Everything comes back into play in the iron group: defending champions overwhelmed 2-4 Gosens drags Löw’s team after the advantage signed by CR7
THE CHALLENGE
Munich
Bitter German lesson for Portugal, European champions in a spectacular match full of goals. Germany overwhelms their opponents 4-2 with a roaring game which, together with France’s surprising draw with Hungary, overturns the ranking of group F, the one that brings together three of the favorites. Now France with 4 points precedes Germany and Portugal with 3, and everything is still in play.
It is one of the best races of the European Championships that thrills the 16,000 spectators of Monaco. The absolute protagonist of the triumph of Loew’s team is the Atalantino Gosens, unleashed on the left and never opposed by the shy Semedo. Gosens shoots from all positions, scores a splendid goal which is canceled, participates in the actions of the first three goals and heads the fourth. A sumptuous performance, an irrepressible winger, even superior to his excellent performances in Serie A. But next to him emerge the cold and relentless Havertz, the two drivers Kimmich and Kroos while Gundagan sacrifices his ego and puts himself at the service of the team.
Portugal took the lead on a counterattack with Ronaldo, then counted too much on his defense, which was inexorably punctured until it collapsed at a distance. Curious the contribution of own goals in this group. That of Hummels decided the victory of France, those of Ruben Dias and Raphael Guerreiro propitiate the German triumph.
The Portuguese squadron, with more staff than the winner in 2016, wakes up in gusts. Ronaldo’s first goal briefly stops the German attacks, then the Lusitanians pick up the pace at 4-1 with the entries of Moutinho, Rafa Silva and Renato Sanches. Diego Jota finds the 4-2, Renato Sanches makes the post tremble, then besieges Germany until the end, making it clear that this can only be an accident.
Group F for strong hearts. For Germany he is already in or out while Portugal sly lets play. The Germans start like furies despite the 31 degrees of Monaco: Kroos directs the operations with consummate profession and Loew imposes a tourbillon that sees the three attacking players Mueller, Havertz and Gnabry who move a lot and leave room for the insertions of the outsiders. In the second half, Portugal must discover to recover the game and Germany strikes again, this time without the help of their opponents. Germany returns as protagonists, Portugal must now make a result with France if they do not want to risk qualification. –