Scotland knocked out of Euro 2024 after late Hungary goal

Published

7 days ago

June 24, 2024

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Hungary have knocked Scotland out with a late goal in a crunch Euro 2024 group match that was almost overshadowed by a serious injury.

Kevin Csoboth scored after Hungary broke quickly in the final minutes to end Scotland’s dreams of making the knock-out stages.

Earlier, there was concern throughout the stadium when Barnabas Varga went down in the Scotland penalty area after a clash with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn in the second half.

Hungary’s players quickly surrounded their team-mate and a large screen was brought out to provide some privacy as medical staff treated him.

Players on both sides were seen with their heads in their hands, sparking memories of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest at the last Euros tournament in 2021.

Varga, a forward, was stretchered off to warm applause from all sides of the stadium, with his colleagues continuing to surround him, while holding up the screen.

A statement from the Hungarian Football Federation later read: “Barnabas Varga’s condition is stable. The Ferencvaros player is currently in one of the hospitals in Stuttgart. We will inform you immediately if there is any news about his status.”

And Hungary head coach Marco Rossi added after the match Varga would be “okay” but may need an operation on his cheekbone.

Soon after, Scotland thought they had a penalty when substitute Stuart Armstrong was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee waved away their appeals.

Scotland captain Andy Robertson said they were caught by a “sucker punch” at the end of the game in Stuttgart.

Speaking to the BBC after the match, Robertson said they “gave it everything” and “it could’ve gone either way”.

The Liverpool full-back reflected: “That’s football, that’s how it goes. It’ll take a long time to get over this.”

His Reds team-mate, Dominik Szoboszlai, the Hungarian captain, brought a save from Gunn in the Scotland goal late on – only to find out he was offside.

Earlier, he had been in tears as medical staff responded to his teammate, according to TV commentary of the game.

Just moments after the Szoboszlai chance, Hungary’s Kevin Csoboth hit the post when clean through.

The frantic end was in sharp contrast to a cagey opening period, with few, if any, clear-cut chances.

In the group’s other game, Switzerland drew 1-1 with hosts Germany, after leading for most of the match.

The draw means Germany top the group with seven points, with Switzerland second on five. Hungary are third on three points, with Scotland bottom on one.

Scotland fans leaving the ground told Sky News the team was “too negative”, with several blaming manager Steve Clarke and another accusing the team of “playing for a draw when we needed a win”.

One man in the Tartan Army’s standard outfit of replica shirt and kilt simply said it had been “a nightmare, an absolute nightmare”.

Sky’s Rob Harris, in Stuttgart, said: “When it came to the crunch, they Scotland just didn’t have enough and barely threatened the Hungary goal.

“When they did push forward, it was to their cost, because that’s when Hungary claimed their winner.”

The result follows a 1-1 draw in Scotland’s second game of the tournament, against Switzerland.

Clarke’s side had put in a more positive performance than in their 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Germany on the opening day of Euro 2024.

Scott McTominay’s deflected strike earned the draw with the Swiss in Cologne, which kept Scotland’s dreams alive until Sunday’s match.

Thousands of supporters have travelled to Germany to support Scotland’s Euros run.

Scotland played in Euro 2020 in the summer of 2021, which was delayed by the COVID pandemic. But this is the first major football tournament without social distancing concerns for Scots since the World Cup in France in 1998.

It was the 12th time Scotland have reached the finals of a major tournament but failed to make it through to the knockout stage.

UK

Euro 2024 last 16: England vs Slovakia goes to extra time

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2024

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UK

Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

Published

9 hours ago

June 30, 2024

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Jay Slater: Search for missing British teenager in area of Tenerife called off by police

The search for Jay Slater in an area of Tenerife has been called off, police have said, nearly two weeks after his disappearance.

The British teenager, from Oswaldtwistle, near Blackburn in Lancashire, has been missing in Tenerife since 17 June, when he vanished the morning after a rave.

The Civil Guard called for volunteers to join a new search in the Masca area – near his last-known location – on Saturday.

