19 June 2024 – Dr Sophie Louisa Bennett, PhD Conservation Biology (Lincoln 2016), MA Modern and Medieval Football Rules (KC 1987, Cantab 2020)
Česká republika/Czech Republic (sorry, Czechia – does that make them Czechians?) versus Portugal
I was so glad yesterday to see an absence of shirt-pulling on the playing fields of Germany; lovely Leipzig to be precise. But mad as hell to note so much pushing and shoving. It seemed that the Czechs would have won that competition outright. One Portuguese player seems likely to have been a can-can girl in his spare time. Worrying, but very diversity and equality minded. No doubt he was wearing frilly knickers under the shorts.
So unfortunate were the Czechs that they gifted Portugal a goal and assisted another: Hranáč, having an off day, or an on day if you are Portuguese, will need time out now.
On the strength of Portugal’s performance, I can honestly say I am not going to either rule out or rule in following them further in the competition.
The player of the match for me was Czech – Provod – brought up on Pilsen it seems – even if his goal was, thus far, just edged out by the magic of Güler.
And now for some tennis…
All I can recall of Queen’s so far is the banana-coloured Nike kit and the yellowing-browning grass. I don’t know what all the purple is about, but I’d be puce at the state of the courts. And would be docking points and giving warnings upon any evidence of the now infamous Djoko-slide technique. I say that with a rye smile on my face.
Dr Sophie Louisa Bennett, reporting from a community which has a large playing field frequented by local football teams, young and older, used to have two hard courts (and a tennis club run by volunteers), and now has a Wickstead play area complete with wooden ‘boat’.
Into-English-Translations 