Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka grab a goal apiece as Ukraine chalk up another victory. Romania’s Nicolas Stanciu and Albania’s Armando Sadiku both find the net for the third successive outing, whilst England edge past Portugal thanks to a late Chris Smalling goal.
Albania 1 Ukraine 3
Ukraine’s big hitters Andriy Yarmolenko and Yevhen Konoplyanka were both in the goals again as Mikhail Fomenko’s side chalked up a fourth successive victory.
Impressively, Yarmolenko has now scored in five of his nation’s last six matches and clearly looks a viable option for our three-man frontlines, despite his role on the flank and classification as a forward in the Uefa game. Priced at 7.5 and listed as a midfielder, meanwhile, Konoplyanka has produced a goal and assist in each of the last couple of friendlies – he registered five attempts on goal and created three chances last night and benefits from the majority of dead-ball duties.
Elsewhere in the Ukraine midfield, Taras Stepanenko also found the net as Fomenko’s men took their recent record to a single defeat (against Spain) in 13 outings. Priced at 5.5 in Uefa, the Shakhtar Donetsk man has now scored in two of his side’s last four – he also bagged the winner against Cyprus back in March – and also made more interceptions than any team-mate last night, boosting his appeal in the DraftKings offering. Up front, Roman Zozulya – at 6.5 – has now started each of the last four friendlies and netted last time out against Romania, though has been far from prolific and looks unlikely to garner much attention.
For Albania, Armando Sadiku could be one to consider for those in need of a budget Uefa enabler. Handed the starting role up front in a 4-2-3-1 after scoring against Luxembourg and Qatar in the previous two matches, Sadiku – at a price of just 5.0 – netted for the third successive match by grabbing the consolation courtesy of an assist from Odise Roshi.
At the back, Gianni Di Biasi’s decision to utilise Lorik Cana (classified as a midfielder in Uefa) limits the options in defence but with just two clean sheets in nine – against Luxembourg and Armenia – most will be happy to give the Albanian backline a wide berth.
Albania XI: Berisha; Hysaj, Cana (Ajeti 46), Mavraj, Agolli; Roshi, Xhaka (Basha 46), Kace (Balaj 74), Abrashi (Memushaj 46), Lanjani (Gashi 67); Sadiku (Cikalleshi 60)
Ukraine XI: Pyatov; Fedetskiy, Rakitskiy, Khacheridi, Shevchuk (Butko 46); Stepanenko (Tymoshchuk 90), Garmash (Kovalenko 46); Yarmolenko (Zinchenko 77), Sydorchuk (Rotan 67), Konoplyanka; Zozulya (Seleznyov 62)
Romania 5 Georgia 1
Romania finished off their preparations for Euro 2016 with a resounding 5-1 home win over Georgia.
Nicolas Stanciu continued his fine recent form by scoring for the third successive match over the last fortnight. Priced at just 5.5 in Uefa, Stanciu – who also netted against DR Congo and Ukraine in recent weeks – seems to have cemented a starting berth in the central support role behind a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 and fired five attempts on goal.
Elshewhere in the Romania midfield, Gabriel Torje emerged from the bench to score for the second friendly in a row. The first-choice right winger – who produced more efforts than any team-mate in qualifying – is a little pricier at 6.0, though tends to dominate dead-ball situations when on the pitch. Adrian Popa and Claudiu Keseru were also in the goals, though neither look likely starters when the tournament gets underway.
Indeed, the lone striker role looks far from certain after Florin Andone started last night – this means that Anghel Iordanescu has fielded a different frontman in each of the last three friendlies.
At the back, Romania’s defence – which conceded just twice in qualifying – has now been breached in all three recent fixtures. Whilst this downturn in resilience may deter many from investing in the 5.5-priced Razvan Rat, Cristian Sapunaru could be one to consider – at 4.5 in Uefa, he’s now started four of the last six at right-back under Iordanescu.
Romania XI: Tatarusanu; Sapunaru, Moti, Grigore, Rat; Pintilli (Sanmartean 84), Hoban (Prepelita 64); Popa (Keseru 71), Stanciu (Alibec 83), Stancu (Torje 73); Andone (Chipciu 64)
England 1 Portugal 0
England head off to Euro 216 on the back of a fourth win in five after registering a narrow 1-0 victory over Portugal on Thursday night.
