Sports
Euro 2024 Host Germany Trounces Scotland 5-1
Germany, the Euro 2024 host, could not have had a better start to the European Championship, trouncing Scotland’s national football team. Florian Wirtz and Jamal Musiala scored in an impressive first half to lead Germany to a confidence-boosting 5-1 victory.
While Germany didn’t have to work hard against a subpar Scotland at Allianz Arena, it was the perfect way to kick off the tournament and boost national excitement.
Germany captain İlkay Gündoğan stated, “Yes, that’s exactly the way we wanted to start and, to be honest, we needed a start just like that,” to ZDF. “I had a good feeling going into the game, to be honest, and it came true, thank God.
“But exactly this atmosphere, the euphoria in the stadium now with our own fans, that’s exactly what we need in order to go far.”
The Germans’ pre-tournament title aspirations were low after failing to win their previous three major tournaments. However, they began with their most impressive triumph in Euros history.
The German team was fantastic
They dominated the first half, which ended in the worst conceivable way for Scotland: defender Ryan Porteous was sent out, and Kai Havertz converted the penalty kick. Substitutes Niclas Füllkrug and Emre Can added to Scotland’s agony following the break.
“The first 20 minutes were very remarkable. “The first goals were very good,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann stated. “It’s extremely beneficial that many players performed well early on.”
“It was only the first step, but it was an excellent one, and we can expand on it. “We’re very pleased.”
Scotland, which had not had a shot on goal throughout the game, gave its noisy fans something to cheer about late on when the ball was shoved into the back of the net by Germany defender Antonio Rüdiger for an own goal.
Steve Clarke’s team will need to do better against Hungary and Switzerland if it is to go beyond Group A and into the knockout stage for the first time. “A difficult night. We did not perform up to our standards. “The German team was fantastic,” Clarke added.
“We feel like we have let ourselves down. We are better than that. Hopefully, we can show that in the next two games.”
Scotland to play Switzerland next at Euro 2024
Scotland’s Tartan Army of supporters began the match in high spirits, but were quickly silenced when Wirtz scored in the tenth minute. Toni Kroos found Joshua Kimmich with a fantastic crossfield lob, which he rolled across for Wirtz to shoot.
Wirtz, 21, became Germany’s youngest Euro goal scorer. Musiala, 67 days older than Wirtz, doubled Germany’s score nine minutes later after combining nicely with Havertz.
Angus Gunn, Scotland’s goalkeeper, saved a header from Gündoğan at halftime. However, the skipper was upended by Porteous’s challenge. Referee Clément Turpin gave Porteous a straight red card and awarded Germany a penalty, which Havertz converted.
Scotland held out in the second half until an exchange between Musiala and Gündoğan resulted in a goal for Füllkrug. The substitute, who had only been on the field for five minutes, sent a powerful shot into the upper right corner.
Kieran McKenna’s header from a free kick off Rüdiger provided Scotland with a late consolation goal.
Nonetheless, Scotland surrendered five goals for the first time in 12 years when Can, a late substitution for the sick Aleksandar Pavlovic, curled in in stoppage time.
“Feeling great and telling a crazy story…” “I was on vacation two days ago,” Can told ZDF. “Then the call came on Wednesday, and I met with the team that evening, trained once yesterday, came in today (off the bench), and scored a goal. I’m appreciative to Julian (Nagelsmann) and the entire coaching staff for putting their trust in me.”
Before the match, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Scotland First Minister John Swinney, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán were among the thousands in attendance.
On Wednesday, when Scotland plays Switzerland, Germany will turn its attention to Hungary.
Source: AP
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As seen by attendance, the Olympics have progressed significantly in the 12 years since golf returned to the program.
This year, very few people are staying at home.
Bernd Wiesberger was one of two qualified players who chose not to play, which was unusual.
Wiesberger was Austria’s third-ranked player until tying for second place in the European Open, where he unexpectedly passed Matthias Schwab. He then withdrew almost quickly, which was not surprising given that Wiesberger previously withdrew from the Tokyo Games.
Cristobal Del Solar of Chile also withdrew, citing the fact that he is on the verge of receiving his first PGA Tour card and did not want to miss time on the Korn Ferry Tour.
The remaining qualified players have all confirmed their participation in Paris.
Adam Scott opposed golf in the Olympics from the outset and withdrew again. Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton also withdrew, though neither was eligible.
This contrasts sharply with the Rio Olympics, where the top four players in the world—Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Jason Day—were among the dozen or so who stayed home.
This was mainly due to concerns about the Zika virus. McIlroy later stated that he despised the Olympics for making him choose between Ireland and Britain, but he eventually changed his mind and played for Ireland in Tokyo.
Golf | AP News Image
Men’s Golf Will Have A Good Attendance Record At The Paris Olympics
The Tokyo Games, which were postponed a year to 2021, had no fans due to the pandemic and daily COVID-19 exams. Eleven players, including Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Matt Fitzpatrick, Louis Oosthuizen, Francesco Molinari, and Camilo Villegas, elected not to play.
Villegas, Fitzpatrick, and Emiliano Grillo, three players who elected not to participate in Tokyo, will travel to Paris. The others were ineligible.
Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau were scheduled to play in Tokyo until they tested positive for COVID-19 and were forced to withdraw. Rahm will be in Paris, and DeChambeau is the second alternate.
But it’s a welcome difference that no one is discussing who isn’t going to the Olympics, at least among the males. It was never an issue for the women, who have been out in full force since the beginning.
