Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages - Croatia vs Spain 3-5

 After two massive exits yesterday in Netherlands & Portugal, the attention turned towards another intriguing match between former Champions, Spain & World Cup runners up Croatia at Copenhagen. Both teams are in a rebuilding phase currently with a mix of youth & experience, but Croatia certainly missed their mercurial midfielder Ivan Perisic, who is out having tested positive to Covid !! A huge blow to their attacking third, as it eventually panned out to be. Spain prevailed in the end in an unbelievable game, which involved, horrific own goal, dramatic come backs & extra time winner. Football was the winner truly. 

The game started in frenetic fashion, as the Spanish Armada swarmed into the Croatian half, creating chances after chances, that seem to fluff at the last moment, as Livakovic under the bar made some fascinating saves. The game looked rather one sided, when suddenly out of nowhere, Pedri in possession around the midfield, backpassed towards his keeper Unai Simon, who made a disastrous mess of controlling, & the ball ricocheted off his shin to glide into his own goal. A horror of a goal, really, as Croatia went up 1-0 & suddenly Spain lost possession of their beautiful possession game, & the beefy Croats started to find their physical presence, as the game opened up at both ends. However, Spain gained control back after a period of wilderness, & in the 38th minute, Gaya took a cracking shot at the goal which was blocked by Livakovic, but the ball fell at the eager feet of a lurking Sarabia, & he made no mistake in firing into the top corner of the net for the much needed equaliser. Game 1-1 at half time. 

If the 1st half had bizarre drama of an own goal, 2nd half turned out to be what dreams are made of. The game really opened up, as Spain got the early lead in the 57th minute, as Ferran Torres floated a beautiful cross into the box & Azpilicueta jumped past Gvardiol to head past the hapless goalkeeper, for his first international goal, 2-1. Croatia, tried hard, & their midfield led by Modric made some ambling runs into the Spanish box, but Unai Simon was firm under the post to deprive any scoring opportunities. The game, seem to be running out of the Croatians, as in the 76th minute, Torres picked a wonderful cross field pass from the ever conjuring Pedri, & sidestepped Gvardiol to slot past Livakovic, as the score read 3-1. With the game slipping out of their hands, Croatia rose like a phoenix in the last 5 minutes of the game & in a goal mouth melee, Modric pulls back the ball from goal line to pass in & Kramaric poked the ball towards the goal only to cleared by Azpilicueta, but Mislav Orsic drills the ball past the goal line (checked by goal line technology), & the scoreline reads 3-2, promising for some more late drama. True to the Croatian grit of never giving up, in the injury added time, around the 93rd minute, Mario Pasalic ghosted into the box to head home a superb floater from Orsic, levelling the score at 3-3, as Spain looked completely flummoxed by this sudden surge  by their opponents. 

Into extra time, Croatia, riding the momentum, almost surged ahead, as Kramaric whipped a menacing cross into the box, which Brozovic brings down for Osric, but his curling shot went inches above the post. Once again, Orsic drilled another cross into the box, & amidst a host of Spanish defenders, Kramaric volleyed hard, but Unai Simon made a superb save. Spain settled into their customary rhythm slowly, & Olmo swung a great cross over a Croatian defender, & Morata lurking behind, controlled the ball down with a superb first touch & smashed a left footer into the top corner of the net to make it 4-3. Moments, later, Olmo, once again found Oyarzabal onside, with acres of space, & the winger snucked a left footer into the bottom corner, as Spain gained ascendancy 5-3. Croatia tried hard yet again, as Budimir got between a couple of defenders to hit hard, but Spanish keeper Simon gets down in time to push it wide past the goal line with his fingertips. From then on for the last 8-9 minutes, Spain played well within their control of short passes, as the tired legs & spirits of Croatia gave in. They should be proud of their performance today, but Spain were the superior team, all round & deserved the winner's tag. 

A fantastic match with 8 goals on display, probably the best till now in the competition, in terms of skills & tenacity - money's worth for all spectators, both on the field & millions over TV. Spain move into the quarter finals & await the winner of France vs Switzerland. Another fascinating contest in the offing 

Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages - Belgium vs Portugal 1-0

 Billed as one of the mouth watering, exciting clashes of this knockout round, the game lived upto its expectations, as both teams put in their heart & soul in a slugfest football, that at times became ugly but endearing. Eventually, current world No1 Belgium pipped the defending Champions Portugal 1-0, to move into the quarterfinals. 

