FRANKFURT, Germany: Romania and Slovakia both qualified for the last 16 at Euro 2024 after a tense 1-1 draw in their last Group E game on Wednesday.
Ondrej Duda put Slovakia ahead in the first half but Romania’s Razvan Marin equalized with a penalty before the interval.
With all four teams in the group earning four points from their three games, Romania finished top having scored more goals than second-placed Belgium.
Slovakia went through in third place thanks to a superior goal difference to fourth-placed Ukraine.
It was a memorable moment for Romania, who are into the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time in 24 years.
Romania had only qualified once for the last 16 in their five Euro appearances, but Edward Iordanescu’s tenacious side have ended that long drought
“It’s incredible. I want to congratulate my players, we found a spirit. We came back once again, we never give up,” Iordanescu said.
“These are things you experience once in a lifetime. We have written history.”
Slovakia are into the knockout stages of a major tournament for the third time.
They reached the last 16 in the 2010 World Cup and made it to the same stage at Euro 2016.
“It was a great performance,” Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona said. “It means a lot. We were 55th in the FIFA rankings when I started, so to get here makes me very proud.
“We have world-class opponents ahead but it will be a celebration for us.”
Knowing a draw would send both teams through, cynics had suggested they would play out a mutually beneficial stalemate.
But there was no sign of Romania settling for a point as they made a fast start.
They threatened an early goal when Andrei Ratiu’s stinging strike was pushed away by Martin Dubravka, with the rebound lashed wildly over by Ianis Hagi.
Slovakia were inches away from snatching the lead as Lukas Haraslin’s free-kick went through a crowd of players and almost crept in at the far post.
It was a warning Romania failed to heed and Slovakia went in front in the 24th minute.
Juraj Kucka whipped in a deep cross that caught the Romania defense standing statuesque, leaving the unmarked Duda free to power his header past Florin Nita from eight yards.
Romania’s response was emphatic as they drew level in the 37th minute thanks to an incisive raid from the son of former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Gheorghe Hagi.
David Hancko’s foul on Hagi was adjudged a penalty by VAR after referee Daniel Siebert initially ruled the offense had taken place just outside the area.
Marin stepped up to drill the spot-kick high into the roof of the net to the deafening delight of the hordes of Romania fans who turned the arena into a frenzied mosh-pit.
The searing Frankfurt heat gave way to a heavy storm in the second half as thunder, lightning and rain swirled around the stadium.
It was a suitably dramatic backdrop to a tense clash that was close to swinging Romania’s way when Marin forced a good save from Dubravka before Denis Dragus skimmed the roof of the net.
Haraslin’s curler flashed past the far post as the storm abated, but, while there was no winner, both sides ended up celebrating their progress to the knockout stage.
Romania and Slovakia reach last 16 at Euro 2024 after tense draw
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Romania and Slovakia reach last 16 at Euro 2024 after tense draw
- Ondrej Duda put Slovakia ahead in the first half but Romania’s Razvan Marin equalized with a penalty before the interval
- It was a memorable moment for Romania, who are into the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time in 24 years
’We have already won the Euros’, says Georgia coach Sagnol
COLOGNE: Georgia coach Willy Sagnol insisted the rank outsiders would go into Sunday’s Euro 2024 clash with Spain in relaxed mood having already far exceeded expectations by making it to the last 16.
“We will go into this game with a lot of confidence because we have absolutely nothing to lose. For me we have already won the European Championship and I am just excited to be on the pitch,” Sagnol told reporters in Cologne, where Sunday’s game will be played.
Georgia are appearing at a major tournament for the first time and made it to the knockout phase with a remarkable 2-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in their last group match on Wednesday.
That followed a 3-1 loss to Turkiye and a 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic and allowed them to progress from Group F as one of the best third-placed finishers.
However, all the evidence suggests their run will come to an end against a Spain side who have been the most impressive team so far at the tournament, winning all three group games without letting in a goal.
Georgia have played Spain four times since Frenchman Sagnol was appointed coach in early 2021, and have lost all four meetings.
They went down twice in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, and then lost twice more in qualifying for this competition.
That included a chastening 7-1 reverse at home in Tbilisi last September.
“It was a difficult moment for us but sometimes to get further in life you need moments like that, where it is very difficult, where you are not good, where you think you have done everything bad,” Sagnol reflected.
