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Romelu Lukaku carried his poor domestic form into Euro 2016 as Belgium began the tournament with a 2-0 defeat by Italy. Has the Everton strikers preoccupation with his future affected his performances? Romelu Lukaku has made no secret of his lofty ambitions in recent months. The Everton striker declared he wanted to join a top club in February, and a few weeks later he hit the headlines again. Im 23 next summer and I think it would be nice to play in the Champions League from next season, he said. Even his father talked up a transfer.Each interview received a predictably frosty reception from the Everton supporters watching their team languish in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but there was more of the same after the campaign came to a close. I have had a very good season, said Lukaku, but it is time for me to write myself a CV. It is difficult to argue with Lukakus assessment of his season. The striker scored 25 times in 46 games despite Evertons struggles. But while it was his most prolific campaign yet, it also finished with the longest scoring drought of his career. Lukakus form dipped dramatically as he became preoccupied with his future. He went 10 games without scoring between March and May. Italy bury toothless Belgium Read our match report from Italys 2-0 win over Belgium in Group E. A string of goals in Belgiums pre-tournament friendlies hinted at an upturn in fortunes, but Lukaku carried his poor domestic form into the European Championships on Monday night. The 23-year-old was selected ahead of Christian Benteke, Divock Origi and Michy Batshuayi for Belgiums Group E opener against Italy. It was a perfect opportunity to show that he belongs among the elite, but Lukaku fluffed his lines on the big stage.Sky Sports pundit Thierry Henry used the word passive to sum up his performance, and the lack of intensity was alarming. He was static and ponderous in the face of Italys fearsome back three, and he was nowhere near Leonardo Bonucci when the Italian centre-back serenely sprayed a 50-yard pass into the path of Emanuele Giaccherini from inside his own half for the opening goal. Lukaku misses a scoring chance in the second half of Belgiums defeat by Italy Lukaku didnt win a single aerial duel and posted the lowest passing accuracy (66.7 per cent) of any of his team-mates, and he also spurned a golden opportunity to equalise shortly after the break. Kevin de Bruynes diagonal pass sent him through on goal, but his wayward effort sailed harmlessly wide. He spun away with his head in his hands, and there was more frustration to come.Lukakus clumsy first touches became a feature of the encounter as Belgiums attacks broke down around him. On one occasion substitute Dries Mertens and De Bruyne combined brilliantly to find him inside Italys box, but he failed to get the ball under control and ended up in a heap of tangled limbs on the turf. Wilmots wont blame PL stars Marc Wilmots refused to blame Belgiums Premier League stars for the defeat. It proved to be Lukakus last action of the game, with Marc Wilmots throwing on Origi in his place for the closing stages. The Liverpool striker also missed a clear scoring chance when he failed to connect with a header from six yards out, but his introduction did at least bring a clear increase in intensity.Origi muscled through a crowd of Italy defenders and dug out a dangerous cross just moments after his introduction, and he offered the kind of dynamism they had sorely lacked with Lukaku at the tip of their attack. With Benteke and the highly-rated Batshuayi also waiting in the wings, Lukakus struggles could prove costly. Belgium players show their dejection after Italys second goal This, of course, was not the first time Lukaku has failed to live up to expectations on the international stage. The former Anderlecht prodigy lost his place to Origi during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and he now faces the possibility of a repeat scenario when Wilmots picks his team for their remaining group games against Republic of Ireland and Sweden.Euro 2016 looked like the perfect shop window for Lukaku to showcase his talents, but after months of talking up his future, the Everton man might have already missed his best chance to excite his suitors. Also See: Italy bury toothless Belgium Open wound to inspire Italy Italys defence the best Wilmots refuses to blame PL stars Fake Nike NFL Jerseys .com) - Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 12 points in the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats 70-55 victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . A lovely summer day in England with abundant sunshine and minimal wind allowed him to attack Royal Liverpool. https://www.chinajerseysnfl.us/. He was with the New York Jets in 2011 when the NFL locked out their players after they failed to agree on a new contract. Willy went undrafted but was given a look by four NFL teams before heading north. Nike NFL Jerseys China . Diego Costa headed in Gabis corner seven minutes from time to secure victory ahead of the return match in Madrid on March 11. "We know that at Madrid it will be another game, which will also be important and very difficult," Milan coach Clarence Seedorf said. