Euro 2024: Quality entertainment in tournament so far
Belgium's Romelu Lukaku, right, scores the disallowed goal past Slovakia's goalkeeper Martin Dubravka during the Group E match in Frankfurt, Picture: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe
SO, WE are a week into the Euros and it has been, on the whole, pretty captivating stuff.
The first round of games usually sets out the intentions of the sides in their groups; the pacesetters, those determined to make an impact, and then the benchwarmers.
Events have mostly followed the script, with the usual powerhouses of the game setting out their stalls with wins in their opening matches. Except for Group E, where the supremely talented Belgians picked up from where they left off in their disappointing World Cup by inexplicably losing matches that they should be running away with.
In the World Cup, it was a brilliant Morocco side that humbled them. In Germany this time, it was plucky Slovakia taming Belgium’s ‘Golden Generation’. As in the World Cup, Romelu Lukaku seems to be unable to buy a goal when it comes to a big tournament. Mind you, he was unlucky with his team-mate’s handball leading up to his disallowed goal.
Indeed, Group E seems to be the prediction outlier, with the other outsider Romania knocking Ukraine on their collective posterior through a combination of lightning counterattacks and dogged last-ditch defending. All topped off with an exquisite strike by Nicolae Stanciu into the stanchion to open their account in an impressive 3-0 win against their neighbours.
This evening’s game between the Romanians and Belgium is now a do or die match for the lowland nation, who were the strong favourites to top the group coming into the tournament. Should Romania play as well tonight in Cologne as they did in Munich against Ukraine, well then, we will have our first major upset.
In the other groups we had results go pretty much as expected regarding the powerhouse nations.
Germany and Spain looked powerful in their opening games. With the Scots being the unfortunates to suffer the worst defeat of the tournament, so far, at the hands of the Germans and picking up a rather soft red-card along the way too.
Portugal, while still on course, got out of jail with their lucky added-time winner against an equally unlucky Czech Republic side, and will look for improvements against an emboldened Turkish side this evening.
Croatia as we feared in our preview play a lot better in World Cups than in the Euros. After taking a hammering off Spain their main hope of advancement was to beat the group whipping boys Albania. But as they showed against Italy, Albania are not prepared to go home just yet and broke Croatian hearts with a really late equaliser from Klaus Gjasula, which makes advancement for the Croats dependent on at least beating Italy.
England started confident enough against Serbia and later Denmark with Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane goals respectively putting them in front. And then they proceeded to forget how to play football. With accomplished strikers of the ball like Trent Alexander Arnold, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka looking like they were only introduced to the sport just minutes before kick-off.
The match of the tournament so far was probably the France v Austria game, where the surprisingly plucky Austrians put it up to the much-vaunted French. With all their firepower, the French only scraped by on the back of an own-goal and the terrific backpedalling defending of the always magnificent N’Golo Kante.
The Austrians were unlucky not to get something from this one and will cause trouble for other sides should they maintain this quality especially with the tireless efforts of Christoph Baumgartner (not knowing how they did against Poland last night due to deadline).
We also don’t know at this stage how France did against the Netherlands or whether the injured masked avenger Kylian Mbappe returned to play after breaking his nose. But one suspects he will not miss as good a sitter as he did against the Austrians should a similar opportunity arise against the Dutch. With him one-on-one with Patrick Pentz in the Austrian goal you would have bet the house on Mbappe finishing it off but instead, we got to witness the lesser-spotted howler from the French striker.
The best goals of the tournament surprisingly (with also maybe a shout from former Liverpool player Shaqiri’s effort against the Scots) came from the one game, with the two extraordinary goals scored by the Turks against Georgia. Arda Guler’s long-range rocket was only surpassed by the cross-the-ball volley for Turkey’s opener from Mert Muldur. You would have to travel long and far to find such a sweet connection on the ball that Muldur made to put his side in front. It was an unexpectedly good game, marred by the disruption of the fans in the stands, which may not have been a surprise considering the history of the neighbouring nations.
All in all, a pretty good start to events in Germany. Good goals, tight games, a few surprises and a bit of handbags in the stands. We are teed-up nicely for a good run at the knockout stages.
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