Denmark outplayed Wales to register a 4-0 win in the first Round of 16 match. … Rob Page’s Wales were locking horns with Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark in the first last-16 encounter of the ongoing UEFA Euro 2020 at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on Saturday.
A moment of magic from Thorgan Hazard proved enough to knock out holders Portugal as Belgium continued their pursuit of a first major title by reaching the quarter-finals of Euro 2020. The Borussia Dortmund winger’s swerving drive from 25 yards arrived late in a cagey first-half was enough for Roberto Martinez’s side to set up a mouth-watering meeting with Italy. Portugal – who again only introduced Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes from the bench – will look back on key Diogo Jota chances, a Ruben Dias header that was saved and a late Raphael Guerreiro drive that struck the post.
Kylian Mbappe saw the crucial spot-kick saved by Yann Sommer as Euro 2020 favourites France were eliminated by Switzerland in a thrilling shoot-out after a dramatic 3-3 draw in Monday’s last-16 tie. France looked to have battled back from the brink after going a goal down early on and conceding a penalty only to then find themselves 3-1 up with 15 minutes of regulation time remaining in Bucharest. But a late Swiss fight-back saw Haris Seferovic net his second and Mario Gavranovic force extra-time after cancelling out Karim Benzema’s brace and Paul Pogba’s scorcher. Both sides had chances in the extra 30 minutes but poor finishing meant the game went to penalties, where Mbappe’s disappointing tournament was summed up with the unsuccessful kick that sent France packing, Sommer diving to his right to make the save that sent remarkably sent Switzerland through 5-4 in the shoot-out.
It’s now time again for us to bring you some interesting stats from the weekend’s action from match day 4 with the help of Opta data.
- 121 – Timed at 120:37, Artem Dovbyk has scored the second-latest goal in European Championship history, behind Semih Sentürk v Croatia in 2008 (121:01), and the latest match-winning strike in the competition, overtaking Michel Platini v Portugal in 1984 (118:53).
- 4 – Marcus Danielson is the fourth player to receive a red card in extra-time of a European Championship match, and first since Nuno Gomes for Portugal against France in 2000.
- 3 – Emil Forsberg is the first Swedish player to score in three consecutive major tournament appearances since Kennet Andersson at the 1994 World Cup, who is also the only Swedish player to net more at a single major tournament than Forsberg’s 4 at #EURO2020 (5 in 1994).
- 5 – Oleksandr Zinchenko is the fifth different ManCity player to score at #EURO2020 (also De Bruyne, Sterling, Laporte, Torres) – only Atalanta (also five) have had as many different players score at the tournament. Citizens.
- 0 – England are the only side yet to concede a goal at Euro 2020, with no side facing fewer shots on target in the process (5). Indeed, England have restricted their opponents to a competition-low xG total of just 1.
- 2010 – France have failed to reach the quarter-final stage of a major tournament (Euros/World Cup) for the first time since the 2010 World Cup.
- 67 – For the first time in 67 years (World Cup 1954), Switzerland have reached the quarter final of a major tournament.
- 3 – Switzerland have scored 3+ goals in consecutive major tournament matches (Euros/World Cups) for the first time since the 1954 World Cup.
- 4 – Steven Zuber has provided his fourth assist at EURO 2020, no player has ever provided more at a single European Championship tournament since recorded data (1980).
- 1 – Portugal were eliminated from #EURO2020 with just one victory from their four games (D1 L2), their fewest in a single tournament at the European Championships since their first appearance in 1984, when they also won one of four (D2 L1).
- 2 – Thorgan Hazard is the first ever Belgian to score in consecutive EURO appearances.
- 10 – Georginio Wijnaldum completed just 10 passes across 90 minutes vs Czech Republic, the fewest by a Dutch outfield player to play the full game in a Euros knockout round in recorded history (since 1980).
- 1+1 – Tomás Holes is the first Czech player to both score and assist in a single EUROs game since both Jan Koller and Milan Baros also did so against the Netherlands at EURO 2004.
- 25 – Federico Chiesa has scored in a Euro game 25 years & 12 days after the goal of his father Enrico (14th June vs Czech Republic).
- 4 – Denmark are the first team to score 4+ goals in consecutive matches in European Championship history.