COLOGNE, Germany: Romania boss Edward Iordanescu urged his team to make “history” at Euro 2024 as they bid to seal a place in the last 16 with a victory over Belgium.
Iordanescu’s side will be guaranteed to reach the knockout stage if they follow their impressive win against Ukraine with an even more surprising success when they meet star-studded Belgium in Cologne on Saturday.
Romania powered to a 3-0 win against Ukraine in their Group E opener on Monday, while the Belgians slumped to a shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Slovakia.
Inspired by their first win in a major tournament since beating England at Euro 2000, the Romanians have their sights set on making the competition’s knockout stage for the first time in 24 years.
“It would mean history. It would be a fantastic example for what football and sport means in Romania,” Iordanescu said on Friday.
“After the first game, the whole country was behind our team. It really helped our people. I can feel happiness and hope for all Romanians. That motivates us even more.”
Belgium wasted a host of chances to score against Slovakia and were denied a late Romelu Lukaku equalizer by a controversial VAR decision.
Iordanescu knows Kevin De Bruyne and company will be desperate to make amends against Romania as the talented underachievers fight to avoid another flop at a major tournament.
“Obviously the opponent is amazing. But we are going into the game trying to win it. Why not get the points that would mean qualification?” he said.
“We have to keep the context in mind. They are number three in the world, with great players, and they really need to get a result.
“That is a really difficult challenge for us. We are waiting for it. This is the Euros, the best players and coaches. These are incredible experiences.
“We have to elevate to another level. We have to be very exact and very efficient.”
Ukraine’s 2-1 win against Slovakia on Friday raised the prospect of all four teams having three points heading into the final round of matches if Belgium beat Romania.
Iordanescu acknowledged a draw would be a good result against Belgium as he insisted his players would not lose focus after their memorable start to the tournament.
“The qualification is the most important thing for us. If a point would be enough, then we would take it,” he said.
“Of course we had euphoria on the pitch (after the Ukraine game). That needed to be enjoyed, then we relaxed and started preparing for tomorrow’s game. It is a new challenge.”
Iordanescu challenges Romania to make ‘history’ at Euro 2024
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Iordanescu challenges Romania to make ‘history’ at Euro 2024
- Romania powered to a 3-0 win against Ukraine in their Group E opener on Monday
- The Belgians slumped to a shock 1-0 loss at the hands of Slovakia
Ralf Rangnick’s reputation took a hit at Man United, yet he’s changing the story at Euro 2024
- Ralf Rangnick is rewriting his legacy at Euro 2024 with his Austria team emerging as one of the surprise packages of the tournament
- Topping a group that included France and the Netherlands, the Austrians have announced themselves as contenders for the European Championship
DUESSELDORF, Germany: Cristiano Ronaldo said he’d never heard of him and Manchester United fans have few fond memories of his short-lived spell as manager of the Premier League club.
But Ralf Rangnick is rewriting his legacy at Euro 2024 with his Austria team emerging as one of the surprise packages of the tournament.
Topping a group that included France and the Netherlands, the Austrians have announced themselves as contenders for the European Championship and advanced to knockout phase on the opposite side of the draw to Spain, Germany, France and Portugal.
Not bad for a coach whose previously solid reputation took a hit after an unsuccessful six months as interim manager of United through 2021-22, which included a run of just three wins from his last 14 games and heavy losses to Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton.
“This guy is not even a coach,” Ronaldo said in his explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022. “If you are not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United?”
While Rangnick’s previous job had been head of sports and development at Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, his coaching credentials had been long-established in Germany, where he earned the nickname the “Professor”.
So effective was Rangnick’s brand of soccer — dubbed “gegenpressing” (counter pressing) — that it was widely-regarded as having influenced a generation of German coaches including Jurgen Klopp, Julian Nagelsmann and Thomas Tuchel.
“He had a huge influence on all of us at this time,” Tuchel has said, having played under Rangnick earlier in his career.
Rangnick’s success has largely been with smaller clubs, winning promotions with Hannover, Hoffenheim and Leipzig.
Perhaps it is no surprise then that he is excelling with an Austrian team which wasn’t considered among the favorites leading up to the Euros. But the signs of his impact were clear during the qualifiers as Austria booked their place at the Euros as runner-up and one point behind No. 3-ranked Belgium.
“You can see a clear development since the coach joined the team,” midfielder Marcel Sabitzer said.
Bayern Munich clearly shared that opinion when targeting him as a successor to Tuchel at the end of the season. Rangnick opted to stay on at Austria and has only enhanced his reputation at the Euros.
