Denzel Dumfries scored a dramatic late winner as the Netherlands marked their long-awaited return to a major tournament with a 3-2 victory over Ukraine in a remarkable Euro 2020 game in Amsterdam on Sunday.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Let's move on to the match of the tournament so far without a shadow of a doubt, Netherlands against Ukraine.
00:10Hello and welcome to Golf News kicking back, your favourite football talk show.
00:14I'm Imran Malik and I'm joined by my football mad colleagues, or are they just mad, I don't know.
00:19We've got Matt Smith, Damseir Mohamed, and special guest, Sahil Sajan. How you doing guys, all good?
00:24All good, not bad, not as ever.
00:28Before we start, a little update on Denmark's Christian Eriksen. He's stable in hospital, he's talking,
00:34and he even sent a message to his teammates so we're all delighted to hear that he's doing well.
00:39Some more news from Europe 2020, Portugal's João Cantelo has been tested positive for COVID-19
00:45and is out of the tournament. How much of a miss is that going to be for them?
00:49And a bit of odd news this one, a fan was seriously injured after falling from the stands at Wembley Stadium
00:56during England-Croatia match yesterday. There's no mention on where he was sitting exactly,
01:00but I've been to Wembley and watched Spurs in one of the Champions League games
01:04and sat in one of the cheapest seats right at the top and if you fell from there, blimey, that would be bad.
01:08Anyway, wish him well. Right, speaking of Wembley, let's start with the England-Croatia game.
01:13It was a massive win for us. I think we started really brightly, there was an urgency about our game.
01:20It looked like the plan was to catch Croatia cold and finish them off in the first 20 minutes.
01:24Foden, who we know is going to like the tournament, was so unlucky to hit the post after the first five minutes.
01:29What a lovely curling effort that was. Phillips came close with a lovely volley from outside the box
01:34and there was other half chances in that opening, in that flying start.
01:37What did you guys make of that opening 20 minutes?
01:40Oh, absolutely. I thought that England, I was sitting watching it and I was going,
01:45oh goodness, this could be 3-0 or 4-0 down here. They're just flying there because Raheem knows Foden
01:51like the back of his hand. Raheem Sterling was just feeding those balls in.
01:56I thought Harry Kane was surprisingly quiet, but Foden more than made up for it,
02:01especially in that opening period. The one concern is if you don't get that goal in the opening period,
02:09then the nerves can creep in and the Croatians start to creep back into the game.
02:14Then that's when maybe you have to rely on the manager's tactics to make sure that you do get that result
02:20rather than just relying on your out-and-out flaring skill.
02:23Yeah. It's a massive win for the three lines. But you know, the match started with a controversy.
02:30You have got two stellar left-backs in your squad, but Gareth Southgate started with Kieran Trippier
02:37in the left-hand side, which was baffling at all. But if that win wouldn't have happened,
02:42all the blame would have gone on to Gareth Southgate.
02:46But I think the game was won in the midfield. Declan Rice, Calvin Phillips and Mason Mount
02:51were absolutely brilliant, along with Mings at the back. So these guys, with very less experience,
02:58they showed how they can outclass and outplay a midfield of gold of Croatians.
03:04That Croatian midfield was as good as any midfield in the world.
03:10But they showed their positional brilliance and intensity. With all their intensity, they just outplayed them.
03:17It's a good win for the three lines. But when you look at the Croatian side, they look really old.
03:23I think it's the end of the generation for them. Because now, when you see that performance,
03:29if I'm a Scotland fan, like Matty, if I was, I'm not, I would be licking my lips.
03:35Because even Scotland have got a chance against Croatia now.
03:42Yeah, definitely. The Croatians, like Shamsher said, they looked old.
03:47The likes of Rebic and all should step up. Modric was also looking pretty decent.
03:52But he was not that creative. Perisic is a guy, we all know, he's lethal in front of goal.
03:57But he completely looked out of sorts. That was not the same Perisic we saw in the 2018 World Cup against England.
04:03That was some other Perisic. But today, yesterday, he was just not looking the same.
04:07But one guy I want to mention, as Shamsher mentioned, Tyrone Mings. This guy played really well yesterday.
