The British press laid aside their sniping yesterday as they hailed England’s 4-1 win over Croatia and crowned Theo Walcott the nation’s new hero after the teenager’s stunning hat-trick in Zagreb.
“England were a delight to behold, soon delivering the most expansive football seen since the thrashing of Germany in 2001. The David Beckham era is over, the Walcott era had begun,” the Daily Telegraph enthused.
The Times described Arsenal attacker Walcott’s hat-trick as the “most stunning international breakthrough since [Michael] Owen’s brilliant solo goal against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup finals.”
“Hero Theo leads rout by three lions,” read the Sun, adding that the 19-year-old — whose goals were his first on the international stage — had proved his right to the No. 7 shirt usually worn by Beckham.
Praise was also heaped on manager Fabio Capello, as England sought to avenge the home-and-away defeats by the Croatians that had destroyed their chances of reaching Euro 2008.
“It felt like England had finally woken to the dawn of a bright new era and that in Capello, the FA had found someone who can indeed guide England out of the darkness and on to South Africa and the next World Cup,” said the Daily Mail. “Capello had the courage to select Theo Walcott in a role so long occupied by David Beckham and my, how that gamble paid off.”
The Guardian noted that joy at the success of the previously much-criticized England beat even the “achievement of wrecking Croatia’s proud unbeaten record of 35 unbeaten qualifying matches at home.”
“In his first fixture of genuine significance, Fabio Capello has awakened immense expectations. Perhaps he is also the man to meet them,” it said.
Croatia’s media poured lavish praise on England and Capello.
“Capello has outwitted Bilic. It was payback time, and some,” yesterday’s Jutarnji List said.
“This is not [former manager] McClaren’s England. This is a powerful team, at the moment stronger and better than Croatia,” the daily said.
“Hats off, Mr Capello,” said a headline in another widely circulated daily, Vecernji List.
“Fabio the Great has humiliated Bilic on the eve of his birthday,” it said.
Bilic, who took over as Croatia manager in 2006, turned 40 yesterday. He is hugely popular in the soccer-crazed former Yugoslav republic, but commentators said his relative lack of coaching experience has taken its toll.
“The wily Don Fabio has shown Bilic and our boys that they need some additional education. Bilic is highly talented but still needs to fully master the trade,” the Vecernji List said.
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
A baseball team from New Taipei City won the US Pony Palomino Division World Series yesterday in Laredo, Texas, defeating the US West representative team from Azusa, California, 2-1. Ku-Pao Home Economics and Commercial High School earned the right to represent Taiwan in the Pony Palomino (17 to 18 age group) World Series after winning this year's Wang Chen-chih Cup, a competition named after Taiwanese-Japanese baseball legend Wang Chen-chih (王貞治), also known as Sadaharu Oh. In the championship game against Azusa, Ku-Pao's starting pitcher Luo Yu-yan (羅于晏) was erratic early, giving up two hits in the bottom of the first inning, followed
NEXT ROUND: World No. 1s Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka opened their title defenses with straight-sets wins, while Iga Swiatek and Taylor Fritz also advanced Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka got their title defenses off to smooth starts as they powered into the third round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday. The men’s and women’s top seeds, each ranked No. 1 in the world, were both competing for the first time since Wimbledon, where Sinner lifted the title and Sabalenka bowed out in the women’s semi-finals. Sinner crushed Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan 6-1, 6-1 in steamy afternoon weather, while Sabalenka beat 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-1 under the lights of the night session. Sabalenka needed 54 minutes and a service break in the final game
RSS