EURO 2016: France qualifies

France beat Albania 2-0 very late on, with the first goal coming in the closing minutes of the second half; Russia pressed but could not translate possession into fish in the net; Romania and Switzerland hammered out a draw. Group A, now with one game left on June 20, is still wide open.

Russia 1 Slovakia 2

Glushakov (80) Weiss (32) Hamsik (45)

Ball possession 62% to Russia, 32% to Slovakia, passing accuracy 88% to 79%, 6 corners to 5, 15 shots to nine, no cards to Russia, one to Slovakia, six Russian shots saved, to two saves against Slovakia. Conclusion: it is not enough to have the edge if you do not produce the goods, and this means fish in the net.

Russia

Akinfeev, Smolnikov, Ignashevich, Neustädter (Glushakov)  Kokorin (Shirokov), Smolov , Golovin (Mamaev),  V. Berezutski (Captain), Shatov, Schennikov, Dzyuba

Slovakia

Kozacik, Pekarik, Skrtel (Captain), Durica, Weiss (Svento), Duda (Nemec), Hubocan,Hamsik,Kucka, Mak (Duris), Pecovsky

 

Romania 1 Switzerland 1

Stancu (18. pen) Mehmedi (57)

Switzerland pressed more, had more of the ball (61 to 39%), had more corners (7 to 4), 19 shots to 14. All teams in the group have everything to play for, now that Switzerland and France meet in the next game and Romania faces Albania.

Romania

Tatarusanu, Rat (Filip), Chiriches,Chipciu, Pintilii (Hoban), Torje, Keserü, Prepelita, Stancu (Andone), Grigore, Sapunaru

Switzerland

Sommer, Lichtsteiner, Seferovic (Embolo), Xhaka, Behrami, Rodríguez, Dzemaili (Lang), Mehmedi , Djourou, Schär, Shaqiri (Tarashaj) 

France 2 Albania 0

Griezmann (90)

Payet (90+6)

Ball possession 59 to 41%, 22 shots to 8, France dominated a game in which both teams had their chances and both saw a ball come off the woodwork. But the home factor dominated and Payet put on a display, claiming pride of France for France in France 2016.

France

Lloris, Evra, Rami, Kante, Payet, Giroud (Gignac), Martial (Pogba), Matuidi, Sagna, Coman (Griezmann), Koscielny

Albania

Berisha, Lila (Roshi), Lenjani, Hysaj,Agolli, Memushaj, Sadiku, Kukeli (Xhaka), Mavraj, Ajeti, Abrashi (Veseli)

Previous games

Portugal 1 Iceland 1

Nani (31) Birkir Bjarnason (50)

Ball possession 78 per cent to Portugal, 28 % to Iceland, 26 shots against 4, 9 on target (against the four). Portugal pressed but did not break through an ice-cold Icelandic defense.

Portugal

Patrício, Vierinha, Pepe, Carvalho, Guerreiro, Danilo, Gomes (èder), João Mário (Quaresma), Moutinho (Renato Sanzhes), Ronaldo, Nani

Iceland

Halldórsson, Saevarsson, Sigurdsson, Arnason, Skúlason, Gudmundsson (Bjarnason), Gunnarsson, Sigurdsson, Bjarnason, Sigthorsson (Finnbogason), Bödvarsson

 

Austria 0 Hungary 2

Szalai (62), Stieber (87)

Hungary had slightly more of the ball, attacked more, had more shots...Austria saw a ball come back off the woodwork and saw 5 shots saved, Kiraly being the busier of the two keepers. Dragovic was sent off for two yellow cards on 66', making it that much harder for Austria to climb the hill after Hungary scored.

 

Austria

Almer, Klein, Dragovic, Fuchs, Hinteregger, Junuzovic (Sabitzer), Baumgartlinger, Alaba, Arnautovic, Harnik (Schöpf), Janko (Okotie)

Hungary

Kiraly, Lang, Fiola, Kadar, Guzmics, Nagy, Gera, Nemeth (Pinter), Dzsudzsak, Kleinheisler (Steiber), Szalai (Priskin)

 

 

Italy 2 Belgium 0

Giaccherini (32)

Pellè (90+3)

Belgium had not beaten Italy in a competitive match in 34 years. At the beginning of the first half, we understood why but as the half grew on, in end-to-end soccer, Belgium's midfield started to gain control, creating some danger for Buffon. However, Italy reacted and scored on 32 minutes through Giaccherini, then fired two shots at Courteois' goal in three minutes.

