Euro 2020 warm-up: England, Belgium, Netherlands register wins

LONDON: A makeshift England side beat Romania 1-0 in their final Euro 2020 warm-up game on Sunday as Marcus Rashford converted a 68th-minute penalty after manager Gareth Southgate made nine changes to the team that beat Austria by the same score on Wednesday.

Rashford left Florin Nita rooted to his line with a perfectly taken spot kick after Tiberiu Capusa brought down Jack Grealish but the Romanian goalkeeper did well 10 minutes later when he saved a Jordan Henderson penalty.

England open their European Championship Group D campaign against Croatia at Wembley next Sunday before taking on Scotland on June 18 and the Czech Republic four days later all at the same venue.

The Scots also won their last friendly before the June 11-July 11 tournament with a Che Adams goal giving them a 1-0 win at 10-man Luxembourg.

Adams's tame-looking shot squeezed underneath Luxembourg keeper Anthony Moris in the 28th minute before the home side's centre back Vahid Selimovic was shown a straight red card in the 34th for a last-man foul on Lyndon Dykes.

Scotland open their campaign against the Czechs at Hampden Park on June 14 and they take on Croatia at the same venue on June 22 following their match with England.

Lukaku strike gives Belgium win over Croatia

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku underlined his status as one of the world's top strikers with his 60th international goal to secure a 1-0 win over Croatia in their Euro 2020 warm-up on Sunday.

Lukaku struck from a goalmouth scramble in the 38th minute to win the match for the top-ranked Belgians, who will start the Euros in confident mood after a convincing performance.

They shrugged off a bright start from Croatia to enjoy a comfortable victory, which might have had a more commanding scoreline had they taken all of their chances, as they confirmed their status as one the Euro 2020 favourites.

The goal came when fellow European Championship contenders Croatia failed to clear a corner and Lukaku was first to swivel and hook the ball home after Jason Denayer laid it on for him.

Croatia, runners-up at the World Cup three years ago, start their Group D campaign against England at Wembley next Sunday.

Dutch enjoy morale-boosting 3-0 win over Georgia

Netherlands beat Georgia 3-0 thanks to goals from Memphis Depay, Wout Weghorst and teenager Ryan Gravenberch on Sunday in a morale-boosting victory ahead of the European Championship. Depay tucked away a 10th-minute penalty but Georgia finished the first half stronger as they had more shots on goal and pushed their hosts repeatedly onto the back foot.

The home team resumed command of the game after the break, spurred on by 7,500 spectators, with Weghorst scoring his first international goal as they doubled the lead in the 55th minute.

Gravenberch, who only turned 19 last month, reacted quickest to head home a rebound in the 76th for the third goal.

The victory will come as a relief for Netherlands coach Frank de Boer after a disappointing 2-2 draw with Scotland in their first warm-up game last week that saw the Dutch tactics criticised by media and pundits. Agencies

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