04:13He was rock-solid at the back. Not even one guy was able to get past him.
04:18But obviously, the man of the match has to be Calvin Phillips. Well played. He just controlled the midfield.
04:23And obviously, he saw that pass to Raheem Sterling. And there was the finish.
04:28So, England looked organised in the midfield. Not many chances. Harry Kane, yes, he was a bit quiet.
04:34But he was the man to balance the play. He was strong in the air. He was getting fouled a lot.
04:40So, credit to England for holding on. And let's see, maybe the line-up might be the same if Harry Maguire is not fit. You never know.
04:47Just going back to Shamsher's point about Trippier. It's a good point.
04:51But I think the reason why he started ahead of Shaw and Chilwell is because I think Trippier is more of a leader.
04:57Now, we were missing Maguire yesterday. So, we needed someone back there in that defensive role to keep everybody in position, keep talking.
05:04And he does that quite well. So, I think that's the reason why he got the start.
05:08As an attacking threat, I think Chilwell, when he does play, has gone on for a lot more.
05:12But as that game in the first half wore on, it would have been hard for us to maintain that blistering start that we had.
05:20And I think there was too many sideways passes, too many backwards passes for my liking.
05:24And we couldn't get close to Modric, who started to pick out a few passes in that half as it progressed.
05:29And Croatia came into it a bit more, didn't they?
05:33Yeah, as I said, the key thing is the three points are in the bag from what is probably, on paper at least, the toughest game in England's group.
05:43You know, they can now start thinking, right, that's the hard part done.
05:48Now, let's not make any silly mistakes in the next two games.
05:51And then, you know, they're as good as in the last 16.
05:54The Croatians, as I said, they came more into the game.
05:58But I think that was more down to England letting them in than anything they were doing themselves.
06:02They had a couple of half chances.
06:06I thought, as I think we've all said, that Calvin Phillips has just been what I find for all the superstar names in this tournament.
06:12The young lad from Leeds United is the guy that's been grabbing the headlines.
06:17He just needs to do something about his haircut, but that's a different story.
06:21As far as Croatia go, I think even, yeah, as I said, the likes of Scotland and the Czech Republic will be...
06:30Yeah, they'll take a close look at that game and know that there's something there for the taking.
06:36Matt, you mentioned Kane earlier there.
06:39I mean, it looked like he was playing the deeper role to me.
06:41There was times when he wasn't even near the 18-yard box when we were attacking.
06:45And I think that's a ploy by Southgate, but I don't think it worked.
06:48And I'd rather he pushed up more and got support from Sterling, Mount and Foden.
06:53But also, how did he miss that chance?
06:55Nine times out of ten, he tucks that away, doesn't he?
06:58What a pass from Mason Mount.
07:01Yeah, it was great.
07:03It was a great, great three ball.
07:05But, you know, he just didn't have the greatest day.
07:08But as I said, there's three points still in the bag.
07:12He does have a lot of help around.
07:15Foden will score two or three wonder goals in this tournament.
07:19We know he will.
07:20Sterling's always good for a goal.
07:22Mason Mount's shown that he can do it for Chelsea.
07:24So the goals will come from everywhere.
07:26It's not just going to all be on him.
07:27And then maybe that's why Southgate's got him in this deeper role,
07:30so he can play that holding, visionary role in the centre,
07:34rather than trying to just get on the end of every pass.
07:37Speaking of the goal, the breakthrough came in the second half from Sterling.
07:42It was a really well-worked goal.
07:43Phillips, as you mentioned, got the assist with a lovely pass.
07:46It was a side to his game that we haven't often seen for Leeds last season.
07:50But clearly, he can dictate play a little too,
07:53rather than just be a midfield enforcer.
07:55What do you think?
07:56He was a box-to-box midfielder before getting into the hands of Bielsa.
08:02Then Bielsa made him a proper number six.
08:04But yesterday, for England, he played as a box-to-box midfielder,
08:08where Rice was sitting back.
08:10And Rice did the job pretty well, which people won't talk about.
08:13Because he was sniffing the crosses.
08:15He was sniffing the danger pretty brilliantly.
08:17But people don't often talk about that.
08:19But Calvin Phillips, he was able to roam forward.
