Euro games reports

[frogmiller]

Could Albania nick an equaliser?

[Brin]

Could Albania nick an equaliser?

As Greavsie use to say....'It's a funny old game Saint' so yes they could, as much as Italy are pressing.

[Brin]

Mmmmmm, very close indeed with Albania coming close on more than one occasion in the closing stages.

Final score Italy 2 v 1 Albania. Some good games up to now, I'm enjoying this so far.

[Brin]

We dip into Group D for this fixture and with Poland's 'Big gun" missing maybe the Dutch have a slight edge?

Poland will be without key striker Robert Lewandowski for their Euro 2024 opener against the Netherlands, who have injury issues of their own. Barcelona forward Lewandowski, 35, is out of the Group D match at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg with hamstring trouble.There have been concerns Poland's all-time record goalscorer could miss the whole group stage, but boss Michal Probierz believes he will be back to face Austria on 21 June.

"Robert will probably join the team for the match against Austria," he said.
"There is progress in his treatment. The medical staff are doing everything to get him back on his feet.”

Netherlands, meanwhile, have had to deal with the late withdrawals of playmaker Frenkie de Jong (ankle) and Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners (groin).

The Dutch go into the tournament as one of the favourites as they look to win the European Championship for the first time since 1988.

[Brin]

Remember well last time in the Euros where Christian Eriksen collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest in Denmark's defeat by Finland. Now a Manchester United player, the midfielder received CPR on the pitch in June 2021 and was subsequently fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to keep track of his heartbeat.

he does sound upbeat for the game though saying, "For me, personally, everything more than one game is an improvement,"
"It's been my goal since the beginning to come back to this level. It's been three years; a lot has happened in the meantime.
"It's not something I overthink. I just look forward to playing football and look at the positives."

As for Slovenia, they are playing in just their second Euro finals, some 24 years after their debut appearance.

Here's some stats between the two sides:

Slovenia have never beaten Denmark in their six previous meetings in all competitions, losing on five occasions (D1). They were in the same qualifying group for Euro 2024.
Denmark are making their 10th appearance at the Euros. They won the tournament in 1992.
Since that 1992 triumph, Denmark have reached the knockout stages on only two occasions - quarter-finals in 2004, semi-finals in 2020.
Benjamin Sesko scored five goals and assisted two more in nine Euro 2024 qualifying appearances - the most goals and assists of any Slovenian player.
Rasmus Hojlund scored seven goals in qualifying for Denmark, also having the most shots (23), shots on target (13) and highest expected goals (5.2 xG) of any Danish player.

Sounds like a Denmark win reading that but, we know it's a crazy game and there's always an unexpected underdog.

[Brin]

Here it is, the one we've all been waiting for. A flip or a flop for us, what's it to be?

Gareth Southgate says England will need to be "exceptional" to progress beyond the Euro 2024 group stages as they focus on Sunday's opener against Serbia. The 53-year-old told German newspaper Bild earlier this week that failure to win a trophy in Germany could see the end of his stay as England manager.

Southgate has been in charge since 2016, taking his side to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the Euro 2020 final and the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals in Qatar. His contract is due to expire in December but the Football Association are keen for him to remain as manager for the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico.

I just hope he's brave enough to make changes when required and not be weak like he was against the Italians last time around.

As for Serbia, they arrive in Germany following a mixed bag of results, having lost 2-1 to Austria before beating 3-0 Sweden in their friendly matches. Despite qualifying for four of the past five World Cups, they will take part in their first European Championships since 2000, when Serbia and Montenegro competed as FR Yugoslavia.
Coached by former player Dragan Stojkovic, Serbia will look to cause problems from set-pieces and with long balls in to former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who now plays in Saudi Arabia.
Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic will bolster the attack, while Chelsea goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic and Fulham midfielder Sasa Lukic are also in the squad.

A few match stats between the two:

There have been 15 matches between these sides – 14 involving England and Yugoslavia plus the Three Lions' 2-1 win against Serbia and Montenegro in a friendly in Leicester in 2003.

Harry Kane is set to make his 23rd major tournament appearance and play his 12th game at the Euros – both will be new outright records for England.

Jordan Pickford is one shy of matching Peter Shilton's record of 10 clean sheets for England at major tournaments.
Gareth Southgate's side have won one of their previous five games in all competitions (D2, L2).

England have played 38 games at the Euros (this will be the 39th) – the most by a team that has not won the competition!

The Three Lions beat Croatia 1-0 at Wembley in their opening game at Euro 2020 but have failed to win their first match at their other nine European Championship appearances (D5, L4).

Serbia have been eliminated in the group stage in each of their last four major tournament appearances, all at the World Cup – as Serbia in 2010, 2018 and 2022, and as Serbia and Montenegro in 2006.

A third of Serbia's 15 goals in qualifying were headers, the highest proportion of any Euro 2024 finalist.

[frogmiller]

The Dutch are doing what the Dutch do best!

What an atmosphere they’ve created. A bit cringe but still a great atmosphere.

Come on Poland 😂

[Derbymiller]

It will be a 1-1 draw and not a great performance, we will sit deep pass the ball around in our own half or at the halfway line, we won’t press high and will be slow in attack. However I have been wrong predicting every score so far so hopefully I will be wrong again, in our favour

[animallittle3]

Ultimately it's down to the players themselves in my opinion irrespective of who stands in the technical area .

Once the players cross that white line it's down to them , we know we've got the attacking talent , I take the point defensively it's more workmanlike but none the less Walker , Stones and Shaw are decent enough to see us go all the way .

Plenty of experience now to tap into at the business end of tournaments .

There's no reason why we can't win it in my opinion .

[Eternal Optimist]

Some nut job with a pickaxe and a petrol bomb in Hamburg has been shot by the coppers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c72292lpz2yo