News | Soccer (9)

WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 5 - 7 July

FIVE SOCCER POOLS GET BIG CASH BOOSTS FROM TAB Horseracing dominates the sporting landscape this weekend, but TAB soccer customers can look forward to some blockbuster action with a couple of great clashes on the cards at EURO 2024 and a cash injection of nearly R500,000 in add-ins and a carryover to five TAB soccer pools. SPAIN LOOK THE PICK OF THE EURO QUARTER-FINALISTS EURO 2024 is at the quarter-final stage and while the likes of Belgium, Croatia and reigning champions Italy have gone home, most of the other big-gun countries are in the quarters. Some, it must be said, are looking in the best shape of the eight and have been the most impressive team at the tournament so far. England and France on the other hand have been so boring that any of their supporters suffering from insomnia must now be cured. As the competition enters its final stages, however, still being in the battle is the most important factor, and all those left in the competition have realistic hopes of lifting the trophy on 14 July. Switzerland have been impressive. They sent Italy home and were unlucky not to beat Germany in their final group match. They will aim for another high-octane performance against England tomorrow and could blow Gareth Southgate's side away. England were within seconds of going out of the competition to Slovakia in the last 16, before Jude Bellingham produced a sublime overhead kick in stoppage time. Harry Kane then found an extra-time winner to get them into the last eight. Bellingham and Kane have shared England's four goals at the competition so far. Neither has looked in the greatest of form, but their ability to impact a match even when not playing well, is the main reason England might just scrape past the Swiss. England are also lucky that they are in the weak half of the draw and away from two powerhouse quarter-finals on Friday. Hosts Germany take on a Spanish side that dismantled Georgia in the last 16. Spanish manager Luis De La Fuente has got the best out of an immensely talented squad of players with Manchester City's master playmaker Rodri controlling matches from the middle of the park. And seven different Spanish players have already hit the back of the net at the tournament, showing their goals can come from anywhere. Julian Nagelsmann's Germany have also been impressive with Jamal Musiala a definite candidate for Player of the Tournament and Toni Kroos showing no signs of looking like a player about to hang up his boots. It should be a tight clash, as should France against Portugal, though that game features two teams with plenty of room for improvement. France, for all their attacking talent, have scored just three goals at this year's Euros, and those were two own goals and a Kylian Mbappe penalty. Portugal, meanwhile, lost to Georgia in the group stages, and struggled to get past Slovenia in the last 16, with Cristiano Ronaldo really looking like a man playing in one tournament too many. In the other quarter-final, the Netherlands, another side who have impressed up to now, should have enough to get past a dangerous but defensively vulnerable Turkey.

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WEEKEND SOCCER HIGHLIGHTS: 5 - 7 July

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