While his team suffered defeat to France in their opening game, the 1-0 loss was only curtesy of an own goal. Austria then recovered to beat Poland 3-1 and the Netherlands 3-2. That’s earned Rangnick’s side a meeting with Türkiye in the round of 16 on July 2.
“It’s incredible to finish top of the group that was the hardest possible based on UEFA coefficients,” Rangnick said. “We started with an unlucky own goal against France, dealt with all the pressure put on us to win against Poland, and then to end as group winners is something very special.”
As well as his coaching career, Rangnick also has a reputation for his work as an executive, having identified numerous emerging players and coaches during his time as sporting director of Leipzig.
United had planned to keep him on as a consultant at the end of his spell as interim manager and tap into his soccer expertise.
It would have been fascinating to see what sort of an impact he would have had at the 20-time English league champion after saying the team needed an “open heart operation” and as many as 10 new players.
Ultimately plans for the consultancy role were scrapped after Rangnick accepted the Austria job in ‘22.
He hasn’t looked back since.
Georgia oligarch to award national football team $10 million
- Georgia’s 2-0 win over Portugal on Wednesday was a historic triumph in the Black Sea nation’s first appearance at a major international tournament
- Coached by Frenchman Willy Sagnol, the team qualified from Group F as one of the four best third-placed finishers
TBILISI: Georgia’s powerful oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili will award the country’s national football team $10 million after they made it to the last 16 of Euro 2024, his ruling party said Thursday.
Georgia’s 2-0 win over Portugal on Wednesday was a historic triumph in the Black Sea nation’s first appearance at a major international tournament.
Coached by Frenchman Willy Sagnol, the team qualified from Group F as one of the four best third-placed finishers and face a daunting clash with Spain, who won all their group games, on Sunday.
The ruling Georgian Dream party’s “honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili will award Georgia’s football team 30 million lari ($10.7 million) for qualifying for the last 16 of Euro 2024,” the party said in a statement.
“An additional 30 million lari will be awarded in case of a win over Spain,” it added.
Ivanishvili, the country’s richest man who made his fortune in Russia in the 1990s, is widely regarded as a puppet master pulling the strings of power from behind the scenes, despite not holding an official government position.
Last year, he was named Georgian Dream’s “honorary chairman,” a new role that formalizes his right to select the ruling party’s nominee for prime minister.
Saudi Arabia, Japan, Australia drawn together in tough World Cup qualifying group
- The 18 remaining Asian teams battling it out for eight direct qualification places were drawn into three groups of six at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur
- Iran and Asian Cup champions Qatar head Group A and will play Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea
KUALA LUMPUR: Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia were all drawn together on Thursday in the third stage of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in a "group of death" that also includes China.
The 18 remaining Asian teams battling it out for eight direct qualification places were drawn into three groups of six at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.
Son Heung-min's South Korea were given a more straightforward-looking assignment when they were drawn to face Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine and Kuwait in Group B.
Iran and Asian Cup champions Qatar head Group A and will play Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan and North Korea.
Matches will be played on a home-and-away basis from this September to June 2025, with the top two in each group qualifying directly for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Teams finishing third and fourth in their groups will advance to the fourth round of Asian qualifying.
Hajime Moriyasu, whose Japan side beat Spain and Germany to reach the knockout rounds of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, called Group C "a tough group".
Indonesia -- in the third qualifying phase for the first time -- and Bahrain are the other teams in that group.
"We had to do it the hard way in the qualifiers for the last World Cup and we're going to have to dig even deeper this time," Japan coach Moriyasu told reporters after the draw in the Malaysian capital.
"But I want us to be ready for it, be brave and go for it. I ask that the fans fight along with us."
Graham Arnold took Australia to the last 16 in Qatar, where they went out 2-1 to eventual champions Argentina.
Like Japan, Australia had a 100 percent record in the second qualifying round for 2026 and did not concede a goal.
"We knew this round of qualifying would present challenges however the draw panned out," Arnold said.
"I feel it's important we embrace those challenges, with our mindset, belief and camaraderie integral to achieve our goal of qualification."
China have only reached the World Cup once, in 2002, and coach Branko Ivankovic knows his side are up against it in the same group.
"Ours is the hardest group in this round," he said.
"But we want to be a serious opponent for any team. Of course we have three strong teams -- Saudi, Japan and Australia -- that participated in the last World Cup."
