May 25 to June 13, 2020 (Friendlies)

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

May 25 to June 13, 2020 (Friendlies)

 

Friendlies

In preparation for Euro 2020 and Copa America, nations played two to four friendlies.

 

The Ukraine trialled a back three in their friendly against Greece, before switching to four across the back after Giorgos Masouras scored in the first half. Though they had the opportunities, the hosts failed to score. Ireland also trialled a back three as they visited Turkey, with the home nation’s Burak Yılmaz and Yusuf Yazıcı scoring to set up a solid win. Croatia scored two sets of double goals in the second half against North Macedonia (who failed to qualify for Euro 2020) via Mateo Kovacić, Ivan Perišić and substitute Marco Rog’s brace. In the first half, Andrej Kramaric set the tone for Croatia with a lovely header into the goal; 5-0 was the final score. A single goal from Italy’s Ciro Immobile saw them defeat Montenegro, though the score should have been higher, had it not been for multiple missed shots.

 

A Romelu Lukaku brace and finish by Yannick Ferreira Carrasco saw Belgium defeat Georgia, while Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania played out a scoreless draw. Goals from Fabian Ruiz and Avaro Morata gifted a win for Spain over Wales. Neighbours Austria and Switzerland both scored early via Christoph Baumgartner and Haris Seferović. However, Stefan Ilsanker scored in the 34th minute for Austria and had the upper hand for the remainder of the match.

 

Russia and Hungary, both with back three formations, had plenty of chances to score, only to come up short until Hungary’s Ádám Nagy snagged a goal just after the hour mark. Though Russia tried to equalise, it was Hungary’s defence who held firm. Sweden thought they had the edge over Serbia with a Alexander Isak goal, only for Dušan Tadić to equalise in additional time. Poland Grzegorz Krychowiak and Robert Lewandowski scored early against France, before the French came back to equalise via Kylian Mbappé. However, Polish substitute Dawid Kownacki had other ideas as he chipped Hugo Lloris to set up a solid victory.

 

Four days later, Montenegro gave Fatos Bećiraj a rest against hosts Croatia, but mattered little as the hosts went one better than they had against North Macedonia and scored six, including a Kramaric brace. North Macedonia flew to Portugal and relinquished four goals to André Silva’s hat trick and Joao Cancelo. Italy gave Federico Chiesa a break for their second friendly and Greece kept their same starting eleven, backing up their Ukraine win with a 2-2 draw against their neighbours.

 

Okay Yokuşlu had a break as Turkey defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0, with Cenk Tosun and Çağlar Söyüncü both scoring. Anton Zabolotnyi scored the only goal in the Russia-Ireland friendly, as Ireland allowed a rest for Josh Cullen, and Russia sidelined Daler Kuzyaev and Aleksey Miranchuk. Gerard Moreno and Koke helped Spain defeat Wales.

 

Poland’s Grzegorz Krychowiak’s brace guided his side to a 4-0 win over Georgia. Switzerland swapped out Remo Freuler and Breel Embolo, whilst switching to a back four. They still managed to draw 3-3 against Romania, where Romania’s Ianis Hagi scored in the 88th minute to level the match. Belgium replaced Kevin de Bruyne with Eden Hazard as Youri Tielemans scored eight minutes after Ádám Szalai’s own pearler to level the match against Hungary. Olivier Giroud salvaged an 82-minute equaliser against Serbia after Dušan Tadić gave his side the lead. Emil Forsberg scored the only goal in the Sweden-Scotland match.

 

Five days later, Croatia capped off their greatest build up imaginable with a 1-0 victory over Belgium on Belgium’s home turf. Again, it was Kramaric who scored. Andrea Belotti netted for Italy against Portugal prior to their opening Euro match against Belgium. Greece thought they had the winning goal via Charalampos Mavrias in the 80th minute against Turkey, only for Hakan Çalhanoğlu to score eight minutes later. The Ukraine started with a back four, swapping out Volodymyr Shepelyev, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Andriy Yarmolenko. It mattered little as four Bosnian goals came in the second half to set them up ideally for the Euros. Haris Duljević surprised his critics with a brace.

