Friday brought three more Matchday 2 clashes of Euro 2024, so here are the Fantasy notes from Slovakia v Ukraine, Poland v Austria and Netherlands v France.
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NETHERLANDS 0-0 FRANCE
UNUSED MBAPPE
The day’s headline match was a disappointingly dull goalless draw – this European Championship’s first. Still, it was enough to guarantee both a place in the round of 16, simultaneously making Poland the first nation to be eliminated.
Having played each other twice during qualification, perhaps these sides just knew exactly what to expect. Or maybe France just don’t know how to play without Kylian Mbappe (€11.0m). With a mask protecting his broken nose, Didier Deschamps didn’t use his star forward from the bench, seemingly content with the point.
Les Bleus will remain competitive in Matchday 3, in the hope of securing first place. So it’ll be interesting to see what pre-match update is given by Deschamps.
LUCKY CLEAN SHEETS
When team sheets came out, defender Jeremie Frimpong (€5.5m) was named as part of the Netherlands’ attacking trio. One of the most highly-owned players heading into Matchday 1, managers who’d kept faith were excited at some serious out-of-position potential.
Unfortunately, typical for the match, he was quiet beyond a first-minute surge towards goal that Mike Maignan (€5.5m) tipped wide. Still, thanks to the lacklustre finishing of Antoine Griezmann (€9.0m) – five attempts, three shots on target, two big chances and 0.98 expected goal involvement (xGI) – Frimpong was able to secure a clean sheet and six points. Similarly, ball recoveries allowed team-mate Virgil van Dijk (€6.0m) to end on eight.
France are also yet to concede but a controversial disallowed goal continues to split opinion. Maignan’s save led to a Xavi Simons (€7.0m) rebound that nestled into the net but the offside Denzel Dumfries (€5.5m) was judged to have interfered with the stopper.
Therefore a successful shut-out for both sets of defensive assets.
POLAND 1-3 AUSTRIA
BAUMGARTNER IMPRESSES
Neighbours of hosts Germany met on the back of opening-round defeats, although both knew that a win would suddenly give them a good chance of progression, such is the nature of a 24-team competition.
A blistering Austria start led to a deserved lead when Gernot Trauner (€4.5m) netted in the ninth minute. A long throw ended up back at Phillipp Mwene (€4.5m), whose cross allowed the centre-back to contort his body into heading home at the near post.
Yet attacker Christoph Baumgartner (€6.5m) received Player of the Match for putting them 2-1 up. He certainly has an eye for goal, scoring in each of their final five pre-tournament friendlies. All opponents were fellow Euros nations, too.
Courtesy of Transfermarkt
He sent Wojciech Szczesny (€5.0m) the wrong way from just inside the box – fussy owners may have been slightly annoyed that it wasn’t hit a second earlier, to bring in an extra point.
Regardless, Baumgartner is a top target for Matchday 3. And speaking of ending Szczesny the wrong way, Marko Arnautovic (€7.0m) converted a penalty to seal the win after the goalkeeper fouled Marcel Sabitzer (€6.5m).
CAMEO FOR LEWANDOWSKI
Meanwhile, Michal Probierz thought he possessed a secret weapon to call upon if needed. Elite marksman Robert Lewandowski (€9.5m) had to miss Sunday’s defeat because of a thigh problem but was able to make a cameo appearance here.
Interest was already low because of his injury and the acceptance that he’s overpriced in Fantasy. Being booked after five minutes won’t help and neither will Poland’s elimination.
However, what might tempt managers is that they still have pride to play for in their final group match. Those using a Limitless chip may like the idea of owning a world-class differential, even versus the mighty France.
Then again, fellow forward Krzysztof Piatek (€6.0m) might keep his place. In the 30th minute, a deep back-post cross led to a blocked shot that settled at the 28-year-old’s feet, staying composed to place his shot into the bottom corner.
SLOVAKIA 1-2 UKRAINE
LUNIN DROPPED
The afternoon kick-off had very little Fantasy interest, especially when the most-owned player – Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin (€4.5m) – was benched because of his questionable role in numerous Romanian goals throughout Monday’s 3-0 defeat.
“I’m pleased we have good competition among the goalkeepers. Anatoliy [Trubin] deserved to play after his performance against Germany [on 3 June]. He was very calm and he could have started before this game.” – Sergiy Rebrov
His replacement Anatoliy Trubin (€5.0m) made four saves. But 30 seconds after stopping David Hancko’s (€4.5m) free-kick, he conceded to Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz (€5.5m). Despite not scoring for the national team in almost three years, the forward headed home to make it two goals in two games.
SPIRITED UKRAINE COMEBACK
About to lose once more, Ukraine needed to quickly rediscover their attitude from qualifiers where, in four of 10 matches, they went behind but eventually came back to win. So when Mykola Shaparenko (€5.5m) swept home a move involving Mykhailo Mudryk (€7.0m) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (€5.5m), they woke up.
Mudryk was generally lively with three shots and three chances created but Roman Yaremchuk (€6.0m) was responsible for the winner. Player of the Match Shaparenko assisted, as Yaremchuk’s superb first touch plucked the ball from the sky and allowed him to prod it slowly past Martin Dubravka (€4.5m).
Suddenly, Group E looks like a cracker. If Belgium defeat Romania on Saturday, all four countries enter the decisive Matchday 3 with the same number of points.
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