Georgia’s glorious victory over Portugal reveals Euro 2024 quirk that helped them make history
The sound and the glory, that somehow offers England hope for glory.Georgiahave literally roared their way into the last 16, to follow a first ever qualification for a tournament with a first qualification for the knock-out stages, after a momentous 2-0 win overPortugal.The raucous travelling support made it sound like all of the population was here. The return of proper crowds has ensured deafening noise has been an exhilarating theme ofEuro 2024, and Georgia took it up a few decibels. This may have been the peak. It was certainly a peak in the country’s history, and that national moment may also have given England a moment that could yet have a significant impact on their tournament. This result ensured Gareth Southgate’s side will meet Slovakia rather than the Netherlands, in what now seems an even more forgiving potential run to the final.
The manager can of course just point to results like that from Portugal, and the very make-up of that last 16, as to why no one should be complacent about playing Slovakia. This tournament has had more surprises than expected, partly because there are few truly elite sides. It has given upwardly mobile teams like Georgia a real opportunity if they are willing to seize it, as they more than did here. In fact, they eagerly grasped it, as could be witnessed with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s exhilarating goal after just a minute.
Georgia enjoyed a moment they will remember forever as Antonio Silva endured two he’ll want to immediately forget. This was where another theme of the tournament influenced the game. The 24-team nature means that qualifications are secured early, meaning this was another match where a more successful national team could put out their second side. That has been a factor distorting all this.
Georgia’s glorious victory reveals Euro 2024 quirk that helped them make history
Georgia 2-0 Portugal: Willy Sagnol’s team inflicted a surprise defeat on the Portuguese as Georgia qualified for the last 16 for the very first time.
Chris Wilson26 June 2024 22:15
Who do England play next and when? Euro 2024 draw and last-16 schedule
Englandwill play Slovakia in the last-16 ofEuro 2024, followingGeorgia’s stunning win over Portugalon the final night of the group stages.
Gareth Southgate’s side claimed top spot in Group C despite alacklustre performance against Sloveniaon Tuesday night, setting up a last-16 tie against one of the four best third-placed teams.
England looked set to face Netherlands, who finished third behind Austria and France in Group D, but a dramatic conclusion to Group F andGeorgia’s victory over Portugalflipped the script.
Slovakia finished third in Group E following an opening victory over Belgium, a defeat to Ukraine and a draw against Romania that ensured both teams advanced.
England have landed in the more favourable side of the Euro 2024 knockout draw, with Germany, France, Portugal, Spain and Belgium all on the other side of the last-16.
Who do England play next and when? Euro 2024 draw and last-16 schedule
England are through to the last-16 of Euro 2024 and topped Group C despite a dismal draw against Slovenia
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 07:00
Think England are bad? Potential last-16 opponents Netherlands in crisis after ‘appalling’ defeat
Ronald Koemanhas won a European Championship in Germany after a group-stage defeat. Admittedly, it was 36 years ago, as a player and not a manager and to a country – the Soviet Union – that no longer exists as the same entity. But if the precedents from the past offer encouragement, the present bodes less well. Koeman had said the day before facing Austria that he did not want to finish third in Group D.The Netherlands lost and duly did.
“We knew that if we are third in the group then we will get a big nation in the next round, if it is England, if it is Spain,” sighed Koeman. The probability is that it is England and if Dutch pessimism may be misguided, given the resounding mediocrity of Gareth Southgate’s troops so far, a reaction to the loss to Austria was to suggest Koeman’s latest venture across the border might not end in continental glory, but with a different type of finality. “If we fail, please ask me again,” said Koeman, when quizzed if his future contained the sack. If he, like his team, is into a form of sudden death,a battering in Berlincame with a warning for their prospects; and, by extension, his.
“We will have to play better than today,” he said. “Today, it was appalling.”
Think England are bad? Potential last-16 opponents Netherlands are in crisis
The Dutch were beaten by a brilliant Austria team on Tuesday night and now face the prospect of meeting England in the knockout stages – where Ronald Koeman’s job could be on the line
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 06:00
Nobody told Austria this was the group of death – they’ve reshaped the map of Euro 2024
If this was supposed to be the group of death, no one toldAustria.Ralf Rangnick’s endearing underdogs have reshaped the draw, and perhaps the destiny, ofEuro 2024by topping it. They beatNetherlands. More than that, though, they blitzed them; fearless and ferocious, Austria recovered from conceding two equalisers to condemn the Dutch to defeat courtesy ofMarcel Sabitzer’s terrific finish.
They head to Leipzig as group winners. Netherlands, their qualification already assured, nonetheless stumbled from first to third on an eventful afternoon. It is Gelsenkirchen for them.
If Rangnick’s men still needed France to slip up to leapfrog them, and they did, theirs is a historic feat. Not since the 1978 World Cup, when Hans Krankl’s goals ensured they finished above Brazil, have Austria won a group in tournament football.
Nobody told Austria this was the group of death - they’ve reshaped Euros 2024
Netherlands 2-3 Austria: Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay twice equalised for the Oranje who end third in Group D
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 05:00
As France await, Belgium will look to one man – but can he even save them?
As Belgium’s group-stage campaign came to an end atEuro 2024, there was only one attribute as evident as their innate collective talent: their dependency onKevin De Bruyne, a player who is not even at his best right now.
