logo
Relentless Spain thump Belgium to close in on Euro 2025 quarters

Relentless Spain thump Belgium to close in on Euro 2025 quarters

France 2407-07-2025
A brace from Alexia Putellas and further goals from Irene Paredes, Esther Gonzalez, Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina gave Group B leaders Spain a second thumping win.
Montse Tome's team will be guaranteed a spot in the last eight if Portugal do not beat Italy later in Geneva, but their passage is almost guaranteed after hitting 11 goals over their two matches.
Belgium, who twice levelled through Justine Vanhaevermaet and Hannah Eurlings, are close to going home after being blown away by relentless waves of attacking football.
When Putellas finished off a beautiful spell of quick passing in the 22nd minute it looked like the beginning of a thumping win similar to the 5-0 destruction of Portugal in the opening round.
Yet seconds later Vanhaevermaet levelled with the simplest of goals, nodding home Tessa Wullaert's corner.
Paredes put Spain back in the lead six minutes before the break with a bullet header from Pina's deep corner. Again Belgium hit back, this time through Eurlings who sprung the offside trap before rifling home in the 50th minute.
Gonzalez netted her third goal of the tournament two minutes later after collecting Putellas' neat through ball. The game was up when Caldentey bundled home from a corner just after the hour.
Pina smashed in her first goal of the tournament with 10 minutes remaining, and appropriately it was Putellas' deft flick which completed the rout shortly afterwards.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Discipline' behind heavyweight chamopion's Usyk desire to box on after knocking out Dubois
'Discipline' behind heavyweight chamopion's Usyk desire to box on after knocking out Dubois

France 24

time2 hours ago

  • France 24

'Discipline' behind heavyweight chamopion's Usyk desire to box on after knocking out Dubois

Saturday's success saw the 38-year-old Ukrainian become the undisputed heavyweight world champion for the second time in a career of 24 wins from as many professional fights as he deprived Dubois of his IBF title in commanding fashion. It was also the second time he had beaten Dubois, at 27 some 11 years his junior, after a ninth-round stoppage success in Krakow, Poland, in 2023. And with Usyk having also twice defeated another British world heavyweight champion in Tyson Fury, many are asking what challenges are left for him to conquer in the ring. Usyk told a post-fight press conference that while he was looking forward to an extended rest, and was unsure of his next opponent, he still wanted to continue his brilliant career. "I prepare three-and-a-half months, I don't see my family, my wife," he said. "Every day I live with my team, with 14 guys, in one house, every day only one face. "Now I want to go back home, now I want to make a choice, what next, I will continue boxing, I will continue training. "I don't have motivation, I have discipline, motivation is temporary, today for example, today you have motivation, tomorrow wake up early, you don't have motivation, but when I wake up early in the morning in training, I never have motivation, I have only discipline, because when I wake up, my team too, wake up and we go to training." Saturday's success was Usyk's latest triumph in Britain, where he won Olympic heavyweight gold at the 2012 London Games. "For me, the UK is like a second home because this is where I won all my trophies," he said. "European champion, amateur boxing, London 2012, Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora, Anthony Joshua and now three-time undisputed Champion," added Usyk, who previously unified the cruiserweight division. "I'm very grateful for this country." 'Once in a generation' Dubois did not attend the post-fight press conference, with veteran British promoter Frank Warren speaking on his behalf. Warren insisted Dubois' career was far from finished. "I look back at Frank Bruno, for example, three times he fought for the world title, and he got it in the fourth attempt. And Daniel, he's won a world title, so hopefully he will come back and learn from it." There were suggestions before the fight that Usyk's age would count against him. "We were all hoping that, you know, we're Brits, you know, he (Dubois) is a British fighter, I was hoping that," said Warren. "But he (Usyk), he's got really strong resilience. I mean, he's a unique guy, isn't he? He's undefeated still, 38 years of age.

Germany's Berger 'living best life' after Euros shootout heroics
Germany's Berger 'living best life' after Euros shootout heroics

France 24

time4 hours ago

  • France 24

Germany's Berger 'living best life' after Euros shootout heroics

Berger, a two-time survivor of thyroid cancer, saved Alice Sombath's penalty to decide the shootout 6-5 in Germany's favour after a gruelling match ended 1-1 after extra time. The 34-year-old also stopped France's first penalty from Amel Majri and kept the scores level in the first half of extra time with an astonishing stop to make sure Janina Minge didn't knock Germany out with an own goal. "I feel like I'm not a really emotional person, I'm glad I'm here and I'm glad that I have the team I have. Obviously the time here just makes me proud to be here," Berger told reporters. "Whatever happened in 2022 is in the past and I'm looking forward to it now, to the future. For me, now I live my best life and I'm in the semi-final." In the last four, Germany will face world champions Spain in Zurich on Wednesday. © 2025 AFP

Usyk beats Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion
Usyk beats Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion

France 24

time5 hours ago

  • France 24

Usyk beats Dubois to become undisputed world heavyweight champion

Victory saw Ukraine's Usyk extend his unbeaten professional record to 24 fights as the WBA, WBC and WBO champion added his British opponent's IBF belt to his collection. Early in the fifth round Usyk -- at 38 some 11 years older than Dubois -- dropped his opponent to the canvas and finished the fight in emphatic fashion one minute and 52 seconds into the round after his trademark left hook left his British rival unable to beat the count. "38 is a young guy, remember!," proclaimed Usyk, in the ring after dropping to his knees in celebration. © 2025 AFP

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store