty kick for Argentina after Chilean Arturo Vidal also missed from the spot.

Apparently, messi's last action for the Argentina team was to disappointingly blast his spot kick to the crowd.
Messi however, might not be the only one to quit the international stage of Argentina.

Aguero: others could follow.

"Messi probably won't be the only player to leave the national team," said Aguero. "There are various players who are considering quitting. This is the worst I've seen the dressing room. Worse than after the other two finals [the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America]."

Already there have been speculation that Javier mascherano is prepared to hang up his boot.

The tournament was played in the U.S. for the first time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the inaugural competition and expanded to include six teams from North and Central America along with the 10 from South America.

Messi's Argentina falls short once again as Chile clinches Copa America back to back.

Chile have never beaten Argentina in open play in 27 Copa America meetings in 100 years yet have twice in 12 months dashed the hopes of Lionel Messi's team of lifting a major trophy.
A second successive victory on penalties in the final against their trans-Andean rivals, this time in the centenary tournament in the United States on Sunday, has cemented Chile's status as one of the world's top teams.
A further irony is that the revolution that has transformed the team is the work of Argentine coaches starting with the visionary appointment in 2007 of Marcelo Bielsa, who has earned cult status in Chile.
"(Chile) have become audacious in the way they impose their game on any field, against any adversary," Diego Latorre, who was in the Argentina squad that won the Copa America in Chile in 1991, said on Saturday.
"This was unheard of in previous Chile teams prior to the Marcelo Bielsa era," he wrote in his column in the Argentine daily La Nacion.
Argentina, boasting one of the world's top players in Messi and ranked number one in the world, were expected to avenge last year's loss to Chile in Santiago having already beaten them twice this year.
Messi has now lost four major finals with Argentina, three in the last two years including the 2014 World Cup decider against Germany in Rio de Janeiro, leaving them still looking for their first major trophy since 1993.
He often looked cut off from his team at a packed Metlife in East Rutherford, New Jersey and cut a dejected figure at the end after his penalty miss and amid Chile's victory celebrations.
Bielsa, who was Argentina coach from 1999 to 2004, revolutionised Chile's training methods and tactics and led them to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after being absent from the tournament since 1998.
He and successor Jorge Sampaoli were instrumental in developing midfielder Arturo Vidal and forward Alexis Sanchez as world class players while Claudio Bravo has proved a top notch goalkeeper.
Sampaoli improved his mentor Bielsa's work on a high pressing game, steered Chile to the round of 16 in Brazil and masterminded their first ever Copa America success at home a year ago.
Argentina had never lost a competitive match to Chile until 2008 and had beaten the team now coached by Juan Antonio Pizzi twice in the last three months -- in a World Cup qualifier in Santiago in March and their opening group game of this tournament in Santa Clara three weeks ago, both times 2-1.

Chile upset favourites Argentina with a a penalty shootout victory in the Copa America final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday to retain their title in the world's oldest continental soccer competition.
With the dynamic Artur Vidal back after suspension, Chile earned themselves bragging rights as South America's dominant team as they beat heavyweights Argentina on penalties for a second straight year in the tournament decider.
The two sides were deadlocked 0-0 after 90 minutes and also after another half an hour of extra time in a match where both teams were reduced to 10 men in the first half.

Argentina: Romero, Mercado, Otamendi, Funes Mori, Rojo, Biglia, Mascherano, Banega (Lamela 111), Messi, Higuain (Aguero 69), Di Maria (Kranevitter 57).

Subs Not Used: Guzman, Maidana, Roncaglia, Fernandez, Cuesta, Gaitan, Pastore, Andujar.

Sent Off: Rojo (43).

Booked: Mascherano, Messi, Kranevitter .

Chile: Bravo, Isla, Medel, Jara, Beausejour, Vidal, Diaz, Aranguiz, Fuenzalida (Puch 80), Vargas (Castillo 109), Sanchez (Silva 103).

Subs Not Used: Toselli, Roco, Pinilla, Hernandez, Pulgar, Gonzalez, Orellana, Herrera.

Sent Off: Diaz (29).

Booked: Diaz, Vidal, Beausejour, Aranguiz.

Chile win 4-2 on penalties

Att: 82,026

Ref: Heber Roberto Lopes (Braz

Argentina have gone 23 years without a trophy and this was Messi's best chance of doing it. Perhaps his last chance, as the star announced his international retirement after the game.

They have now lost finals three years running. In the 2014 World Cup, against Germany, it was unfortunate. In the 2015 Copa America against Chile, it was painful. And this? Messi must believe it is some kind of curse.

Chile, meanwhile, who waited 99 years to win a Copa America, lifted the trophy in Santiago and now have done it again in New Jersey, in the special 100th year edition of the tournament. This is their golden generation and they are delivering.

Argentina coach Tata Martino was able to bring back Angel di Maria after injury for the final, replacing Ezequiel Lavezzi who suffered the same fate during the semi-final win over the USA, while Lucas Biglia stepped in for another casualty from that game, Augusto Fernandez.