“Without difficulties you can’t have great achievements. It was part of our journey.
“If we are here today I am sure this 7-1 taught us a lot of things and we learnt a lot of things from it.”
The 47-year-old former France international added: “Spain are clearly the best team in the competition up until now so that is why it is going to be a tough match.
“We played four times against them, we lost four times, but now it is a different competition, a different atmosphere, a different environment, so many things can happen.”
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Colombia into Copa quarters after romp while Brazil rolls
GLENDALE, United States: Colombia marched into the quarter-finals of the Copa America on Friday with a confident 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Arizona.
Goals from Luis Diaz, Davinson Sanchez and Jhon Cordoba sealed all three points for the Colombians, who are now guaranteed a top-two finish in Group D.
Colombia will qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners if they can secure at least a point against Brazil — a 4-1 winner over Paraguay in Friday’s other Copa contest — in their final group game next Tuesday.
The Colombians will head into that game brimming with confidence after extending their unbeaten streak to 25 games at Glendale’s State Farm Stadium on Friday.
Nestor Lorenzo’s well-organized side have not lost since a defeat to Argentina in February 2022, and never looked in danger of changing that Friday.
Liverpool star Diaz opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after Costa Rica goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira inexplicably crashed into Cordoba on the edge of the area.
Diaz stepped up to smash an emphatic spot-kick into the top corner.
Colombia almost doubled their tally on 37 minutes, with veteran midfielder James Rodriguez picking out Diaz at the back post.
Diaz poked a cross into the six-yard area but center-back Sanchez just couldn’t get a touch to guide the ball into the net.
Sanchez made no such mistake in the 59th minute, however, as he glanced in Jhon Arias’s cross from the left to make it 2-0.
Cordoba then grabbed Colombia’s third on 62 minutes with the best goal of the game.
An exquisite through ball from Rodriguez split the Costa Rica defense and sent Cordoba racing in on goal, with the 31-year-old whipping a shot across goal into the far corner.
In Las Vegas, the Brazilians — coming off a 0-0 draw with Costa Rica — jumped to a 3-0 halftime edge over Paraguay on the way to victory after squandering a golden chance to open the scoring.
Paraguay’s Adrian Cubas, who would receive a red card in the 81st minute, committed a foul in the penalty area, but Brazil’s Lucas Paqueta missed from the spot in the 31st minute.
But Paqueta delivered an assist to set up Vincius Junior’s goal in the 35th minute that gave Brazil a 1-0 lead.
Savinho doubled Brazil’s lead with a goal in the 43rd minute and Vincius Junior gave Brazil a 3-0 half-time lead in the fifth minute of stoppage time, racing in behind the play and delivering a right-footed shot just inside the left post.
Paraguay answered in the 48th minute on a goal by Omar Alderete but Paqueta scored on a redemption penalty kick in the 65th minute for a 4-1 Brazil lead and that’s how it finished.
Switzerland’s Yakin hoping to catch Italy off-guard in Euros
- His side face the reigning champions on Saturday in Berlin and while Yakin admires Italy’s tactical football, he said his own team’s set-up was more important to him
- “We’ve done our homework, not only looking at these three games but previous matches prior to the tournament,” Yakin told reporters
BERLIN: Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said Friday he was hoping to spring a surprise against Euro 2024 last 16 opponents Italy.
His side face the reigning champions on Saturday in Berlin and while Yakin admires Italy’s tactical football, he said his own team’s set-up was more important to him.
Italy changed formation for their 1-1 draw against Croatia which saw them scrape into the knock-out rounds but while Yakin is not planning big changes, he did want to keep his opponents on their toes.
“We’ve done our homework, not only looking at these three games but previous matches prior to the tournament, and we’ve always been struck by how Italy can mix things up in terms of personnel and shape,” Yakin told reporters.
“We’re ready for Italy, that’s the home of tactical football and I like the way they do things — they defend as a unit, they man-mark all over the pitch and not many teams do...
“However I want to focus on how we set up, our tactics and maybe even catch them off-guard.”
The sides drew twice in qualifying for the 2022 World Cup and Switzerland finished top of the group with Italy failing to make it to Qatar.
“I hope we can experience something similar tomorrow night, we’ve fought very hard to make it here,” continued Yakin.
“Italy are a neighboring country, we know them well, we know all about their temper, tactics and quality.