Belgium was far from tamed, and as Italy fell back and played the counter-attack, with seven players massing the midfield, Belgium surged forward and created several attacks which could have been more dangerous if the center-forward Lukaku had not been marked out of the game - he did not have one chance in the entire first half.

In the second, the game exploded, with attack after attack after attack being launched in waves by both teams. This was soccer at its best, its very best. Lukaku shot over on 53' with only the keeper to beat, Pellè answered for Italy, with a header testing Courteois, for the next five minutes it was Belgium, Italy, Belgium, Italy, Belgium, Italy. The waves became longer, both teams pressed and right at the end, an Italian counter-attack ended in Pellè's 2-0. Deserved for Italy, yes. Did Belgium deserve to lose by two goals? No, a draw would have been a fairer result.

Italy

Buffon (Captain), Chiellini, Darmian (De Sciglio), Candreva, Pellè, Barzagli, De Rossi (Motta), Éder (Immobile), Parolo, Bonucci, Giaccherini

Belgium

Courteois, Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Nainggolan (Mertens), Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Fellaini, Lukaku (Origi), Hazard (Captain), Ciman (Carrasco)

Republic of Ireland 1 Sweden 1

Hoolahan (48) Clark (own goal) (71)

Frankly, the Republic of Ireland should have come away with the three points from a game in which the Emerald Isle shone, in terms of imagination, determination, grit, flair and magic. Ireland had four attempts on target, against none for Sweden, a team which looked shocked and suffocated from the start. Ireland also saw a ball come back off the crossbar, although Sweden had more possession and a better pass rate, the motor of the team, Ibrahimovic, forcing his colleagues forward. Almost marked out of the game, there was little the brilliant Sweden captain could do. Sweden will be celebrating, Ireland ruing the result.

Republic of Ireland

Randolph, Coleman, Clark, O'Shea (Captain), Whelan, McCarthy (McGeady), Long, Hendrick, Walters (McClean), Brady, Hoolahan (Keane)

Sweden

Isaksson, Lustig (Johansson), Granqvist, Olsson, Forsberg, Larsson, Källström, Ibrahimovic (Captain), Berg (Guidetti), Lindelöf, Lewicki (Ekdal)

Spain 1 Czech Republic 0

Piqué (87)

More possession, more shots, more corners, more shots on target, one goal scored, none conceded, sums up the game between Spain and the Czech Republic, a tream which nevertheless put up a spirited and organized defense.

Spain

De Gea, Piqué, Busquets, Iniesta, Morata (Aduriz), Fàbregas (Alcántara), Ramos (Captain) Juanfran, Alba, Silva, Nolito (Rodríguez)

Czech Republic

Cech, Kaderabek, Gebre Selassie (Sural), Hubnik, Sivok, Necid (Lafata), Limbersky, Rosicky (Captain) (Pavelka), Plasil, Krejci, Darida

Germany 2 Ukraine 0

Mustafi (19)

Schweinsteiger (90+2)

Mykhailo Fomenko's team was the first at the EURO 2016 championship to lose by two goals. Did Ukraine deserve to lose by two goals against Germany tonight? No way. Fomenko has created an organized side, showing good physical preparation, very good teamwork. Ukraine played some brave, solid soccer. Unfortunately, being brave and passing the ball around the pitch is not enough against a German team which purrs like a well-oiled Mercedes Benz, which works 24 hours a day for 25 years without stopping and without a breakdown...without conceding a goal.

Germany does not miss a pass and from beginning to end launches constant attacks on both flanks, in the center, on the ground, on the volley and in the air. Guardiola's passage in Bayern Munich also gave the German midfield the quality of tiki-taka, the short-passing game which is so difficult to play against.

