The end of the group stage at a major international tournament is always a bittersweet moment. No longer are we treated to a feast of two-to-four matches per day, but with the knockout rounds beginning you’re left with the best teams going head-to-head in win-or-go-home matches. With that in mind, here are The18’s Euro 2020 Round of 16 predictions for the eight matches we can’t wait to watch.
The European Championship is entering its knockout phase and the following is an overview of the remaining 16 teams:
AUSTRIA
Utilizando una formación alternativa, Italia venció a Gales por 1-0 para cerrar su participación en el Grupo A de la Euro 2020 con una campaña perfecta: tres triunfos, siete goles a favor y ninguno en contra. Un pleno que nunca antes había ocurrido en la competencia.
El autor de la conquista ante Gales fue Matteo Pessina, mediocampista de la Atalanta quien, por sus gustos e intereses, parece un hombre sacado directamente desde el Renacimiento.
For the first time in European Championship history, a nation has won all three of its group stage matches without conceding a goal. Italy defeated Wales 1-0 on Sunday to finish top of Group A and book a Round of 16 trip to Wembley Stadium, where they’ll likely meet either Ukraine or Austria.
Italy manager Roberto Mancini made eight changes to the side that hammered Switzerland on Wednesday, but the Azzurri looked no different in how they went about dominating the opposition.
Juega poco, pero cada vez que lo hace, Gareth Bale demuestra que es un talento excepcional. El "11" de Gales hoy, por ejemplo, fue vital en la victoria por 2-0 de los Dragones sobre Turquía, en el Grupo A de la Euro 2020.
Su performance fue casi perfecta, en gran parte a las dos asistencias que registró. ¿Qué le faltó? No errar de manera tan catastrófica el penal que tuvo en sus pies.
¡¡La falló!! ⚽️
América y Europa, dos continentes que viven el fútbol de manera distinta. Pasión de los hinchas o el fútbol de constelaciones y estrellas. La espontaneidad o la organización desmedida. La humildad o el lujo donde sobran los millones. Improvisación o coordinación. Pasantía o tesis de doctorado. Sueño o consagración.
El Océano Atlántico separa el nuevo del viejo continente. Unos 7.000 kilómetros de distancia corroboran las diferencias políticas, económicas, culturales y sociales que existen entre ambos. El fútbol no escapa a eso.
Wales is closing in on a second-consecutive trip to the Euro knockout stages after defeating Turkey 2-0 on Wednesday. The margin of victory could have been larger for the Dragons if not for squandered chances and an unreal Gareth Bale penalty miss.
In the middle of the second half Gareth Bale was taken down just inside the penalty box. The Welsh legend stepped up to take the kick and did the unthinkable. He skied it.
BAKU — Striker Kieffer Moore headed in an equaliser from one of Wales' few chances as the surprise 2016 semifinalists snatched a 1-1 draw against wasteful Switzerland in their European Championship Group A clash at the Baku Olympic Stadium on Saturday.
Moore, who had a first half opportunity expertly saved by Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer, guided the ball into the net on 74 minutes from a Joe Morrell delivery as he ghosted into space left by the static Swiss defence.
Soccer's European Championship kicks off on Friday with the 24 teams' battle for glory accompanied by off-field conflict over the anti-racism gesture of "taking the knee".
England were booed by some of their fans in two friendlies while Ireland were jeered in Hungary for kneeling before kickoff in a move borrowed from American NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and popularised by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The build-up to every major international tournament is the same: who has the best striker? Or, this is why x midfielder is going to dominate or why this winger is the key to this country getting out of its group.
But no one ever talks about the goalkeepers. In such a short tournament, where three matches decide a team's fate, the importance of the goalkeeper becomes magnified.
So let's give the goalkeepers the spotlight for a little bit, because often they're the ones that end up deciding the tournament.