France booked their place in the knock-out stages with another late show, Switzerland were held by a resolute Romania and Slovakia took their chances to beat Russia in a compelling start to the second round of group matches. Here’s the notes from Wednesday’s events…
Russia 1 Slovakia 2
A goal and an assist apiece from Slovakia’s two main attacking assets, Marek Hamsik (7.5) and Vladimir Weiss (6.5), proved enough to see off a Russian side that again left it late to offer any real attacking threat.
Weiss opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, turning smartly to elude two defenders before passing the ball beyond Igor Akinfeev in the Russian goal. Hamsik then doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time with a superb shot from a short corner.
After the break, and much like in the England match, Russia seemed bereft of attacking ideas until desperation took over.
A final rally of goal attempts did result in a goal, in the 79th minute from budget midfielder Denis Glushakov (4.5). But of their 15 attempts 10 were from long range.
Although Hamsik is more expensive than Weiss the Napoli man looks well worth the investment. While Weiss’s goal came from his only shot Hamsik recorded a match leading five goal attempts.
For Russia Oleg Shatov (6.5) caught the eye, particularly in DraftKings. He put in seven crosses, one of which led to Glushakov’s goal, and had two goal attempts.
Defensively, the Slovak duo of Tomas Hubocan (5.0) and Jan Durica (4.5) made it into double figures for clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI), with 14 and 13 respectively, as they withstood waves of late Russian pressure.
Four of Russia’s last five Euro tournament goals have come in the 79th minute or beyond. They are now leaving it as late as they can to secure passage from Group B and are reliant on other results going their way.
By contrast, Slovakia will go into the England match with their fate very much in their own hands.
Switzerland 1 Romania 1
Romania held out for a draw that kept them in the tournament courtesy of a second consecutive penalty award.
Bogdan Stancu (6.5) converted from the spot after Stephan Lichtsteiner (5.5) was penalised for shirt pulling on Alex Chipciu (4.5).
That goal scuppered the Fantasy plans of many official Uefa game managers, with the three highest-owned Swiss players for Match Day 2 all within the rearguard – full-backs Lichtsteiner and Ricardo Rodriguez (both 10%) and goalkeeper Yann Sommer (7%).
Switzerland deserved their point – and maybe more – after out-shooting their opponents 19-14 and dominating in the final 20 minutes.
By then, they were level after Admir Mehmedi (6.0) blasted home from a corner, but it was Stoke playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri (8.0) who carried the greatest goal threat, topping the attempts chart with five. He also created a chance and put over eight crosses for a solid DraftKings performance.
Hans Seferovic (6.5) was profligate against Albania, spurning four chances, and he failed to net from another three here, putting his involvement in the final group match in jeopardy.
His second half replacement, Breel Embolo (6.0), managed two chances in the 30 minutes he was on the pitch, and his pace and direct running give Switzerland a different attacking dimension as they prepare for the group decider with France.
Arsenal capture Granit Xhaka (7.0) impressed once again – he bossed the passing stats (108 completed and with a 95% success rate), created three chances and had one goal attempt, while previous match-winner Fabian Schar (5.5) put in a solid all-round shift – one attempt and 10 clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI).
Romania coach Anghel Iordanescu’s decision to bench the influential Nicolae Stanciu (5.5) despite a fine all-round display against the French, including being brought down for the penalty, was a controversial one.
As a result, Romania’s creativity and threat was spread across the team, with Claudiu Keresu (6.5) the main beneficiary, with four goal attempts.
Switzerland might struggle to keep a clean sheet against the French, but full-back Rodriguez (6.0) continues to offer much going forward, with a shot, three chances created and seven crosses to his name.
Romania, meanwhile, could conceivably still finish second in the group, but they will have to modify their counter-attacking set-up to do it.
France 2 Albania 0
Antoine Griezmann and Dimitri Payet spared blushes and broke hearts in equal measure with the late goals that saw off an Albanian side that came desperately close to a famous rearguard point.
Griezmann headed home an Adil Rami (5.0) cross in the last minute of regulation time before Payet skipped through to seal the deal and cement his place as one of the tournament’s Fantasy heavyweights.
The wild scenes at the end were in stark contrast to those at half-time, the French trudging off frustrated by Albanian resistance and their coach’s tinkering.
Didier Deschamps made a huge call by swapping class and experience for youth and potential, benching leading lights Paul Pogba (8.5) and Griezmann (10.0) to give Anthony Martial (9.0) and Kingsley Coman (6.5) their chance.
By the end of a disjointed first half, his gamble had not paid off. Martial was busy but imprecise and Coman largely a peripheral figure.
The change also threatened to wreak havoc on any number of Fantasy plans, with Pogba owned by 37% and Griezmann 24%, and although the intent was to give Dimitri Payet (8.0 and with a Matchday-leading 50% ownership figure) more of a free role, Deschamps cut his losses and brought on Pogba for Martial at the break.
France then pressed higher up the pitch and immediately looked more dangerous, but it was Albania who came closest to scoring, Ledian Memushaj (4.5) bundling the ball against the post and unable to capitalise on the rebound.
Olivier Giroud (8.5) wasted a number of headed chances before hitting the outside of the post as France suffered for his imprecision (five attempts, none on target) and their own – 22 attempts, just two on target. Albania had eight attempts but Hugo Lloris (6.0) never had a save to make.
Payet was again Les Bleus’ chief architect, creating six chances (three times the number of anyone else) and providing 17 crosses – a massive 13 more than Coman’s second-ranked four.
With seven French players enjoying double-digit ownership among managers in the official Uefa game, the result worked out well enough for most, but the side is yet to inspire total confidence and the threat of rotation continues to loom large ahead of their final group game.
Albania must throw off the shackles to have any chance of progressing. Their next opponents Romania will not have it easy.