Germany managed nine shots on target, against Ukraine's three and had a ball possession statistic of 62% to Ukraine's 38%. The maturity of Germany's game is impressive. Yet even with the 38 per cent of possession, Ukraine had the chances to change the game, especially in the first half. Germany is excellent but something indicates that Löw's side may not any more be über alles...

Germany

Neuer (Captain), Mustafi, Hector, Höwedes, Khedira, Özil, Draxler (Schürrle), Müller, Boateng, Kroos, Götze (Bastian Schweinsteiger)

Ukraine

Pyatov, Khacheridi, Stepanenko, Yarmolenko, Zozulya (Seleznyov), Kovalenko (Zinchenko), Konoplyanka, Shevchuk (Captain), Sydorchuk, Fedetskiy, Rakitskiy

Croatia 1  Turkey 0

Modric (41)

Srna, Perisic, Brozovic hit the crossbar. Modric scored with a long-range volley before the halfr-time break on 41'. There is no doubt which team deserved the three points. Croatia had 18 shots to 9, 6 on target against 2, although ball possession was divided almost equally, 51% to Croatia against Turkey's 49%. Yet again an excellent game of soccer, congratulations to both teams for maintaining the high standard we have seen so far here in France

Croatia

Subasic, Strinic, Perisic (Kramanic), Corluka, Rakitic (Schildenfeld), Modric, Srna (Captain), Brozovic, Mandzukic (Pjaca), Badelj, Vida

Turkey

Babacan, Balta, Çalhanoglu, Gönül, Inan, Tosun (Mor), Turan (Captain) (Yilmaz), Özyakup (Sen), Topal, Tufan, Erkin

Poland 1 Northern Ireland 0

Milik (51)

 

Nobody can deny that Poland deserved the win, although Northern Ireland showed spirit, graft and courage, organization and teamwork, witness of the reason why the team has reached the final phase of the EURO 2016 championship in France.

 

Poland had 18 shots against Northern Ireland's 2, 8 corners to 1 and a ball possession of 60 per cent against 40. This superiority however was not translated into goals and throughout the game, Northern Ireland looked as if the slender lead could be cut. It was not to be.

 

Poland

Szczesny, Pazdan, Jedrzejczyk, Maczynski (Jodlowiec), Milik, Lewandowski (Captain), Krychowiak, Glik, Blaszczykowski (Grosicki), Piszczek, Kapusta (Peszko)

 

Northern Ireland

McGovern, McLaughlin, Ferguson (Washington), McAuley, Evans, Baird (Ward), David (Captain), Lafferty, Norwood, McNair (Dallas), Cathcart

In the age of globalized information, there are no secrets. Mighty Brazil was humiliated at home by Germany, playing tiki-taka, two years ago. Today, Albania, Wales and Iceland are participating as equals in the final phase of major championships. We saw why today. Wales got three points, Albania lost but was not outclassed.

 

Russia faced a young England team fired up by the cultured coach, Roy Hodgson. England today can pass the ball, can close the gaps at the back, can score and park the bus. Russia until today could not compete on equal terms with the world's best, except on rare occasions. Passes went astray, shots went wide...many Russians said "Soccer and Russia do not mix". Today, Russia re-wrote its footballing history.

 

Leonid Slutski's team fought on equal terms with an excellent and young England squad. Did Russia deserve to win the game? Frankly, no. But it would not have been a scandal if Russia did. Did Russia deserve to lose the game? Frankly, no. Conclusion: the result was fair.

 

England attacked more but the Russian defense was resolute throughout. And more, the Russian team respected England but was never over-awed.

 

 

England 1      Russia 1

Dier (73)         Berezutski (90+2)

 

England

Hart, Walker, Rose, Cahill, Smalling, Sterling (Milner), Lallana, Kane, Rooney (Captain), (Wilshere), Dier, Alli

 

Russia

Akinfeev, Smolnikov, Ignashevich, Neustädter (Glushakov), Kokorin, Smolov (Mamaev), Golovin (Shirokov), V. Berezutski (Captain), Shatov, Schennikov, Dzyuba

Switzerland 1 Albania 0.