The men’s Olympic field will have eight of the top ten players and thirteen of the top 25. Countries are allocated two players — a maximum of four if all are in the top 15 — ensuring that every eligible player attends Le Golf National.
Open and close?
Cam Davis of Australia won the Rocket Mortgage Classic, moving up to No. 38 in the global rankings. That may be needed to qualify him for the British Open.
Davis is almost set to be the highest-ranked player in the Official World Golf Ranking next week, which the R&A indicated it will use as a reserve list. Thomas Detry of Belgium is next on the OWGR, at No. 50 among those not previously exempt.
The question is whether a reserve list is necessary.
As of Tuesday, the field for the British Open was 132 participants (assuming Todd Hamilton does not compete since he has not since 2018). Two spots are available at the John Deere Classic, five for the top 20 players in the Race to Dubai following this week, and three for the Scottish Open.
Following Tuesday’s 36-hole qualifying round, 16 additional slots were added to the field. That brings the field to 158 players (or 159) when it should be 156. A reserve list or room for Davis may be unnecessary.
According to the R&A, two to three players often withdraw for various reasons, bringing the field back to 156. However, the Open will go with that number if it arrives at 158 (or 159).
Having a field of more than 156 players in the United Kingdom is not an issue because it only grows dark around 10 p.m. in the summer. The last time the field topped 156 participants was in 1995 when there were 159 at St. Andrews.
Davis’ sole path to Royal Troon could be to win one of the two spots available at the Scottish Open next week.
The wonderful life of Richard Bland
Richard Bland has won two of golf’s most prestigious senior majors, the U.S. Senior Open in a playoff at Newport and the Senior PGA Championship.
And now? We’re heading to Andalucia.
That is the next stop for LIV Golf. Bland has been a member of the LIV since its inception in 2022, with Saudi funding. He competed on the rival tour but has no status as one of the PGA Tour Champions.
Senior majors are only granted an exemption for the following year (2025). Even if Bland wanted to play the PGA Tour Champions, he’d have to wait a year after his last appearance on LIV Golf. If he stops now, it will be next July.
But why would he want to do this?
Bland can now compete in the two biggest senior majors next year. Bland has already earned slightly more over $2.3 million on LIV Golf this year, with his best finish of tied for seventh. It’s a tight timetable with big money.
Bland made $4.4 million on LIV last year, and he earned just more than $3.5 million in seven tournaments during the 2022 season. Steve Stricker had to win six times, including three majors, to earn under $4 million on the PGA Tour Champions last year.
Golf | AP News Image
Men’s Golf Will Have A Good Attendance Record At The Paris Olympics
A true rock star.
Fast-talking Rocco Mediate now broadcasts a twice-weekly show on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio. Now he’s bringing in a true rockstar.
Media and shock rock superstar Alice Cooper have teamed up for a monthly show called “Rolling the Rock with Alice Cooper and Rocco Mediate,” which premieres on Tuesday at 6 p.m. EDT.
Cooper began playing golf 50 years ago while recovering from alcoholism, has a handicap index of 4, and claims to be on the course six days a week, including while traveling.
Cooper and Mediate, a six-time PGA Tour champion best known for losing a U.S. Open playoff to Tiger Woods at Torrey Pines, will share stories from their careers, welcome guests from the golf and entertainment sectors, and discuss current golf topics.
“It’s a completely improvised ‘anything goes’ show. Cooper stated, “We don’t know what we’re going to talk about until we start.” “We’re quite literally just ‘rolling the rock.'”
Divots
This is Deere & Co.’s 25th year as title sponsor of the John Deere Classic, making it the PGA Tour’s second-longest continuous title sponsor after the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (39 years). Cameron Young has 18 top-10 finishes in his three full PGA Tour seasons. He is still waiting for his first win. Richard Bland got $800,000 for his U.S. Senior Open triumph, the third-highest salary of his career. He won $1.175 million in a three-way tie for third place at LIV Golf events in Thailand and Greenbrier last year.
Stat of the Week
Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton tied for tenth place in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, becoming the third amateur this year to finish in the top ten on the PGA Tour. This features American Express winner Nick Dunlap.
Final word
“It simply made me a better player. You will not always play your best golf, but I am the best player I have ever been.” ― Richard Bland about his experience playing LIV Golf.
HAMBURG, Germany — Cristiano Ronaldo has declared that he will retire after this year’s European Championship.
The 39-year-old Portuguese legend is competing in the Euros for the sixth time and has helped his side advance to the quarterfinals, where Kylian Mbappé and France will face off on Friday in Hamburg.
Ronaldo | AP News Image
Ronaldo Says He Is Playing His ‘Last European Championship’
Ronaldo told Portuguese public radio RTP following the penalty shootout triumph over Slovenia on Monday: “It is, without a certain, my final European Championship.
“But I am not emotional about it. I’m moved by everything football represents—the enthusiasm I have for the game, the excitement of seeing my supporters, my family, and the devotion people have for me.”
Ronaldo, one of the most prolific scorers in soccer history with a record 14 goals at the European Championships, stated that his major drive today is “making people happy.” During the Slovenia game, he burst into tears when a penalty was saved in overtime.
Ronaldo | AP News Image
Ronaldo Says He Is Playing His ‘Last European Championship’
“It’s not about leaving the world of football,” he informed me. “What else can I do or win?” It will not come down to one point more or less.”
SOURCE – (AP)
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