Third round AFC qualification draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Group A: Iran, Qatar, Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea
Group B: South Korea, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Palestine, Kuwait
Group C: Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China, Indonesia
Swiss Euro opponents Italy ‘hate to lose’, says Aebischer
- Aebischer moved to Bologna from Young Boys Bern in 2022 and said his time with the Serie A side had given him an insight into the Italian football mindset.
- “The Italians hate to lose”
STUTTGART, Germany: Switzerland midfielder Michel Aebischer said Euro 2024 last 16 opponents Italy “hate to lose” and said his side would be the underdog in Berlin on Saturday.
Switzerland had been on track to top their group but qualified second in Group A behind Germany after conceding a Niclas Fuellkrug header in injury time on Sunday.
Aebischer moved to Bologna from Young Boys Bern in 2022 and said his time with the Serie A side had given him an insight into the Italian football mindset.
“The Italians hate to lose,” he said.
“They are the reigning champions, they never give up... Italy are the favorite — there’s nothing more to say.”
After the group phase, several tournament favorites including Germany, Portugal, Spain and France are now on the other side of the draw to the Swiss.
The 27-year-old however dismissed suggestions Switzerland had an easy ride, with England potentially waiting for them in the quarter-finals.
“Of course, we saw that there are many big names in the other half of the table. But from the round of 16 onwards there are no easy opponents anyway.”
Aebischer said England “fell short of expectations” but added “I think they will improve now.”
Biggest stars yet to catch fire at Euro 2024
BERLIN: With exciting football and vibrant fans lighting up cities across Germany, Euro 2024 has thrilled even though the European game’s biggest stars have failed to take the tournament by storm.
Between injury struggles, shaky form and bad luck, many of football’s leading lights have underwhelmed in the group phase.
Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo, playing at a record sixth Euros, is yet to strike in three appearances — if he manages to, the 39-year-old will become the oldest ever goalscorer at the tournament.
Arguably the best player in the world, Kylian Mbappe is only off the mark for France with a penalty against Poland in a disappointing 1-1 draw that resulted in the favorites finishing second in Group D.
Mbappe spurned a golden opportunity against Austria, missing a draw against the Netherlands with a broken nose before returning with a mask in Les Bleus’ third outing.
“He’s hungry to play and the game would have done him some good,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, hopeful the forward will quickly find his devastating best with a last 16 clash against Belgium beckoning.
Poland’s talisman Robert Lewandowski could not feature in their opening defeat against the Netherlands because of a thigh problem.
The Barcelona striker and his country were eliminated as he was ineffective when he came off the bench against Austria, before he netted a penalty in the France draw.
England duo Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored from open play against Serbia and Denmark respectively but have vastly under-performed after thriving at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich this season.
England coach Gareth Southgate hooked Kane in a drab 1-1 draw against Denmark, but the subsequent 0-0 against Slovenia was even more dour.
“Not every player is going to star in every game,” said Southgate afterwards.
France’s Antoine Griezmann and England’s Phil Foden have also fired blanks after strong seasons for Atletico Madrid and Manchester City.
“Sometimes (Griezmann’s) generosity means he doesn’t have as clear a head as he should have,” said Deschamps, who benched the midfielder in the final group match.
Belgium’s all-time top scorer Romelu Lukaku is also without a goal, albeit not for want of trying, having had three disallowed by VAR as his team slunk through in second from Group E.
Veteran Luka Modric, 38, usually a key figure in Croatia’s frequently impressive exploits, did score against Italy but only after missing a penalty and struggling in the first two matches, with his country eventually eliminated.
Remarkably there have been seven own goals, making up 26 percent of the 27 inadvertently netted in the competition’s history.
Even the players who have shone thus far have largely been surprises for one reason or another.
N’Golo Kante is proving key for France despite moving a year ago to play in Saudi Arabia, while talented youngster Jamal Musiala has been hosts Germany’s leading light ahead of veteran stars Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan and Kai Havertz.
Target man Niclas Fuellkrug has scored twice for Germany like Musiala, while Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz and Romania’s Razvan Marin also have a pair of goals to their name.
Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo finished neatly for his second goal in a 3-2 defeat by Austria, in a performance their coach Ronald Koeman labelled “appalling.”
The tournament’s current top scorer is debutants Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze with three goals, two of those from the penalty spot.
Spain qualified top of Group B with a game to spare and have arguably been the team of the tournament so far, but two of their key players have been unlikely candidates in Fabian Ruiz and Marc Cucurella.
With 15 matches still to play before one of the 16 remaining sides is crowned champions in Berlin on July 14, fans are still waiting for the tournament’s star names to join the party.
