As Euro 2024 unfolds in Germany, surprises are sparse, but off-field incidents add an unexpected twist to the mix. The 3rd day of the tournament kicked off with the arrest of a man in Hamburg threatening police with an axe hours before the Poland-Netherlands match. Further disruptions reportedly caused by Albanian hooligans attacking Serbian (and English) fans in Gelsenkirchen continued the tumultuous start.
In the competitive realm, England took an early lead in their debut match, securing a 1-0 victory over Serbia. Meanwhile, despite Poland taking the lead, a visibly superior Netherlands claimed victory, and Slovenia (highlighting Sporar, Cherin, and Verbic) rightfully earned a draw against Denmark, who initially scored through Christian Eriksen but faltered in the second half.
Christian Eriksen, three years after his cardiac arrest during the 2021 event in his first European Championship appearance, scored for Denmark. Though initially overshadowed by Sporar, when supported by teammates, Slovenia equalized with a lucky goal, ultimately earning a draw with several chances, including a striking attempt by Scesko.
England, favored by betting companies for the title, managed to avoid missteps in their debut match, facing a talented but disjointed opponent without a coach. The English side, led by Birmingham’s notable goal, secured a narrow but crucial victory over Serbia.
The scoring results of the 1st round were:
Slovenia 1-1 Denmark
Serbia 0-1 England
The schedule for the 2nd round is:
June 20, 16:00: Slovenia vs. Serbia on ERT1
June 20, 19:00: Denmark vs. England on ERT1
The schedule for the 3rd round:
June 25, 22:00: England vs. Slovenia on ERT1
June 25, 22:00: Denmark vs. Serbia on ERT3
The current standings are:
1. England: 1 win, 0 draws, 3 points
2. Denmark: 1 draw, 1 point
3. Slovenia: 1 draw, 1 point
4. Serbia: 0 wins, 1 point
Veghorst’s impact proved pivotal for the Netherlands, securing a 2-1 victory with his goal in the 83rd minute. The Dutch national team, dominant throughout the match, failed to capitalize on early opportunities, falling behind to a goal by Buksa before equalizing through a fortunate strike by Hakpo. They ultimately sealed the win with the tall forward’s late goal.
The scoring results of the 1st round were:
Poland 1-2 Netherlands
June 17, 22:00: Austria vs. France (ERT1)
The schedule for the 2nd round is:
June 21, 19:00: Poland vs. Austria on ERT1
June 21, 22:00: Netherlands vs. France on ERT1
The schedule for the 3rd round:
June 25, 19:00: France vs. Poland on ERT1
June 25, 19:00: Netherlands vs. Austria on ERT3
The current standings are:
1. Netherlands: 2 wins, 1 loss, 3 points
2. France: 0 wins, 0 draws, 0 points
3. Austria: 0 wins, 0 draws, 0 points
4. Poland: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 points
* France and Austria have played one less match.
