Tag Archives: Romelu Lukaku

(Watch Video Highlights) Hernandez seals last-minute comeback win for France after Lukaku, Carrasco fire Belgium into first half lead (Match Report)

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Theo Hernandez scored a superb 90th-minute winner as France hit back from 2-0 down to stun Belgium and reach the Nations League final.

AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez was in the starting XI with Lucas, the first brothers to start for France in over 90 years.

Didier Deschamps’ side looked out of contention at the break after conceding two goals in the space of four minutes, but a thrilling second-half fightback set up a meeting with Spain.

Just four minutes in, Hugo Lloris had to make a truly extraordinary reaction save on Kevin De Bruyne’s deflected strike from nine yards.

After a few dangerous Kylian Mbappé counter-attacks, Belgium began to take control and Yannick Carrasco saw his low drive take a slight deflection into the near bottom corner. France felt that there was a foul in the build-up, but VAR and the referee waved play on.

The Red Devils doubled their lead with ex-Inter hitman Romelu Lukaku, who burst away from Lucas Hernandez down the right and hit an extraordinary strike from the tightest of angles into the roof of the net with his right boot. Once again, Lloris could have done better.

France began to get back into it after the break, but Antoine Griezmann prodded wide from six yards on an Mbappé roll across from the right. The goal had been coming and it arrived when Mbappé rolled across, Karim Benzema gathered with his back to goal, turned on the spot to drill in from 12 yards.

Belgium had fallen asleep in this second half and were penalised when Youri Tielemans went through the back of Griezmann for a penalty, which Mbappé converted with pure power and precision into the top corner.

This woke the Belgians up and Lloris flew to fingertip a De Bruyne rocket over the bar, while Thibaut Courtois parried Paul Pogba’s strike and Mbappé fired wide after a give-and-go with Benzema.

Moments after that miss, Belgium had the ball in the net with Lukaku, but he was marginally offside on the Carrasco cross from the left.

A few minutes after that, with extra time looming, Pogba’s splendid free kick bounced off the crossbar.

Mere seconds later, France did complete the turnaround with Milan star Theo Hernandez, who was ready on the rebound on a poor Toby Alderweireld clearance and smashed it left-footed into the far bottom corner from just inside the box.

Photo Credit: EURO2024/Twitter

Romelu Lukaku reveals warning Cristiano Ronaldo gave him before signing for Inter Milan, compares Premier League, Serie A

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Romelu Lukaku has revealed the warning Juventus talisman Cristiano Ronaldo gave him about Serie A, stating how tough the league is.

The Inter Milan striker gave an interview to the New York Times on Monday, in which he gave his opinion on playing in Serie A compared to the Premier League.

Lukaku scored 14 goals in 22 games for Inter in the first half of the season, 12 of which came in Serie A.

However, he told the newspaper: “He [Ronaldo] told me this is the hardest defensive League in the world.

“He said he has scored goals everywhere, but this was the toughest place to do it, and if Cristiano Ronaldo think it’s difficult, then it must be really difficult.”

That echoes the claims of former Serie A hitmen Carlos Tevez and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who have relayed similar sentiments in recent years, report Football Italia.

Ronaldo’s scoring rate has also dropped in Italy, with last season his lowest in terms of goals (28) since the 2008-09 campaign.

“It’s harder than England. The football is more intense there, but here everything is pattern of play.”

Off the field, the 26-year-old has an extraordinary ability to assimilate to a language quickly, becoming a proficient Italian speaker in only a matter of weeks.

“Nobody speaks to me in English anymore.”