Wayne Rooney was the most advanced central figure in a midfield diamond system, with Roy Hodgson’s decision to utilise Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane as split strikers coming under criticism after the duo were forced onto the flanks all too often. With 30% and 27% ownership in the Uefa game, Kane (8.5 in Uefa) and Vardy (7.0) are amongst the most popular forwards on offer but after producing two and one attempts on goal against a side that were reduced to ten men with less than 40 minutes on the clock, their manager’s tactics may persuade some owners to look elsewhere.
Hodgson then changed to a 4-3-3 set-up after Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana replaced Rooney and Kane with 13 minutes remaining, underlining the numerous options at his disposal in the final third.
In midfield, Dele Alli and James Milner were stationed on the left and right of the diamond, with Eric Dier at the base. The latter – priced at 5.0 and classified as a defender – was the only one of that trio (with a single shot) to produce an effort on goal.
It was left to Chris Smalling to ensure the Three Lions finished their friendlies on a positive note after he nodded home a late winner from a Sterling cross. Priced at 5.5 in Uefa, the United man is the most popular England defender by far and currently sits in 18% of sides, though Kyle Walker – who earned the Man of the Match accolade for his displays at right-back – looks to offer a cheaper route into England’s rearguard at 5.0.
For Portugal, both Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe were afforded the night off due to their Champions League exertions for Real Madrid last weekend.
At the back, Bruno Alves lasted just 35 minutes before being sent off for a high challenge on Kane. Question marks continue to hover over the left-back berth, though. Eliseu (5.0 in Uefa) got the nod on Thursday night but, given that both he and Raphael Guerreiro (4.0) have started two of the last four, many may turn to keeper Rui Patricio (5.0) as a more secure option.
Santos opted for two up top in Ronaldo’s absence, with Nani partnering Rafa in a 4-4-2 formation, but the Alves dismissal forced a change of plan as Jose Fonte came on to shore up the backline. The visitors did little to catch the attention of Fantasy managers, though, and failed to register a single attempt on target over the 90 minutes.
England XI: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Smalling, Rose, Dier, Milner, (Sterling 66) Alli (Henderson 90), Rooney (Sturridge 78), Kane (Lallana 78), Vardy (Wilshere 66)
Portugal XI: Patricio; Vierinha, R Carvalho (Eder 90), Alves, Eliseu; Mario (Gomes 46), Moutinho (W Carvalho 73), Pereira, Silva (Sanches 72); Rafa (Fonte 38), Nani (Quaresma 61)
Switzerland 2 Moldova 1
Vladimir Petkovic’s side ended a run of three straight losses by beating Moldova 2-1 in their final pre-Euro 2016 friendly last night.
Frustratingly for Fantasy managers, Switzerland’s chief protagonists failed to play a part in either of the strikes. The first came courtesy of an own goal after Blerim Dzemaili had hit the crossbar with a header before subs Shani Tarashaj and Admir Mehmedi combined for the latter to find the net late on.
Dzemaili’s numbers suggest he could be one for Uefa managers to watch, though. Handed a central support role behind Erin Derdiyok, the 5.5-priced midfielder fired an eye-catching seven attempts on goal without success, with five of those arriving inside the opposition box.
Raiding left-back Ricardo Rodriguez and Xherdan Shaqiri were the main creative forces for the victors, producing three key passes apiece – all the more impressive from the former, given he was one of six players replaced by Petkovic over the course of the second period.
For those unconvinced over Rodriguez’ 6.0 price tag, Fabian Schar (5.5) continues to look a secure pick. The Hoffenheim man – who netted twice in qualifying – has now been partnered with a different central defender in each of the last trio of fixtures; the 4.0-priced Steve von Bergen got the nod last night but offer next to no guarantee of minutes.
Switzerland XI: Burkl; Lichstiener (Lang 64), Schar, Von Bergen, Rodriguez (Moubandje 63); Behrami, Xhaka (Frei 70); Shaqiri, Dzemali (Zakaria 77), Embolo (Tarashaj 63); Derdiyok (Mehmedi 46)
