Semi-Finals: Italy vs Spain | England vs Denmark

[LisburnWhite]

England deserved to win but not too much in it and a poor decision for the penalty. Nevertheless they do seem to be on something of a wave of confidence going into the final.
However I think they will choke in the final and the Italians will take the pot.

 

[Tomuś]

No, it won't. You can go and find similar incidents in many of the previous champions. For example, Spain scored from an offside position in their 1-0 win against Portugal in 2010, does their world title come with an asterisk?

It was a dive and never a pen, but let's not exaggerate.

Sorry, forgot there was VAR back then. This was checked, the ref didn't even bother taking a look. I like your optimism if you don't think it was bent.

 

[2 man midfield]

THREE LIONS ON A SHIRT

THE FOOTBALL FORUM IS REELING

 

[DWelbz19]

Whats with the singing and celebrations.

It’s a real quandary

 

[edgecutter]

A final at last! Dodgy penalty but deserved on balance given Denmark started playing for penalties after 60 minutes.

Second ball on the pitch. Game should have been stopped way before sterling even dribbles the ball. Farcical that the linesman and ref missed it.

 

[Revaulx]

I do appreciate some Sweet Caroline

I don’t. Aren’t there any English songs they could use? Neil Diamond and “official” Budweiser beer. Traitors

 

[MU655]

I'm so glad England finally reached a final!

I thought Denmark were poor as I expected. I think England could have won far more comfortably. Didn't like the supreme defence mode at the end. We were comfortably dominating the possession in the first half of extra time, but decided to invite them on in the second half. Risky strategy.

 

[Halftrack]

England fans wondering why everyone dislikes them/their team, then go on to exemplify exactly why people dislike them/their team.

 

[Fooza]

Can someone make a thread of all the salty posts on here? Some has been comical

 

[DomesticTadpole]

Will the game be shown on both BBC and ITV? Think I’ll watch on BBC if it is. Can’t be arsed with Matterface droning on he’s utterly dreadful. Tyldsley is missed.

Yeah. It is on both. BBC for me as well I think.

 

[Handsome Devil]

The really depressing thing is another potential 2 hours of Matterface yakk on Sunday.

 

[Widow]

The salt all over this forum is hilarious. I love it

Some real sad ass people in here.

You'd think they'd take the night off for once!

 

[TheReligion]

Best team won

 

[Trequarista10]

That's just blatant corruption by FIFA.

Can't believe this was given.

VAR?! The feck is that?

Yup. FIFA, who aren't organising this competition, continue their historical love affair with the English national team by bribing the officials.

 

[Steamboat Willy]

Glad to see Sterling cheering with his teammates and the fans. Was afraid he had lost the ability to be stranding upright next to other persons…

 

[devilish]

The Italians are calling it its diving hone

 

[duffer]

England fans wondering why everyone dislikes them/their team, then go on to exemplify exactly why people dislike them/their team.

Second time I've seen this. No England fans wonder this.

 

[stu_1992]

How fecking annoying that a dive is what put England through. Look they deserved the win based off their performance but that's not the way to do it.

 

[Møllemanden]

Well done England. I hope you win the final.

As a Dane, i'm proud of my team. We played against a team that none of our players would get into. Except maybe from Schmeichel. The penalty was very soft, but hey, that's football. I don't know if you know, but we had to chase the game in the second half of extra time with ten men.

There are so many brilliant players in this England team, and if you'd excuse the sour grapes, I think it was a p*ssy move by Southgate to withdraw Grealish after you lot went ahead.

I love United, and I want Harry and Luke to win the fecking tournament now.

Congratulations to all of you England fans.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Weird watching a England side confidently knock the ball around, something that we seemed to be critical of for a fair few years.

 

[OverratedOpinion]

What a fecking night, I feel very cynical towards the national team from time to time but this feels incredible. Sterling walked into this tournament with a chip on his shoulder after the criticism he received and he has proved the point he set out to prove without doubt, lovely pass from Kane for the first goal and I think it was quite an obvious penalty for me (he beat them both with the ball and the both jumped in to block his path and both made contact.

