WEDNESDAY:
GROUP A
TURKEY V WALES
Turkey were taught a footballing lesson in their opening match against Italy as they were completely outplayed and saw very little of the ball. They were forced to drop deep from the very beginning and they couldn't get out their own half for most of the game because of how dominant Italy were.
They'll be expecting a different kind of game here because Wales play a completely different way to how Italy play. The Turks will hopefully see more of the ball and have more shots at goal which they didn't get against Italy on Friday night because Wales aren't a team who dominate the ball like Italy do.
Wales were forced to defend for large parts of their draw with Switzerland on Saturday and they had keeper Danny Ward to thank for keeping the score down. He simply has to start for them in this one because of the performance he put in on the day which will give him plenty of confidence going into this one.
Rob Page's side will need to win this one if they're to reach the knockout stages because they face Italy after this one who are already looking like a team to be feared. Their attacking players didn't show enough of a threat against Switzerland with Daniel James being the only one who was trying to do something. Page will want all his attacking players to deliver in this one so they have a chance of winning the game.
I'm going for a Wales win because I think they might just nick it. They have the players in their side who can deliver in these kind of games and with Kieffer Moore up top, I can see him causing the Turks some problems with his height and aerial presence.
PREDICTION: 1-2
ITALY V SWITZERLAND
Italy really meant business against Turkey in their opening match as they put in a dominant display to win the match 3-0. They didn't give Turkey a sniff for the entire game as they limited them to just three shots along with winning the game reasonably comfortably by keeping possession of the ball well throughout the match. They're already looking like one of the favourites for the tournament itself.
With the other teams in the group failing to win on the opening round the Italians could secure their place in the last 16 with a win in this one if Wales fail to beat Turkey. They have the upper hand after their opening day win over Turkey and they'll take a huge step towards the knockout stages with a win here whatever the result is in the other game.
Switzerland will be disappointed that they didn't win their opening game against Wales because of the amount of chances they missed. They had many good chances throughout the game but they didn't take them all thanks to Danny Ward in the Wales goal. They looked bright on occasions with Breel Embolo impressing but overall they'll be kicking themselves that they didn't win the game.
They may not see as much of the ball in this one as they did against Wales as they'll be up against an Italy side who like to have possession and use it well like they did against Turkey. The Swiss may need to be more defence minded in this one because the Italians could hurt them if they try to play like they did against Wales.
I'm going for an Italy win because they're looking like one of the favourites for the tournament and are ful of confidence due to the form they're in. It won't be as comfortable as their opening game but they'll still have enough in them to win the game.
PREDICTION: 2-0
GROUP B
FINLAND V RUSSIA
Finland got their campaign off to a winning start with their win over Denmark in a match which was overshadowed by one incident in particular. They were second best for the majority of the game as Denmark had more and the better chances. But Finland got the win with their only shot in the game which is all that matters to them.
They'll still be underdogs in this game but the win over Denmark should still give them some confidence because winning your opening game like they did usually gives any team the confidence they need to win the next one. They'll need that confidence in this one and the next one to help them get through those tough games.
I'm backing Russia to get out the group now because Denmark will be without Christian Eriksen and I had Denmark down as the team to finish 2nd in the group behind Belgium. The Russians will have a stronger team than the Danes when the two sides meet next week and as the Russians have a more winnable fixture this week and a stronger team, I can see them finish above the Danes.
They were never in the game against Belgium last time out which was probably expected due to the kind of opposition they were facing. They will see that one as a free hit and go for the win in this one as it's a more winnable fixture which they'll be expecting to win.
I'm going for a Russia win because they have more quality in their side than Finland do. They're reasonably solid defensively and have players going forward capable of winning them any game.
PREDICTION: 0-3
THURSDAY:
DENMARK V BELGIUM
It was a massive shock to see what happened to Christian Eriksen during Denmark's defeat to Finland and it was good to hear that he was alive and conscious when he was being treated in the hospital. It was nice to see tributes paid to him by other players and teams following the incident by saying a message on social media or in person and showing t-shirts because of how serious the incident was.
I really can't see Denmark reach the last 16 now they're going to be without their talisman and best attacking player. I can't see Denmark being the same team without Eriksen as they don't have anyone else like him in their team who can create chances and score goals. They have individuals but without Eriksen they'll look blunt in attack because of how effective he is.
Belgium coped pretty well without Kevin De Bruyne against Russia as they swept them aside pretty comfortably. They were in control from start to finish and were always going to win the game due to the quality they have in their side. Romelu Lukaku was without a doubt the player on the pitch with his two goals and I can see him winning the golden boot if he carries on playing the way he is throughout this tournament.
As Denmark will unfortunately be without star man Christian Eriksen, I can only see this one being a win for Belgium. They have more quality in their side and I think they'll be too strong for the Danes. Especially as they'll be without their talisman.
