UEFA 2020 Euro Championship – Day 14
Group E: Slovakia (0) 0 – 5 (2) Spain
Goal-scorers: Dúbravka (30’og), Laporte (45’+3’), Sarabia (56′), Torres (67′), Kucka (71’og)
La Cartuja, Seville
Spain had come into the game on a wave of criticism, and it looked like it was just not going to be their day in the opening thirty minutes of the first-half. Alvaro Morata had his penalty saved on twelve minutes and other excellent chances went begging until a freakish own-goal opened the floodgates for the Spanish. After half an hour, Sarabia shot from distance, with his shot going straight up in the air off the crossbar. As it came down the Slovakian ‘keeper Martin Dubravka went to push the ball over the bar, but instead simply palmed it into his own net. It was the piece of luck that Spain needed, and they never looked back from that moment. Laporte headed home in time added on at the end of the first-half, with the rout completed with three second-half half goals, including yet another own-goal as Kucka shinned in on the goal-line in a melee in the box. Spain through in second-place edging out Slovakia, with them having to wait until the later kick-offs to find out that Croatia would be their opponents in the last sixteen.
Group E: Sweden (1) 3 – 2 (0) Poland
Goal-scorers: Sweden – Forsberg (2′, 59′), Claesson (90’+3’). Poland – Lewandowski (61′, 84’)
Krestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg
A game which looked all over after an hour with two clinical finishes from Forsberg, sprang to life in the final thirty minutes. With the Swedish fans still celebrating the second goal, on fifty-nine minutes, two minutes later Lewandowski produced a special finish to reduce the deficit. The comeback was complete with six minutes remaining as the Poles looked for a winner that would give them a chance of progress. However, deep into time added-on, substitute Claesson ended Poland’s hopes as he jinked into the box to give the Swedes a dramatic 3-2 victory. Sweden top and a trip to Glasgow to take on Ukraine.
Group F: Germany (0) 2 – 2 (1) Hungary
Goal-scorers: Germany – Havertz (66′), Goretzka (84′). Hungary – Szalai (11′), Schäfer (68′)
Allianz Arena, Munich
At 2-1 with six minutes remaining Germany were heading out, until Hungary were unable to clear the pressure from their box leaving Goretzka to drive home an equaliser. Hungary held the half-time advantage through Szalai, a lead they held until a mistake by Hungary’s ‘keeper Gulácsi gifted Germany an equaliser, as he came for a cross and got nowhere near it allowing Havertz to bundle the ball home from close range. The lead was short-lived as Schäfer bravely headed home as Neuer rushed out of his goal to put Hungary 2-1. But it wasn’t to be a fairy-tale ending for the Magyars, as the Germans got that important leveller to set-up a date with England at Wembley.
Group F: France (1) 2 – 2 (1) Portugal
Goal-scorer: Portugal – Ronaldo (30′ pen, 60’pen). France – Benzema (45’+2’ pen, 47′)
Puskas Arena, Budapest
Penalties galore in this one! Two for Portugal converted by Ronaldo (who else) which saw him equal Ali Daei’s record set (109 goals) with Iran between 1993 and 2006. Both were pretty nailed on penalties, whilst France could be said to have got a soft one, with Mbappe going down under what looked like a should-to-shoulder collision with the Portuguese defender. Benzema did the business from the spot just before the break and finished neatly just after half-time to put the French 2-1 up, until Ronaldo’s leveller from the pot on the hour mark. France’s best chance to win it produced a brilliant double-save from Rui Patricio, to deny Pogba and then Griezmann from the rebound. Both sides through with France top and a game against the Swiss, with Portugal facing Belgium in Spain. A truly incredible last day of group games.
After that dramatic evening, all that now know the last sixteen pairings, which are as follows:
Saturday 26 June 2021
Wales v Denmark (Johan Cruyff Arena, Amsterdam)
Italy v Austria (Wembley Stadium, London)
Sunday 27 June 2021
Netherlands v Czech Republic (Puskas Arena, Budapest)
Belgium v Portugal (La Cartuja, Seville)
Monday 28 June 2021
Croatia v Spain (Parken Stadium, Copenhagen)
France v Switzerland (Arena Na?ionala, Bucharest)
Tuesday 29 June 2021
England v Germany (Wembley Stadium, London)
Sweden v Ukraine (Hampden Park, Glasgow)