World Cup 2026 (Part 7) Semi Finals

World Cup Semi-finals on Tuesday and Wednesday.

France through in a low key game against Morocco.
Spain having a harder game against Belgium with a late winner by supersub Merino.
England making us all sweat in the heat of Miami against Norway.
Kept Haaland quiet but had to rely on Bellingham's two great strikes to see us through in extra time.
Argentina also scraping through in extra time against the ten men of Switzerland, after Embolo's two dumb yellow cards. Great winner by Alvarez but less than impressive overall and again aided by some more dubious officiating.

I think England on a good day should be able to beat Argentina, although injuries and fatigue and FIFA's love of Argentina could go against us.
Rice and Saka nowhere near their best, Kane looked shattered against Norway but hopefully 3 days rest will see them recovered.
France still looking the favourites, although Spain who haven't really been in top gear will make it tough.

France v Spain
England v Argentina

European Championship 2016 Draw

The draw for next summer's Euros.

Group A - France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland
Group B - England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia
Group C - Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Northern Ireland
Group D - Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia
Group E - Belgium, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Sweden
Group F - Portugal, Iceland, Austria, Hungary

England and Wales drawn together, with Slovakia and Russia should be ok?
Northern Ireland got a tough draw with the Germans and Poland.
The Republic get "the group of death" with Italy, Belgium and Sweden.

Roll on the 11th June for England's first match against Russia :)

England Expects

That day is here again :)

The expectation level is rising and a few of those doubters I know have said to me that England won't finish bottom (because it can't happen Dumbo's).
A draw will be enough to see us through to a match against Spain (which after seeing them last night looks the best option).
A win might be enough to take us top but only if we win by a goal more than the French, or the French lose or draw.
To complicate things only a win for Ukraine will send them through so there can be no settling for a draw if the French are getting stuffed.

I have pre-booked the semi-final dates off, so you could say I am in my usual state of over optimism :)
Gonna be gutted if I've used valuable holidays to sit at home watching Portugal v Spain :(

So come on England make us proud, let's win something before I'm too old to jump up and down :)

Le Bribe

A draw to start and probably deserved, some people rated France as better than us but it didn't show, to be honest both teams cancelled each other out.
Lescott was probably England's best player and deserved the goal, Joe Hart had a mixed night with some great saves and a few errors and you would have expected him to save Nasri's goal.
Great to see Oxlade-Chamberlain in the starting line up although he didn't see too much of the ball but did ok, still not convinced Milner is an England player and he missed a sitter early on after doing the hard bit of taking it round the keeper, Gerrard still seems to lack the confidence he shows for Liverpool but was solid.
England played a bit defensively which meant Young and Wellbeck had limited chances to shine, but we looked more solid than we have in years.
Luckily the French didn't have any opportunities to go down in the box, as I'm sure the ref was dying to give them a penalty.

My Ratings -
Hart 7, Johnson 6, Cole 7, Terry 6, Lescott 8
Parker 7, Gerrard 7, Oxlade-Chamberlain 7, Milner 4
Young 6, Wellbeck 7
Subs - Henderson 5, Defoe 7, Walcott 5