This Belgium team has been built uponthe fading remnants of a golden generation and the glistening jewels of the next one, but so far in Germany, they have failed to consistently combine. Those shortcomings resulted inthe ‘shock’ opening loss to Slovakia, and they resulted in this dispiriting draw with Ukraine.
There were reasons to be encouraged last week,as Belgium saw off Romania and Group E became a literal level playing field, with three points held by each team. Yet most of those reasons could be traced back to De Bruyne.
As France await, Belgium will look to one man – but can he even save them?
Ukraine 0-0 Belgium: Domenico Tedesco’s team are too reliant on De Bruyne, a player who has struggled for consistency in Germany
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 04:00
We start with some of the reports from the other major games at the end of th group stages.
Belgiumwill faceFrancein the last 16 of Euro 2024 following a 0-0 draw withUkraine, who crashed out of the tournament.
The Red Devils limped through Group E, finishing second behind Romania.
That means they will meet France next as Ukraine exited on goal difference and become the first team to depart the extended European Championship at the group stage with four points.
Belgium will need a big improvement against the 2022 World Cup runners-up as they were distinctly average throughout the group stage.
They briefly showed promise in Saturday’s win over Romania, but they were otherwise poor.
Belgium limp into last 16 as Ukraine eliminated from Euro 2024
Ukraine 0-0 Belgium: Domenico Tedesco’s were second best in a goalless draw and now face France in the next round
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 03:00
The best part about England at Euro 2024 so far? The flags and retro shirts
It hasn’t been pretty, it hasn’t been easy to watch.Englandare three games into theirEuro 2024campaign and so far the biggest discussions have centred over which players need to come out of the starting lineup, why the team can’t press, who isn’t fit, which former internationals are most angry and why, yet again, it’s almost certainly not coming home.
A narrow and nervy win over Serbia was followed by a tame and fortunate draw with Denmark. On Tuesday night, Group C came to a conclusion witha truly dismal goalless draw against Slovenia, leaving England short on inspiration and goalscoring form, but top of the quartet and safely through to the last 16.
There will be further recriminations and complaints after this game, and deservedly so after failing to beat a nation who have tallied precisely one win at major men’s international tournaments in their history.
But one factor surrounding England has been positive. One factor has been consistent, even impressive - and is nothing to do with the squad, the management or anything on-pitch at all.
The best part about England at Euro 2024? The flags and retro shirts
Gareth Southgate’s team have been dismal on the pitch but the following remains numerous, vocal and visible
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 02:00
England’s biggest problem is now the easiest to solve
After about an hour on a hot, sticky night in Cologne, theEnglandfans behind Jordan Pickford’s goal launched into a chant to the tune of theGreat Escape,led by a banging drum and bellowed out with a renewed sense of purpose. When it reached the end, they started again, repeating themselves for at least 15 minutes, going in the same cycles, sticking to the same rhythm in an endless drone. In a way, it was a fitting tribute to the players in front of them, given that was how England performedin this dismal 0-0 draw against Slovenia.
For a while, it was heart-warming stuff from the travelling number, a determination to enjoy themselves andprovide their own entertainment even when Gareth Southgate’s failed side could not. There was a gallows humour to it, nothing else for it than pretending England were winning. “The fans were exceptional in the second half,” Southgate said.
But, as Scotland have shown in the past week, when your fans and a continued sense of support off the pitch are the biggest positives to take, it’s a sign that things have gone badly wrong on it.
England’s biggest problem is now the easiest to solve
England 0-0 Slovenia: The Three Lions topped their group despite a dismal display
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 01:30
Phil Foden temporarily leaves England’s Euro 2024 camp for urgent family issue
Some of the big England news from yesterday...
Phil Fodenhas left theEnglandsquad inEuro 2024to return to the United Kingdom because of an urgent family issue.
TheManchester Citywinger, who featured in last night’sgoalless draw with Slovenia, may be at risk of missing Sunday’s last-16 tie in Gelsenkirchen.
The FA did not confirm if and when Foden will come back to Germany.
Foden has started all three of England’s games as they won Group C, hitting the post in the 1-1 draw with Denmark.
It has since been reported that Foden is attending the birth of his third child.
Phil Foden temporarily leaves England’s Euro 2024 camp
The Manchester City midfielder has featured in all three of the Three Lions’ matches in Germany
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 01:00
Gareth Southgate hits out at ‘unusual environment’ as plastic cups thrown at him
Gareth Southgatesaid there was a “unusual environment” around theEnglandteam after supportersthrew plastic beer cups towards himfollowing thedismal 0-0 draw against Sloveniathat secured their progress to the last-16 ofEuro 2024as group winners.
There was a chorus of boos from the England fans at full-time in Cologne, with further grumblings towards the players as they made their way towards the corner flag to applaud the supporters.
But there was a fresh wave of boos reserved for Southgate as the manager approached the England end, which continued as he walked along the goal and applauded the supporters in Cologne.
Gareth Southgate hits out at ‘unusual environment’ as plastic cups thrown at him
Southgate was booed as he applauded the England fans, with a couple of supporters throwing plastic beer cups at the manager
Chris Wilson27 June 2024 00:30