08:22And you have seen how he picked that pass. It was brilliant.
08:26But the greatest avenue for England was on the left-hand side,
08:31when Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling overloaded that left-hand side.
08:35The Croatian defence were finding it really difficult
08:38to tackle both these players.
08:41Looking back to the point that you mentioned about Kieran Prippe
08:45being the leader in the side.
08:47Yes, I can understand that.
08:49But the two weakest points for Croatia were their full-backs.
08:52If England had played Luke Shaw or Chilwell,
08:56where Luke Shaw had one of the best seasons in his career
08:59for Manchester United.
09:00And Chilwell is very high on confidence
09:03for winning the smallest cup in the world,
09:05which is the Champions League.
09:07So, I don't know why he left these both guys out.
09:11Because England could have scored more goals
09:14if they had a left-back with blistering pace.
09:19It was absolutely a baffling decision.
09:21I hope he doesn't make that same decision again in the next game.
09:25Definitely two left-backs.
09:27They're blessed with two wonderful left-backs.
09:30Either Shaw or Chilwell.
09:31Both can start.
09:32Either one of them can start, obviously.
09:34I don't think Southgate needs to start another right-back
09:39just to play a left-back.
09:40No need of Stripper starting at left.
09:42You know, already Walker is playing at the right.
09:44Just play a proper left-back. It doesn't matter.
09:46And as for Calvin Phillips, we always knew he had a pass in him.
09:50Now, after this one game, you can see them
09:52comparing him to Pirlo or something like that.
09:58The guy's got a good pass.
10:00There's a reason why Gareth Southgate selects him.
10:02There's a reason why the Leeds United manager loves him so much.
10:05And you never know.
10:07So, he is a talented player.
10:08And there's much more to come for him in club level also.
10:11Well, I mean, it was interesting to see.
10:13As soon as we took Foden off and bore Rashford on,
10:16our attacks became more sporadic.
10:19We didn't look like a threat.
10:20And Croatia came back into the game.
10:22But they never really created a clear-cut chance, did they?
10:28Yeah, the game was coming down to that one goal.
10:32As I said, as the game wore on,
10:34it looked like that one goal was always going to be vital.
10:36Thankfully, they got it quite early in the second half.
10:39And so, that kind of maybe settled those nerves.
10:41And that allowed Gareth Southgate to then maybe change things in ways
10:46so that, you know, as I said,
10:48they couldn't keep up the pace.
10:50So, maybe better to sit on that 1-0 lead,
10:54which is always a risky one.
10:55But it worked out.
10:56And obviously, they know there's a long way to go in this tournament.
11:01Croatia didn't offer anything in attack.
11:05That's why I'm telling you, for the Czech Republic and Scotland,
11:08they'll be licking their lips seeing that performance from Croatia.
11:12But you have to give credit to one man who kept on going
11:15until the final whistle, which was Luka Modric.
11:18He was everywhere on the pitch, but he couldn't do less.
11:22He was really good.
11:24But there was a moment, I remember there in that second half,
11:26when Walker and Pickford left the ball to each other in Croatia.
11:29I mean, it could have nipped in.
11:30That would have been a disaster if that had gone in.
11:32But you know what?
11:33I wouldn't have been surprised at all.
11:34Pickford, he's never filled me with any confidence.
11:37I watch him every week for my team, Everton.
11:39And he's always making costly mistakes.
11:42I've got a feeling there's going to be a costly error,
11:45possibly, crucially, towards the end of the tournament.
11:48But he's always done well for England.
11:51So let's give him the benefit of the doubt.
11:53For Everton, he has messed up a lot.
11:54For England, he's actually wonderful.
11:56So I think we have to give him the benefit of the doubt here.
12:00The goalkeeping coach has always been there for England.
12:05So Pickford is, I don't know.
12:07We have seen him making howlers.
12:10Every other week, we have seen him making one howler or the other for Everton.
12:14So hopefully, for the three lines, he won't make it.
12:18Yeah, I mean, he just doesn't fill me with any confidence.
12:20So I'm just wondering how the back four feels when you've got a goalkeeper like that
12:23who's kind of hesitant, doesn't always come out when he wants to,
12:26comes out at the wrong times to get the ball.
