Euro 2020 Group D Recap and Day 13 Preview
England, Croatia, and Czech Republic advance, Scotland bow out
The final round of matches in Group D was somewhere in between Groups B and C in terms of intensity, but it was still an exciting day. There were some great goals, and one of the matches featured two teams desperate for a win.
That match was Croatia vs. Scotland, and it was an exciting match that featured some outstanding goals. Croatia took the lead just 17 minutes in, when Nikola Vlasic got on the end of an Ivan Perisic header and slotted home. Scotland equalized three minutes before halftime with their first goal of the tournament. A cross was cleared to Callum McGregor at the edge of the box, and he settled the ball nicely before firing a strike into the bottom corner. The goal elicited a roar from the crowd in Glasgow, and Scotland used that energy to create a couple more chances before halftime, but they were unable to take the lead. In the second half, Croatia really took control of the game and took the lead for good in the 62nd minute with one of the goals of the tournament from Luka Modric, who rocketed the ball into the top corner with the outside of his foot from about 20 yards out. Croatia added one more 15 minutes later, and that really took the wind out of Scotland’s sails. It was the performance that we had been waiting for from Croatia, and they will go into the knockout rounds with plenty of confidence.
In the other game, England saw off Czech Republic the same way they did Croatia. They controlled the game, created just enough score a goal, and coasted to a 1-0 win. Their goal was well taken, Jack Grealish made an excellent run down the side of the box and floated a nice ball to the back post, where it was met by Raheem Sterling. After scoring, England simply dictated possession and did not let the Czechs back into the game. England did what they needed to do, but there are still questions surrounding this team heading into the Round of 16.
Now, for a look back at the events of Group D:
England:
England came into this tournament as one of the favorites, but they have slightly underwhelmed thus far. Granted, they won two of their three matches and have not conceded a goal, but the amount that this team possesses leaves me wanting more. I think they could be much better that they have shown so far in the tournament. I also don’t think Gareth Southgate has figured out his best XI yet, and that is an issue heading into the knockout rounds.
Croatia:
This tournament got off to a rough start for Croatia, as they were beaten by England and held to a draw by Czech Republic. They looked poor in both games, but they recaptured some of the 2018 magic in their final match against Scotland. They looked a lot more like the team that made the final of the 2018 World Cup, and with Modric still pulling the strings at 35, they could be a dangerous team in the later rounds.
Czech Republic:
Euro 2020 has been an unmitigated success for the Czechs. They looked excellent in their first match against Scotland, and then held their own against Croatia and England. They may have only finished third, but their performance suggests that they may be a team to watch out for in the Round of 16. In addition, they may have a more favorable draw for that round than the teams that finished ahead of them.
Scotland:
The Scots will be disappointed with their performance, especially in their first match, against Czech Republic, when they looked really poor in what was probably their best chance at a win. They looked much better against England, however, and Billy Gilmour being out against Croatia after testing positive for COVID-19 was a huge blow. Overall, this was valuable tournament experience for a young Scotland squad, but they blew a decent shot at getting out of this group.
Tomorrow will see the final matches of the group stage, with Groups E and F wrapping up play.
The day will kick off with Group E. Slovakia faces Spain and Sweden will take on Poland. Slovakia currently sit second in the group, and have been pretty successful at frustrating their opponents. They will try to do the same thing against Spain, as a result will see them qualify for the next round. Spain need to win, and to do so they will need to finish the chances that they create. They need more cutting edge, but the fact that they need three points should make them more aggressive. Sweden sit on top of the group and have already sealed their qualification. A result against Poland would see them finish in first place. For their part, Poland needs a win. They have not looked great so far, but they have the talent to get the necessary three points.
The day, and the group stage, will wrap up with the final matches in Group F, Germany vs. Hungary and Portugal vs. France. This group is extremely tight, and all four teams could still advance. Germany need a result to advance, while Hungary need a win. Germany will see this game as an opportunity to top this group with a win. Hungary will sit back, just as they have in the first two games, but they do need a win, so they might be a bit more attacking. In the other game, Portugal need a result to go through, but they face a stiff test against France, who could win the group with a victory. Both teams prefer to play without the ball, despite having plenty of talent. It will be interesting to see which team takes control of the match, but my guess is that it will be Portugal, seeing as they will be the more desperate of the two sides.