Russia back on track after win over Finland

BRYSON DeChambeau will open his defence of his US Open title today when he is paired with Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and US Amateur champion Tyler Strafaci on the South Course at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

DeChambeau, obviously, was not paired with 2017 and 2018 US Open champion Brooks Koepka when the tee times for the event were announced on Tuesday.

The two have had a simmering feud that has heated up recently after a Golf Channel video went viral at the PGA Championship.

Retired PGA player and analyst Brad Faxon said the United States Golf Association explored the idea of pairing DeChambeau with Koepka, but that DeChambeau declined the option.

“The

USGA did call

Bryson

DeChambeau and his agent and asked them if they would be okay with that, and Bryson declined,” Faxon said during an appearance on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.

However, DeChambeau and his agent, Brett Falkoff, said the golfer was not asked by the USGA to be paired with Koepka.

“The USGA did not reach out to Bryson regarding a potential pairing with Brooks Koepka. Bryson is fully focused on defending the US Open at Torrey Pines this week,” Falkoff said in a statement.

Asked about a potential pairing with Koepka, DeChambeau said, “I would be okay with that, but there was never really anything that went through me.”

Koepka also said Tuesday that he was not asked about being paired with DeChambeau, but that it would not have mattered to him if he was.

“I play my own game. I don’t care who I’m paired with,” he said. “It doesn’t matter to me what goes on. It makes no difference to me. I’m out there trying to play my own game.

“What happens inside the ropes, it won’t bother me.”

Koepka revealed at the PGA Championship that he had become distracted during an interview after a talking DeChambeau had walked by. The leaked video showed Koepka rolling his eyes and dropping a choice word in the process.

The incident led to some backand-forth between the two on social media, and Koepka said the constant discussion of the feud between the two can only grow interest in the game.

Koepka will play the first two rounds with Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa.

A GOAL in first-half stoppage time by Aleksei Miranchuk got Russia’s Euro 2020 campaign back on track as they beat Finland 1-0 in Group B yesterday.

The Russians, who remain unbeaten against the Finns since their first meeting in 1912, made amends for their opening loss to Belgium as the group remains wide open.

The Finns, 1-0 winners over Denmark in their first game that was marked by Christian Eriksen’s heart attack on the pitch, almost made the perfect start when Joel Pohjanpalo’s third minute header beat the Russian keeper but was ruled offside after a VAR review.

It was the hosts, fired up by the home crowd, who took control in the first half, with the Finns sitting back and soaking up the pressure.

The visitors waited for the occasional break and both Pohjanpalo and Teemu Pukki tested goalkeeper Matvei Safonov.

An injury to Mario Fernandes after a rough fall in the 26th minute did not shift Russia’s focus and his replacement Vyacheslav Karavaev almost tapped in a cutback at the far post minutes after coming on.

Their dominance finally paid off in stoppage time thanks to a piece of magic from Miranchuk, who took on two defenders on the right, changed direction and scooped the ball into the far corner with a superb left-footed effort with Russia’s first shot on target.

The Finns shot out of the blocks after the break with Pukki carving out two chances early on.

That, however, came with a risk as it opened up spaces for Russia, who were a threat on the break with Rifat Zhemaletdinov’s low shot veering just wide in the 67th and Daler Kuzyaev’s curled effort forcing a superb save from keeper Lukas Hradecky as Finland’s energy gradually faded.

Russia held on to earn three points, with Stanislav Cherchesov’s side up to second in the standings on three, ahead of Finland thanks to the headto-head result. Belgium, who beat Russia 3-0 in their opener, top the group ahead of their game against Denmark today.

Meanwhile, France midfielder Paul Pogba earned the Star of the Match award for his display in the world champions’ 1-0 win over Germany in their Euro 2020 Group F opener on Tuesday, but knows how lucky he is to play alongside N’Golo Kante.

Powerhouse Pogba’s sublime pass in the 20th minute unlocked Germany’s defence, allowing Lucas Hernandez to drive in a cross that Germany’s Mats Hummels turned into his own net.

Pogba, 28, delivered several other moments of quality as the link between France’s midfield and the dream attacking trident of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.

But it was Chelsea’s Kante, who at the age of 30 appears to be elevating his games to new levels, who knitted it together. | Reuters