The long awaited Euro 2020 has finally started and Italy has seized the opportunity to take the first massive win of the tournament. It's quite certain Italy would make it to the knockout stage but which of the other teams in group A would make it to the knockout with Italy?
Seeing Italy's match against Turkey yesterday was quite there, I personally don't like the vibe the Turkish players came with, they played with so much cautions and less attacking force. Italy isn't with that team with massive midfield and I though Turkey was going to keep into that and win the midfield from Italy but no! They played more of containing pressure from Italy's attacks. Turkey got lucky enough to have played the first half with conceding any goal and I thought they would turn the table around in the second half but they never did.
Yilmaz was the only Turkish player that actually got me impressed to some extent due to the fact that he made moves for gaol even though it appears he was the only one upfront and there was less of the ball activities getting to him per time. Well, I'm not surprised, Italy is definitely and vividly the better team but it could have been more of a tough game for Italy to win if only Turkey had pressed forward for goal than building walls in their goal box.
Italy had so much from Berardi and Immobile but I personally love the activities from Insigne, he had much power and portrayed more threats in the boxes against Turkey and for the fact that Turkey played less attack made it quite easy for Italy experienced defender (Cheillini) to move the ball forward freely on many occasions. Based on the manner at which the match went, I would say Italy really portrayed some world-class qualities and for me Insigne was my man of the match!
WAR AT BAKU!
Aside the fact that it was really hot in Baku during Wales vs Switzerland match, the match itself was quite intense. I almost hated Wales for their play pattern but God saved them, they turned it all around on time.
From the onset, Switzerland dominated the match to a very dreadful stage but Wales were lucky not to have fallen for short tricks used by the Swiss Boys in the first half.
Just like Turkey last night, Wales also left the ball at the feet of the Swiss players to control and enjoy while they watch for their goal post, that has been Wales manner of playing and I wasn't so surprised but I felt it should be so against a team like Switzerland whose attacking force is just as strong as Wales. Switzerland has Seferovic, Embolo, and Shaqiri while Wales had Bale, Moore, and James.
Evaluating the six attackers in the match, I don't see any reason why a team should play low for the other to dominate and I'm just glad Wales came out through that mistake in the second half, and I also think that would have happened if Switzerland hadn't scored the early goal in the second half.
The Joy from the Wales fans was quite unexplainable and that made me feel the whole team including the fans actually came to secure a draw against Switzerland which is fair enough. One for the unpredictable moment in the match was when Page (Wales Manager) decided to take James off the pitch, I was quite pissed and even James himself was pissed enough, and I think James also thought if he continues they could still win the game but that moment only drove me to two different possibilities which are - either Page had come initially to draw the match or he was saving James from picking up an injury but whichever one it was, it's still cool for the team for now.
At the moment, I am just enjoying the show and appearances in the Euro 2020 but I haven't see a team yet to convince me that they actually came to fight for the trophy but then, it's still quite early to judge who's in for it or not, let's see them through to the knockouts I guess!
Another big games for tonight as Denmark is currently battling Finland and Belgium would be taking on Russia later tonight also, these are games that are worth seeing considering the quality of players that are and would be available on pitch.
All pictures are screenshots taken while streaming the two matches.