It has now confirmed to Sky News that the search has ended. Police are keeping the investigation open and could yet open up searches in the south of the island, but have not provided an update.

A handful of volunteers turned up to help rescue teams on Saturday, forming a total group of 30 to 40 people scouring a huge area of rugged and hilly terrain.

Mr Slater, 19, had been on holiday with friends on the Spanish island and was last pictured at Papayago, a nightclub hosting the end of the NRG festival, late on 16 June.

After the event ended, he got in a car travelling to a small Airbnb in Masca with two men, who police said on Saturday are “not relevant” to the case.

His last known location was the Rural de Teno Park in the north of the island – which is about an 11-hour walk from his accommodation.

A local cafe owner told Sky News he tried to catch a bus back to Los Cristianos, where he was staying.

Ofelia Medina Hernandez said she spoke to the teenager at 8am on 17 June, telling him a bus was due at 10am – but he set off walking and she said she later drove past him “walking fast”.

The apprentice bricklayer called a friend holidaying with him at around 8.30am on 17 June and said he was going to walk back after missing the bus.

He also told his friend he was lost and in need of water, with only 1% charge on his phone.

On Friday, Mr Slater’s friend Brad Hargreaves told ITV’s This Morning he had been on a video call with him before his disappearance when he heard him go off the road.

He said he could see his friend’s feet “sliding” down the hill and hear he was walking on gravel.

Meanwhile, Mr Slater’s family shared a blurry image of what they believe could be the missing teenager captured on CCTV in a nearby town 10 hours after he was first reported missing.

Local police and the Civil Guard, along with Mr Slater’s family, have been involved in the search.

Since his disappearance, rumours and conspiracy theories have emerged amid online speculation on social media.

Some social media sleuths have even travelled to Tenerife to try and find him.

UK

Labour would cause ‘irreversible damage within first 100 days’ in power, Rishi Sunak claims

Published

16 hours ago

June 30, 2024

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Labour would cause 'irreversible damage within first 100 days' in power, Rishi Sunak claims

Leaders and politicians of all parties are coming out swinging today as the general election campaign enters the final days.

Rishi Sunak is today saying that Labour would cause “irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power”, while his top lieutenants warn of the “danger” of a government led by Sir Keir Starmer.

With polls throughout the campaign showing the Conservative Party failing to make a dent in Labour’s 21-point lead, according to the Sky News Poll Tracker, the prime minister only has days to change minds across the country in his bid to retain power.

Meanwhile, the Labour leader is arguing that if the Conservatives are re-elected, “they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first”.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is continuing to promote his party’s proposals for the NHS, while SNP leader John Swinney is arguing that the Scottish public should “vote SNP to put Scotland’s interests first”.

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Sunak says Labour ‘cannot be trusted’

The Conservative Party is continuing its warning that a Labour government would see taxes rise, and the prime minister is arguing electing Sir Keir would do “irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power”.

Mr Sunak said that Labour’s plans to impose VAT on private school fees would risk “throwing thousands of families’ plans for the autumn term into chaos, with children wondering if they will have a desk at school to go back to”.

And he also claimed that Labour would make Britain the “soft touch migrant capital of the world” with “open borders” and an “illegal migrant amnesty”.

The prime minister added: “They cannot be trusted. We must not surrender our taxes, our borders and our security to them. Only the Conservatives will deliver tax cuts, a growing economy and a brighter, more secure future for everyone.”

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron went further in an interview with The Sunday Times, suggesting that a Labour government would be a threat to national security.

He told the newspaper that Sir Keir “is in danger of weakening Britain’s position and weakening Britain’s defences, all in a way that’s completely unnecessary”.

The ex-prime minister described Labour as “hopelessly naive about the dangerous world in which we’re living”, adding: “The last thing we need in Britain now is another liberal leftie lawyer running the country.”

But Sir Keir hit back, noting that the government has already given him “high level sensitive briefings, so much do they trust us on national security”.

“To now turn around and make this ridiculous claim just shows how desperate they have become going into this election,” he added.

