EURO 2024 Roundup, Matchday 12
Here is a summary of the matches that took place during Matchday 12 of EURO 2024, highlighting the outcomes and standout individual performances.
France 1-1 Poland
France and Poland played a 1-1 draw, with France finishing as Group D runners-up. Despite being the first team eliminated from the tournament, Poland showed strong performance from the start. France had opportunities with Theo Hernández and Ousmane Dembélé, but Poland’s Łukasz Skorupski made crucial saves. Poland, boosted by Robert Lewandowski’s return, came close to scoring with their top goalscorer’s header. The first half saw intense action, with Skorupski making key saves against Kylian Mbappé before the halftime whistle. A penalty was awarded to France after Dembélé was fouled in the box by Jakub Kiwior. Mbappé confidently scored his first goal at the European Championship.
However, Poland was awarded a penalty with 15 minutes left, after the referee consulted VAR for a foul on Karol Świderski. Maignan saved Lewandowski’s initial penalty, but was penalized for stepping off his line, allowing Lewandowski to score on his second attempt and equalize. Despite the draw, Poland can be proud of their performance against France, as they remain winless in nine games against them since 1982. France, on the other hand, will be disappointed to have given up their lead and missed the opportunity to finish as group leaders, despite extending their unbeaten streak to six games.
Netherlands 2-3 Austria
Austria made history by advancing from the group stage of a European Championship for only the second time after defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in Berlin. This victory secured them the top spot in Group D. There was a high level of intensity at the start of the match as both sides aimed to win and top the group. Austria found success attacking down the left side, as Prass set up a goal within six minutes when his cross was deflected into the net by Donyell Malen. The first half was filled with back-and-forth action, with both teams creating scoring opportunities in an entertaining match.
The intense game continued after the restart, with the Dutch team gaining early momentum. Xavi Simons carried the ball up the field and passed to Cody Gakpo, who skillfully scored a goal. However, Austria regained the lead when Romano Schmid scored from Florian Grillitsch’s pass. The Netherlands equalized with a goal from Memphis Depay, but Austria took the lead again with a goal from Marcel Sabitzer. Despite a disallowed goal, Austria held on for a victory, securing first place in Group D. The Netherlands finished in third place and may face England in the next round.
Denmark 0-0 Serbia
Denmark and Serbia played to a goalless draw in a lackluster match as Denmark secured a spot in the Round of 16 of the UEFA European Championships. The game started cautiously with few scoring opportunities. Denmark’s Joakim Mæhle provided a chance with a cross that was missed by Alexander Bah, while Christian Eriksen’s long-range shot was saved. Serbia struggled to create chances, managing only one shot before halftime.
After halftime, the Eagles had a goal disallowed due to an offside call against Luka Jović. As time passed, Serbia attempted to increase their attacking pressure in search of a win to stay in contention. Despite making several offensive substitutions, they struggled to break through the resilient defense of their opponents. Serbia’s lack of creativity in their final passes was a recurring issue throughout the tournament. Serbia only managed a shot on target in injury time when Sergej Milinković-Savić was stopped by Kasper Schmeichel, resulting in Serbia finishing at the bottom of the group with two points. Meanwhile, Denmark secured a spot in the next round as the group runners-up after drawing all three of their matches.
England 0-0 Slovenia
England clinched the top spot in Group C, but their performance in the 0-0 draw against Slovenia lacked any excitement. This draw extended their unbeaten streak to seven matches. Despite lackluster play in the beginning, England eventually showed glimpses of their potential, with a disallowed goal by Bukayo Saka and a close miss by Harry Kane. England, already guaranteed a spot in the knockout stage, needed to use this match to regain momentum after two underwhelming performances. Southgate made changes during halftime by bringing in Kobbie Mainoo for Conor Gallagher.
However, this substitution did not have the intended impact, and even when Cole Palmer was brought in for his first appearance of the tournament with 20 minutes remaining, England continued to struggle. Despite this, England’s saving grace was that Slovenia also struggled in the attacking third. With Denmark’s match also tied in the final minutes, the situation was not entirely negative. Although England’s failure to score meant a tense ending, they ultimately secured first place in Group C. This victory set them up for a last-16 match against a third-placed team on Sunday. The goalless draw also benefited Slovenia, ensuring their progression to the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed finishers.