Ukraine Upset France as England Edge Portugal in Euro U21

Georgiy Sudakov celebrates scoring against France. MIHAI BARBU / AFP
Georgiy Sudakov celebrates scoring against France. MIHAI BARBU / AFP
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Ukraine Upset France as England Edge Portugal in Euro U21

Georgiy Sudakov celebrates scoring against France. MIHAI BARBU / AFP
Georgiy Sudakov celebrates scoring against France. MIHAI BARBU / AFP

Georgiy Sudakov scored twice as Ukraine came from behind on Sunday to upset France 3-1 in Romania in the last quarterfinal at the European under-21 tournament.

Earlier, Anthony Gordon scored the winner as England, who have yet to concede a goal in the tournament, beat Portugal 1-0 in Kutaisi in Georgia to reach the last four, AFP said.

In Cluj Napoca, in Romania, France strolled into the lead after 30 minutes as Bradley Barcola found space in the Ukrainian box and cut the ball back to Rayan Cherki who side-stepped a defender and popped his shot into the net.

Ukraine were ahead by half time, lifted by two moments of inspiration from Chelsea starlet Mykhailo Mudryk.

After 30 minutes, Mudryk sliced through the French defense and into the box where Pierre Kalulu lunged. Mudryk plunged. Sudakov converted the penalty.

Ten minutes later, Mudryk's pinpoint pass from his own half found Sudakov who gave Ukraine the lead.

In the second half, Ukraine, more experienced than the French, intelligently managed their lead.

Mudryk almost provided another spark with a brilliant long pass to Oleksandr Nazarenko who was unable to convert.

Artem Bondarenko did score in 85th minute. By then, Mudryk was off and France were all but out.

Mudryk has struggled since his 100 million euros (£88 million) move to Chelsea but said he was more comfortable with Ukraine, a team full of former Shakhtar Donetsk clubmates.

"When you play with team-mates who are also your friends, you can play in a different way. When the coach puts 100-per-cent faith in you, you can do a lot more," he said.

In the evening's early match, Newcastle striker Gordon finished first time from a cut-back by Morgan Gibbs White of Nottingham Forest after 34 minutes.

"It's what happens when you have top players around you," said Gordon at the press conference.

"You're going to get chances and it's up to me to finish them. I probably should have had one or two more, which I'm a bit gutted about."

England created the best chances in the first half but rode their luck after the break. Portugal besieged the England penalty area for long periods but could come no closer than a header against the bar by center-forward Henrique Araujo of Benfica.

Goalkeeper James Trafford of Manchester City and his defense held out to preserve their perfect tournament record. England have yet to concede a goal in their four matches in the tournament.

Gordon said Portugal's pressure could prove useful for England.

"We haven't had that opportunity to show we've got that side to our game and tonight we got to -– and we definitely proved ourselves in that."

In the semi-final on Wednesday, England will face Israel in Batumi in a rematch of a group game that England won 2-0.

In the other semi-final, Ukraine will face Spain in Bucharest.

By reaching the final four, Ukraine, Spain and Israel have qualified for the football tournament at the 2024 Paris Games. England do not field a separate Olympic football team.



Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
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Hamburg Fires Steffen Baumgart as Coach after Five Games without a Win

08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)
08 November 2024, Lower Saxony, Brunswick: Hamburg coach Steffen Baumgart gives an interview before the German Bundesliga 2 soccer match between Eintracht Braunschweig and Hamburger SV. (dpa)

Former Bundesliga heavyweight Hamburger SV has fired Steffen Baumgart as coach after five games without a win across all competitions.

The second-division club said Sunday it was letting Baumgart go because of a “crisis of performances and results” after the team’s 2-2 draw at home with Schalke on Saturday.

That left Hamburg eighth in the 18-team division, four points behind early leader Paderborn after 13 rounds.

“Steffen gave everything with great passion, energy and commitment right up to the end for HSV. However, our analysis of the current situation and yesterday’s game has once again made it clear that we believe a new impetus is necessary,” Hamburg sporting director Stefan Kuntz said.

The club said Baumgart, who was a Hamburg fan as a child, took the news “calmly” on Sunday morning.

“It was an exciting and very intense time,” the former Cologne coach said. “I remain connected to the club and hope that HSV achieves its goals.”

Hamburg has been bidding to return to the Bundesliga since its demotion from the top flight in 2018. It had been the only ever-present team in the league since it was founded in 1963, earning the nickname “der Dino.”

But every season since relegation has ended in disappointment. Hamburg rival St. Pauli was promoted last season to add to Hamburg fans’ woes.

Baumgart, a former Hansa Rostock and Union Berlin forward, took over as Hamburg coach in February, when the team was third, but ultimately it was unable to improve and finished fourth – one place behind Fortuna Düsseldorf in the promotion playoff spot.

Hamburg said Baumgart’s assistants Rene Wagner and Kevin McKenna were also let go, and that assistant coach Merlin Polzin will prepare the team for its next game at Karlsruher SC.

There was no mention of a permanent successor.