News | Soccer (6)

WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 12 - 14 July

GREAT CHANCES TO WIN AHEAD OF EURO 2024 SHOWDOWN Another cracker weekend for TAB soccer customers starts tonight with two cash-added pools followed tomorrow by a guaranteed R10-million Soccer 13 and two other cash-boosted bets. And then at 21:00 on Sunday, Spain and England square up in the EURO 2024 final. Spain are deservedly hot favourites, but England need only a couple of flashes from brilliance from the likes of Bellingham and Foden to win their first trophy in nearly 60 years SPAIN ARE FLYING AND LOOK HARD TO OPPOSE IN FINAL The match is the highlight of this weekend’s football action and Gareth Southgate has defied the critics in leading England to a second consecutive EURO final and the country’s first major championship final away from home. The real question now is whether England can finally get over the line, against a Spain side that have been the standout performers in Germany. England will certainly have to play better than they have at this tournament so far, and better than they did in the EURO 2020 final at Wembley. Against Italy in that final, England took an early lead, but from that point were outgunned by Italy who eventually took the title via a penalty shootout. Three years on Southgate's men came into this competition as one of the favourites, but until Wednesday they had put in a series of turgid performances - scraping past Slovakia and Switzerland in the knockout rounds to reach the last four. The semi-final saw England produce their best performance yet, again showing resilience to come back from a goal down with substitute Watkins providing the late winner. Southgate's side have fallen behind in all of their three matches in the knockout rounds, which may ironically have helped them, as at times they have played like a side with no idea how to take the initiative. Forced to fire up after Xavi Simons' long-range missile had put Holland in front early, England's attack caused the Dutch far more problems than to other teams in the earlier rounds. Spain, however, are firm favourites to break England’s hearts again. La Roja have played exhilarating attacking football at EURO 2024, taking down reigning champions Italy, hosts Germany and France in a far more perilous run to the final than England. La Roja's young sensation Lamine Yamal will turn 17 the day before the final, and could extend his birthday celebrations by playing a major role in assisting Spain to beat England. His strike against France in the semi-finals underlined his amazing ability and England will have to be sharp to keep him quiet. Spain's goal-scoring threat, however, comes from all areas of the pitch with nine of their players having scored at the competition so far. So if Yamal doesn't get you, Dani Olmo will and if Olmo doesn't get you, Fabian Ruiz will. There’s unlikely to be much in it, but at the end of the day Spain should emerge victorious. Prediction: Spain 2 England 1.

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