itsbeautifuloutside

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IBO Reporter : baconleetravis

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Intro

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• Belgium - Potential winners, and number 1 in the world apparently, and a team full of big name players
• Denmark - The only danger to Belgium it would seem. 10th in fifa rankings, and a useful looking first 11.
• Russia - It will be a big surprise if they make a name for themselves, making up the numbers imo. 38 fifa WR
• Finland - Hooray! The first time they have qualified for a major tournament. 54 fifa ranked. A win, or even a goal will be a big moment in their history.

Denmark and Russia play their group games at home, that may make it little more difficult for Belgium, but I doubt it

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Match 1 - Denmark 0 - 1 Finland

Attendance: 13 790, Venue: Parken Stadium (Copenhagen)

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|Nothing else really matters except the news that Ericsson was ok. I was in a pub, catching up with some old friends, occasional glances at the football, when I realised something was wrong. The whole room went silent for a while. It was rather distressing to watch, and when finally the positive news came through, and pictures of Ericsson with his eyes open, we slowly returned to out jolly evening.

The game itself was dominated by Denmark, before and after Ericsson left the field, but half chances with no cutting edge lead to Finland taking the lead on the hour, totally against the run of play, good work by Pukki to get the ball wide, then a fine cross that the now famous Joel Pohjanpalo headed towards goal, Schmeichel probably should have done better. The ball came at him quickly, buy it all looked a bit clumsy, and the balls in the back of the net. Finland lead.

Much buzzing around Finlands penalty area, some fine defending by the Finns, but with 15 minutes remaining, heartbreak, a slightly late tackle in the box and a penalty to the Danes, Højbjerg stepped up and hit one of those uninspiring penalties where the keeper dives the right way he saves it, and that's what happened. More joy for Finland.

Nervous minutes for Finland at the end, but twice Denmark have had the stuffing knocked out of them, and they didn't really look like scoring after the penalty miss. Much celebration from Finland, a fine defensive performance, and their keeper although riding his luck a little, as much a hero as Pohjanpalo.

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MOM - Lukáš Hrádecký (actuality born in Slovakia)

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Match 2 - Russia 0 - 3 Belgium

Attendance: 26 264, Venue: Gazprom Arena (Saint Petersburg)

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|A home game for Russia, but no matter, a big difference in class. Defensively Russia all over the place, their indecision a gift to Belgium.

Two goals in the first half, comedy defending handing Lukaku a simple chance after just 10 minutes.

Belgium continued to look good in possession, and it just seemed a matter of time before the 2nd. Just after half an hour and it came, another gift by the Russian defence and a goal by early substitute Thomas Meunier.

The second half and Belgium kept Russia at arms length, while probing for a 3rd goal to kill the game off completely. Lukaku looked hungry and got his second and Belgiums third.

I'm not sure where Russia go from here, they had a few injury problems, but it was more than that. Belgium look very dangerous, but against weak opponents

Stat of the game: Thomas Meunier, became the first man to score a first half goal as a substitute in the Euros.

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MOM - Romelu Lukaku

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And Now For Something Different

Music to match the match - Match 1 - Denmark vs Finland

Music to match the match - Match 2 - Russia vs Belgium

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IBO Reporter : channonite

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Group B - Match 3

Finland 0-1 Russia

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|Russia secured their first win of Euro 2020 with a tough game against Finland in St Petersburg. Finland, competing in their first major finals, won 1-0 against Denmark on Saturday in a match overshadowed by Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsing on the pitch. Before Wednesday's game, all the Finnish squad wore T-shirts saying 'Get well Christian'.

Finland would have qualified for the last 16 with a win and thought they had scored first, but Pohjanpalo's header was offside.

Aleksey Miranchuk then put Russia ahead in first-half injury time with a fine, curling finish, although tightly marked.

Russia then had the best chances but Ozdoev headed over and put another good chance wide, and only great defending from Finland's Uronen denied Karavaev.

But the hosts got a deserved goal when Miranchuk, surrounded by four defenders, managed to curl a left-footed shot past Finnish goalkeeper, Hradecky.

Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki had a rare chance for Finland in the second half but could only manage to shoot straight at Russian goalkeeper Safonov.

Further chances fell to the home side, but without success. The result leaves both sides on three points before their final Group B matches on Monday.

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Group B - Match 4

Denmark 1-2 Belgium

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|Kevin de Bruyne inspired Belgium to a comeback win against Denmark that ensured their place in the last sixteen, as tributes were paid to Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, who is recovering after suffering cardiac arrest during Saturday's game against Finland.

Play was stopped in the 10th minute as players, officials and supporters joined together for a minute's applause.

That came after Poulsen gave the Denmark a dream start just one minute and 39 seconds into the game, slotting in after a mistake in the Belgian defence.

The difference was when De Bruyne was sent on for Belgium at the start of the second half and the Manchester City midfielder changed the game.

He played a part in the equaliser, receiving a pass from Romelu Lukaku before finding Thorgan Hazard to fire home, and then scored the winner with 20 minutes remaining after a brilliant move started by Lukaku.

Braithwaite went close to a late equaliser for Denmark but his header skimmed the top of the bar.

Victory means Belgium are top of Group B with six points from two games while Denmark are bottom of the standings with zero points.

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IBO Reporter : channonite

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Group B - Match 5

Finland 0-2 Belgium

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Belgium won their third game in a row and Finland, in their first appearance in a major tournament slip from second to third in the group and must wait and see if they squeak into the last 16, but in truth their -2 goal difference makes that seem unlikely.

Finland keeper Lukas Hradecky kept the scores level with several key saves, but then scored an unfortunate own goal in the 74th minute, when a downward header from Vermaelen hit the bar and bounced down behind the keeper. In trying to keep it out, he only managed to push it over the line.

Lukaku then made the game safe seven minutes later, when close to the goal and swivelling with defenders in close attendance, finished with a decisive rasping shot.

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Group B - Match 6

Russia 1-4 Denmark

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Just nine days after team-mate Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch in their tournament opener against Finland, the Danish side were back playing in front of their own fans in Copenhagen in a game they needed to win. And win they did. Decisively.

The result left Russia stunned, as they started the night in second place in the group, ending the evening bottom of the table and out of the tournament.

Emotions in the Danish crowd were high, as they roared their side on and when the breakthrough happened in the 38th minute, when Damsgaard scored a cracker of a goal the fans went mad.

With an ex-Saint in Højbjerg and a current Saints in Vestergaard in the Danish side there was plenty of interest for us Saints fans. Højbjerg had a really good match, pulling the strings and directing play, with two assists by the end of the match. Vestergaard had a more mixed time of it, conceding a penalty, but still ended up on the triumphant winning side.

It was still 0-1 to the Danes at the break, but soon after the floodgates opened when a dreadful back-pass was pounced on by Poulsen, who gave the Russian goalie no chance, to make it 0-2.

There was a little bit of tension, when Vestergaard conceded a penalty, which Dzyuba converted on 70', but that only lasted nine minutes until Christensen scored an absolutely stunning goal from way outside the box, to spark scenes of mayhem in the stadium as the Danish fans sensed victory.

The fans were still celebrating Christensen's wonder goal, when just three minutes later the Danes broke down the pitch and Maehle, who was as calm as you like, slotted the ball past the Russian goalie to make it 1-4 and the proverbial icing on the cake.

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Group Summary

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So, Belgium comfortably finished top of the group, with the Danes sweeping to second on a tide of emotion, in the wake of Erikson's cardiac arrest in the first game. The player has since been discharged from hospital but the toll of an emotional last week was clear to see in Denmark's players at the end of the final group game against Russia.

Both these teams should progress beyond the last 16, with the Belgians in particular looking like a well-oiled, well organised side, with plenty of attacking nous.

Meanwhile the Russians must be going home feeling as if they had been mugged on the last day of the group stage, while the Finns did indeed miss out on qualification, but will have learnt a lot from their first ever appearance at the Euros.

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