Kenya Lionesses' Hilda Indasi challenges Angola's Italee Lucas in a past encounter. Photo Courtesy
National women's basketball team, Kenya Lionesses, mauled South Sudan 66-48 in their second FIBA Africa Women’s Zone Five Qualifiers match in Kigali on Tuesday.
After a humiliating 77-45 loss to Rwanda on the opening day, Kenya seemed to have done their homework well.
Starting four of its diaspora-based players — captain Rose Ouma, Felmas Koranga, Mercy Wanyama and Victoria Reynolds — Kenya went to work early.
After Natalie Akinyi opened the scoring with a three-pointer, Wanyama, Reynolds and Koranga's efforts set Kenya off on a 16-9 first quarter advantage.
South Sudan closed in 12-16 as Kenya went on a drought stretching over six minutes before a Melissa Akinyi free throw gave them their first point
Reynolds completed a three-point play for a 20-12 cushion as Koranga started to dominate inside. The duo had 10 points each as Kenya led 26-14 halftime.
After resumption, Kenya continued to pile on points with Ouma, Wanyama and Koranga who picked up another 7 points in this quarter, doing the damage.
South Sudan, playing in their first-ever FIBA competition struggled to hit the target for long stretches and trailed 47-24 at the end of the third stanza.
The deciding quarter was easy for Kenya who seemed to have found their groove. Live wire Koranga was too hot to handle for the losers igniting a 62-38 cushion.
“Yesterday we lacked aggression and execution and today the team kept on looking for everyone who was dropping shots,” Koranga said after the match.
She registered a game-high 23 points, Reynolds contributed 12 while Ouma and Wanyama combined for another 14 of the team points.
Nyamer scored 10 points and Perina James tallied 13 for Lindsey Harding’s charges who pressed to stop the bleeding but to no avail.
On Wednesday, the Lionesses play reigning champions Egypt while South Sudan meet hosts Rwanda. - DANN O’WERRE, The Star
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against England after a laser pen appeared to be pointed at Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel before Harry Kane's decisive penalty in Wednesday’s Euro 2020 semi-final.
Television pictures showed an unmistakable green light on Schmeichel's face before he parried Kane's extra-time spot-kick, with the England captain scoring the rebound to seal a 2-1 win and set up a first major tournament final since 1966.
The Football Association could also be charged with supporters booing the Denmark national anthem and setting off fireworks inside or in the immediately vicinity of Wembley during the match.
If a laser pointer was found to have been used, England face a fine of €8,000, while each firework would result in a fine of €500. Supporters set off red smoke flares outside the stadium before the match.
Booing the anthem would also result in a financial penalty and comes after the FA have repeatedly appealed for fans to respect opposition anthems during the finals. By Dan Kilpatrick, Evening Standard/Yahoo News
England’s Harry Kane is mobbed by team-mates after scoring the winner (PA Wire)
Gareth Southgate was delighted for his players and the entire nation after England held their nerve to seal a historic win against Denmark and reach their first European Championship final.
Three years on from the heartbreaking World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia, the Three Lions roared to a 2-1 extra-time victory in front of 64,950 fans at a rocking Wembley.
England had to come from behind to beat a dangerous, well-drilled Denmark side as Mikkel Damsgaard’s impressive free-kick saw Jordan Pickford beaten for the first time at Euro 2020.
But Southgate’s side rallied impressively and Simon Kjaer’s own goal saw them level before Harry Kane fired the hosts to victory after Kasper Schmeichel saved his initial penalty, sparking pandemonium across the land.
Now the attention turns to Sunday and England’s date with destiny against Italy in the Euro 2020 final.
“They’ve responded to what was always going to be a really challenging night,” Southgate said of his players.
England players celebrate at full-time (PA Wire)
“We were so smooth through the quarter-final and relatively unscathed through the second round. We knew that at some point we were going to concede and we would have to respond.
“Denmark have had an incredible tournament. I have got to give them huge credit. I thought they made it really difficult for us tonight. They pressed us so well, scored a fabulous goal – the boy is a super player.
“But I think on the balance of play when you look at the number of saves we forced the goalkeeper to make and long periods of the game where I felt we were the biggest threat, I think we deserved it.
SOCCER Euro 2020 (PA Graphics)
“For our country, I’ve not heard this new Wembley like that ever and to be able to share that with everybody and share it with everybody at home is very special.”
England’s victory came 25 years on from the European Championship semi-final defeat to Germany, when Southgate missed the crucial spot-kick in the shootout.
But the Three Lions boss has spoken throughout the tournament about making history rather than fixating on the past.
Gareth Southgate after his penalty miss at Euro 96 (PA Archive)
“I felt calm in the lead up to the game because I felt the players, with what they’ve been through, were ready,” Southgate said.
“You’re never 100 per cent sure how they react in difficult moments but we have talked about it and they stayed clam.
“I didn’t think we kept the ball well enough through Denmark’s pressure from the front three and we’re going to have to do that better on Sunday because Italy are very good at it so we need to find better solutions with that.
Harry Kane scores from the rebound of his saved penalty (PA Wire)
“But we found a way to win and we found the way to find the spaces further forward. Once we got into their half we were a threat all night.
“All of our wide players – Raheem (Sterling), Bukayo (Saka), Jack (Grealish), Phil (Foden) when he came on, Mason (Mount) – got in-between the lines or were in those one-against-one situations wide. They were a real handful.
“We managed to create good openings. I thought the goalkeeper for them had a fantastic game. He’s a top goalkeeper.
Simon Kjaer scores an own goal (PA Wire)
“But we found a way to win. The second half of extra-time, I think it took us a while to realise actually to keep the ball to finish the game. It took us five minutes for us to work that out and then we got clued into it.
“We invited more pressure in that initial period than we needed to, but huge credit.
“These players have been immense from the first day we met back at Middlesbrough.
“The whole group. The boys that didn’t make the final cut, the group that have been here together, all of the staff. They deserve what’s been a really special night.” By Simon Peach, The Independent/Yahoo News
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