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Free Shipping . Appearing on TSN 690 Monday afternoon, Mike Babcock said he had conversations with both P.K. Subban and Carey Price about those on-ice traits during Hockey Canadas summer orientation camp. Mike Babcock: McGill experience, P. MILWAUKEE -- Detroit Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings had tried to dismiss Wednesday nights matchup against his former team as simply another game on the teams schedule. The closer it got to tipoff against the Milwaukee Bucks, the harder that became. "I was nervous in the beginning because Im not used to being on the other side," Jennings said. "There were a lot of emotions going on. The whole time I felt like it was just another game. But once it got closer to game time, my nerves were just going." Jennings struggled considerably in the first half, but finished with 17 points and 11 assists in helping the Pistons to a 105-98 win over the Bucks in his return to Milwaukee. "Once the second half started, I settled down and just played basketball," Jennings said. Andre Drummond had 24 points and 19 rebounds and the Pistons rode a strong second half to victory. Greg Monroe contributed 18 points and 17 rebounds for the Pistons, who had five players score 15 or more points. "Going into the game, we were really concerned about matchups," Bucks coach Larry Drew said. "We felt they were just too big and wed have to mix our defences up and hopefully outrebound those guys. We just could not physically overcome that size." Detroit hadnt had two players pull down at least 15 rebounds apiece since Feb. 10, 2005, when Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace accomplished the feat. "Were starting to jell, starting to find ourselves and an identity," Drummond said. "The first half was tough for us. We let the fatigue get to us a little bit." That led to a change of strategy in the second half. "We got it down low because we knew our jump shots werent really going to fall because our legs were tired. So we drove to the hoop and got the foul calls," Drummond said. Detroit shot 42 foul shots and Milwaukee had 22. Jennings spent four seasons with the Bucks after the team drafted him 10th overall in 2009 out of Oak Hill Academy. He joined the Pistons in July after a sign-and-trade deal that sent Brandon Knight and Khris Middleton to the Bucks. A restricted free-agent at the time, Jennings inked a three-year, $24 million deal with the Pistons. The sparse crowd at the BMO Harris Bradley Center booed loudly when Jennings was introduced before the game and each time he touched the ball early in the contest. Jennings missed all four of his shots from the field in the first quarter but had two early assists that led to dunks.dddddddddddd "The boos didnt hurt," Jennings said. "I still have a lot of fans here. At the end of the day, the fans supported us through the good and bad. It didnt bother me." Jennings didnt score until sinking a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter. He finished 4 of 16 from the field. "We tried to get him a basket early to kind of settle him down a little bit," Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks said. "But he missed a couple shots that he normally makes." In the first meeting between the teams on Nov. 25 in Detroit, Jennings had 15 points and 13 assists, including four of six from 3-point range, in sparking Detroit to a 113-94 win. "Brandon handled himself like a professional," Drummond said. "He got booed, but its all part of the game." Ersan Ilyasova, who has been plagued by injuries that include a sore ankle, scored a season high 22 points, including 16 in the first half, and had 10 rebounds off the bench to lead the Bucks, who have lost 13 of 14. Middleton added 14 points for Milwaukee. "Its the first time I feel healthy. My ankle is getting better," Ilyasova said. We have to find a way to play much better. We have to come together and find a way to win games." The Pistons trailed by five at the half, but used a 16-0 run midway through the third quarter to take a 10-point lead. The Bucks got within five points on Knights 3 with 1:36 remaining in the game, but thats as close as they would get. Ekpe Udoh had five blocked shots in the second quarter for Milwaukee, tying his career high. He finished with six. The Bucks used a 15-1 run to open a 38-31 second-quarter lead and held at 50-45 advantage at halftime. Detroit made just 33 per cent of its shots over the first two quarters. NOTES: Police issued municipal citations to Bucks centre Larry Sanders for disorderly conduct and assault and battery stemming from a fight last month at a downtown Milwaukee nightclub. Drew had no comment when asked about the citations. Sanders had surgery on his right thumb on Nov. 11 after getting hurt during the scrum. He initially was expected to be out four to six weeks. Drew on Wednesday had no update on a timetable for Sanders return. ... Pistons guard Chauncey Billups remained sidelined with left knee tendinitis and guard Will Bynum was inactive with an adductor strain. ' ' '