PREDICTION: 0-3
GROUP C
UKRAINE V NORTH MACEDONIA
Ukraine put in a good shift against Holland in their opening game as they showed good character to level game after being 2-0 down. No one saw them making a comeback because of how dominant the Dutch were prior to Andriy Yarmolenko's brilliant strike which changed the game and gave them the confidence to score an equaliser. They may have lost the game. But they should still be proud of the effort they put in against a team like Holland. They'll be looking to show that character and effort in this one against a more winnable opponent.
North Macedonia looked a threat at times going forward in their defeat to Austria but they were let down by some poor defending. The first two goals saw the defenders lose their man and the third was down to the defender failing to clear his lines for which he got punished for. They also gave the ball away numerous times in their own half which they can't do at this level because they could get punished. They'll need to defend better in this one if they're to have a chance of getting a result.
I'm going for a Ukraine win because I think they'll have enough to win the game. North Macedonia aren't great defensively and I can see Andriy Shevchenko's side exploit that weakness in this one with the pace of Andriy Yarmolenko.
PREDICTION: 2-0
HOLLAND V AUSTRIA
Holland were great to watch in their win over Ukraine as they were dominant in possession and created a lot of chances. They started the game on the front foot and their patience paid off in the second half as they got the goals that their performance deserved. They eased off a bit after going 2-0 up and making two defensive subs early on which enabled Ukraine to get back into the game before Denzel Dumfries scored the winner.
The Dutch could secure a place in the last 16 if they win this one and the Ukraine-North Macedonia match ends in a draw. The same will apply to Austria who also won their opening game which makes this a game that both sides will want to win to they can get the favourable draw in the last 16.
Austria got their first ever win at the Euros in their opening day game with North Macedonia where they simply just got the job done. Their performance in the second half was better as they got David Alaba higher up the pitch where he was able to cause problems with his crosses into the box. The subs made a difference when they came on and especially Marko Arnautovic who will hopefully start this game because of the impact he made on Sunday.
If Austria play like they did in the latter par of the second half against North Macedonia they might have a chance of getting something from this game. Especially if they start Arnautovic.
I'm going for a Holland win because they have more quality in their side than Austria. They may have to be patient as Austria can be solid defensively but they should get the job done with the quality they have in their side.
PREDICTION: 2-0
FRIDAY:
CROATIA V CZECH REPUBLIC
Croatia were not at their best against England as they failed to seriously test Jordan Pickford in the England goal. They never looked like scoring throughout the duration of the match and the game itself showed us why they're not the same side that reached the World Cup final three years ago. They still have Luka Modric around but he can't be relied upon as much as he was three years ago.
They should win this one because of the quality they have in their team compared to their opponents. With the likes of Modric and Perisic still around they have every chance because of the quality of players they both are. With that they should still be able to get out the group regardless of their performance against England.
Czech Republic put in an all round performance against Scotland in their opening game with their best moment being Patrick Schick's second goal. Defensively they were resolute and going forward they took their chances and looked a threat. They'll need to be exactly that in this one due to the quality of opposition they'll be facing in Croatia who have some top players in their side. They'll be a tougher test than Scotland.
I'm going for a Croatia win because they have more match winners in their side. The Czech will make it difficult for them as they're a tough team to break down but with Modric on the pitch for Croatia, they have a player who can change the game with a killer pass. I can see him being the difference in this one.
PREDICTION: 1-0
ENGLAND V SCOTLAND
England fans will most certainly remember the last time they met Scotland at Wembley at Euro 96 when Paul Gascoigne scored that amazing goal shortly after David Seaman saved a Gary McAllister penalty. That Gascoigne goal is one of the best ever goals to be scored at these finals and I'm sure that many people have tried re-creating it.
They got off to the start they wanted with their win over Croatia where they put in a good performance overall. Kalvin Phillips was excellent throughout and will 100% be hoping to start this one depending on what formation England play. He was crucial to England winning the game as he controlled the game with his passing and worked his socks off in the midfield plus he set up the goal for Raheem Sterling. He will not want to be dropped for this one.
Scotland's last meeting with England was a 2-2 draw at Hampden Park back in 2017 where Leigh Griffiths scored two brilliant free kicks even though Joe Hart in the England goal could've done better for both of them. They were seconds away from securing a vital win during the World Cup qualifying campaign that year until Harry Kane scored very late on to rescue a point for England. The Scots will want to get a similar kind of result here to get their campaign up and running.
Steve Clarke's team must be kicking themselves after missing a load of chances in their defeat to the Czech Republic on Monday. He created enough chances to win the game. They just couldn't take them and they got punished for them as the Czech won the game 2-0 with a brilliant strike to seal the result. This game is one they need to win in order to keep their last 16 hopes alive as a defeat will see them go out. Especially if Czech Republic beat Croatia who the Scots face in their final group game.
I'm going for an England win because they have the talent in their squad to win any kind of game. They're feeling confident after beating Croatia and they should have wenough in them to win this gamewith the quality they have in forwad areas..
