Posted on 06/16/2016 2:55:15 AM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
The decision to expand Euro 2016 to a 24-team tournament suggested that the group stage would be somewhat cagey, particularly in the first matches, but the opening round of fixtures has met expectations. Who would have thought that Hungary would be the only team with more than a single-goal lead going into added time at this stage? There haven’t been many goals but a number of players have caught the eye. Here is our statistically calculated team of the round:
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
What a great goal by Sturridge to win that game. Nice by Vardy too; they come in, England starts winning.
2 fans stabbed in Lyon, Belgian and Frenchman, locals and Albanians squared off, see soccerway for more.
Sterling should have never started, he was absolutely dreadful against Russia.
Near calamity for England, I would not have wanted to face Slovakia with only 1 point in the group.
The first 3 in group B will surely advance.
Next in the group B games, Slovakia England and Wales Russia.
England 4
Wales 3
Slovakia 3
Russia 1
Bale just missed equalizing at the end.
“Value of Sterling falls on fears of Euro exit”.
I heard this was being tweeted out.
That’s very clever.
It was a very fine match indeed.
Ukraine Northern Ireland next, I know Ukraine is a big favourite but I think NI will have something to say as well.
Wales v. Russia should be an excellent match for the neutral fan. Almost always exciting when at least one team has to have all 3 points in a match that can end in a draw - which Russia will.
Polska Gola!
Chiellini can be a swine - Ekdal
Sweden international Albin Ekdal has fond memories of his time alongside Giorgio Chiellini at Juventus, but has warned the defender can be "a swine" on the pitch ahead of his country's euro 2016 encounter with Italy.
Ekdal joined Juventus from Brommapojkarna ahead of the 2008-09 campaign to become team-mates with Chiellini, before leaving the Turin side for Siena the season after.
"Chiellini treated me, maybe not as a little brother but like a youth team player," Ekdal told Expressen.
"He drove me to training when I didn't have a driving licence and so on.
"On the pitch he can be a swine, though. He knows that himself but then everyone wants a player like that.
"We will have to try to wind him up but he is not an unwise swine. He doesn't do much off the ball but he likes to play-act and influence the referees. It's classic Italian stuff. I guess we will have to try to do the same."
That should be a good match tomorrow; I know Sweden often doesn't come on strong, sort of like England. They were a very good team at the '94 USA World Cup though.
These are good announcers in this game, this fellow may be Northern Irish.
Northern Ireland Scores! 1-0
I can’t believe I got soccerway.com’s live graphics saying the goal was scored before the tv coverage.
Almost seems like a 10 second delay; quite a bit. Maybe less.
Now, Ukraine’s work is really cut out, they haven’t show much spark in my view.
WatchEspn is about a minute behind.
Thanks for keeping track of that match, Chaps.
The time was just totally inconvenient.
:)
Hail in Lyon has stopped the match temporarily.
Ukraine’s made the World and Euros lately but they don’t seem able to go any further than the group stage.
Northern Ireland look pretty sharp; no heavy threats from Ukraine to speak of, some muffed chances.
Some sleeper team will go far, Hungary, NI, Iceland, someone will go far into the tournament. I think Spain looks good to win it all.
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