UEFA European Championship 2020 - Knockout Stage

[AK47MVP]

What a disgrace. When things like this happen with the VAR it's not a mistake anymore, it's freaking corruption, but we knew that already, this is just a further proof.

I agree it’s a weak penalty , but defender #5 did make knee contact on Sterling

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

[Andi Obst]

"The better of two thoroughly mediocre teams won" - How England made their way to the Euro 2020 final (in 2021)

[El Turco]

That was weak as hell

[Bergmaniac]

What the hell is the point of VAR if the ref on the field doesn't go to check even on such a huge call? Especially since the refs in the VAR room apparently have been instructed to never overturn any penalty calls during this Euro unless there is a clear foul by the attacking team or an offside.

[Pharmcat]

What a disgrace. When things like this happen with the VAR it's not a mistake anymore, it's freaking corruption, but we knew that already, this is just a further proof.

I agree it’s a weak penalty , but defender #5 did make knee contact on Sterling

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

Look at the 45 to 48 sec mark, the defender clips his knee/shin and gets no ball. It’s weak call but that’s a foul

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Regardless England is going to get destroyed by Italy

[AK47MVP]

I agree it’s a weak penalty , but defender #5 did make knee contact on Sterling

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

Look at the 45 to 48 sec mark, the defender clips his knee/shin and gets no ball. It’s weak call but that’s a foul

Read on Twitter

Regardless England is going to get destroyed by Italy

Respectfully disagree. Football is contact sport and contact is allowed. it is up to ref to decide if this weak contact made Sterling to fall.... and we all know it was not, he sold it by diving.
As a side note, do you see two balls on the field? That attack should have never happened. Refs should have stopped the play and restarted after second ball is removed from the field.

[Pharmcat]

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

Look at the 45 to 48 sec mark, the defender clips his knee/shin and gets no ball. It’s weak call but that’s a foul

Read on Twitter

Regardless England is going to get destroyed by Italy

Respectfully disagree. Football is contact sport and contact is allowed. it is up to ref to decide if this weak contact made Sterling to fall.... and we all know it was not, he sold it by diving.
As a side note, do you see two balls on the field? That attack should have never happened. Refs should have stopped the play and restarted after second ball is removed from the field.

We can agree to disagree on penalty. But totally agree on two balls, play should have stopped for that.

[AK47MVP]

I am having hard time finding any soccer experts supporting penalty decision:

“I don’t think it’s a penalty… very, very soft,” was Roy Keane’s verdict on ITV and his long-time team-mate at Manchester United, Gary Neville appeared to agree with him, saying: “If we’re being fair, you’d be absolutely devastated if you lost to a penalty like that.”

Speaking on BeIN Sports, Kasper’s father Peter Schmeichel said: “[The referee] made a really big mistake on the penalty. This will be debated for a long, long time. In a way, it’s a hard one to take because it’s not a penalty.”

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger agreed: “No penalty. I don’t understand why in situations like that the VAR, the referee doesn’t go and look on the screen. In a moment like that, he has to be absolutely sure.”

Dietmar Hamann: "They won with a penalty which was a blatant dive and this is not in the spirit of the game. England always prides itself on being the home of fair play and no diving.

Jose Maurinho: "It was never a penalty, I don’t believe the referee is going to sleep well!”

[Baphomet]

The referee had a mare. The free kick for Damsgaard's goal was soft (great hit though), and when Kane was brought down in the box in the second half after his penetrating dribble, that was far more of a penalty than the one they actually gave on Sterling.

On the balance of play, England deserved to win despite a courageous first half from the Danes. They had very few serious attempts to speak of, where it felt like England were knocking on the door for a while in the second half. It was actually an enjoyable game, I think, only really threatened by the standard puzzling refereeing decisions.

I think England have been exceptional this tournament and have genuinely surprised me, borefest against Scotland aside, and people who have posted here for a while know how rarely I actually praise England. They're the team whose consistent and Groundhog Day-like failures caused me to lose interest in international football in general. Despite the footballing quality of the tournament being far greater than the turgid Euro 2016, I would argue that all the key teams besides Italy, England and Denmark have been below average to disappointing. There haven't been any other standouts, so belittling England's quality of opposition feels like missing the forest for the trees.

It feels special to have bypassed two of England's greatest hoodoos: Germany and semi-finals. The final is one heck of a task though. I don't even think the Italians are particularly special on an individual level, despite their unbeaten run. Better than England, perhaps, but this isn't the team of Del Piero, Totti, Nesta, Pirlo, Buffon, Cannavaro, etc. What worries me is their incredible tactical discipline and mental strength under Mancini. England have been defensively resolute in this tournament, but they're going to need to be far more clinical going forward to beat Italy. Spain huffed and puffed but despite making chances they couldn't manage it.

Just wanted to give a shout out to Sterling. Man has been possessed in this tournament.

[HIF]

Sterling has had bad game, multiple missed chances

I thought he was our motm. Kasper the MOTM.

[HIF]

Denmark look tired. That trip to Baku and playing in 30 C weather did it

It's nothing to do with travelling. England are younger and have better stamina. It was always going to be England getting stronger and stronger as the game progressed.

[HIF]

I just wanted this game to be decided on fair game.. no fluke goals or stupid penalties. Did not get my wish:(

The best team won. England were by far better than Denmark. Kasper had an awesome game to keep the score respectable.

[HIF]

"The better of two thoroughly mediocre teams won" - How England made their way to the Euro 2020 final (in 2021)

no. That was a good game with two very good teams playing.

[HIF]

What the hell is the point of VAR if the ref on the field doesn't go to check even on such a huge call? Especially since the refs in the VAR room apparently have been instructed to never overturn any penalty calls during this Euro unless there is a clear foul by the attacking team or an offside.

It's not VAR that is at fault it is the humans manipulating it. same in the EFL.

[HIF]

I agree it’s a weak penalty , but defender #5 did make knee contact on Sterling

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

Look at the 45 to 48 sec mark, the defender clips his knee/shin and gets no ball. It’s weak call but that’s a foul

Read on Twitter

Regardless England is going to get destroyed by Italy

We'll see. Persoanlly I think it'll be close. Italy will take the lead and England will be the stronger team in the second half. If only Southgate doesn't get all Kane-homer and again isn't willing to sub him for flair and speed players I think that England will win. England has more talent.

[Andi Obst]

"The better of two thoroughly mediocre teams won" - How England made their way to the Euro 2020 final (in 2021)

no. That was a good game with two very good teams playing.

Yeah, I don't agree with that. Better team won though, so no complaints.

[fbalmeida]

European finals support map is similar to the semi-finals support map.

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[Foye]

European finals support map is similar to the semi-finals support map.

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Yeah. Screw England. They can't be winning this after Brexit.

[aggerrard]

Proud of the team. Maybe only one very bad decision by the refs away from a penalty shootout in a semi-final.

[Pharmcat]

That contact had nothing to do with it... he was falling down and then Jensen touched him with the hip. No way that is a penalty during such match.

Look at the 45 to 48 sec mark, the defender clips his knee/shin and gets no ball. It’s weak call but that’s a foul

Read on Twitter

Regardless England is going to get destroyed by Italy

We'll see. Persoanlly I think it'll be close. Italy will take the lead and England will be the stronger team in the second half. If only Southgate doesn't get all Kane-homer and again isn't willing to sub him for flair and speed players I think that England will win. England has more talent.

HIF: did you think it was a penalty?