Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages - Sweden vs Ukraine 1-2

 In the last match in round of 16, Sweden faced Ukraine, as clear favourites, given the history of their football, having won against Poland & Slovakia in the Group stages. On the other hand, Ukraine had emerged as one of the 3rd team with a facile win over North Macedonia in the Group stages. However, as said earlier, its the presence in the moment that creates results in such tournaments, & in a moment of madness, when centre back Marcus Danielson of Sweden was sent off for a red card tackle on Artem Besedin in the extra time, plotting the victory for unfancied Ukraine 2-1, moments before end of play. 

The match started on a lively note, as Ukraine got the first whiff of a chance - Yaremchuk fired in a volley from inside the Swedish box, but keeper Olsen brought in a great reflex save, pushing the ball wide of the post. Sweden too had their chances, as the game opened up, but it was Ukraine who went ahead on the 27th minute, as Yarmolenko received the ball midfield in the right wing & curled a superb cross into the box where Zinchenko rifled in a brilliant half volley into the top corner of the net past Olsen. Minutes later Larsson's brilliant effort from a curling free kick is pushed out by the keeper Bushchan in time to deny Sweden an equaliser. However, their pressing efforts are rewarded just before half time, as Emil Forsberg fired in a rocket from about 25 yards & the ball takes a deflection off defender Zabarnyi & swerves past the keeper into the bottom left corner, as score level at 1-1. 

In the 2nd half, Sydorchuk hit the post after a superb effort to unleash & the Frosberg twice muffled chances to go up, as the game gradually opened up. Alexander Isak missed another sitter, with only the keeper to beat, as Sweden rued their missed chances through the most of this half, as the game is drawn into extra time. 

9 minutes into extra time & in a moment of madness, Danielson is sent off for a late challenge on Besedin, which gives Ukraine the extra man advantage. With the match in the last gap seconds, Zinchenko whipped in a brilliant cross into the box for Artem Dovbyk to head in past Olsen for a super Ukraine victory. They now face England in the quarter finals at Rome over the weekend. It will be a tough match for the Ukrainians, having reached the last eight of a major tournament for only the second time in their history. For now, they can savour a fully deserved victory over Sweden. 

Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages - England vs Germany 2-0

 A battle between the fiercest of the rivals in football, England vs Germany at Wembley, giving England the crucial home support & advantage. After a treat of exhilarating two matches yesterday, this was poised to be a humdinger, where there are no clear favourites - its the team which soak the pressure on the day & make good of half chances are likely to end winners. However, the match did not reach great heights, as Germany mostly looked a spent force. After 75 minutes of predictable & cagey play, where both sides were seemingly wary of conceding first, England broke through & went onto win 2-0

The 1st half started with Germany getting the better of exchanges  & chances, but it was England who had at least two gilt edged chances go abegging, the best being when Harry Kane could not go past a brilliant last ditch sliding clearance by Mats Hummels, in the injury time. Sterling & Maguire too missed opportunities to put England ahead, as both teams head towards the tunnel at the break. 

2nd half started with Germany showing some purpose & controlled good possession, & their best chance came, when around the 50th minute of the game, Havertz collected a loose ball just outside the English box & let loose a wicked left footed piledriver which seemed to rocket into the top end of the net, but England keeper Pickford flew instinctively & tipped the ball over the bar, as the crowd gasped in relief. England grew in confidence from there on, showing more determination & zeal, as their opponents seem to strangely fade out. With around 20 minutes left in the game, both the coaches make interesting substitution in the game - Southgate brought in Jack Grealish for livewire Bukayo Saka, while Joachim Low took out Timo Werner to introduce Gnabry - both these changes prove decisive in the game ahead, as Grealish settled into the groove well to provide better cohesion, while Gnabry was a sad whimper, taking away the sting in attack that Werner was providing for the Germans till then. With 15 minutes left, Sterling powered past Rudiger to tap into Kane, who in turn pushed the ball to Grealish, who passed onto the overlapping Shaw, & the left wing back slammed a beauty across the face of the goal for Sterling to slide in a low right footer past German keeper Neuer into the net - a fabulous combination to score, that erupted the Wembley stadium in delirious celebrations. Raheem Sterling's third goal of the tournament, as England go  up 1-0. Almost immediately after that Sterling nearly went from hero to zero, as he needlessly lost possession & Havertz took the opportunity to beat the defenders & slot the ball to Thomas Muller, who dodging past an indecisive Stones, & with just goalkeeper Pickford to beat, pushes the ball inches past & out of the post - a golden, gilt edged chance to equalise wasted by the veteran, as Sterling looked the most relieved in the ground. The miss proved fatal, as minutes later, the shaky German defence lost the ball to Shaw, who controlled midfield & squared ahead to Grealish who moved ahead on the left flank with ease & crossed across the face of the goal, as England skipper Harry Kane lunged to head past a diving Neuer into the German goal, as Wembley broke into a riotous, rapturous roar. England up 2-0, progressing into the last eight with a memorable win over their fiercest rivals - The Three Lions had not defeated Die Mannschaft in a major tournament since 1996. Current coach, Southgate had missed the decisive penalty that day, to enable a German win - ghosts of which he eclipsed today !! They now await the winners of Sweden vs Ukraine in quarterfinals. 

