England seek World Cup semi-final

World Cup 2018​

In case you’ve been living under a rock, or switched over to Love Island​ on Tuesday night, football’s coming home. A win on Saturday would match England’s best ever overseas World Cup performance.

After shaking a 12-year-old major tournament monkey off their back by winning their first penalty shoot-out since Euro 96 – and first ever spot-kick triumph at a World Cup – Gareth Southgate’s side advance to the quarter finals to take on Sweden.

While the Swedes are the lowest-scoring side still left at the World Cup, the fact they reached the finals in Russia ahead of tournament mainstays Holland and Italy and advanced from a group containing holders Germany, is testament to their organisation and stingy defence under coach Janne Andersson.

The other quarter final in what’s being dubbed the easier half of the World Cup draw sees the tournament’s surprise package, hosts Russia, take on perennial dark horses Croatia – arguably the team of the tournament so far.

Tactically pragmatic Russia delivered a huge shock by ousting Spain in the last 16 and will need a repeat performance if they’re to stifle Croatia’s creative midfield duo of Modric and Rakitic and set up one of the most unlikely semi-final appearances in World Cup history.

Wimbledon

Andy Murray plays no part in this year’s Wimbledon Championships – if you’re looking for good World Cup omens he didn’t play in the 1966 tournament either – however, amid a clutch of early upsets, star names will still grace Wimbledon grass on the opening Saturday of this year’s competition.

In the men’s draw, British number one Kyle Edmund remains in the mix alongside former winners Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In the women’s tournament, Johanna Konta fell to a surprise defeat amid a series of high-profile departures, including defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza.

British Grand Prix​

Silverstone has been a happy hunting ground for Britain’s Lewis Hamilton in recent years. The reigning world champion, who has won the past four British Grand Prix on the spin, will leapfrog current World Championship front runner Sebastain Vettel if he manages to deliver a fifth consecutive victory on home soil this Sunday.

England v India cricket​

After a one-day series whitewash win against Australia, followed by a heavy, eight-wicket, defeat in their first T20 international against India this summer leaves England hoping there’s still something to play for in the final match of a three-game series on Sunday – with the second instalment taking place on Friday 6 July.