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• Security Forces FC secure promotion to SKNFA Premier League

  Security Forces FC have been promoted to the SKNFA Premier League after earning a narrow 3-2 win over KFC Trinity/Challengers United on Wednesday at the NBGC Technical Center in St. Peters in SKNFA Division 1 action. 

  Dion Dolphin, Evansley Fahie and Dennis Phillip were the goal scorers for Security Forces in the 6^th, 31^st and 58^th minutes, respectively. Tyrone Grant and Cavid David led the fight for Trinity/Challengers. 

  That match was followed by a 2-1 victory for Molineux over 607 Construction Lodge Patriots. Darren Brookes and Ronald Williams got the Molineux goals in the 22^nd and 38^th minutes, respectively, while Josh Liburd scored the lone goal for Lodge in the 89^th minute.

  Molineux coach George “Kinta” Gilbert, who previously coached Security Forces, said he just recently took over this team and is looking forward in doing some great work with them.

  “I have been working with this time for about maybe a week or so and a lot of work will have to be done with them. But eventually we will get there,” he said. “I am with this team now and we are going to work hard to implement what we want to implement and to become a better team. It’s a work in progress because I just started to work with the team,” Gilbert said. 

  Wendell Nanton, a player with Lodge, said the team started out flat in the first half, but picked up momentum in the second half.

  “We came out flat footed this evening. We are bit short on players in the first half but we maintain to keep our structure and to manage. Nevertheless we, were down 2-0. We came back, scored a goal in the second half. We had opportunities but going forward we have a lot of work to do on the pitch,” he said.

  “I guarantee you next season Lodge Patriots will be a better and stronger team going forward,” he added. 

  In other Division 1 results on Monday: Mantab defeated Conaree Fireball International 4-1. K’Jairn Liburd scored two goals for Mantab in the 19^th and 59^th minutes while the other goals came from Kimmel French in the 55^th minute and Wakamba Warner in the 5^th minute of stoppage time. Jolonni Huggins scored the lone goal for Conaree in the 52^nd minute.  

  Meanwhile, Sandy Point FC edged TGE Dieppe Bay Eagles 1-0 on Thursday June 13^th. Dequan Joseph scored the winning goal in the 17^th minute.

  In the night’s earlier match Saddlers United trounced Rivers of Living Water 4-0. The goals were scored by Kurt Mills, E Wattley, Darious Rawlins and Saeed Hanley in the 62^nd, 69^th, 73^rd and 3^rd minute of stoppage time respectively. SKNFA Division 1 continues next week.

• Austria 0-1 France: Les Bleus triumph in Euro 2024 opener after Wober own-goal

  France started their quest for Euro 2024 glory with a narrow 1-0 victory over Austria after Max Wober's first-half own-goal proved decisive in Dusseldorf.

  The two-time European Championship winners had to wait until the 38th minute for their breakthrough, with Wober turning Kylian Mbappe's cross into his own net on Monday.

  Les Bleus held on in the second half to earn Didier Deschamps his 100th win in charge of France, though there was concern as Mbappe received lengthy treatment for a head injury late on before being withdrawn.

  Deschamps will hope Mbappe is passed fit after that issue as France prepare for Friday's clash with fellow Group D leaders Netherlands, who share top spot in the pool after overcoming Poland 2-1 on Sunday.

  Deschamps' men settled into their seamless groove early on, with Mbappe racing clear of the Austria defence before seeing his effort repelled by the strong palm of Patrick Pentz.

  Yet for all of France's dominance in possession, Austria remained resolute in defence and almost struck first against the run of play 10 minutes before the interval.

  Christoph Baumgartner found himself unmarked inside the France box after Marcel Sabitzer's deft knockdown, but was unable to find a way beyond the onrushing Mike Maignan when rushing a glorious chance.

  Just two minutes later, Deschamps' deadly attack showed their ruthless nature as Mbappe chopped inside before delivering towards the near post, where Wober inadvertently headed past the helpless Pentz.

  Mbappe should have doubled France's lead after the interval but somehow fired wide when one-on-one with Pentz, leaving the Real Madrid-bound forward still waiting for a first European Championship goal.

  Les Bleus remained the most likely to find a decisive second goal but Theo Hernandez's teasing delivery just evaded Antoine Greizmann before Marcus Thuram also went close.