Strangely, the Germans lacked the killer instinct, that has been their hallmark for years at crucial stages. Barring Havertz &Werner upfront & Hummels & Gosens in the back, the team lacked self belief, cohesion, & often looked jaded & out of sorts, barring few moments of individual brilliance. Interestingly, all the three teams, France, Portugal & Germany, - all potential & past Champions who qualified from the Group F, deemed as the Group of Death, have perished in the round of 16. Quirky twist of Fate, eh ??? 

Euro 2020 Round of 16, Knockout Stages, - France vs Switzerland 3-3 (4-5 in Penalties)

 In the biggest upset of the tournament, minnows Switzerland at Bucharest, overwhelmed Star Studded, World Champions & tournament favourites France in a pressure tight penalty shoot out, 5-4, after both teams were locked even at the end of extra time. This becomes all the more spectacular, when we see that France have been unbeaten in their last seven games against Switzerland, & have not lost any game for the last two years of international football - they boast the best line up possible with stars in almost all positions & were clear favourites to lift the Euro Cup tihs time. 

Against a large contingent of roaring Blue White French support, the Swiss started tentatively, conceding a corner within 2 minutes of the game, & Varane missed a scoring chance by nodding over a good floater from Griezmann, but overall, it was the Swiss discipline that came into play soon. The underdogs went on to take an early lead in the 15th min, when Zuber floated a cross & Seferovic craned in a fantastic header, past Lloris, into the right corner of the French goal. Suddenly the World Champions looked vulnerable & out of ideas, as the very disciplined Swiss played precision football, well within their means to keep control midfield & not allow the mercurial French forwards like Mbappe, Griezmann, Benzema & Pogba any width. At half time, the French stars were struggling to combine & looked out of ideas, while the Swiss were tidy & disciplined & also an important goal ahead. 

After the break, the game flipped on its head, in a few minutes of madness. Zuber steamed into the French box as Pavard brings him down with a sliding tackle, which looks innocuous initially, but after a VAR check, its ruled as a Penalty & Switzerland have a glorious chance to double the lead. Ricardo Rodriguez steps in for the shot, but appears tentative & his low shot is easily parried by Lloris, neutralising the Swiss advantage. This spurned the vaunted French attacking line into life & they scorched the Swiss box with pressing runs, as Benzema controlled a Mbappe pass with a great touch even though the ball was behind him & in another second, flicked the ball past Sommer into the goal. France had drawn level at 1-1. Even before the crowd had settled down on this incredible scoring display, Griezmann intercepts a pass & shoots into the goal which is somehow deflected by Sommer & Benzema, lurking in the bow, jumped up to head home. All of this in matter of 4-5 minutes, as France wrested lead & control of the game. While the Swiss were trying to regain composure, out of nowhere, Paul Pogba produced probably the 'goal of the tournament' till now, with a superb curling shot from outside the box, as the ball dipped inch perfect inside the top corner of the net, past the flailing arms of Sommer - dreams are made of such goals. France looked in complete control with score reading 3-1, as the fans waved in appreciation, as Coach Didier Deschamps, started to smile for the first time on the sidelines. It looked all over in the game, but there was late drama to follow. The Swiss discipline & precision came back with more conviction, & Seferovic pulled back one with a vicious header off a Mbabu whipped cross to make it 3-2, in the 81st minute & minutes later the Swiss were denied a goal to level for a marginal offside. The game had suddenly become tense, as the Men in Blue seem to lose control, & Swiss Capt Xhaka's defence splitting pass is intercepted by Mario Gavranovic in the box & his brutal shot smashed past Lloris into the French net - score 3-3. In the dying seconds of play, Kingley Coman, connected a Sissoko cross & rushed into the Swiss box, but his shot ended nicking the top end of the bar & go out of play, as the referee blow the long whistle to end the play. Phew, what a breathless 2nd half it was, pulsating football at both ends, & some superb goals to boot. 

In extra time, despite plenty of drama, the scoresheet remained unchanged, as tired legs, cramps, & exhaustion seem to take over. Benzema, Griezmann, Koman all substituted for France, while Seferovic, Rodriguez got replaced for Switzerland. It was time for the Penalty Kicks now. 

Surprisingly, the Swiss seemed more in control & confidence, as they decided to start the proceedings after toss up. Both teams, had their first four shots on target without any hassle, & then Admir Mehmadi scored a convincing 5th for the Swiss, while Mbappe looking visibly tensed, came in to the take the last shot, which was saved by Sommer & Switzerland had secured the biggest upset of the tournament, by packing France off. Surely the longest & arguably the best game of this Euro 2020 till now, a stunning, dream come true performance, which included taking an early lead, missing a penalty shot, going down by two goals, only to recover & draw level, & then managing to stay in control thru a tense extra time to eventually prevail in the penalty shoot outs. Truly deserving Switzerland, now move into the quarterfinals, where they face Spain - what an in credible game to look forward to.