The UEFA Euro 2016 boot battle: Day 9
Day 9 of Euro 2016 was the final day of the tournament where group matches will not be played simultaneously. What does this mean? It effectively means that we are getting down to the juicy, meaty, business end of the tournament. The part where teams can no longer sit back and rely on gaining a point through solid defensive play. No. Teams will have to all-out go for it with the kitchen sink, dishwasher and kettle.
Disappointments Belgium, played Ireland in the day’s opener, knowing that another loss would surely condemn them to an early exit from Euro 2016. Kevin De Bruyne and Thomas Vermaelen represented Nike and Adidas respectively.
It was Eden Hazard, though, who had the opening opportunity. The ball fell to the Chelsea forward, but he lashed his shot over the bar. Yannick Carrasco thought he then gave his side the lead after he headed his original effort that rebounded off the crossbar back into the net, but he was judged to be offside.
In the second-half, the Irish thought they should have had a penalty, when a foot higher than Snoop Dogg on April 4th by Toby Alderweireld connected with Shane Long in the box, but it wasn’t given. Belgium then immediately countered, with De Bruyne running down the left wing. He squared it to Romelu Lukaku who opened his body up nicely and finished into the corner.
Axel Witsel then headed home just after the hour mark, after a great cross. His header proved too powerful for Daren Randolph to keep out of the net. Lukaku then killed the game off completely, when another counter-attack was finished off sublimely by the big man.
De Bruyne picks us two points for Nike after his assist and good performance. Vermaelen gets one point for the clean sheet, but this is countered by his booking.
The two surprises in their group, Hungary and Iceland, then battled it out knowing a win for either would pretty much guarantee qualification.
Johann Gudmundsson had the first chance of the match when he found himself with space in the box, but Gabor Kiraly saved well with his feet.
Soon after, Kiraly dropped a corner kick, and Hungary subsequently gave away a penalty following a soft challenge in the area. Gylfi Sigurdsson scored the penalty to give the minnows the lead.
They were denied the win late on, though, when Nemanja Nikolic put a great ball into the box, and Bikir Saevarsson could only turn it into his own net.
The final match saw Austria take on Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo played for Nike and David Alaba started for Adidas.
An action-packed first-half saw a host of chances but no goals. Nani had a one-on-one saved, as well as a header hit the post. Ronaldo shot wide from inside the area, and Austria nearly took the lead when a cross was exceptionally cleared off the line, when it looked as though it would be headed in at the back post.
Robert Almer, Austria’s keeper, put in an immense performance, as the second-half seemed to be a battle between him and Ronaldo. The striker unleashed a bullet on goal which was well saved, before his header was blocked.
Ronaldo was then bundled over in the box, and a penalty was awarded. Despite this great chance, the Madrid forward failed to open his account for the tournament after clattering his penalty against the post. As if that wasn’t enough, he later had a header that did eventually beat Almer but it was ruled out correctly for offside.
Ronaldo loses two points for Nike after missing the penalty and missing all of the chances that he had. Alaba got injured in the 65th minute, and so he will unlikely feature in the battle again.
Adidas
Vermaelen 0
Alaba 0
Nike
De Bruyne +2
Ronaldo -2
Overall score
Adidas 16-10 Nike
Tomorrow’s Euro 2016 matches
Switzerland v France
Albania v Romania
Players involved
Adidas: Pogba
Nike: Evra, Payet
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