written by Tolu Odeneye
Group E
Republic of Ireland (1) vs Sweden (1)
Republic of Ireland began the game really well with a lot of energy, coming close with Brady and Hendricks hitting the bar in the first half. Early in the second half, Seamus Coleman broke down the Sweden’s left side and put a great cross, which was volleyed home sweetly by Wes Hoolahan in the 48th minute. However in the 71st
minute, the Swedes equalised. A swift exchange of passes let Sweden into the Irish defence; Ciaran Clark finished Zlatan’s cross.
Supporting Points
• Credit to Jonathan Walters who body checked the defender out of the way as the ball came into the box giving Hoolahan the possibility to finish unperturbed.
• Prior to scoring the equalizer Clark had forced his goalkeeper to make a save and also unconvincingly put it over the bar from close range, he didn’t have his best game.
Belgium (0) vs Italy (2)
The Italians came into the tournament with De Rossi as their top goal scorer as well as the best back 3 plus goalkeeper in European football.Raphael Honigstein described the match as “a team without a coach against a coach without a team” and the picture makes it even clearer.
#BEL #ITA: a team without a coach
against a coach without a team.— Raphael Honigstein (@honigstein) June 13,
2016
Courtesy of Gabriele Marcotti
In the first half, Conte set his team up with a high defensive line. They passed very quickly through the lines to beat the press and in the 32nd minute they scored the opener. Leonard Bonucci played a defence splitting Pirlo-esque pass from his half into the path of Emanuele Giaccherini, who brought it down well and applied a composed finish. In the second half they played deeper, inviting the pressure and in the 93rd minute a swift counter attack saw Antonio Candreva set Graziano Pelle up for a volley at the far post and that was it, job done.
Supporting Points
• Belgium playing quick free kicks when they have a dead ball specialist in Kevin De Bruyne and an average height of 1.85m is certainly questionable.
• Benzema maybe missing but the defensive BBC are here in the tournament.
• Italy’s Giaccherini is not the same player we saw at Sunderland in the Premier League.
• Antonio Conte is certainly not a defensive coach.