12:28I mean, it can have a negative effect on the team.
12:30But anyway, in the end, it was vital that we started with a win.
12:34Otherwise, I think the pressure back home in the media would have built up.
12:37And that could have affected that young squad with some inexperience there.
12:41But thankfully, it's a win.
12:43It wasn't a great performance, but we got the result we needed.
12:46And some payback for that 2018 World Cup semi-final loss.
12:52Yeah, I know which one you would have rather won.
12:54But the thing is, Gareth Southgate would have taken that 1-0 win
12:58when he woke up on Sunday morning.
13:03If my stats are correct, that was the first time England
13:05have ever won their opener at Euros as well.
13:07Yeah.
13:08In 10 years, five draws and I think four defeats.
13:13So any win at the tournament is obviously better than they've done previously.
13:17So we can only hope to build on that.
13:21Good start to the tournament.
13:23Yeah.
13:24Right, let's move on. That's enough about England.
13:26Let's talk about Austria and North Macedonia,
13:29a game where I'm not even sure too many people may have even bothered to watch this,
13:32but it was an enjoyable game.
13:34It wasn't a spectacle,
13:36but Austria broke the deadlock with a really lovely goal.
13:39So Witzers glorious cross at the back post,
13:41and Lehner volleyed home.
13:43It was a classy goal, wasn't it?
13:46Definitely.
13:47Credit to North Macedonia.
13:48I want to give credit to them.
13:50They scored their first ever goal in a major tournament,
13:52and that too by their legendary player, Pandev.
13:55So I'm happy for them, but obviously Austria had better quality.
13:59I was stunned to see Marco Arnautovic sit on the bench.
14:02And then, as you see, when he came on, he scored.
14:04You should have seen his celebration.
14:06He was just gone mad.
14:08Was it because he didn't start or we don't know,
14:11but he was full on in the game.
14:12So, but credit to North Macedonia.
14:14You know, they scored a goal,
14:16but let's be honest, Austria have better quality.
14:20Yeah, absolutely.
14:21I think that that's a fairly straightforward one in terms of that group.
14:26North Macedonia are going to struggle,
14:28because obviously we saw in the other game last night
14:30that the other two teams know how to score goals.
14:32So it's going to be tough for them.
14:36But I know that they're going on what we saw last night,
14:39that they'll give as good as they get and they'll just try their hardest,
14:42even if it's a level too high above them, shall we say.
14:46But they'll be good for entertainment.
14:50Speaking of Pandev, he's 37 years old.
14:53He was brought out of international retirement for the tournament
14:56to lead the team.
14:57I mean, we're not giving North Macedonia much hope at all,
15:00but it was a decent performance.
15:02They made Austria work hard for that win, didn't they?
15:05It's like a fairytale story for them.
15:07Like I said, it's another jewel in the crown of Goran Pandev.
15:10Like what you have mentioned,
15:11he came out of retirement to score the all-important goal
15:14in the playoff final.
15:15And now he has scored the only goal of their tournament so far.
15:19And it's a great achievement.
15:20It is going to be there.
15:22That memory is going to be there with him through the rest of his life.
15:25And for all the North Macedonian fans.
15:27But credit has to be given to Austria because they kept on going.
15:31And I have to mention one tactical decision
15:35which actually made the big difference.
15:38David Alaba was playing as a sweeper.
15:40And we all expected him to play as a midfielder,
15:43but he was playing as a sweeper.
15:44In the second half, when the coach moved him to the left-hand side,
15:48that was a change which made a huge difference.
15:52Because he was the one who brought that pass.
15:55You have seen that cross.
15:56It was absolutely brilliant.
15:57And also the two substitutions that the coach has made.
16:00He brought in Arnatovic and Grigovic.
16:04And these two guys have made the difference.
16:08Yeah, I mean, Alaba, he's joining Real Madrid from Bayern this summer.
16:13I mean, in the first half,
16:14he didn't look like he was enjoying the game,
16:15playing at centre-back.
16:16But then we saw his quality when he whipped in that lovely cross for Grigoric.
16:21But the thing about him, he's such a versatile player.
16:24He can play across several different positions.
16:26But when he's in that more advanced role,
16:28that's when we really see his quality.
