UEFA Euro 2020: England ousts Germany to book quarters berth, Ukraine edges past to shock Sweden
The 2020 UEFA Euro completed its pre-quarters commitments on Tuesday. While eight teams for the quarters have been confirmed, England and Ukraine happen to be the latest ones, and here's how they managed to qualify, as we present in this round-up.
The UEFA Euro 2020 has set up its quarterfinalists. Tuesday saw a final couple of pre-quarters matches, as two teams managed to progress from it, and here's how it all happened as we present the round-up.
England dominates Germany convincingly
In the opening game of the evening, England was up against its football rival Germany at the Wembley Stadium in London, thus taking the home advantage and Germany's unstable form to full use. The opening half was intense, as Germany had the upper hand, while both the sides created a total of six promising chances for the deadlock to stay in place at half-time.
In the second half, following the arrival of Jack Grealish in the 69th minute, England's gameplay took a definite turn, as it put up an attacking approach. While Raheem Sterling put England in the lead eight minutes later, Harry Kane doubled it in the 86th minute, which became the eventual winner of the nine attacks produced in the half.
Stats
- Thomas Müller made his 26th consecutive appearance for Germany in majors, equalling the previous record by Mesut Özil (26).
- Bukayo Saka became only the third Englishman to start a Euro/World Cup game after Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.
- Considering the FIFA World Cup 2018 and this Euro, England's Kieran Trippier has created the second most chances (27) after Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne (33).
- Sterling is the second after Gary Lineker to score the first of the three goals for England in a Euro/World Cup.
- Kane has become the joint third most goal-scorer for England in majors along with Wayne Rooney (7), while they are led by Lineker (10) and Alan Shearer (9).
- Kane has also scored the second-most goals for the side under a manager (30 under Gareth Southgate), while Lineker leads with 35 under Sir Bobby Robson.
- It is only the second time England has kept a clean sheet in the opening four matches majors, with the other being the 1966 World Cup.
- Since Euro 1966, Kalvin Phillips regained ball possession against Germany on 11 occasions, while Tony Adams did the same in 13 instances.
- It was England's first win over Germany in the majors since 1966.
Ukraine shocks 10-man Sweden to seal quarters berth
In the second game of the evening, Sweden was up against Ukraine at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Although Sweden was a solid favourite to win this clash, Ukraine was out to prove a point.
The opening half was evenly contested, with Oleksandr Zinchenko putting Ukraine ahead in the 27th minute. However, 16 minutes later, Emil Forsberg levelled it, as both maintained the deadlock at half-time. The second half was intense, as both attempted seven attacks, but to no avail, as it was 1-1 at full time.
As things went into the extra time, it turned out to be dramatic. In the 99th minute, Sweden's Marcus Danielson performed a horrible tackle on Artem Biesiedin, injuring the latter. Although referee Daniele Orsato did not show a card initially, he checked it with the Video Assistant Referee and handed Danielson a straight red, while Viktor Tsigankov substituted Biesiedin.
Although there were no goals in the opening half of the extra time, Ukraine was determined to make the second half count. And, it did so, as Artem Dovbyk scored the winner at the stroke of the end of extra time, breaking the Swedish hearts.
Stats
- Since the World Cup 1958, Sebastian Larsson became the second oldest (36 years) to start for Sweden in a Euro/World Cup knockout after Gunnar Gren (37 years).
- Yarmolenko has been involved in five goals for Ukraine in Euro, the joint-most, along with Andriy Shevchenko in Euro/World Cup.
- Zinchenko has become the fifth Manchester City player to score in this Euro, thus equalling with Atalanta.
- Since the 1994 World Cup, Forsberg has become the first Swedish to score in three successive majors after Kennet Andersson, while the former has also netted the second-most for the side in a single major (4) after Andersson (5).
- It was the fourth pre-quarters tie to be played until extra time, the most in Euro history.
Danielson became the fourth in Euro history to receive a red card at extra time.
- Dovbyk scored the second-most delayed goal in Euro history (120:37) after Semih Sentürk (121:01) against Croatia in 2008.
- Dovbyk also scored the most delayed winning goal in the tournament history, surpassing Michel Platini (118:53) against Portugal in 1984.
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