Wales suffered heartbreak in their first-ever penalty shoot-out as Poland booked their place at Euro 2024 after a goalless 120 minutes.
Spot-kicks were needed on a tense evening in which Ben Davies had a first-half header disallowed for offside but chances were scarce in this play-off final.
Wales were reduced to 10 in the final seconds as Chris Mepham was banished for a second yellow card and Cardiff City Stadium held its breath following an impromptu rendition of the national anthem.
Poland converted five perfect penalties with Robert Lewandowski, Sebastian Szymanski, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Nicola Zalewski and Krzysztof Piątek successful against Danny Ward.
Wales matched them as Ben Davies, Kieffer Moore – via the underside of the crossbar – Harry …
The Republic of Ireland sit second in Group B Euro 2012 qualifying following a 0-0 draw away to Russia on Tuesday.
Giovanni Trapattoni s men earned a valuable point to keep their qualification hopes alive after a solid defensive display in Moscow.
Ireland worked tirelessly to thwart Russia s constant attacks on goal, with goalkeeper Shay Given s save from
Andrey Arshavin s low drive from 20 yards a highlight.
Defender Richard Dunne then cleared off the line just past the half-hour mark, while Sergei Ignashevich s late header from an Arshavin set-piece rocketed into the side netting.
Ireland sit on 14 points in the group standings, three adrift of leaders Russia.
Elsewhere in Group B, Slovakia were beaten 4-0 at home to Armenia.
Y…
Ronald Koeman confirmed Bart Verbruggen will be the Netherlands first-choice goalkeeper at Euro 2024.
There had been question marks over who would keep goal for the Oranje during the forthcoming European Championship, with Verbruggen facing competition from Mark Flekken and Justin Bijlow.
But the Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper, who made 27 appearances across all competitions during his debut season with the Seagulls, has been given the nod for the Netherlands tournament opener against Poland on June 16.
The Dutch, who will also play France and Austria in Group D, continue their preparations with a friendly against Canada on Thursday, before playing Iceland in their final warm-up match four days later.
Building towards !
— OnsOranje (@OnsO…
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann described Franz Beckenbauer as “the best footballer in German history” following the death of the World Cup-winning player and manager at the age of 78.
Beckenbauer won the World Cup as a player in 1974 before leading the team to victory as manager in Italy in 1990. He also won the European Cup three times with Bayern Munich, a record that Nagelsmann believes leaves him a cut above the rest.
Nagelsmann said on the DFB (German Football Association) website: “For me, Franz Beckenbauer was the best footballer in German history. His interpretation of the role of the libero has changed the game.
“Franz Beckenbauer could float over the pitch. As a player and later also as a coach he was sublime, he stood above things.
Ver…
With all roads leading out to Porto on Saturday night, this year’s Champions League run certainly proved to be one of the most unprecedented in European football.
With Chelsea and Manchester City playing out the second all-English final over the past three years, we have taken a look at five big stories from this year’s Champions League.
Chelsea upset the odds
While Chelsea might have found themselves in the midst of a struggle when Frank Lampard publicly left the club back in January, The Blues have enjoyed nothing short of a stunning European adventure under new boss Thomas Tuchel.
Bringing in the former PSG boss earlier in the year, the West London outfit managed to come past a tricky Champions League draw on route to lifting their fourth separate Europe…
Slaven Bilic is braced for interest from big European clubs in Dimitri Payet but the West Ham manager expects to keep hold of the France star.
Payet has taken Euro 2016 by storm, scoring three goals to help France reach the semi-finals, where they will host Germany on Thursday.
The 29-year-old s exploits are expected to alert the likes of Real Madrid and Co. but Bilic insists Payet is happy at West Ham as the Londoners prepare to play Premier League football at the Olympic Stadium in 2016-17.
As a club manager, when you have a player involved there is added interest and there is no doubt Dimitri Payet has been one of the stars of the tournament, Bilic wrote for the Daily Mail.
I understand that with his success, all the speculation about his future will…
Lionel Messi is one of 23 players to be nominated for the 2024 MLS MVP award, being joined on the shortlist by Inter Miami team-mate Luis Suarez.
Messi is considered the leading candidate to win the league s top individual prize after scoring 17 goals and contributing 10 assists in just 18 regular-season matches this year.
The Argentina legend has missed large chunks of the campaign through injury, recently sitting out two months with an ankle problem he sustained while representing his country in the Copa America final.
Yet only four players – D.C. United s Christian Benteke (23), Los Angeles FC s Denis Bouanga, the Columbus Crew s Cucho Hernandez (both 19) and Suarez (18) – have outscored him this term, and he also sits joint-eighth in the assist charts.
Ukraine will make their Euro 2012 debut in front of a home crowd in Kiev against Sweden on Monday.
Ukraine, who have only ever qualified for one major tournament the 2006 FIFA World Cup are co-hosting the European Championships with Poland and will play in front of a partisan home crowd in their Group D opener.
Oleg Blokhin s side have not enjoyed an ideal build-up to the tournament, with successive friendly defeats to Austria and Turkey countries who did not qualify for Euro 2012 concerning the locals about their hopes of progressing from a tough group that also includes France and England.
But veteran striker Andriy Shevchenko is confident Ukraine will bounce back against the Swedes and open their campaign in style.
I won t dispute the fact that in th…
SAFA vice-president Dr Danny Jordaan has been appointed as special advisor to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Jordaan has also been appointed to work with Alexy Sorokin, the head of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
The appointment was ratified by FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland this past week.
Jordaan will serve on the World Cup Organising committee which is comprised of the world’s top football administrators including FIFA President Sepp Blatter, continental confederation Presidents and the entire FIFA executive.
I am very proud and excited to have been asked to serve on this vital committee which supports the backbone of FIFA s business model. The 2010 World Cup ,which was acknowledged as the most successful ever, generated a massive US$4,2 billion, the pro…
Spain forward Joselu hopes to end former Real Madrid team-mate Toni Kroos career by defeating Germany in Friday s Euro 2024 quarter-final.
Kroos and Joselu played together under Carlo Ancelotti s Los Blancos last campaign as the Germany international signed off his club career with Champions League and LaLiga glory.
The 34-year-old midfielder has already confirmed the UEFA tournament on home soil will end his glittering playing days, as an enticing last-eight clash awaits in Stuttgart.
Joselu is aiming to put sentiment aside and force Kroos hand into retirement when Luis de la Fuente s in-form side meet Julian Nagelsmann s hosts at Stuttgart Arena.
It s a shame we have to send Toni into retirement like that, but hopefully we will win on Friday and it wil…