  Yet the battling victory was marred by the injury to Mbappe, who was forced off in the final minute of normal time after suffering a concerning blow to his nose when challenging for an aerial duel with Kevin Danso.

  Mbappe's wait for maiden Euro goal goes on

  Mbappe produced an influential display but was far from his clinical best for Les Bleus as his first goal at this tournament continues to elude him. 

  The former Paris Saint-Germain attacker has now failed to convert any of his last 17 shots at the competition, in stark contrast to the 12 goals he has managed from 39 attempts at the World Cup.

  His one-on-one opportunity in the second half had an expected goals tally (xG) of 0.6, second only behind Griezmann's opportunity (0.75 xG) in the area 11 minutes later. 

  Aside from Mbappe, France were wasteful in the final third as a collective, registering just three shots on target in the contest from 14 attempts – underperforming their xG by 1.03. 

  Austria down, but certainly not out

  Ralf Rangnick's team can be proud of their defensive display against France's star-studded attacking line, with their fighting efforts seeing them make the most tackles (27) of any side at the tournament so far. 

  However, their struggles against Les Bleus continued as Austria have now won just one of their last 11 meetings against France in all competitions, with that sole victory coming in 2008. 

  Austria will still hope to replicate their last-16 run at Euro 2020, their best-ever finish in the competition, and face Poland in Berlin on Friday before concluding their group campaign against the Netherlands.

• Tedesco refuses to point finger as Lukaku struggles in Belgium's shock Euro 2024 defeat

  Domenico Tedesco refused to place the blame on any individual performance as Belgium slumped to Euro 2024 defeat against Slovakia, with Romelu Lukaku missing a host of chances.

  Ivan Schranz's seventh-minute finish in Frankfurt proved the difference on Monday as Slovakia stunned the world's third-best side in their tournament opener.

  Belgium forward Lukaku produced a profligate showing, spurning a pair of glorious first-half chances before seeing two goals disallowed by the VAR as Tedesco's side chased a late equaliser.

  Lukaku accumulated an expected goals (xG) tally of 0.82 throughout the Group E meeting, with that total far greater than the entire Slovakia team combined (0.59).

  Yet Tedesco, who suffered a first defeat in 15 games since replacing Roberto Martinez as Belgium boss, did not pinpoint specific players when discussing Belgium's downfall.

  "For me, it hurts a lot," Tedesco said. "I don't want to point the finger at people. You can be sure we will speak about many things but we will do it internally and not through the media.

  "I knew we would lose one day but unfortunately it was today. Honestly, there is not much I can say to the team to improve.

  "We created many chances, big chances. Of course, if we take one, then it makes the game easier."

  When pressed on Lukaku's form in front of goal, Tedesco defended the former Chelsea and Manchester United striker.

  "Romelu has been playing for Belgium for a long time," the Red Devils' head coach said. 

  "He knows how to score goals, I don't need to tell him that. He is a top-class player with great character."

  Lukaku saw his first effort ruled out for an offside after Amadou Onana's headed knockdown before his late finish was again overturned as Lois Openda was deemed to have handled in the build-up.

  "It's tough to speak," Tedesco continued. "If we had won I could tell you more about my opinion.

  "But we lost and I want to be seen as a fair manager so I don't say anything. We have to trust these guys. I trust the VAR. If they decide it's handball, we have to accept it."

  Belgium's defeat leaves Group E wide open after Romania hammered Ukraine 3-0 on the same day, with Tedesco's side needing a response against Edward Iordanescu's team on Saturday.

  Another loss would push Belgium further towards an unlikely group-stage exit, though Tedesco wants to use the Slovakia disappointment as motivation.

  "Naturally everyone is disappointed but you can harness that," he said. "You can make use of it. I always said our group would be very tricky and shouldn't assume that we will go through."

  Belgium captain Kevin De Bruyne was also frustrated as his side suffered their first group-stage defeat at the European Championship since losing 2-0 to Italy in 2016.

  The Manchester City star said: "It is a pity. The first 20 minutes we were really good and we made such a mistake for which we were punished.

  "In the second half it was better, we upped the tempo. We deserved to win but did not score and that is the way it is. Apart from a few other chances we didn't give much away.

  "We adjusted some things at half-time and then played well. We pushed, we created chances. We certainly deserved to at least a draw because we didn't play badly."