 

Montenegro surprised even more as they romped a 4-1 result against Spain. Kylian Mbappé sat on the bench for France as they played out a scoreless away draw against Ireland. Romania and Wales also drew, only the scoreline was 2-2, with Joe Allen and Harry Wilson scoring in the 88th and 89th minutes to claim the draw. Three different scorers helped Switzerland defeat Sweden 3-1, while Russia overcame Serbia with a solitary goal as they had done against Ireland. Austria scored three late goals to defeat Poland 3-1, including a brace for Marcel Sabitzer.

 

To the west, nations faced off in friendlies in preparation for the Copa America. Peru slotted two goals past Honduras via Paolo Guerrero and Pedro Aquino. Bruno Méndez opened the scoring for Uruguay over Guatemala, before a hat trick from Luis Suárez ensured a solid 4-0 victory. Paraguay’s Ángel Romero and Miguel Almirón both bagged a brace against Bermuda, along with a goal from Gabriel Ávalos, with Bermuda’s only consolation netter from Kole Hall in the 73rd minute.

 

Four days later, Nicolás Domínguez was the sole goal scorer for Argentina against Guatemala. Venezuela came from behind after Guerrero scored once again for Peru. However, it was midfielders Junior Moreno and José Martínez that stole the spotlight and won the friendly for the northern side. Carlos Pineda and Jerry Bengston had a field day for Honduras against Paraguay. Uruguay’s left and rights backs Matías Viña and José Giménez started the ball rolling against Bermuda in a 4-2 win, where Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Nahitan Nández also added to the tally. Bermuda, though, found two pathways to goal via Razhir Jones and Hall, this time in the 75th minute.

 

On June 9th, Paraguay turned around their Honduras defeat to score first against Argentina with Ávalos scoring as he had against Bermuda, before Argentina’s right back Renzo Saravia came to the fray to draw level. Venezuela and Honduras fought out a scoreless draw, while Luis de Leon was the only scorer for Guatemala over Bermuda. A Peruvian own goal split between goals by De Arrascaeta and Nández, again, set up a 3-1 win for Uruguay. Alexis Arias scored late to give Peru some semblance of pride.

 

Four days after, Arias was the only scorer for Peru against Paraguay. Nicolás Tagliafico and Lionel Messi bagged goals for Argentina over Honduras. Venezuela and Guatemala battled out for a 3-3 draw, while a 1-1 draw rounded out the friendlies in the match between Uruguay and Bermuda.

 

May 31 Men’s Friendlies · Croatia 5 North Macedonia 0 · Italy 1 Montenegro 0 · Turkey 2 Ireland 0 · Belgium 3 Georgia 0 · Bosnia-Herzegovina 0 Romania 0 · Spain 2 Wales 0 · Ukraine 0 Greece 1 · Switzerland 1 Austria 2 · Russia 0 Hungary 1 · Sweden 1 Serbia 1 · France 2 Poland 3 · Peru 2 Honduras 0 · Uruguay 4 Guatemala 0 · Paraguay 5 Bermuda 1

June 4 Men’s Friendlies · Croatia 6 Montenegro 0 · Portugal 4 North Macedonia 0 · Italy 2 Greece 2 · Turkey 2 Bosnia-Herzegovina 0 · Russia 1 Ireland 0 · Spain 2 Wales 0 · Ukraine 1 Austria 0 · Poland 4 Georgia 0 · Switzerland 3 Romania 3 · Hungary 1 Belgium 1 · France 1 Serbia 1 · Sweden 1 Scotland 0 · Argentina 1 Guatemala 0 · Peru 1 Venezuela 2 · Uruguay 4 Bermuda 2 · Paraguay 0 Honduras 2

June 9 Men’s Friendlies · Belgium 0 Croatia 1 · Italy 1 Portugal 0 · Turkey 1 Greece 1 · Romania 2 Wales 2 (neutral) · Spain 1 Montenegro 4 · Ukraine 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina 4 (neutral) · Ireland 0 France 0 · Switzerland 3 Sweden 1 · Russia 1 Serbia 0 · Poland 1 Austria 3 (neutral) · Argentina 1 Paraguay 1 · Venezuela 0 Honduras 0 · Uruguay 3 Peru 1 · Bermuda 0 Guatemala 1 (neutral)

June 13 Men’s Friendlies · Argentina 2 Honduras 0 · Venezuela 3 Guatemala 3 (neutral) · Uruguay 1 Bermuda 1 (neutral) · Peru 0 Paraguay 1 (neutral)