Despite heavyweights like Lukaku, De Bruyne, Hazard brothers, Meunier in the forward line, Belgium were caught defending in the early parts of the game, as Portugal came up with all cylinders firing. Diogo Jota had the first look at the Belgian goal, as his left footed shot went wide from the edge of the box, after a superb pass from the tireless Renato Sanches, who snatched the ball mid park & powered into the opposition D. Midway into the 1st half, Ronaldo got a free kick just outside the box & his right footed piledriver was superbly parried away by the Belgian keeper Courtois & a rebound header by Palhinha was too weak to cause any damage. It was only around the 37th minute that Belgium had a real crack at the Portugal goal, when Meunier exchanged a one-two-one with De Bruyne & shot hard, but the ball sailed over the goalpost. Minutes later, in a brilliant combination in the Portugal half, the every dangerous & bulging Lukaku controlled & passed to De Bruyne, who found stiff resistance & moved the ball to the left flank, as Thorgan Hazard deftly controlled the ball, turned inside & conjured a ferocious right footed strike that swerved past the outstretched hands of the Portugal keeper Rui Patricio, who looked surprised & wrong footed & ended in the right hand corner of the net. The Red Devils had broken the deadlock to go up 1-0. It was one of the best goals of this tournament till date, as the Belgian supporters erupted in joy. 

2nd half  started with a huge worry for Belgium, as De Bruyne limped off early to be substituted by Mertens, as the Portugal brought in Joao Felix to strengthen the attack in search of an equaliser. Renato Sanches worked tirelessly in the midfield, pouncing & wriggling past Belgian players, creating opportunities for his forwards, as Belgian goal scrambled, & fought tenaciously to thwart attacks - Courtois conjuring some splendid, reflex saves, to frustrate Ronaldo & Co time & again. The game continued, mostly in the Belgian half, as Ronaldo, Felix, Dias, Guerreiro, Fernandes, et all tried their best, but could not get past the towering Courtois under the bar & the defending champions crashed out of Euro 2020. The last 20 minutes of the game was breathlessly a slugfest, at times getting heated amongst rival players, as Portugal threw everything forward for a well deserved equaliser, while, the Belgians defended grittily. This was Belgium's 1st win against Portugal since 1989 !!, as an exhausted Ronaldo looked forlorn & crestfallen. Having equaled Ali Daei's 109 goals in International football earlier in the tournament, CR7's dream of going past remained unfulfilled here - we hope to see him in the upcoming World Cup in 2022 at Qatar, though this would seem his last appearance for the Euros. 

Belgium sail into the quarterfinals where they will take on the might of the Azzure Blue Italy - what a fabulous encounter to look forward to ahead. However, injury scare to key playmakers, De Bruyne & Eden Hazard today, might be a huge worry for them ahead. 

Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages - Netherlands vs Czech Republic 0-2

 In the first of the giant slayer match of the tournament, unfancied Czech Republic blew away one of the title contender Netherlands, in an emphatic 2-0 win at the Ferenc Puskas stadium, Budapest. A high octane game, fizzled out for the Oranje, as they failed to make good of their chances, & allowed the Czechs to absorb the pressures & wait for the kill, as defender de Ligt got red carded in the 55 mins to give the men in white territorial as well as number advantage & wrap up a shock, but a deserving win. 

The first half started as expected with the men in orange, sweeping across the Czech half looking for an early goal, but the defense held well & composed with Vaclik under the bar looking in control. Despite a lively surge by the Dutch forwards & midfield, it was actually Czech midfielder Barak, who had the best opportunity to score from a counter attack, but de Ligt managed to deflect the shot over the post. The match looked promising & enterprising ahead. 

However, early in the second half, the Dutch had a great opportunity, as forward Donyell Malen raced past two defenders into the Czech box, but with only keeper Vaclik to beat, he tried to cheekily go past & was denied by the goalkeeper - huge chance gone waste. In an immediate counter attack, Patrik Schick ran into the Dutch box & de Ligt, in an failed attempt, deliberately hand balled to deny a scoring opportunity. Initially shown a yellow card & given a free kick, VAR intervened & the decision was changed to a red card & the defender shown out, as Netherlands were down to 10 men on the field. The Czech, now having the extra man advantage, piled pressure on the Dutch defense & almost got a Penalty from a corner kick, only to be denied by VAR - however, the shift in the game was already becoming obvious, as Kalas headed from a corner into a melee & Tomas Holes headed home into the far post. Czech 1-0 up, & Nethelands looking deflated. With 10 minutes to go, Holes snatched the ball from Wijlandum deep inside the Dutch half, raced into the penalty area & squared the ball to Schick, who gleefully fired into the left corner of the net, for his fourth goal of the tournament, with scoreline reading 2-0. 

The Dutch had only themselves to blame, failing get get past the gritty Czech, who played within their limitations & strength, to strengthen the defense & go on counter attacks. The red card on de Ligt was a telling blow, but the Dutch forwards Depay, Malen & Wijlandum & others should've made good of their chances - it was quite surprising to see a tired, insipid display, that extra effort missing. They continue to enthrall the crowds with their brilliant pressing football, but remain the perennial underachievers in the big stage. My predictions of a Dutch victory went abegging, proving that, even the best line up can falter, if they take things for granted.

The Czech, now meet Denmark in the quarters, which promises to be a fascinating contest of speed vs perseverance.