June 26 – Day two of the Last 16 play-off matches sees the Irish hungry to reverse Thierry Henry’s handball injustice and spoil the French party, Lille’s relain pitch welcome the Germans and Slovaks, and Belgium’s stars preparing to feast on Hungary.
France vs Republic of Ireland
The host nation have had a week to prepare for a last-16 tie cementing their status as strong favourites while the Irish arrive in Lyon battle-hardened for a second crunch game in five days.
Didier Deschamps looks set to recall key players such as Dimitri Payet, N’Golo Kante and Blaise Matuidi, rested in the draw against Switzerland. But boy, do Martin O’Neill’s have their own motivation to cause an upset six years after Thierry Henry’s handball ruined Ireland’s chances of a World Cup appearance.
O’Neill’s assistant Roy Keane believes the team have the qualities to trouble the French especially at set pieces. “I’d like to think every time we get the ball in the box their fans will be nervous wrecks,” he said.
France have yet to play a full match at their best yet have only conceded one goal in three matches, a penalty, but the back four have not been really tested. Still, they are unbeaten in their last 15 games at major tournaments on home soil and have not allowed their opponents a shot on target in their last 205 minutes of action at Euro 2016.
Keane has criticised the number of tickets allocated for Republic of Ireland fans after it emerged they have been allocated less than 10 per cent of the total seats in the 59,000-capacity ground. “You’d expect the home nation to have got an extra few, but that’s a lot more. It’s unfair, particularly the way the Irish fans have travelled and what they’ve brought to the tournament,” said Keane.
Germany vs Slovakia
Germany will decide on the eve of the game whether defender Jerome Boateng can help them to another clean sheet en route to what they hope is their fourth Euro crown.
Although they lost to the Slovaks in a friendly in May, they will start huge favourites in Lille on the relaid pitch.
Marek Hamsik will again be Slovakia’s chief weapon but if the Germans find form thet could win easily. According to Opta stats, they have averaged 71.9% possession over their first three games, the highest ratio of any team in the group stage.
In their last two matches Joachim Low’s side have scored with only one of 44 shots but statistics can be misleading. Slovak coach Jan Kozak summed it up: “They are the world champions and won their group without conceding a goal, that says it all. They know how to play big tournaments.”
Belgium vs Hungary
Belgium have made it to the knockout stages of the European Championship for the first time since 1980, when they were beaten 2-1 by West Germany in the final. It’s about time too given all the talent at their disposal.
Belgium’s squad is the most expensive amongst all the countries on view at Euro 2016 – worth a total of £318.9 million. Hungary only managed to clinch a finals place via the playoffs yet have made legions of friends with their approach and will go into the game without fear after such an impressive group stage after being given little hope beforehand.
The 400-1 outsiders are likely to recall Laszlo Kleinheisler, Krisztian Nemeth, Tamas Kadar and Adam Nagy after resting the booked quartet last time out but this may be the end of the road as Belgium have picked up momentum since their opening game defeat to Italy, with Kevin de Bruyne especially prominent.
This is surely the last chance for their golden generation who are in the more favourable half of the draw. The sides have not met in a competitive match since a 1-1 draw at the 1982 World Cup but having made it out of the group stages at a major tournament for the first time since the 1966 World Cup, Hungary will want to make the most of the occasion.
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