Manchester United’s Jesse Lingard lifts England with ‘wonderful piece of skill’

Manchester United's Jesse Lingard spared England's blushes on Sunday, his late goal securing a 1-0 win over Sweden in their second game of the European Under 21 Championship in the Czech Republic on Sunday.

The midfielder scored five minutes from time with a right-foot shot after picking up a deflected ball outside the box, following a corner.

The win handed England a provisional third spot in Group B with three points, the same as second-placed Sweden and one point behind group leaders Portugal who were held to a goalless draw by Italy in Sunday’s other game.

Lingard came on in the 54th minute as a substitute for Alex Pritchard who had limped off the pitch with what looked like an ankle injury.

After Thursday’s opening 1-0 loss to Portugal England once again struggled up front, with Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane squandering a few good chances again, including a promising 28th-minute header that narrowly missed the target.

England lost West Bromwich Albion striker Saido Berahino – the top scorer in qualifying with ten goals in as many games – to a knee injury just before the Portugal game.

“We had faith we had players on the field that could get the goal,” England coach Gareth Southgate told the Uefa website.

“We started to create more chances as the game went on and we had to hold our nerve.

“In the end it was a wonderful piece of skill that wins us the game but we had dominated possession.”

In the last Group B games, England will take on Italy and Sweden face Portugal on Wednesday.

Germany lead Group A with four points from two games after beating Denmark 3-0 on Saturday while hosts the Czech Republic thrashed Serbia 4-0 on the same day to take a provisional second spot.

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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer