'Looking forward to working with both' - Martin hints Dessers & Igamane could stay
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The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
The moment Switzerland banished their ‘almost' tag to claim Women's Euro 2025 lift-off
This time the blaring sound of Seven Nation Army was for real. As Geraldine Reuteler wheeled away, Switzerland finally had lift off at Euro 2025 and the hosts could soar into celebration. Alayah Pilgrim's stoppage time finish to seal a 2-0 victory in Bern eliminated opponents Iceland while boosting their own chances of reaching the quarter-finals, with a shoot-out against Finland in Geneva on Thursday set to decide who joins Norway in the knockout stages. Switzerland's frustration from their opening defeat to Norway looked to be continuing when Svenja Fölmli first-half opener was disallowed by VAR and Iman Beney's roaring strike on the half-volley rippled the side-netting, tricking the majority of the 29,000 capacity crowd in Bern into thinking they were in front. They survived a few scares too, mostly from Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir's long throws. Iceland twice hit the bar and perhaps Switzerland could have been tempted to settle for a point as the clock ticked into the 76th minute. Instead, Pia Sundhage's side kept going. Powered on by another excellent home support, Switzerland remained adventurous and lively in attack. The 18-year-old forward Sydney Schertenleib, whose face is plastered across advertising boards across Switzerland and was brought into the starting line-up by Sundhage, always looked capable of unlocking the door. Reuteler, meanwhile, carried threat with clever, inventive touches. But Switzerland just needed a moment. It came, at last, as Lia Walti stepped in to win a force challenge in midfield, with the Switzerland captain finding Schertenleib on the turn. Schertenleib eased forward and then timed her pass to release Reuteler. The midfielder was Switzerland's player of the match in their opening defeat but had missed a golden chance late on to claim a point. This time, though, Reuteler found the corner and sparked the red eruption. Pilgrim's breakaway goal finished Iceland off, ensuring they were the first team to be knocked out while sending Norway through. Backed by a tremendous and rowdy section of support, Iceland twice hit the frame of the goal, with Ingibjörg Sigurðardóttir hitting the upright inside the first minute from Jónsdóttir's cannon of a long throw and Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir skimming the crossbar a long-range free-kick. But, outside of long throws and set-pieces, Iceland offered very little. For Switzerland, it looked for a long time as if they would still be waiting for their moment. The hosts had led Norway in their opening game and were the better team in Basel, but lost. Against Iceland, Switzerland had the majority of the possession and all of the drive to attack. Until the 76th minute, Beney's goal that never was looked to be going down as their most memorable moment. It took a few seconds for the goal music to be turned off after it transpired that Beney's strike, which would have certainly been a contender for goal of Euro 2025, did not go in. Cue for more anguish for Switzerland, who had an earlier first-half opener disallowed by VAR after the scorer Fölmli blocked Iceland's Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir before heading towards goal. Referee Marta Huerta De Aza was sent to the pitchside monitor, wiping the smile from the face of Sundhage. Switzerland were also rather shaken from having the crossbar struck so early and from the first of Jonsdottir's long throws. In drizzly rain, the winger required a towel to dry the ball before launching it into the box. It was causing Switzerland problems, to the extent that Switzerland's back-up goalkeeper Nadine Katja Böhi marched over to confiscate Jonsdottir's towel from a rather confused ball girl. Beney went close for a second time when her looping header was tipped over by Iceland goalkeeper Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir. But, just as it was threatening to become another 'almost night' for Switzerland, they found those golden touches: Walti sensed the moment, Schertenleib found her timing, and Reuteler made amends for her haunting miss against Norway. Switzerland are looking forwards now and momentum is on their side as they face Finland for a quarter-final place.
The Sun
12 minutes ago
- The Sun
Man Utd grant heartbroken Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot extended leave after tragic death of Liverpool star Diogo Jota
BRUNO FERNANDES and Diogo Dalot have been granted extended leave by Manchester United. The heartbroken Portuguese duo were set to return to the club's Carrington training HQ this week for pre-season. 4 But they have been given special permission to join up later in the wake of their compatriot Diogo Jota's tragic death. The Liverpool striker, 28, and his brother Andre, 25, died in a car crash on Thursday. United skipper Fernandes and Dalot were at the funeral in Portugal on Saturday. A source said: 'Bruno and Diogo are heartbroken and in shock after attending the funeral. 'United's players have rallied around them. They've been offered a week's extended leave and counselling or support. 'The pair played with Jota for ten years in the national side and won the Nations League together only a few weeks ago.' Following Jota's death, Fernandes wrote: 'May you and your brother find the peace you need.' Liverpool have also delayed the squad's return for pre-season in the wake of Jota's tragic death. 4 The Merseyside club delayed the first group of Arne Slot's players' proposed return to training, which was scheduled for Friday. They will instead now return on Monday. Slot's team are scheduled to play their first pre-season match on Sunday 13 July against Preston at Deepdale. Matches against AC Milan and Yokohoma FM will follow on 26 and 30 July during a tour of Japan. 4
Daily Mail
13 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Dessers and Igamane face uncertain future as Rangers boss makes no Champions League promises
Rangers boss Russell Martin admits he can offer no guarantees that Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane will be part of the club's Champions League plans. But the new Ibrox boss is adamant that the forward duo won't be sold on the cheap amid transfer interest from across Europe. Dessers was the subject of a failed £4.5million bid from AEK Athens a couple of weeks ago, while Lille are hot on the trail of Igamane. Speaking after his team opened their pre-season with a 2-2 draw against Club Brugge yesterday, Martin revealed: 'We turned down a bid a while ago (for Dessers), which was nowhere near the valuation. 'In terms of the bid (from Lille for Igamane), I've not heard anything.' Rangers' valuation is believed to be around £6m for Nigerian international striker Dessers. They are also holding firm for a fee in excess of £15m for Igamane, who is due back in training this week after a visa complication. With a Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos now only a fortnight away, Martin is keen to continue his revamp of the squad. But, on whether Dessers and Igamane will still be around to play in those games, he said: 'That's two weeks away, so I can't plan for anything in football. 'Cyriel has just been injured. He had a niggly ankle. He was here today. 'He's been desperate to train. He's needed treatment on his ankle and I'm looking forward to working with him. 'He will get on the training pitch and start enjoying it. He has not kicked up any fuss, he seems a very good pro and I've been told that. 'Hamza has been red tape. He was due to be back with international players but, at the airport, he didn't have the right visa. 'It's no one's fault. Things have changed since and he's got his visa, so he should be in this week. 'I expect the team to look different in a week, but in a couple of weeks so much can happen in football. 'I definitely want to do more and probably some players need to move on because the squad is going to look very big and heavy. So it will definitely look different (by the time they play Panathinaikos).' Reports in Italy have suggested that Rangers could be closing in on a move for Jamie Vardy. The former Leicester City striker had been a target for Genoa, only for that deal to fall through and potentially open up the possibility of a move to Rangers. Asked about that possibility, Martin said: 'I've been asked about so many players. Some are miles away, some on the money. I'm not going to give you an answer. You'll find out who's real and who isn't.' Martin also provided a positive update on the fitness of John Souttar following surgery on a hernia problem. It looked at one point like it might be touch and go in terms of Souttar being available for the Champions League qualifiers. But Martin believes he is well on track and said: 'Yeah, he's good. He's trained the last few days. By the end of the session, he looked exhausted, which is what we want. 'But he's reacting really well to his operation and wants to train. So he'll be back in properly this week and he'll play next weekend (friendly behind closed doors).'