It was the same 4-3-3 as usual, while Chile lined up in the same way, picking their strongest team, with Arturo Vidal back from suspension and Marcelo Diaz fit to start. He didn't last long, however.

Referee Heber Lopes made himself the star of the show in the first half, showing two red cards which he could have held back on.

Diaz was fairly booked for scything down Messi when the forward made his first real move of the game, starting a surging run. Chile sensed danger and Diaz made himself the man to stop it.

Chile coach Juan Antonio Pizzi had stated that his team needed to come up with a plan to halt the Barcelona man in his tracks and hinted that underhand methods may come into the equation.

What he hadn't banked on was an overzealous official. Diaz obstructed Messi in the 29th minute, a foul, certainly, but a harsh yellow for just his second offence. For a moment it seemed Lopes had forgotten he booked him in the first half, even though the cards were just 12 minutes apart, but out came the red card and Chilean supporters raged.

But things were levelled up on that front just before half-time. Marcos Rojo took out Vidal with a sliding challenge from behind. It was a yellow card offence but he saw red. Ten men each.

Sanchez posted this photograph to Instagram after the game, alongside the caption: 'I am speechless. Just thank my team-mates and all the people who supported us now Chileans enjoy..

Chile defender Marcelo Diaz was booked for a foul on Argentina's Lionel Messi in the 16th minute on Sunday night

Argentina defender Marcos Rojo was shown a straight red card for a wild challenge on Vidal just before half-time

Referee Heber Lopes shows red card to Diaz after he received a second booking for a foul on Messi

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain went closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when he lifted the ball over Claudio Bravo

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT

Vidal (missed)        0-0 Messi (missed)

Castillo (scored)      1-1 Mascherano (scored)

Aranguiz (scored)     2-2 Aguero (scored)

Beausejour (scored)  3-2 Biglia (missed)

Silva (scored)           4-2






As far as chances went, there was only one clear opportunity and Gonzalo Higuain bottled it.

He is often blamed for his mistakes in front of goal in the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America finals, and this was the hat-trick.

When Gary Medel stuttered on the ball in front of his own box, he robbed the Chilean and headed towards goal. His run towards the penalty area wasn't a confident one and his limp, dinked effort evaded Claudio Bravo but also the far post.

Gary Medel came flying back and ended up crashing into his own post, punishment for his mistake, but Higuain's profligacy prevented him from suffering an even more painful one.

Messi's attacking efforts were limited to one free-kick from over 30 yards out, saved by his club team-mate Claudio Bravo, and a dive in the penalty area for which he was booked. He doesn't often go to ground lightly, and the pressure of the occasion was clearly telling on him and his team-mates.


Messi goes down in the box after flicking the ball past a Chile defender during an attack in the first half

The Argentina talisman was booked by referee Heber Lopes following his tumble in the box in the first half

Chile, having won the Copa America in 2015, were calm, soaking up Argentina pressure and trying to spring counter-attacks. Martino's men, like the coach himself in his pre-match press conference, seemed worried.

Ever Banega had lashed a shot inches wide within half-a-minute of the game kicking off and it seemed like Argentina were taking the bull by the horns, but they soon settled into a more cautious style of attacking.

When Martino took a furious Di Maria off for Matias Kranevitter early in the second half it hinted at what type of game this was going to become.

Like last year's final, it ended up fragmented, cautious, an ordeal. Few chances developed in the second half, with substitute Sergio Aguero blazing two of them over the crossbar.

Messi tried his best to make a difference, but short of crossing it to himself to finish, there was little he could do.

A run from his own half ended in an effort blazed wide of the top left corner as the clock ticked down in five minutes of stoppage time.

Extra-time was upon us and the game began to open up again. Top scorer Vargas saw a header well saved by Romero, but should have scored after a neat cross from Edson Puch, while Aguero had a nodded effort of his own tipped over the crossbar by Bravo.

Although Argentina finished the stronger, they didn't have enough in the tank to force the ball past Bravo and it ended up in a shoot-out again. And again, they were shot down.

'If you start thinking over the future today, especially at a time like this, it's tough, it's overbearing,' said Martino, of Messi's dejection, before he knew the player was going to quit.

'But so many times, athletes are able to raise themselves back up. They've raised themselves up before, and I'm sure they'll do it again.'

With stories circling over other players considering joining Messi in leaving the side, Argentina's future could be heading down a rocky road. Reaching three finals in three years is a fine accomplishment. Losing them all is not. But if several stars quit the side, Argentina would be lucky to get that far in the near future again.

Summary

June 27 (Gracenote) - Summary from the Copa America Final match on Sunday Argentina 0 Red Card: Marcos Rojo 43 Chile 0 Red Card: Marcelo Diaz 28 Halftime: 0-0;Attendance: 82,026 Penalty Shootout: 2-4 - - -

Quaresma the hero as Portugal make last eight

Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens - Euro 2016 last 16: Croatia 0 Portugal 1 (Quaresma, 117)

Ricardo Quaresma grabbed a late winner as Portugal beat Croatia 1-0 after extra time to make the quarter-finals at Euro 2016.

