After Match Day 13, the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament shows the following results.
Wednesday 23 June
Group E: Slovakia 0-5 Spain (Seville)
Group E: Sweden 3-2 Poland (St Petersburg)
Group F: Germany 2-2 Hungary (Munich)
Group F: Portugal 2-2 France (Budapest)
The last set of group matches were played yesterday amidst tensions of who crosses over, especially in the group of death.
Having saved Alvaro Morata’s penalty early on in the 12th minute, Slovakian goalkeeper, Martin Dubravka plummeted from hero to zero when his howler (30’) handed Spain the passage into an evening harvest of goals. He comically flapped the ball into his own net. With more goals coming after the break, Luis Enrique’s men ensured Slovakia did not only smell the second spot but also did not finish as one of best third-placed teams to qualify. Pablo Sarabia scored the 3rd (56’) and assisted Ferran Torres to make it four in the 67th minute. Slovakian Juraj Kucka congratulated Spain’s passaged into the Round of 16 with another own goal to make it five.
The second match in Group E saw Sweden overrun Poland despite Robert Lewandowski’s double. That defeat took Poland home and they would need to relieve the weight around the Bayern’s hitman’s shoulders by getting in more players who would make things easier for him and take over as he ages. The Swedes came into the game determined to top the group. Emil Forsberg had some poor Polish defending to thank for the opener – the second-fastest goal in Euro’s history (1 minute, 21 seconds) – which came when he bundled past multiple challenges before applying a left-footed finish. Forsberg was on song again on the 59th minute to put Sweden on a cruiser. Lewandowski canceled out in the 61st and 84th minute. But just when Poland was starting to have qualification hopes, Viktor Claesson dashed their hopes with the winning strike in the 4th minute of added time. That meant Sweden topped the group with Spain coming second while Poland went home with just one point.
In Group F, the group of death, it was drama throughout the game as all four teams tried to cancel each other out while jostling for knockout stage spots.
It was a ‘Real Madrid show’ of sorts in the match between Euro defending champions, Portugal, and world champions, France, as a double from both Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema staled the encounter to a 2-2 draw. Ronaldo, ipso facto, equaled Ali Daei’s long standing record of 109 international goals. At the third ends, the potency of both teams’ attacking strike force was blunted by defence lines marshaled by Real Madrid players (former and incumbent) as Pepe charged at the French trio of Benzema, Griezmann and Mbappe while Varane curtailed the record ambitions of C. Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota and the rest. The match needed three penalties and one open-play goal by Benzema to ensure both teams scaled through to the Round of 16 with Spain topping the group and Portugal coming in as one of best third-placed teams.
In the second match between Germany and Hungary, the former had to rely on an 84th minute equalizer by Leon Goretzka to halt the embarrassment already packaged by Hungary. Adam Szalai opened scoring in the 11th minute for Hungary who had made great statements in the tournament but possibly had bad luck or lack of tactical discipline to hold forth to victories or draws especially within the last 7 minutes. Chelsea golden boy, Kai Havertz, restored parity in the 66th minute only for Andras Schafer to put Hungary ahead two minutes later. Germany has, thus, progressed from the group stage in seven of their last eight major international tournaments (World Cups/Euros), failing only at the 2018 World Cup in this spell.
The Statistics
At the end of the last set of group matches, the following statistics are available:
- 36 matches have been played out of 51 matches
- 94 goals have been scored in all with an average of 62 goals per match and an average scoring time of 34 minutes per goal.
- Netherlands has taken over the highest number of goals with 8 goals
- Spain maintains the highest possession per game with 68.7%
- Germany maintains the highest passing accuracy with Belgium at 89.7%
- Denmark maintains the highest total attempts at 61
- Hungary maintains the highest tackles at 62
- Netherlands has taken over the highest ball recovery at 155
- Turkey has taken over the highest saves at 18
- Italy maintains a 100% clean sheet with England at 3
Stay tuned here to get updates on the results, next match day fixtures and, flashpoints of the tournament as it progresses.
Azuka Edokobi is a Writer , a Farmer, a Supply Chain Expert and an Entrepreneur