Schär (5)

 A goal on five minutes from Schär was enough to seal the win for the Swiss but Albania showed why they have reached the finals stage with some impressive football and great organization. Albania's captain Lorik Cana was sent off for getting second yellow card on 36'.

Switzerland

Sommer, Lichtsteiner, Seferovic, Xhaka, Behrami, Rodríguez, Dzemaili (Frei), Mehmedi (Embolo), Djourou, Schär, Shaqiri (Gelson Fernandes)

Albania

Berisha, Lenjani, Hysaj, Cana, Agolli, Sadiku (Gashi), Kukeli, Khaka (Kaçe), Mavraj, Roshi (Çikalleshi), Abrashi

 

Wales 2                      Slovakia 1

Bale (10)                    Duda (61)

Robson-Kanu (81)

 

Slovakia saw one come back off the woodwork, saw 4 magnificent saves, had more ball possession, but Wales weathered the storm, held on and came back to clinch the winner. A magnificent team effort, proof that Wales is more than Gareth Bale. Chris Coleman substituted Williams for the goal-scorer: for Ján Kozák's side, Duda came on after 60 minutes and scored almost immediately.

 

Wales

Ward, Gunter, Taylor, Davies, Chester, A. Williams (Captain), Allen, Ramsey (J. Richards), Bale, Edwards (Ledley), J. Williams (Hal Robson-Kanu)

  

Slovakia

Kozacik, Pekarik, Skrtel (Captain), Durica, Weiss, Hrosovsky (Duda), Hamsik, Svento, Kucka (Stoch), Mak, Duris (Nemec)

 

France 2       Romania 1

Giroud (58)  Stanciu (pen.) (65)

Payet (89)

At the Stade de France, in Paris, Didier Deschamps' France, the hosts, faced Anghel Iordanescu's Romania. The teams had drawn four of their last five competitive matches and at the EURO, the last two encounters ended in a 1-0 win for Framce in 1996 and a 0-0 draw in 2008.

 

Iordanescu had said before the match started that he aimed to qualify for the next round and also to show quality football. And he delivered. At half-time, Romania had had an equal chance of a goal and had been denied a clear penalty.

 

The first situation of danger came on 4' after a corner to Romania, the ball was cleared off the French line by goalkeeper Lloris. On 10', Griezmann came back for France, getting a corner from which Giroud headed just wide. Giroud took advantage of a rebound on 14', firing against the post. On 36', Griezmann fired just wide as once again France created danger.

 

38 minutes, PENALTY TO ROMANIA!!

 

But not given by the referee Viktor Kassai. And one was clearly fouled in the penalty area, receiving a treacherous and dangerous kick to his knee.

 

The first half ended with Giroud heading over from a corner. Chances for both sides, France ahead in terms of attack, but Romania resolute.

 

After the break, Stanciu fired wide after gaining a good position on 48' but France came back. Tatarusanu saved on the line on 52', and again on 57' denied Pogba. On 58', Giroud back-headed the first French goal from outside the area.

 

Romania did not give up and on 64', Stanciu was fouled in the area, and scored (65') from the resulting penalty. 1-1. End-to-end stuff until right at the end of the game, when Payet pulled off perhaps the goal of the tournament in the first match, firing into the top right-hand corner from outside the area. Space given by the Romanian defence, but a spectacular piece of timely individual skill.

 

 

France

Lloris, Sagna, Koscielny, Rami, Evra, Kante, Matuidi, Pogba (Martial), Griezmann (Coman), Payet (Sissoko), Giroud

Romania

Tatarusanu, Sapunaru, Grigore, Chiriches, Rat, Hoban, Pintilii, Stanciu, Popa (Torje), Stanciu (Chipciu), Andone (Alibec)

 

EURO 2016 France: All you need to know

 

Russia's games, calendars of games, the groups and the system, all here at Pravda.Ru sports section. Pravda.Ru sportsdesk led by Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey with five correspondents in France will bring you all the latest information on the games, the players and the competition.