16:30Absolute gold of a player.
16:32Real Madrid is getting someone of the quality of Alaba for free,
16:36which is absolutely brilliant.
16:38Superb deal.
16:39Superb from Real Madrid to get him.
16:41I think another player that caught my eye was Marcel Sabitzer,
16:45the LB Leipzig player.
16:48He's a very talented player.
16:49And definitely he might get a move away from Leipzig.
16:51I can see it.
16:52He's a very talented player.
16:54Yeah, I think there'll be plenty of suitors for his signature.
16:58He had a really good game.
17:00And yeah, we mentioned Anatovic coming on.
17:02I mean, I think he's 32 now, 33.
17:05Probably, I think we'll be seeing him doing that,
17:08coming off the bench role and having an impact.
17:10He did that yesterday.
17:12He was, you know, before the move that he made to China,
17:16he was one of the brilliant strikers in the Premier League
17:19who was scoring goals for fun for West Ham.
17:21But then, I don't know why he chose to move to China,
17:24obviously for the money reasons.
17:26Obviously for the money reasons.
17:28But yeah, he still has got the quality.
17:31He still has got the quality.
17:33So you can see Austria can use him from the bench
17:36and he's going to score goals.
17:38Yeah, he did the job.
17:40He came on and he showed three points for getting that league goal.
17:43So that was the job done as far as he's concerned.
17:46He was asked to do a job by the manager and he came on and he did it.
17:49And that's pretty much the way that he'll see it going forward.
17:52And if it works, and if it seems to be working so far for Austria,
17:55then I don't see them changing that.
17:59Yeah, he put the seal on the win.
18:01It was a decent performance from them.
18:03But yeah, credit, like we were saying, to North Macedonia
18:05for being quite plucky and hanging in there for as long as they did.
18:09Let's move on to the match of the tournament so far,
18:11without a shadow of a doubt.
18:13Netherlands against Ukraine.
18:15This one started in blistering fashion with Ukraine creating a chance
18:19inside, I think, the first minute.
18:21Only then to be hit on the counter-attack by Netherlands
18:23when Depay rounded the ball from his own half
18:26and brought out a smart save from Bouchan in goal.
18:28It was an end-to-end start to the match
18:30and it got better as it went along, didn't it?
18:34Yeah, absolutely.
18:35I mean, obviously, Netherlands weathered the early storm
18:39and then romped into a second-half two-goal lead
18:43with two quick goals from Munildom and Vighorst.
18:47But Ukraine were not done there
18:49and they were determined they were going to keep fighting
18:51and they really had them on the ropes
18:53when they scored those two quick replies
18:55just with 10 minutes to go,
18:57only for Dumfries to come up with a late winner.
19:01It had everything, and after what happened with Eriksen,
19:03it was great to see a real, true, classic game.
19:08One that people will talk about for years to come
19:10and showing why people love this game so much as well
19:14after all the dramas we've had recently.
19:17It was definitely the game of the tournament so far,
19:21but I have to take a different look at the game.
19:23For the neutrals, it was a brilliant game to watch,
19:25but if I'm Frank De Boer, I will be really, really worried
19:30because it was like an end-to-end basketball game
19:33where the positional sense was absolutely everywhere on the pitch
19:38because the off-ball structure of the Netherlands team
19:42was all over the place.
19:44And if I'm De Boer, I'll be really worried
19:46because Ukraine was able to cut them in pieces
19:50with utmost ease.
19:52So if any big team comes and faces the Netherlands,
19:55they'll be licking their lips and saying,
19:57this team under transition can be easily broken down.
20:01And I have to give credit to Ukraine who kept on going
20:04even after going two goals down.
20:06They showed bravery in attack and they were keeping the balls.
20:09Malinovskis and Jamalenko.
20:11The goal that Jamalenko scored was an absolute stunner.
20:16Credit to both teams for giving us that entertainment,
20:20but for Dutch fans, it might not have been the happiest scene.
20:25No, you're right.
20:26But I think there was one surprising positive last night,
20:29well, for me anyway, was Wijnaldum.
20:31Now, I want to ask, at Liverpool,
20:33he played quite deep at his time at Anfield
20:36and never really got on the ball too much.