“It will be a special game tomorrow night and we hope it pans out the same way as our previous meetings.”
Switzerland and Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer believes the tie will be decided by key moments.
“Our goal tomorrow is to progress, these are knock-out ties and every incident becomes decisive,” said Sommer.
“It depends how the teams play on the day and which way the big moments go, if they go Italy’s way or if they go our way.”
Sommer saved a Jorginho penalty in one of the two World Cup qualifying matches against Italy and the midfielder fired another one over the bar in the other.
“I don’t want to face a penalty tomorrow night... those are water under the bridge,” said Sommer, who has a reputation as a penalty-saving expert.
“If there is a penalty then I’ll do my best to keep it out.”
‘Not done yet’: Nagelsmann wants 2006 repeat for Euros hosts Germany
- Nagelsmann said the images “pushed” the hosts to “create more pictures and more videos” to rival the celebrations of 18 years ago
- “It’s special when we see the pictures and videos of the fans and how they celebrate in the cities”
DORTMUND: Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said images of fans celebrating in the streets inspired the hosts to continue their Euro 2024 run, saying the “special” scenes reminded him of the 2006 World Cup on home soil.
In 2006, hosts Germany defied low pre-tournament expectations to go all the way to the semifinals before losing to eventual champions Italy in extra-time in Dortmund.
The 2006 World Cup became known in Germany as the ‘summer fairytale’ for the tournament’s positive impact both on and off the pitch.
Speaking before Saturday’s last 16 match against Denmark at the same venue, Nagelsmann said the images “pushed” the hosts to “create more pictures and more videos” to rival the celebrations of 18 years ago.
“It’s special when we see the pictures and videos of the fans and how they celebrate in the cities.
“When we talk about 2006 it’s always about that, we don’t talk about the results, we don’t talk about the games — it’s always about the fan zones.
“At the moment I feel the same,” the coach said, adding “we’re not done yet.”
Three-time Euros winners Germany have struggled in recent tournaments, with group stage exits at the past two World Cups alongside a last-16 elimination at the hands of England at the Euros in 2021.
“We’ll try to continue winning the games to try to create new pictures and videos in the fan zones tomorrow and in the next weeks as well.”
Nagelsmann said the “giant expectations” did not bother him, saying he was “completely relaxed because the coaching team have worked and prepared well.”
“We’re extremely well prepared for things and will go to bed calmly this evening.
“I’ve got great trust in the team, I know what’s inside of them and what they are capable of delivering.”
“I think the lads will go into the game with a good feeling and will fulfil the giant expectations.”
Nagelsmann said he was looking forward to coaching at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion cauldron — which is usually the largest stadium in Germany but has a reduced capacity for Euro 2024.
The former Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig coach said he was happy to be coaching at the stadium with the “very loud” home crowd behind him for the first time, saying “usually I’m with the away team.”
Sporting a new bleached-blonde haircut, heavily tattooed midfielder Robert Andrich said he was “looking forward” to the “special atmosphere,” saying it would “lift me up — and the team too.”
“(Hopefully) it puts the Danes under a bit of pressure.”
“We’re happy we won the group — now we’re in the last 16 and our run isn’t over yet, we’ve got a few more things ahead of us.”
Madrid sell Joselu to Qatari team after activating buy option
- “Real Madrid, after activating their option to sign Joselu from Espanyol, reached a deal with Al-Gharafa,” said Los Blancos
- Joselu’s loan clause was estimated at $1.6 million
MADRID: Real Madrid confirmed the sale of Spain striker Joselu to Qatari side Al-Gharafa on Friday after buying him from Espanyol by activating a clause in his loan deal.
Joselu, who sensationally struck twice late on against Bayern Munich to fire Madrid into the Champions League final, which they won for a record 15th time, was on a temporary deal this season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Real Madrid, after activating their option to sign Joselu from Espanyol, reached a deal with Al-Gharafa for the transfer of our player,” said Los Blancos in a statement.
Joselu’s loan clause was estimated at 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) and Spanish reports say Madrid sold him for the same amount, with Espanyol not willing to allow him to move to the Qatari league at that price.
The 34-year-old target man netted 18 times in 49 appearances for Real Madrid despite often being used as a substitute.
Joselu is part of Spain’s Euro 2024 squad along with defender Nacho Fernandez, who on Thursday sealed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah at the end of his Real Madrid deal.