Starmer appeals for ‘clear mandate’ to govern

The Labour leader and the potential next chancellor, Rachel Reeves, also spoke to The Sunday Times, and they talked about their goal of getting housebuilding ramping up “on day one” if they win the election.

The newspaper reports that at least three housing announcements are expected to be made within the first fortnight of a Labour government, saying that opportunities for young people from working-class backgrounds to own their own home “don’t exist”.

And in an article for The Observer, Sir Keir wrote that if voters elect Labour on Thursday, “the work of change begins” and they will “get to work on repairing our public services with an immediate cash injection, alongside urgent reforms”.

He also attacked the Tories’ record in power, saying if they are re-elected, “Britain will remain stuck in their low-growth, high-tax, declining public services doom-loop”.

“The unfunded splurge contained in their manifesto will unleash chaos into our economy once again. And they will feel entitled to continue serving themselves, rather than putting the needs of our country first,” he added.

“Frankly, should they win another five years after everything they’ve put us through in this parliament, they would surely think they could get away with anything.”

He appealed for a “clear mandate” to implement his plans, pointing to “chaos” under Mr Sunak and Liz Truss before him as examples of what happens when prime ministers seek to “govern without that mandate”.

SNP ‘offers hope of better future’

Meanwhile in Scotland, the leader of the SNP is appealing to Scots to back his party as polls show that Labour could become the largest Scottish parliamentary contingent in over a decade.

John Swinney argued that while “the result in England is now inevitable”, in “most seats in Scotland it’s too close to call between the SNP and Labour”.

He hit out at the Labour Party, saying a Starmer government “plans to impose £18bn of cuts to public spending – after years of austerity, Brexit and the ongoing cost of living crisis”.

To avoid that, he said, and to “ensure that decisions about Scotland are made in Scotland, then you’ve got to vote SNP”.

“The SNP offers Scotland the hope of a better future – but you have to vote for it. This Thursday, vote SNP to put Scotland’s interests first,” he added.

Tories have ‘failed’ to support families in grief

The Liberal Democrats are continuing to unveil policies, focused on the NHS and reversing “heartless Tory cuts” to bereavement payments.

On the latter as it stands, a bereaved family where a spouse or partner has died receives a lump sum of up to £3,500, followed by a monthly payment of up to £350 for 18 months.

The party is calling for this period to be extended, and is pledging to inject an additional £440m a year into the system by 2028-29 to fund it.

Sir Ed Davey said in a statement: “Rishi Sunak’s government has failed to ensure families are not left struggling to pay the bills at such a difficult period of time.

“The Liberal Democrats would treat families and children who lose a loved one with dignity and provide the support they deserve.”

He also reiterated his party’s pledge to give people a legal right to see a GP within a week and start cancer treatment within two months, with Sir Ed saying that his party has “put health and care at the heart of our fair deal for the country”.

Farage goes on the attack

Meanwhile, Reform UK is on the offensive after facing a slew of racism allegations over recent days.

The party yesterday withdrew support for three candidates, and it came on the heels of Channel 4 news airing footage filmed undercover that showed Andrew Parker, an activist canvassing for Mr Farage, using the racial slur “P***” to describe the prime minister, describing Islam as a “disgusting cult”, and saying the army should “just shoot” migrants crossing the Channel.

Nigel Farage has gone on the attack, with the party saying it has reported Channel 4 to the elections watchdog for alleged “scandalous… interference” over what the party claims was a fake rant planted by the broadcaster.

Mr Farage also hit out at the BBC, saying he would refuse to appear on their flagship Sunday morning show until they apologise for their “dishonest” audience during a BBC Question Time special on Friday, accusing the broadcaster of having “behaved like a political actor throughout this election”.

He will hold a vast rally in Birmingham later today, after speaking to Sky News from Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips at 8.30am.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will be joining Sky News’ Trevor Philips from 8.30am this morning on his last programme before the election – along with Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Labour’s national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden, and SNP leader and Scottish First Minister John Swinney.