The big football game on Monday was a Euro 2016 clash between European giants Belgium and Italy, ranked second and 12th in the world, in Lyon, France. It was the first clash between two high-ranked teams in the tournament and was billed to be a cracker between Belgium's mouthwatering offence and Italy's renowned defence.
The match did not disappoint, with both teams playing at a high tempo. It was an end-to-end game that ended 2-0 in Italy's favour, but the scoreline masks the openness of the match. Emanuele Giaccherini and Graziano Pelle were the scorers for the 2006 World Cup winners.
However, it was a match being played more than 8,000 km away in Houston, Texas, between Mexico and Venezuela in the Copa America Centenario, that had the best goals of the day. Mexico were favourites for the encounter, but it was Venezuela who opened the scoring via a superb volley by Jose Manuel Velazquez in the 10th minute.
The match looked to be heading towards an upset, before Mexican winger Jesus Corona scored one of the goals of the tournament in the 80th minute. Corona danced his way past as many as five Venezuelan players before slotting home from inside the box to get his team the all-important equaliser.
Venezuela could have retaken the lead four minutes later, but Mexican goalkeeper Jose de Jesus Corona saved Josef Martinez's bicycle kick that was heading into the net. The match ended 1-1, and the draw was enough for Mexico to top Group C and avoid a quarter-final clash against tournament favourites Argentina.
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