WOW! Fantastic. What a start to the tournament on Friday. As I predicted Italy won. I had predicted 2-0 but they did even better at 3-0.
From the opening ceremony I had the goose bumps. I could not believe that I was seeing a Euro cup live. It was a brilliant opening ceremony as we expected from the Italians at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
The Italians have shown that the 27 games unbeaten before this was not a fluke. This is number 28 on a trot. Oh, the fans. Just hearing the 16,000 sounded like 60,000 was definitely music to my ears. How magical it was to see the crowd characters return to football. To see the Italian side sing with such gusto to the anthem and the crowd was amazing.
Turkey decided that the best method in the first half was to stifle the Italians. At one point they had 11 men in the penalty box. They did not venture out and the let the Italians do all the playing hoping for a draw. They did not have any counter attacks to speak about and really were just trying to hold for a draw.
The hungry Italians were pressing and in Lorenzo Insigne they have found a very good number 10. He played so beautifully, creating space and position as well as opportunities for the Italians. The Italians were unlucky to not have a goal in the first half but made up for it in the second.
The own goal by Merih Demiral in the 53rd minute opened the game and by the end the Italians had 24 shots at goal to the Turkish three and 64% of the ball with an 87% pass accuracy – amazing. Immobile had a perfect poacher goal in the 66th minute and the brilliant Insigne finished it off in the 79th.
So for tomorrow games we have Wales vs Switzerland at 9am, Denmark vs Finland at 12 noon and the big one Belgium vs Russia at 3pm.
My predictions:
Wales vs Switzerland, I expect this to be a draw: 0-0
Denmark vs Finland, I expect Denmark to win: 2-0
Belgium vs Russia, I expect Belgium to win 4 -0
See you tomorrow with all the excitement. Do enjoy
Italy Win Euro 2020 Opener
By Gerald Lutchman
WOW! Fantastic. What a start to the tournament on Friday. As I predicted Italy won. I had predicted 2-0 but they did even better at 3-0.
From the opening ceremony I had the goose bumps. I could not believe that I was seeing a Euro cup live. It was a brilliant opening ceremony as we expected from the Italians at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
The Italians have shown that the 27 games unbeaten before this was not a fluke. This is number 28 on a trot. Oh, the fans. Just hearing the 16,000 sounded like 60,000 was definitely music to my ears. How magical it was to see the crowd characters return to football. To see the Italian side sing with such gusto to the anthem and the crowd was amazing.
Turkey decided that the best method in the first half was to stifle the Italians. At one point they had 11 men in the penalty box. They did not venture out and the let the Italians do all the playing hoping for a draw. They did not have any counter attacks to speak about and really were just trying to hold for a draw.
The hungry Italians were pressing and in Lorenzo Insigne they have found a very good number 10. He played so beautifully, creating space and position as well as opportunities for the Italians. The Italians were unlucky to not have a goal in the first half but made up for it in the second.
The own goal by Merih Demiral in the 53rd minute opened the game and by the end the Italians had 24 shots at goal to the Turkish three and 64% of the ball with an 87% pass accuracy – amazing. Immobile had a perfect poacher goal in the 66th minute and the brilliant Insigne finished it off in the 79th.
So for tomorrow games we have Wales vs Switzerland at 9am, Denmark vs Finland at 12 noon and the big one Belgium vs Russia at 3pm.
My predictions:
Wales vs Switzerland, I expect this to be a draw: 0-0
Denmark vs Finland, I expect Denmark to win: 2-0
Belgium vs Russia, I expect Belgium to win 4 -0
See you tomorrow with all the excitement. Do enjoy