Scout Notes – Matchday 3 – Day 1

A mostly Dimitri Payet-free France were frustrated by a resolute Switzerland as both sides progressed in Group A, while Albania kept their dreams alive with a deserved victory over Romania.

Here’s how the first set of final group matches panned out.

France 0 Switzerland 0

France and Switzerland played out the draw that guaranteed them both passage to the knock-out stages, with the hosts through as Group A winners.

Didier Deschamps again mixed things up, making five changes from the side that beat Albania. Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann returned, while Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sissoko and Andre-Pierre Gignac were also drafted in.

The key absentee was Dmitri Payet (8.0), the most popular pick in the official Uefa game, with 61% ownership.

Pogba (8.5) flourished in his absence in the first half, finishing the match with four attempts and three chances created. There is, however, a distinct feel of the old Frank Lampard/Steven Gerrard conundrum about Pogba and Payet, and when the West Ham man came on in the second half, Pogba’s star waned dramatically.

Griezmann (10.0), at 31% the most popular striker pick of the Matchday, was industrious throughout. He created four chances, supplied 10 crosses and had two attempts for a good DraftKings showing. After such a great season for Atletico Madrid, though, he looks more of a provider than a goalscorer in France’s 4-3-3 system and 10.0 is a high price to pay for such a role.

Switzerland turned in their best performance of the tournament to date and look likely to face Poland in the Round of 16 – a match they have a decent chance of winning.

Goals remain a problem, though. They managed only six shots against the French, none of which were on target, and although Breel Embolo (6.0) has pace and power, he is a raw talent in need of better service than the conservative Swiss have yet to provide.

Full-backs Ricardo Rodriguez (6.0) and Stephan Lichtsteiner (5.5) both completed a team-high five crosses, with the former also having one attempt, and they remain sound DraftKings picks.

Fabian Schar (5.5) put in another solid shift in a defence that has kept two clean sheets and could keep another if indeed it is Poland next. That frugality is the most this competent but limited Swiss side has to offer.

France have Payet and home advantage. The quarter-finals beckon, but they will have to up their game if they are to mix it with the best sides this tournament has to offer.

Romania 0 Albania 1

Armando Sadiku (5.0) made footballing history for Albania, scoring their first goal to secure their first points in their first ever international tournament.

It was also enough to see off a Romania side that started brightly but faded badly – a microcosm of their tournament as a whole.

Sadiku’s winning header came from a Ledian Memushaj (4.5) cross that bamboozled goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu towards the end of a first half that Albania grew into.

They were rarely troubled after the break and although Romania out-shot their opponents 16-14, Albania had more attempts on target (5-3).

Memushaj was the stand-out performer, with a further six chances created to go with his assist, eight crosses completed and three shots attempted, two of which were on target.

If Albania make it through as one of the four best third-placed sides, they might well face England in the Round of 16. At such a low price, he’s a fifth midfielder budget enabler well worth a look.

Albania’s compactness and work rate went unrewarded in narrow defeats to Switzerland and France. The Romania win will give them huge belief and if they do progress, Mergim Mavraj (4.5) offers a lot as a DraftKings option – his tally of nine successful tackles has been bettered by only two other defenders and a total of seven interceptions also places highly in the defensive rankings.

For those in need of a budget third striker, Sadiku looks in decent form – the match-winner against Romania was the fifth time he’s scored in the previous last nine international outings.