 

Russia's games

June 11 v. England in Marseille (20.00 BST)

June 15 v. Slovakia in Lille (14.00 BST)

June 20 v. Wales in Toulouse (20.00 BST)

 

Euro 2016 - The groups

  

Group A

France, Romania, Albania, Switzerland

June 10 (20) France 2 Romania 1 (Giroud, Payet) (Stanciu)

June 11 (14) Albania 0 Switzerland 1 (Schär)

June 15 (17) Romania v. Switzerland

June 15 (20) France v. Albania

June 20 (20) Romania v. Albania; Switzerland v. France

 

France 1 1 0 0 2 1 3

Switzerland 1 1 0 0 1 0 3

Romania 1 0 0 1 1 2 0

Albania 1 0 0 1 0 1 0

 

 

Group B

England, Russia, Wales, Slovakia

June 11 (17) Wales 2 Slovakia 1 (Bale, Robson-Kanu) (Duda)

June 11 (20) England 1 Russia 1 (Dier) (Berezutski)

June 15 (14) Russia v. Slovakia

June 16 (14) England v. Wales

June 20 (20) Russia v. Wales; Slovakia v. England

 

Wales 1 0 0 2 1 3

Russia 1 0 1 0 1 1 1

England 1 0 1 0 1 1 1

Slovakia 1 0 0 1 1 2 0

 

Group C

Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Northern Ireland

June 12 (17) Poland 1 Northern Ireland 0 (Milik)

June 12 (20) Germany 2 Ukraine 0 (Mustafi, Schweinsteiger)

June 16 (17) Ukraine v. Northern Ireland

June 16 (20) Germany v. Poland

June 21 (17) Ukraine v. Poland; Northern Ireland v. Germany

 

Germany 1 1 0 0 2 0 3

Poland 1 1 0 0 1 0 3

Northern Ireland 1 0 0 1 0 1 0

Ukraine 1 0 0 1 0 2 0

 

Group D

Spain, Czech Republic, Turkey, Croatia

June 12 (14) Turkey 0 Croatia 1 (Modric)

June 13 (14) Spain 1 Czech Republic 0 (Piqué)

June 17 (17) Czech Republic v. Croatia

June 17 (20) Spain v. Turkey

June 21 (20) Czech Republic v. Turkey; Croatia v. Spain

Spain 1 1 0 0 1 0 3

Croatia 1 1 0 0 1 0 3

Turkey 1 0 0 1 0 1 0

Czech Republic 1 0 0 1 0 1 0

 

Group E

Belgium, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Sweden

June 13 (17) Republic of Ireland 1 Sweden 1 (Hoolahan) (Clark, og)

June 13 (20) Belgium 0 Italy 2 (Giaccherini, Pellè)

June 17 (14) Italy v. Sweden

June 18 (14) Belgium v. Republic of Ireland

June 22 (20) Italy v. Republic of Ireland; Sweden v. Belgium

Italy 1 1 0 0 2 0 3

Republic of Ireland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1

Sweden 1 0 1 0 1 1 1

Belgium 1 0 0 1 0 2 0

 

Group F

Portugal, Iceland, Austria, Hungary

June 14 (17) Austria 0 Hungary 2 (Szalai, 62, Stieber, 87)

June 14 (20) Portugal 1 Iceland 1

June 17 (17) Iceland v. Hungary

June 17 (20) Portugal v. Austria

June 22 (17) Iceland v. Austria; Hungary v. Portugal

 

Last 16

Saturday June 25 Group A (2) v. Group C (2);   Group B (1) v. Group ACD (3);  Group D (1) v. Group BEF (3)

Sunday June 26 Group A (1) v. Group CDE (3); Group C (1) v. Group ABF (3); Group F (1) v. Group E (2)

Monday June 27 Group E (1) v. Group D (2); Group B (2) v. Group F (2)

 

A.A. Shatov

Pravda.Ru

 

Edited by Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru

France

- See more at: https://english.pravda.ru/news/society/15-06-2016/134722-uefa_first_round-0/#sthash.FCq9QA2u.dpuf