20:38But last night, he was given the freedom to venture forward
20:41and not only did he look really comfortable on the ball,
20:43he was setting up play, beating players.
20:46He looked like a totally different player
20:47to the one that we've grown used to seeing.
20:49And I think PSG will be really excited to have him on board
20:52if he continues to play like that.
20:55I mean, he's got the quality to do all of that,
20:57like Imran, what you said.
20:58He's got it.
20:59He's got a good pass in him.
21:00He can win the ball.
21:01He's physically very strong.
21:03So, definitely.
21:04And he was there at the right time
21:05when the goalkeeper made a mistake.
21:07He was there, you know, to score the goal.
21:09So, good positioning by him.
21:10And he's the leader of now the Dutch team, you know,
21:14as Van Dijk is not there.
21:16He's got to be the leader.
21:17And there's a reason why the Dutch team
21:19started with three centre-backs.
21:20It's because Van Dijk isn't there.
21:22You know, De Ligt is good,
21:23but they need help at the back.
21:25I was stunned to see not Ake play.
21:26Ake should have started, I felt.
21:28You know, he's a good centre-back.
21:29Yes, he's not played a lot this season,
21:31but he's better than the rest in their team.
21:33But yeah, the reason why,
21:35because Van Dijk isn't there,
21:36they have to play with three centre-backs.
21:41Absolutely.
21:42The other thing is,
21:43obviously, Wijnaldum is,
21:45he struggles to get forward as much for Liverpool,
21:50or he did before he moved on.
21:52But that brings it down to the front line.
21:54It really just very rarely changes
21:55for Klopp and Liverpool,
21:57because you don't mix up Sadio Mane and Firmino.
22:03These guys are just always going to be there.
22:05But during qualifying for the Netherlands,
22:08Wijnaldum showed that he can lead the line
22:10time after time.
22:11He scored eight goals in qualifying.
22:13He's now grabbed another one in the tournament.
22:15So I think that he plays a very different position,
22:18but I think that you'll see PSG
22:20will utilise him much further up the pitch now.
22:22They know exactly what he can do.
22:25Yeah.
22:26Now, Wighorst, he got the second.
22:28And if anyone turned off the telly
22:30or started watching Netflix or something,
22:32well, you missed an absolute classic.
22:33Ukraine came storming back,
22:35and I think we've witnessed the gold of the tournament so far.
22:37That's going to take some beating, isn't it?
22:39What a strike that was.
22:43That man is blessed with a wonderful left foot.
22:45Let's be honest.
22:46Yarmolenko, he's got one of the best left foots I've ever seen.
22:49Yes, he's not played a lot for West Ham,
22:51but if you've seen in West Ham,
22:52he's got a gem of a left foot.
22:54And today we saw that for Ukraine.
22:56Oh, that was a gem of a goal.
22:58And really, not many people have such a great left foot,
23:01but this man is blessed with a beautiful left foot.
23:04My mate's a big West Ham fan,
23:06and every single week he goes on about Yarmolenko.
23:09Even when he's not playing, he's going on about him.
23:11But yeah, anyone who doesn't know,
23:13he absolutely has got a rocket of a left foot.
23:15Right, so that's enough of today's games.
23:17Let's have a look forward to today.
23:19Now, I know Matt will be very interested,
23:21because Scotland get their tournament underway
23:23against the Czech Republic.
23:24Mate, what do you think?
23:25How's it going to go?
23:29Oh, it's a funny one.
23:32You never know with the Scotland team.
23:34Sometimes they can just pull things out of their bag
23:36and play brilliantly.
23:38I think that they've got a much stronger squad
23:41than they've had at least since 1998,
23:44when they last played in a major tournament.
23:46How do they come together?
23:48And if those classic Scottish nerves
23:50don't get too much of the best of them,
23:52I think that the one thing that goes in their advantage
23:54is they're playing a team that they know how to play.
23:56They've played them quite a few times recently.
23:58We've beaten them quite a few times recently.
24:00And they've got home advantage as well.
24:04So these things are all played.
24:07The fans are back,
24:08and the Scottish fans will be making a lot of noise up there.
24:10And so those things will give them an advantage on paper.
