MONTREAL —
Those walking or driving in Montreal today will likely be unable to avoid the Euro cup vibe.
It’s blue versus white, glasses of red wine versus pints of lager, espressos versus cups of tea, fettucini versus fish and chips.
It’s Italy v. England, UEFA Euro 2020 cup final.
Depending on the neighbourhood on the island, stressed-out soccer fans in either blue or white will be out staring at screens holding their breath, wincing, scowling, and maybe swearing as the two teams square off at 3 p.m. (EUFA postponed kickoff a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but kept the “2020” moniker.)
At Evangelista Sports on Saint-Laurent Blvd. in Little Italy, Italian and England jerseys are sold out.
“The first game of Italy, all the jerseys were bought,” said manager Julio Fernandez. “As soon as they (England) hit the semi-finals, they sold out.”
Fernandez said the street has been predictably hopping for each Azzurri game, and he’s expected flags, fans and noise when the game starts.
“I feel we have more experience to beat England. I think 2-0 Italy,” said Michael Michetti, who is planning a party on Maurice Duplessis Blvd. in Riviere-des-Prairies… if Italy wins at England’s iconic Wembley Stadium.
“Although England’s fans are very passionate, I think as long as Italy doesn’t let England’s fans get to their heads, I think they should be able to pull through,” said Michetti.
It is the first time England has reached a major international tournament final since 1966 when England beat Germany to win the World Cup.
Italy won the Euro two years later in 1968 and also took home the World Cup in 1982 and 2006. It’s Italy’s third trip to the Euro finals this century having fallen in the final game in 2000 and 2012.
England fan Danny Payne caught the England v. Denmark game at Bowhead Pub down the street from Little Italy on Saint-Laurent Blvd. and Pins Ave., but he’ll stay home for the final watching the game with his dad via a video link in West Yorkshire.
“It’s coming Rome,” he joked. “Home advantage does give a wee bit of hope, but I can’t see those grizzled old Italian defenders (Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci) and the fearless youngsters being too bothered about the fans.”
“It’s Coming Home” was the theme song for the Three Lions in 1996 for the Euros that were that has since become a recurring, hopeful cliche among English fans and pundits.
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The British-style pub Pub Bishop & Bagg is located near Montreal’s Little Italy neighbourhood, so manager Megan Turcotte expects to see supporters of both teams.
“People are super excited, it brings everyone together,” she said. “They drink a lot and they are loud. Some even sit in the streets and watch from afar on our televisions.”
Roland Lamote of Montreal said he played soccer when he was younger, but now watching the games keeps him going.
He’s lived in Little Italy his whole life, so rooting for Italy feels like supporting his home team, he said.
“With the Montreal Canadiens, I was so, so so disappointed,” Lamote said lamenting the Habs’ loss in the Stanley Cup finals last week. “But at least we have this football game now.”
Italian Anthony Colaniro has never seen Italy win the Euro cup before and doesn’t want to miss his chance.
“It’s all about Italy, of course!” he said. “I will be watching the game with my family — 20 people — and a lot of food!”
Burgundy Lion hostess Maggie Morris will be hoping “it’s coming home” as England faces Italy in the Euro cup finals July 11, 2021. (Daniel J. Rowe/CTV News)
Bowhead Pub opened in 2019 and manager Peter Lennox said the Euro has given the pub a shot in the arm after a tough year of COVID-19 pandemic.
“At the beginning, we were trying to attract German, English and French,” said Lennox. “I’m English born and raised, and I lived in France for 12 years, and my partner is from Germany and we had a big demand for German games.”
While French and German fans remain with thoughts of what could have been, Bowhead’s English fans will be ready today.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.
Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.
ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.
The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.
The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.
Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.
His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.
Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.
GUADALAJARA, Mexico – Canada’s Marina Stakusic fell 6-4, 6-3 to Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the quarterfinals of the Guadalajara Open tennis tournament on Friday.
The 19-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won 61 per cent of her first-serve points and broke on just one of her six opportunities.
Stakusic had upset top-seeded Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (0) on Thursday night to advance.
In the opening round, Stakusic defeated Slovakia’s Anna Karolína Schmiedlová 6-2, 6-4 on Tuesday.
The fifth-seeded Frech won 62 per cent of her first-serve points and converted on three of her nine break point opportunities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Alejandro Kirk’s long single with the bases loaded provided the Toronto Blue Jays with a walk-off 4-3 win in the 11th inning of their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
With the Cardinals outfield in, Kirk drove a shot off the base of the left-field wall to give the Blue Jays (70-78) their fourth win in 11 outings and halt the Cardinals’ (74-73) two-game win streak before 30,380 at Rogers Centre.
Kirk enjoyed a two-hit, two-RBI outing.
Erik Swanson (2-2) pitched a perfect 11th inning for the win, while Cardinals reliever Ryan Fernandez (1-5) took the loss.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman enjoyed a seven-inning, 104-pitch outing. He surrendered his two runs on nine hits and two walks and fanned only two Cardinals.
He gave way to reliever Genesis Cabrera, who gave up a one-out homer to Thomas Saggese, his first in 2024, that tied the game in the eighth.
The Cardinals started swiftly with four straight singles to open the game. But they exited the first inning with only two runs on an RBI single to centre from Nolan Arendao and a fielder’s choice from Saggese.
Gausman required 28 pitches to escape the first inning but settled down to allow his teammates to snatch the lead in the fourth.
He also deftly pitched out of threats from the visitors in the fifth, sixth and seventh thanks to some solid defence, including Will Wagner’s diving stop, which led to a double play to end the fifth inning.
George Springer led off with a walk and stole second base. He advanced to third on Nathan Lukes’s single and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked in his 95th run with a double off the left-field wall.
Lukes scored on a sacrifice fly to left field from Spencer Horwitz. Guerrero touched home on Kirk’s two-out single to right.
In the ninth, Guerrero made a critical diving catch on an Arenado grounder to throw out the Cardinals’ infielder, with reliever Tommy Nance covering first. The defensive gem ended the inning with a runner on second base.
St. Louis starter Erick Fedde faced the minimum night batters in the first three innings thanks to a pair of double plays. He lasted five innings, giving up three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
ON DECK
Toronto ace Jose Berrios (15-9) will start the second of the three-game series on Saturday. He has a six-game win streak.
The Cardinals will counter with righty Kyle Gibson (8-6).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
