Euro Cup Day 2 - Thoughts and Analysis

[Group2] [Netherlands vs Denmark] [Predicted Result – Netherlands will win 2-0]

The game started with top notch artistic football from Netherlands – delicate footwork, one touch passes. Danes didn’t have much possession but didn’t look out of control as well. Dutch made a few good moves but the Danes successfully kept them off the net. There were hardly any attacks from the Danes worth counting except a header in the opening minutes. The back-pass in the 18th minute could have done the trick for the Dutch but the referee didn’t think it was deliberate. But fortunes took a turn when Krohn-Dehli made a beautiful move and made it 1-0 for the Danes. And the Dutch came alive into the game. The Dutch kept attacking relentlessly with Robben hitting the post in the 36th minute to his bad luck. The Danes too got a couple of more chances to score at the end of the first half but couldn’t convert


The Dutch applied pressure again with multiple attacks at the beginning of the second half. Hunterlaar must be ruing an almost certain chance off a lovely long ball. But eventually, the Danes have caused an upset and a big one – that opens up the group of death. The Dutch would consider them extremely unlucky for the one missed that hit the post and the handball penalty not given. Ultimately it was another example of how sometimes just skill and strategy is not enough to win a football game, you need a little bit of luck on your side too – the Dutch couldn’t convert their 28 chances and the Danes were able to convert one in just 8 :).

Looks like a cup of upsets and that is making it even more fun :D

[Final Result – Danes cause an upset 1-0]
  

Netherlands	Denmark
	Michael Krohn-Dehli (24')

[Group2] [Portugal vs Germany] [Predicted Result – Germany will win 2-1]

First half was a good contest with not much to choose from both the teams. The closest that one came to score was Pepe in the closing minutes of the first half when his shot hit the upper part of the post and landed on the line. Portugal played a largely defensive game with a few promising counter attacks which was the correct thing on their part as the Germans have a strong forward line. The Germans played to their strength and kept attacking with their tails up in the entire first half. Although Germans had 60% of possession with as many as 6 attempts, the Portuguese never looked out of contention.

The second half was equally competitive in the second half and a little rough as well as expected. Germans were a tad bit lucky that Gomez’s header went in the 72nd minute. And the Portuguese were a tad unlucky that another of their shot landed on the post. Overall it’s a game of half chances; you have to convert them to win games – one less touch, a second quicker makes all the difference. Portuguese will consider themselves unlucky because of the shots that hit the post but they didn’t convert their many chances. A lot of people will come back and say that Ronaldo is over-rated and not good enough at the big stage but football is a team game in true sense. He created a couple of good chances but he needs some back-up from other players to convert. Overall, I am very happy with Portugal’s performance and would say they were a bit unlucky. Germans on the other hand need to raise their game for the next one against the Dutch as the Dutch will come out in full force to make up for today’s loss.

[Final Result – Germany won 1-0]

Germany	Portugal
Mario Gomez (72')