PREDICTION: 2-0
GROUP E
SWEDEN V SLOVAKIA
Sweden look organised and resolute in their opening game against Spain and they easily had the best chances to win the game. They limited the Spanish to very few clear cut chances and made vital interventions when they needed to as they kept them at bay for the entire match. They'll be proud of the performance they put it and they'll also be feeling confident going into this one as they would've gained a lot of positives from that game.
They work well as a team and the players know their jobs which they showed in their opening game against Spain. They're a good collective without any real superstars and they're a team not to be written off because of how resolute they can be.
Slovakia were pretty impressive in their win over Poland which was a result I was not expecting. I like many others didn't give them a chance going into that game and they proved everyone wrong by going on to win it. They were the better team in the first half with Robert Mak causing problems on the left hand side and they responded to the Poland red card by re-taking the lead minutes later.
They're still the underdogs in the group but their win over Poland will give them confidence going into this game as they look to make it two wins out of two.
I'm going for a Sweden win because they work well as a team and that should be enough to win this game. Slovakia may have some confidence on board after beating Poland but I think Sweden will have enough in them as a team to win the game.
PREDICTION: 1-0
SATURDAY:
SPAIN V POLAND
Spain were dominant against Sweden but didn't create a lot of clear cut chances with all the possession they had. They did have some good chances to score and win the game but they didn't take them with Alvaro Morata missing their best ones. Pedri and Koke impressed in midfield but overall they weren't creative enough as they failed to get enough balls into the box.
They really lacked a clinical centre forward in that game and that could well cost them in this tournament. During their period of dominance between 2008 and 2012 they had a striker in David Villa who knew where the back of the net was. Spain haven't had that kind of player for a number of years and will need to find one fast if they're to return to hose heights.
I was surprised that Poland lost to Slovakia in their opening game because I was very much expecting them to win it. They didn't start the game well but were a bit better in the second half as they scored seconds after the restart through Karol Linetty. But they didn't build on their equaliser as they had a man sent off and went on to lose the game 2-1.
This is a game that they must not lose as a defeat here could see them bow out depending on what the score is in the other game. With two tough games coming up for them including this one, their last 16 hopes are hanging by a thread.
I'm going for a Spain win because they have more individual quality in their side than Poland do. They didn't make their dominance count against Sweden, but I do believe that they will here as Poland are not a side that are hard to beat like Sweden are.
PREDICTION: 2-0
GROUP F
HUNGARY V FRANCE
Hungary were in the game for most of their defeat to Portugal until the final few minutes where their heads dropped after conceding the first goal. They looked organised in the first half as they restricted them to few clear cut chances and kept Ronaldo quiet. In the second half they gave it a good go until the final few minutes as they had some decent chances to score including the goal that was disallowed. They'll need to play like that for whole of this game if they're to get something because the French will punish them if they don't.
France put in a solid display in their opening match against Germany and they had to with the amount of pressure the Germans put on them at stages during the game. They were solid defensively for the whole 90 minutes by making many vital interventions and they worked well as a team overall with the attacking players dropping back to help out the defence and the midfield.
They showed why they're one of the favourites for the tournament during their win over Germany by being defensively solid and beating a high profile nation. Beating high profile nations and having a solid defence win you major tournaments.
I'm going for a France win because they have more than enough quality to win this game. They have a stronger team and squad on paper plus with the pace of Kylian Mbappe in their side, they'll cause the Hungarians all kinds of problems.
PREDICTION: 0-3
PORTUGAL V GERMANY
Portugal had to patient against Hungary on Tuesday and their patience certainly paid off as they won the game by a comfortable margin. Guerreiro's goal changed the game because it gave Portugal the belief and confidence to go on and the win the game along with scoring two more goals. Ronaldo was kept quiet for most of the game but he eventually joined the party with his two goals at the end.
Portugal don't have a great record against Germany with their last win against them coming at Euro 2000 where they won 3-0 with Sergio Conceicao scoring a hat trick. They've lost their last four games against them since their last win against them 21 years ago and they would love to end that hoodoo in this one as they have a much stronger squad than they did the last few times they've faced them.
Germany put in a better performance than I thought they would against France because I was expecting France to push them aside. The Germans were in the game from start to finish and they created some decent chance along the way which they feel that they should've taken. They didn't have enough on the day but Joachim Low should still be proud of the effort that his side put in. He'll want a similar performance in this one.
This game is a must win for the Germans because a defeat won't be enough as it end their hopes of finishing in the top two of their group. They can still qualify to be the best team to finish 3rd by beating Hungary in their final game but they'll want to win this one more as they want to finish in the top two of their group. Anything lower would be seen as a disappointment.
I'm going for a Portugal win because I feel that they're a better side than Germany at the moment. They're strong in all areas and with Ronaldo in their side, they should be able to win this game along with the other quality players they have.
PREDICTION: 2-1
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