Meanwhile, Austria, led by Ralf Ragnick, continued to captivate with their exciting style of play.
The real ‘dark horses’
Before every major tournament, a few teams are often labeled as potential ‘dark horses.’ Yet, in Austria, we might have discovered the true dark horses of the competition.
A thrilling 3-2 victory against the Netherlands in their last group match proved to be an exhilarating contest, showcasing Austria’s abundant attacking quality as they managed to breach a defense featuring stalwarts such as Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, and Stefan de Vrij.
They will now Set to have a favorable draw in the round of 16, facing either Turkey or the Czech Republic, Austria is poised to be a formidable opponent for any team at these European Championships.
France has yet to click
France was most people’s favorite to go home with the trophy ahead of the start of the tournament. Yet strangely, they haven’t clicked.
Captain Kylian Mbappe returned to the side for their final group game, and he brought a little bit more X-factor and quality to France’s attack. But they were still lacking something.
France initially seized the lead with a Mbappe penalty, but their finishing was notably erratic, unable to secure a second goal. Ultimately, they were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw as Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty for the opposing team.
Lewandowski After Scoring Penalty Against France
France has only scored two goals, one from an own goal and the other from a penalty. Surprisingly, no French player has netted from open play so far. It raises concerns that a team full of star talent is struggling to find its offensive rhythm.
By finishing second, France is now headed toward the more challenging side of the draw, where formidable opponents like Spain, Germany, and most likely, Portugal await.
Their placement has undeniably increased the level of difficulty they face in the tournament.
Dull Group C
Before the final two group matches in Group C, any of the four teams still had a chance to qualify from the group, with England being the only team assured of a spot.
However, after witnessing 90 minutes of ‘football’ in Munich and Cologne, it was difficult to discern that.
Both matches ended in a goalless draw, characterized by cautious and lackluster play, with neither team showing a genuine intent to score.
Jude Bellingham Marc Guéhi
England is likely to be the most disappointing of the teams, especially considering their aspirations to make a deep run in the tournament in Germany.
They have failed to provide their fans with any momentum to rally behind them and continue to appear as a lackluster representation of their strong performances in previous tournaments.
Serbia go home from the four teams, and they will be thinking what might have been given just one goal would have made all the difference.
Even so, it feels a longshot if any of Denmark, England, or Slovenia will go much further in EURO 2024.
