Matchday 2 is underway and it is time to see whether the excitement can compare to that of the end of Matchday 1. Can Hungary stand its ground against Russia? How did Spain fare against Ukraine?
League A – Spain On Fire, Switzerland and Germany Tied
Here it is – the biggest devastation so far. Sergio Ramos and Ansu Fati were absolutely unstoppable from start to finish. Ferran Torres provided the icing on the cake in the 84th minute, bringing the score to 4-0. Spain controlled the ball, not allowing Ukraine anywhere near it. When the stars of Barcelona and Real Madrid partner up, there is very little they can’t achieve.
When Switzerland broke its losing streak against Germany in 2012 with a score of 5-3, it seemed that their luck would be changing for the better. However, in this match, they managed to get a draw. The two teams were neck-to-neck in many respects. So, the final score came down to 1-1.
League B – Russia Scores 3 More Goals
Turkey had a few good chances against Serbia in group 3, but they could not cash them in. Likewise, Serbia could not get past Turkey’s defense. The only thing of interest was how Aleksandar Kolarov, the Serbian defender, managed to get two yellow cards in the span of a few minutes. This forced the rest of his team to focus on defense. Giving credit where it’s due, it is impressive how the team managed to hold their own with a player down.
Russia was systematically finding a way past Hungary’s defenders. The first goal came in the 15th minute and the second one 17 minutes later. After Mário Fernandes scored the third goal for the Russians one minute into the second half, Hungary started to wake up. Roland Sallai and Nemanja Nikolic shook the net of the Russians, but it was too late. In the last 20 minutes of the match, the Russian side was like a wall. The potential draw was so close and so far away. The final score was 3-2.
In group 4, the Republic of Ireland lost to Finland by a single goal. Though the score was the same, the match between Wales and Bulgaria was different. A consistent and careful playstyle of both sides nearly made the game a draw. Finally, at the very last minute, Neco Williams helped Wales squeeze out a win.
Leagues C and D
Moldova put up quite a defense against Slovenia, but one goal came through in the first half. Kosovo took on Greece in the other match of group 3. However, the Greeks won with 2-1 because they were better organized.
As far as League D is concerned, Andorra couldn’t keep the ball or pass it effectively in their match against the Faroe Islands in group 1. 31 minutes in, they received a goal. Malta could have beaten Latvia. Kyrian Nwoko scored the first goal in the 15th minute. The problem arose when young Matthew Guillaumier scored against his own team, bringing the final score to 1-1.
