Euro 2020 Match 20: Dangerous England Rout Greece by Four Goals

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

Euro 2020 Match 20: England v Greece

Dangerous England Rout Greece by Four Goals

June 21, 2020

England 4 Greece 0

 

June 21st’s opening match saw Greece come away with a four-goal loss against England.

 

Andreas Samaris had the first attempt on goal with his left foot from just inside the 18-yard box, only for Jordan Pickford to parry it away.

 

Instead, it was Callum Hudson-Odoi who scored the opener in the seventh minute due to an error in defence, and as Hudson-Odoi led into the box, he was found with a great pass, and he struck with his right first time.

 

In frustration, Dimitris Kourbelis received a yellow card as England looked to dominate the midfield. Luke Shaw retaliated in kind and thus also received a yellow card. Soon Greece needed to counter England, and thus did so, but only in maintaining possession as they rarely inched into dangerous territory.

 

That all changed when Efthymios Koulouris pegged a through ball to a running Zeca. Pickford closed him down before he could get any real purchase on the ball, though the ball did bounce back to the midfielder, before pinballing out of play.

 

As the first half ended, Koulouris and Giorgos Masouras combined with a one-two pass, only for the former’s shot to be easily blocked.

 

After the break, England looked dangerous again, nearly scoring via Jordan Henderson after he received a through ball beyond the Greek back four from Marcus Rashford. However, instead of blasting for goal, he tried chipping the Greek goalkeeper, only to pop it over the bar.

 

Working down the left wing, Danny Rose crossed the ball too far for anyone in the box. Instead, Raheem Sterling headed back to the penalty spot. Rose had, by that stage, run into the box, where he put a mild shot on target, but to no avail.

 

Hudson-Odoi nearly had his second as a through ball found him alone; the tight angle was too much for him, and Odisseas Vlachodimos made sure he latched onto the bobbling ball.

 

Instead, as England worked down the left wing, hoping to bring Harry Kane into play for his first minutes of the tournament. Instead, Hudson-Odoi crossed to Rashford, who made no mistake with his rising header.

 

Kane then took the ball off Rashford when the latter cut back in from the right wing into the box, only for Kane’s shot to be to slow along the ground and Vlachodimos was able to dive and knock the ball away.

 

Rashford had his brace when Declan Rice sent a through ball right to the edge of the box. Vlachodimos initially did not run out to the ball, then changed his mind. That gave Rashford time to reach the ball first, and his deft chip over the Greek goalkeeper made it three goals.

 

Hudson-Odoi had another attempt on goal blocked, but it was his assist for Kane that set up England’s fourth goal. Once again, Kane’s shot had no power, only it was perfectly placed out of the reach of Vlachodimos.

 

A grand first win for England in the tournament stood them in good stead to reach first place.