 

[duffer]

The Italians are calling it its diving hone

That is wonderfully, outrageously rich.

 

[Carolina Red]

I don’t. Aren’t there any English songs they could use? Neil Diamond and “official” Budweiser beer. Traitors

Judging by your national anthem… probably not.

 

[Ace of Spades]

Second ball on the pitch. Game should have been stopped way before sterling even dribbles the ball. Farcical that the linesman and ref missed it.

How did the refs miss that ??

 

[eire-red]

Hats off to Denmark, after all that they've been through in this tournament, it's hard to go out after such a decision like that. Would have loved to see them reach the final.

What's the point of VAR if not for moments like that?

Looking to the final, you'd fancy thay Italian midfield to smother England and grind out the win. Rice and Phillips looked so poor despite the end result.

 

[Pexbo]

It's diving home...

 

[2 man midfield]

England fans wondering why everyone dislikes them/their team, then go on to exemplify exactly why people dislike them/their team.

Who’s wondering about that?

 

[Oranges038]

He whistled Denmark back to re-take a throw-in for this very thing in the second half of extra-time (ball came onto the field from the crowd just as Denmark were taking a throw) but missed it for England’s goal during open play?

Yeah, even as that bit of play was going, I thought he'd stop it for that. All in all it was a terrible few seconds of officiating.

 

[DixieDean]

Sorry, forgot there was VAR back then. This was checked, the ref didn't even bother taking a look. I like your optimism if you don't think it was bent.

Not sure bent would be the correct word. But officals can be swayed by home advantage. No doubt.

 

[FreakyJim]

Pickford looked shit scared all game. I thought he'd chuck the ball into his own net eventually but he pulled through, the poor bastard.

 

[Andycoleno9]

You mean corruption? I dunno if you can do it.

If it means bitterness then I'm not even Danish.

Will be Euro with and asteriks if you win it pal, no problem though.

Lets not overreact. He dived, not a penalty, Danes and neutrals will be angry. But on every tournament (WC and Euro) you have few decisions like this. England was knocked out by Germany because of huge mistake.
It happens. (Don't know how with VAR but it happens)

 

[Widow]

Well done England. I hope you win the final.

As a Dane, i'm proud of my team. We played against a team that none of our players would get into. Except maybe from Schmeichel. The penalty was very soft, but hey, that's football. I don't know if you know, but we had to chase the game in the second half of extra time with ten men.

There are so many brilliant players in this England team, and if you'd excuse the sour grapes, I think it was a p*ssy move by Southgate to withdraw Grealish after you lot went ahead.

I love United, and I want Harry and Luke to win the fecking tournament now.

Congratulations to all of you England fans.

You played well, put up a very good fight

 

[dogwithabone]

What must Rashford be thinking ? Can’t get near this side nowadays and he looks miles away from Southgates thinking. i don’t think his United career is in a particularly healthy state either and can see him being on the bench for large parts next season.

 

[edgecutter]

How did the refs miss that ??

Linesman staring right at it. Soft penalty aside, it's a major feck up by all the officials not to stop the game.

 

[Judas]

We managed that second half of extra time brilliantly well to be fair, deserve credit there. Very controlled, very mature.

 

[Oo0AahCantona]

Penalty or not in that instance (there were 2 other better penalty shouts later) Absolutely baffling how people cant think the better team went through.

 

[Wolf1992]

I don't get how can say that it's OK to win a game with a fake penalty because England was being superior.

Seriously, what a dumb logic.

 

[pablo__p]

Do we ignore the fact that there was an extra ball on the pitch close to the "penalty" incident area?

 

[devilish]

That is wonderfully, outrageously rich.

True.

 

[Halftrack]

Second time I've seen this. No England fans wonder this.

Plenty do, though. Think there was a thread about it a short while back. And after your WC exit, a bunch of posters on here got really pissy about people rooting for Croatia and Belgium.