The first-half was devoid of much action of note with the best chance falling to the head of Pepe but he failed to re-adjust his body and could only nod over the bar.

Croatia, so impressive last time out against Spain, had the lion’s share of possession but were unable to prise a clear-cut opening from a resolute Portugal defence.

It was much the same for the second-half but the best chance fell to another defender just after the hour mark.

However, Domagoj Vida could only glance Darijo Srna’s cross wide of the post, and the game went to extra-time.

With neither side able to assert any authority, it looked as though the game would go to penalties but with 117 minutes on the clock Quaresma followed up Cristiano Ronaldo’s saved effort to slot home and secure their spot in the next round.

What's a good Conner kick?

While Euro 2016 has brought us drama and excitement, it hasn't really brought us much in the way of clever corner kicks.

England in particular haven't got it right - 26 corners that went awry are proof of that.

To find the perfect explanation, Sportsmail spoke Dr Ken Bray of the University of Bath who specialises in ball flight.



An inswinging corner just past the penalty spot is too far for the keeper to come and slightly away from the crowded penalty spot, but still presents a big target for the attacker to aim at.

PLAY IT SHORT

Quickly-taken short corners are always the best option when possible. Taking a conventional corner can surrender possession, while a short corner retains the ball and may allow an attacker to run it into the penalty area — providing a better chance to threaten the goal.

GET IN THE SWING

Inswinging corners are more threatening than outswingers — not least as they are more likely to land in the area. If an inswinger is overhit it usually stays in the box and can be played back towards goal, while an overhit outswinger races out of the area. Also, there is a limit to how close an outswinger can be played to goal, as the taker risks curling it out of play over the byline.

NEAR POST IS A NO-NO

It’s a waste to play the ball towards the near post (Zone C, below). This delivery requires a player to head it backwards into the centre of the box, which is less precise than aiming the delivery there in the first place.

Zone B is the optimal delivery area as a face-on goal presents the biggest target for a header, while Zone A is a good option as the ball can be headed back into the middle of the box.

First contact is the key to making corners count but it isn't just England... the quality overall at Euro 2016...

Wales into last eight after heartbreaking own goal for Northern Ireland

Parc des Princes, Paris – Euro 2016 last 16: Wales 1 (McAuley og 75) Northern Ireland 0

Wales’ amazing run at Euro 2016 continued as an own goal from Northern Ireland’s Gareth McAuley took them through to the quarter-finals courtesy of a 1-0 win in Paris.

The first half was almost totally devoid of quality in the second all-British affair of the tournament, with Welsh talisman Gareth Bale struggling to make much of an impact on proceedings.

But the Real Madrid forward, who had scored three goals in three games prior to the last-16 fixture, made the difference on 75 minutes when he delivered a delicious cross which coaxed McAuley into a sliding intervention, turning the ball into his own net.

Wales go on to Lille to face the winner of Hungary v Belgium after reaching their second quarter-final in the two major tournaments they have contested – the first of which was the 1958 World Cup. 

Player sent off for farting loudly.

Adam Lindin Ljungkvist was dismissed in the late stages of a ninth-tier game in Sweden after he let off what was apparently a rather impressive fart

There are many reasons a player can be sent off in a game - reckless tackles, two yellow cards, even swearing at the referee in some occasions. But Swedish football saw a bizarre new offence which seems incredibly harsh.

In a ninth-tier clash, Pershagen SK's Adam Lindin Ljungkvist was sent off for "unsportsmanlike behaviour" when he farted loudly in his side's game against and Jarna SK's reserves.

The game was almost over and, having apparently already been given a yellow card, he released wind and was booked for the second time.

"I needed to fart, I had a bad stomach," he told Lanstidningen Sodertalje. "So I just farted. Then I received a yellow card and then a red.

"I was shocked, it's the strangest thing I have ever experienced on a football field.

"I asked the referee: 'What, you can't fart on the field?', he replied: 'No'.


He does, however, have a theory as to why he was sent off: "He may have thought that I farted in my hand and threw it towards him, but he didn't say."

The referee reported that he had already booked the player in the 65th minute, but Ljungkvist says he can't remember receiving one.

And the referee, Dany Kako, has cleared up the situation, stating that it was indeed for passing gas.

"I perceive that it is a provocation against another player. He did it on purpose and it was inappropriate behaviour. Therefore, he received a yellow card."

But even Kako admitted that it is an absurd situation.
"Yes. No one must get a yellow card for farting on the field. Once there was a player who stood and peed next to the pitch. That was also a yellow card."

According to the opposition striker Kristoffer Linde says he heard the fart and testified to how loud it was.

"I was standing a good distance away but I heard the fart loud and clear. It was the strangest thing I've seen on the field, and I have been playing football since I was eight years old."

Source: Goal.com