24:15But it depends on how those nerves settle in
24:18as to whether or not they can actually get a great start
24:21and get three points in the bag.
24:25I think a lot's going to be expected
24:27from the premiership guys.
24:29McTominay, McGinn, Robertson, Tierney.
24:32If those four can perform,
24:35and when you look at the Czech,
24:36I mean, Szyszek stands out.
24:37But apart from that,
24:38I mean, what else do they offer,
24:40in attack at least?
24:42Patrick Szyk is a decent player.
24:45Obviously not as a big name,
24:46but I think Scotland should win,
24:49let's be honest here.
24:52Yeah, and the other game is Poland against Slovakia.
24:55What do we think about that?
24:56How do you think that will turn out?
24:58Lewandowski versus Slovakia.
25:05He's one of the oldest men in the tournament,
25:07but Lewandowski is still going to be banging those goals in for fun.
25:11We just know that he's just relentless for Bayern Munich
25:13and for Poland.
25:14And he's just going to keep going through this tournament
25:16until they come up with the...
25:18until they come up against a really stern opposition.
25:22He's just going to have fun.
25:24He didn't have a good World Cup,
25:25let's be honest, Lewandowski for Poland.
25:26If you remember the 2018 World Cup,
25:28he didn't score a goal.
25:29So, you know, it's a big test for him now
25:31to play in a major tournament again.
25:32So a lot is on him.
25:34He has to step up for Poland.
25:36No, you're right.
25:37You're right when you said it's Lewandowski against Slovakia.
25:40I mean, without him, there's not really much.
25:42And the final game is Spain against Sweden.
25:45That'll be the late one.
25:46Again, Sweden are missing Zlatan.
25:49Spain have got a few problems now as well because of COVID.
25:53So what do you think there?
25:57CemÅŸir?
25:58CemÅŸir there?
26:00Oh, we lost him.
26:01I think Spain, you know,
26:03the loss of Busquets and Marcus Llorente,
26:05huge, huge, huge loss.
26:07But obviously they have good experience.
26:09You know, Rodri can come fill in at the back.
26:11To replace Busquets.
26:13So, you know, Spain are all right, you know.
26:15I mean, but still,
26:16I don't think Alvaro Morata is that great of a player.
26:19He's all right.
26:20But is he going to like step up for Spain at the big stage?
26:23They are playing Sweden.
26:24It is going to be one of a very interesting game to watch.
26:27It's not going to be easy for Spain.
26:28Let's be honest here.
26:29It's going to be tough.
26:30Definitely, you know.
26:31So, I mean, Sweden will miss Zlatan.
26:34That is one big loss because that man, he's a fighter.
26:37But I hope it's a good game.
26:41Yeah.
26:42I think that they've got some very tricky ones that could go either way.
26:46Today, all three games could be in the balance.
26:49Hopefully they're not 3-0-0 draws.
26:51But hopefully we get some great killers like we did last night with the
26:55Netherlands.
26:56And obviously Austria and North Macedonia was a great game as well.
27:00The Slovakia will do what these underdog teams will all do.
27:04They'll just come out.
27:06They'll throw everything at them, I think.
27:08Because they know that they've got such a goal-scoring threat up front that
27:11they will need to make some sort of attacks.
27:14Ditto for Spain.
27:15Sorry, for Sweden against Spain.
27:17Even when they're shorn of those talents and biscuits and the like,
27:20Sweden will know that they still have a barrel load of talent on that
27:24field.
27:25And they will need to give their best if they want to try and get
27:28something out of that game.
27:30Yeah, you're right.
27:31It's going to be interesting to see how all three get on.
27:34That's enough from us today.
27:37Thanks for watching and thanks to my guests.
27:39We'll be back tomorrow for more football chat.
27:41But in the meantime, head over to golfnews.com for all the latest news.
27:44And why not get in touch with us and leave a comment and maybe tell us your
27:47predictions for the games, if you get them right.
27:49Matt has very kindly offered to give you a 1 million Durham reward.
27:53That's very nice of you, mate.
27:56Sorry.
27:59Yes, good luck with that.
28:00I'm Scottish.
28:02We'll see you all tomorrow.
28:03Take care.
28:04Cheers, guys.