Matchday 1 of Euro 2020 has already finished and it hasn’t been short of entertaining moments that we are going to round up now!
Euro 2020 kicked off last Friday with Italy taking on Turkey and coming away with a 3-0 win. This set the tone for Matchday 1, with just three out of the twelve games seeing both teams score.
There was a total of 28 goals, one of which from 45 yards out, and one red over the five days. We saw 2018 World Cup winners France take on the 2014 World Cup Winners Germany. Whilst the ever-impressive Cristiano Ronaldo set another record by becoming the all-time top goalscorer in European Championship history when he got two against Hungary to take his total to 11.
It was a fantastic opening round and has set it up for Euro 2020 to be one of the best. But how things looking in the tables?
Euro 2020 Matchday 1 Round-Up
Group A
Italy currently sits top of Group A after their emphatic 3-0 win over Turkey to start the tournament. A lot of people tipped the Turks to do well but they are going to need to improve a lot after Friday’s poor performance. Wales and Switzerland ended 1-1, with Keiffer Moore scoring for the Welsh late in the second half to salvage a point. Italy plays Wales in the next round and a win would confirm their place in Round of 16. For Turkey, they need to not lose to Switzerland, otherwise, they could be heading out.
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Group B
In Group B it was a winning start for Belgium and surprisingly Finland. Denmark was beaten by Finland 1-0, but the game was overshadowed by the event that occurred with Christian Eriksen. The Inter Milan forward suffered a cardiac arrest during the game causing a suspension to the match in which the overall winner was Eriksen who came through the ordeal thanks to the quick reactions of the doctors and the referee. In the second game, Belgium beat Russia 3-0, with Romelu Lukaku showing why he is one of the favorites to finish top goalscorer after scoring twice.
Group C
Austria took on North Macedonia in the first game of Group C. They came away with a 3-1 win but left it late against the side who were playing at their first-ever international tournament. The Netherlands took on Ukraine in a five-goal thriller, that saw de Boer’s side come away winners. They went 2-0 up but two goals in quick succession from Ukraine required an 85th-minute winner from Dumfries. The top two sides in this group face each other in the next round, with North Macedonia and Ukraine likely fighting it out for third place.
Group D
England got Group D underway at Wembley in a repeat of the 2018 World Cup semi-final. This time though, Southgate’s side came out on top beating them 1-0 thanks to a Raheem Sterling goal. Scotland got off to the worst start at their first tournament in 23 years. They were beaten 2-0 by the Czech Republic, with Roma’s Patrik Schick scoring from 45 yards out to put Scotland in a very tough position. They take on England on Friday in what is going to be a huge game and one that Scotland needs to win.
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Group E
Slovakia shocked Group E when they got off to a winning start vs Poland. Centre-back and captain Skriniar was the hero after he volleyed home the winner to surprise everyone and put them top of the group winning 2-1. Spain drew against Sweden in what was a record-breaking performance by them. They had 85 % of the ball and completed 419 first-half passes in the game, both records for the European Championships, but they were unable to score. They play Poland next and will need to get back to winning ways otherwise the last game will be huge.
Group F
The final group is the most exciting one of the tournament, with the winners of the last three international competitions in Portugal, France, and Germany all taking each other on. Portugal were up first against Hungary in what should have been a fairly straightforward game. It took a later disallowed Hungary goal to wake them up, with Guerreiro opening the scoring in the 84th minute and Ronaldo adding two more before the end. France vs Germany wasn’t as exciting as we were expecting, with France winning 1-0 thanks to a Hummels own goal. Up next the Euro 2020 favorites France take Portugal whilst Germany looks to get their first win against Hungary.
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