Euro 2020 Matches 27 and 28: Romania v Netherlands and France v Turkey

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

Euro 2020 Matches 27 and 28: Romania v Netherlands and France v Turkey

Turkey and France Top Group with Draw; Romania Leave Dutch in Last Place

June 24, 2020

Romania 1 Netherlands 0

 

Romania ensured the Netherlands remained the bottom of Group C in their final group game, while Turkey and France played out a scoreless draw to ensure their progression to the next stage.

 

The Netherlands needed a win after gaining only one point from two games. Romania, meanwhile, could keep the Dutch in last place with a win or draw.

 

Early Dutch shots were blocked, before the better-ranked side worked the ball around, leading to a chip through ball to Luuk de Jong, coming into the starting eleven. His shot, however, missed to the right of goal.

 

Georginio Wijnaldum then found de Jong from the right wing on the head, only for the shot to be easily saved.

 

Quincy Promes had his first attempt on goal in the 33rd minute with a through ball; Ciprian Tătăruşanu in goals was up to the task, ensuring the ball was cleared.

 

Memphis Depay then set up Wijnaldum, only for the Romanian goalkeeper to get enough of his body behind the ball to stop it parading into the back of the net.

 

Depay thought he would go alone the next two times, only to shoot from a similar position to Wijnaldum and shoot across the face of goal on the first and right into Tătăruşanu on the second.

 

Daley Blind came the closest to scoring as he received a through ball and reached with a slide to shoot; again, it was the Romanian goalkeeper who came out on top.

 

Romania could sense angst in the Dutch play and thus played for possession, all the while working down the right wing. However, the Netherlands ramped up the pressure, searching for that elusive goal. Substitute Myron Boadu struck the crossbar with his volley.

 

However, luck fell the way of the Romanians as substitute left back Alin Toșca cut in with his run, receiving the ball and shooting. The ball deflected off two Dutch defenders, out of the reach of a desperate Jasper Cillessen, and into the back of the net.

 

Alexandru Chipciu should have doubled the lead as he ran onto a through ball, only to chip Cillessen and miss to the left.

 

However, Romania held on for the 1-0 victory, and looked to the result in the other match to know their place in the group, with a high chance of progressing.

 

France 0 Turkey 0

 

France needed a win to gain top spot, and Turkey hoped to remain in the top spot with a draw or win or face the chance of dropping to third.

 

France could not find a weakness in the defence of Turkey early, before eventually managing a shot on goal with Moussa Sissoko firing right at Fehmi Mert Günok. Olivier Giroud nearly set up Kylian Mbappé, only for the talisman to be closed.

 

Turkey could only fire from long range, with Cenk Tosun’s shot the pick of the bunch.

 

Mbappé then crossed to Corentin Tolisso, only for the midfielder to completely mishit his volley, never even coming close to goal.

 

Turkey played keepings off for much of the second half, knowing a scoreless draw would work in their favour. Their best chance of the second half came via substitute Kenan Karaman, whose sliding shot barely missed.

 

Karaman then shot again, requiring a Hugo Lloris save, before the French goalkeeper had to get on his feet again and save the follow up from Burak Yılmaz.

 

Substitute Enes Ünal looked the goods in the 79th minute for the match winner, only to be eased into a tighter angle by his marking man, before the shot came too low and slow. He had a better chance five minutes later, alone with the ball at the top of the box, only for Lloris to make the crucial save.

 

In the end, a scoreless draw ensued, and Turkey claimed the top of the group, while France must tackle the likes of Belgium, who look red hot to go all the way in the tournament. As for Romania, they must await results in other groups to determine their place in the Round of 16.

 

 

 

 

	Group C	Pl	W	D	L	Pts	GD
1	Turkey	3	1	2	0	5	+1
2	France	3	1	2	0	5	+1
3	Romania	3	1	1	1	4	0
4	Netherlands	3	0	1	2	1	-2