English joy unleashed in Moscow

England edged Colombia 4-3 on penalties yesterday to halt a run of five successive shootout defeats at major tournaments and book a quarter-final clash against Sweden at the World Cup.

Harry Kane fired England ahead with his tournament-leading sixth goal just before the hour in Moscow, converting a penalty after he was hauled down by Carlos Sanchez at a corner.

Gareth Southgate's team looked to be heading into the last eight in regulation time until Yerry Mina equalised with a 93rd-minute header as the giant Colombian defender scored for the third game in a row.

Neither team could find an advantage in extra-time and so a bad-tempered match went to a nailbiting penalty shootout.

David Ospina dived superbly to his left to repel Jordan Henderson's third penalty for England, but Manuel Uribe hit the crossbar before Jordan Pickford saved from Carlos Bacca.

Eric Dier drilled home the decisive spot-kick as England won for just the second time in eight penalty shootouts and reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2006.

In Tuesday’s earlier match, Sweden edged Switzerland 1-0. A 66th minute strike from striker Emile Forsberd, which took a wicked deflection, gave the Swedes the decisive goal and sent the Swiss packing.

Colombia were dealt a huge blow before kick-off as James Rodriguez failed to shake off a calf injury, the Bayern Munich midfielder not even fit enough for a place on the bench.

The 26-year-old was the Golden Boot winner with six goals in Brazil four years ago, when Colombia reached the quarter-finals for the first time.

Kane, Raheem Sterling and Dele Alli were among nine players recalled for England after Gareth Southgate rested the majority of his first-choice side for their final group game against Belgium.

Kane scored a combined five goals in the wins over Tunisia and Panama, and the Tottenham striker went close when his looping header back across goal landed on the roof of the net.

Kane made the breakthrough on 57 minutes after he was wrestled to the ground at a corner by Carlos Sanchez, the same player who was shown the first red card of the tournament in a 2-1 loss to Japan.

The England captain faced a lengthy wait as several Colombia players protested to the referee but he kept his nerve to beat north London rival Ospina, lifting his penalty just over the Arsenal goalkeeper's outstretched leg.

Alli nearly added a second when his diving header at the far post flashed over the bar, with Lingard appealing for another spot-kick after he was caught by Davinson Sanchez.

Juan Cuadrado blazed over with 10 minutes to play, and it appeared Colombia's hopes were up when Pickford made a terrific save to turn behind Manuel Uribe's spectacular long-range strike.

But Mina rose powerfully to meet the resulting corner, with Trippier only able to help the ball in via the underside of the crossbar in the third minute of added-on time.

Substitute Danny Rose almost struck an extra-time winner when his angled shot whistled beyond the far post, and Eric Dier headed over unmarked at a corner before England's luck deserted them again in all too familiar fashion.

Then, unlike so many times before, luck finally smiled on them in the shootout.

James Maddison has been rewarded with a call-up to England's World Cup squad after his scintillating form for Leicester as Gareth Southgate showed faith in a series of players short on form or fitness.

Manchester City duo Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are included despite fitness concerns.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire is also included despite being dropped at club level.

Maddison has only one senior cap, back in 2019, and has previously been overlooked by Southgate.

But of the players available to the England boss, only Harry Kane has scored and assisted more Premier League goals in 2022 than the Foxes midfielder.

The absence of Chelsea right-back Reece James means Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold will go to Qatar despite concerns over his defensive abilities.

Conor Gallagher is another surprise selection in midfield with Southampton's James Ward-Prowse omitted.

Up front, Callum Wilson was selected ahead of Ivan Toney and Tammy Abraham to be Kane's deputy.

England begin their World Cup campaign against Iran on November 21 before facing the USA and Wales in Group B.

Squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Newcastle), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal)

Defenders: Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw (both Manchester United), Eric Dier (Tottenham), John Stones, Kyle Walker (both Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle), Conor Coady (Everton), Ben White (Arsenal), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher (both Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City)

Forwards: James Maddison (Leicester), Phil Foden, Jack Grealish (both Manchester City), Harry Kane (Tottenham), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Raheem Sterling (Chelsea), Callum Wilson (Newcastle), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)

Spain playmaker Dani Olmo is vying for the Euro 2024 golden boot with England's Harry Kane, but said Friday he doesn't care about winning it as long as his team lifts the trophy. 

Olmo and Kane are tied on three goals with four other players and if either score in the final on Sunday in Berlin they will likely claim the prize.

However with Spain angling for a record fourth European Championship, Olmo said the team's target was far more important than his own individual glory.

"It's an extra motivation, if there's even room for that, but look, as long as we win, I don't care if I score or if (Spain goalkeeper) Unai Simon does," Olmo told reporters.

"I don't care at all, the important thing is winning the game, but I always have the objective of helping to chip in."

Olmo has also created two goals for his teammates but unlike in the past when that was used as a tie-breaker, the award will be shared by any players joint-top of the charts.

The RB Leipzig midfielder did not start the tournament as part of Spain coach Luis de la Fuente's first choice side but made a strong impact off the bench when given the chance.

Olmo replaced the injured Pedri in the quarterfinal win over hosts Germany, scoring and setting up the winner for Mikel Merino.

The midfielder also struck against France in the semifinal and has scored in all three knock-out rounds Spain have played.

"In this tournament I feel very good, in a great moment of form, so I have to keep taking advantage of it," continued the 26-year-old.

"It's true (Kane and I) are tied, but there are other players too who have helped us get here, with goals and good play.

"Speaking of goals, Fabian (Ruiz) has two goals, Alvaro (Morata) has one -- if he scores a hat-trick then he will win it, and we'd be just as happy -- it doesn't matter who scores, the main thing is the team."

Olmo scored a hattrick for Leipzig as they beat Bayern Munich 3-0 in the German Supercup final on Kane's debut for the Bavarian giants last August.

The England captain has still not won a trophy in his career at club or international level, finishing a runner-up with England in the Euro 2020 final.

Kane, 30, has struggled for form and peak fitness at the Euros despite managing three goals.

"Of course it would be a dream to score a hat-trick (again) and win it," added Olmo.

"But I repeat, the goal is just to win it."

Bayern Munich's honorary president Uli Hoeness has expressed confidence that England captain Harry Kane will join the German giants from Tottenham Hotspur.

Kane "has clearly signalled in all conversations that his decision (to join Bayern this summer) has been taken and if he sticks to that, then we'll get him because Tottenham will have to give way", Hoeness told reporters late Saturday.

It has been reported that Bayern have agreed personal terms with Kane, but an initial 70-million-euro ($76-million) bid was rejected by Spurs who are said to be demanding at least 100 million euros to part with their talismanic striker who has been included in the London club's squad for their pre-season Asia-Pacific tour.

The German champions are said to be intent on securing the signing of England's record scorer, whose contract with Spurs runs out in 2024.

Kane's camp is believed to have approved the move, but Bayern need an agreement on a transfer fee with Tottenham to seal the transfer.

Hoeness said Kane "wants to play in an international competition and Tottenham are not qualified next season" for Europe "unlike our club".

The striker "now has the chance to come play for one of the best clubs in Europe", added Hoeness, member of a Bayern committee overseeing this summer's recruitment alongside Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Jan-Christian Dreesen and coach Thomas Tuchel.

Hoeness admitted that negotiating with Spurs president Daniel Levy was not easy.

Levy, he said, is "intelligent and we first have to get him to a stage where he will figure out an amount" for the transfer.

"He is trying to buy time, he is a seasoned professional, I appreciate him a lot. But on the other hand, we weren't born yesterday."