France and the Netherlands renew their latest rivalry on the European Championship, with reminiscences of their hard-fought exits on the World Cup 18 months in the past nonetheless recent.
Both groups suffered heartbreak in penalty shootouts in opposition to Argentina, with France falling within the last and the Dutch within the quarterfinals, regardless of late rallies from two-goal deficits.
Their first post-World Cup encounter was in March final yr, in the course of the Euro 2024 qualifying group opener, the place France dominated with an early three-goal lead and a 4-0 victory in Paris.
The upcoming match on June 21, the longest day of the summer time, in Leipzig, might be an opportunity for France to safe a 3rd consecutive win in opposition to the Netherlands.
That would be the second spherical of video games in Group D that features Austria and Poland, which additionally performed Argentina on the World Cup. The Poles additionally trailed 2-0 to the eventual champion and it stayed that method.
Here’s a take a look at Group D:
France
France reached the ultimate in three of its previous 4 main tournaments, profitable the 2018 World Cup, with simply Euro 2020 counting as a failure.
Kylian Mbappe’s penalty was saved, and France misplaced the shootout to Switzerland after a 3-3 draw within the spherical of 16.
Mbappe arrives for his first match recreation since that 2022 World Cup last hat trick in a dropping trigger in opposition to Argentina, as captain of probably the most proficient squad at Euro 2024.
He additionally is likely to be feeling liberated after a testy last few months at Paris Saint-Germain forward of his long-expected transfer to Real Madrid.
Mbappe’s urge for food for targets in opposition to these group rivals is such that he scored twice in opposition to the Netherlands in every of their qualifying group video games, twice in opposition to Poland on the World Cup, and as soon as in every recreation in opposition to Austria in 2022 within the Nations League.
The 25-year-old celebrity has 48 targets in 79 video games for France, chasing down teammate Olivier Giroud’s document of 57 for Les Bleus.
Giroud’s stellar worldwide profession ends after Euro 2024, when, at age 37, he’ll be a part of Los Angeles FC.
Netherlands
Ronald Koeman has coached the Netherlands via qualifying for back-to-back European Championships.
This time he sees the job via to the finals match.
After Euro 2021 was postponed for one yr within the COVID-19 pandemic, Koeman left to take the coveted job at his former membership Barcelona, nonetheless then with Lionel Messi.
The Dutch went to the final Euro coached by Frank de Boer and misplaced within the spherical of 16 to the Czech Republic.
Koeman was fired by Barcelona after 14 months and one Copa Del Rey title, then re-hired by the Dutch federation to succeed Louis van Gaal after the 2022 World Cup.
In qualifying, Koeman’s crew was environment friendly in profitable all six video games in opposition to groups not named France and conceding only one purpose, from a penalty by Ireland.
Now he appears able to unleash a reshaped formation with dynamic wingbacks Denzel Dumfries and Jeremie Frimpong.
Austria
Predicting a “dark horse” contender to be the European champion has just lately been a idiot’s errand.
Austria in 2016 and Turkey three years in the past each went house winless after the group stage.
Still, Austria has been within the dialog once more. Coach Ralf Rangnick has rebuilt his popularity after just a few dysfunctional months at Manchester United resulted in 2022 and created some expectations for this Austrian crew.
At least till the knee accidents hit. Captain David Alaba’s season was resulted in December taking part in for Real Madrid.
Since a formidable worldwide break in March – beating Euro 2024 groups Slovakia and Turkey (a 6-1 rout in Vienna) – goalkeeper Alex Schlager and midfielder Xaver Schlager additionally received injured.
The midfield remains to be a power with high-end expertise within the Bundesliga: Bayern Munich’s Konrad Laimer, Borussia Dortmund’s Marcel Sabitzer and Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner, whose purpose after six seconds in Slovakia was the quickest ever in a males’s nationwide crew recreation.
Poland
Poland was crushed simply by France on the World Cup, 3-1 within the spherical of 16 in Qatar.
That match appeared to offer little pleasure to the Polish gamers beneath cautious coach Czesław Michniewicz, who left quickly after.
It didn’t enhance with Fernando Santos, the Euro 2016-winning coach for Portugal, who was fired final September.
Poland ultimately certified through the playoffs beneath coach Michał Probierz after having zero pictures on course in a 0-0 draw at Wales till the penalty shootout.
Veteran goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny made the important thing save in Cardiff as captain Robert Lewandowski turned away, unable to look at.
They stay the core of the crew and this may very well be their worldwide farewell, because the 35-year-old Lewandowski seems to be so as to add to his nationwide data of 148 video games and 82 targets. Poland’s final group recreation is in opposition to France in Dortmund, the place he was a feted star from 2010-14.
Source: www.dailysabah.com