EPL Players at EURO 2024 – Day 9
Yesterday saw three more games take place at the EUROs, including the tournament’s last early kick-off match. As part of our EPLNews EURO 2024 report, here is how Premier League players performed in these games.
Georgia 1-1 Czechia
After both teams losing their opening games at the tournament, Georgia and Czechia drew in yesterday’s early kick-off.
It was a game heavily dominated by the Czechs, with the xG stat reading 3.09 for them and 1.35 for Georgia. It is also telling that the Man of the Match was Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who made no fewer than 10 saves to keep his country in the game.
In terms of Premier League players, while Georgia had none involved, Czechia called upon Hammers duo Vladimír Coufal and Tomáš Souček. Both performed decently, both were booked and both played the entire game.
Coufal, Souček and Co. can also count themselves lucky to not lose the game with the very last piece of action, as a dangerous Georgia counterattack finished with the ball going just over the bar.
Ratings
Georgia: N/A
Czechia: Vladimír Coufal (West Ham) – 7; Tomáš Souček (West Ham) – 7
You can find highlights and reactions by clicking here.
Türkiye 0-3 Portugal
Portugal inflicted a heavy defeat on Türkiye in Dortmund, stepping into a stadium roaring with support for their opponents and ensuring that they topped group F in convincing fashion.
Premier League players were a mixed bag overall. Goals from Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes either side of a Samet Akaydin own goal gave the Portuguese team a big victory. The Manchester City midfielder also took home the Man of the Match award for a great display.
But Fernandes’ club teammate Altay Bayindir was at fault for the own goal, as it was not necessary for him to come out of his goal so far before the pass was played to him. Also Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha, though not playing badly, was one of the slightly underperforming Portuguese players, receiving a yellow card and getting subbed off at half time.
Ratings
Türkiye: Altay Bayindir (Manchester United) – 4.5; Yunus Akgun (Leicester City) – 6
Portugal: Ruben Dias (Manchester City) – 7.5; Joao Palhinha (Fulham) – 6.5; Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) – 8; Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) – 8.5; Pedro Neto (Wolves) – 6.5; Nelson Semedo (Wolves) – 6
For highlights and reactions, click here.
Belgium 2-0 Romania
Two strikes from two Premier League players ensured that Belgium overcame Romania and that group E heads into the final matchday very finely poised, with all three teams on three points.
It was Youri Tielemans who opened the scoring in the second minute of the game with a powerful shot from outside the box.
Romania held firm for the most part, creating their own chances and seeing more of the ball than in the game against Ukraine. However, the Belgians’ quality told, and they sealed the deal in the 80th minute with a goal from captain Kevin De Bruyne, who was also named Man of the Match. It was one of the most ‘route one’ strikes imaginable, as the assist came from goalkeeper Koen Casteels kicking the ball up the field.
Premier League players’ performances were overall very good in this game, with even Romania’s Radu Drăgușin coming away with some credit despite the loss.
Ratings
Belgium: Timothy Castagne (Fulham) – 7; Wout Faes (Leicester) – 7.5; Jeremy Doku (Manchester City) – 8; Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa) – 8.5; Amadou Onana (Everton) – 7; Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) – 9; Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) – N/A
Romania: Radu Drăgușin (Tottenham) – 6.5
Click here for highlights, reactions and details from this game.