During EURO 2024 in Germany, there has been a rain of goals so far, and day three was no exception, featuring a mix of drama and intrigue.
Here, we highlight the major talking points from Sunday’s matches.
Weghorst shows up again
The Netherlands kicked off the day with a 2-1 victory over Poland, dominating the game and creating numerous scoring opportunities.
However, it was substitute Wout Weghorst who secured the win with an 83rd-minute goal, just two minutes after entering the match.
Weghorst saves Netherlands again against Poland
Scoring with his first touch of the game, striker Wout Weghorst demonstrated his ability as a clinical finisher to his teammates.
Before his goal, the attacking trio of Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay, and Xavi Simons squandered clear-cut chances, raising concerns for manager Ronald Koeman that his favored offensive combination struggled to capitalize on goal-scoring opportunities.
They will be under more pressure in their last two games in Group D, and it will give Koeman some selection headaches ahead of those ties.
Inspirational Eriksen performance
Although Kasper Hjulmand’s team let slip their lead against Slovenia, Danish supporters will forever remember Christian Eriksen’s exceptional performance in midfield.
Christian Eriksen just opened the scoring for Denmark against Slovenia
After three years and precisely 1,100 days since his cardiac arrest during Euro 2020 against Finland, Eriksen returned to the competition with a magnificent opening goal in his first appearance.
Eriksen’s 42nd international goal highlighted a brilliant first-half display by the Manchester United player as Denmark took the lead against their Group C rivals.
However, Slovenia successfully contained Eriksen’s impact in the second half, and this played a crucial role in their ability to secure a valuable draw, with Erik Janza’s deflected shot leveling the score.
Reliable Jude Bellingham
While an opening win in EURO 2024 is always a positive start, England appeared below par in a tense 1-0 triumph over Serbia to kick off their Group C journey.
England owed much of their victory to Jude Bellingham, who played a crucial role in securing the three points.
Jude Bellingham And Trent Alexander Arnold Doing A Trademark Celebration Together
Operating in a more attacking position for Gareth Southgate, the Real Madrid player scored a close-range header in the 13th minute to seal the win.
Bellingham showcased his complete skill set throughout the game, earning him the player of the match award.
His seamless partnership with Phil Foden offers insight into England’s tournament playing style, and his physicality was evident as he engaged in a strong challenge with Andrija Zivkovic early on, illustrating his readiness for the competition.
While Gareth Southgate will be worried about his team’s cautious performance in the second half, he understands that peaking early in a tournament doesn’t guarantee success.
The manager will be counting on his players to raise their game significantly if they aim to live up to their tag of favorites.
