During the first knockout stage, there was a lot of action and entertainment, which made it an exciting start.
Ukraine beat Sweden in Glasgow to complete the round of 16 of the UEFA Euro 2020 competition. They had reached the quarter-finals of the current edition of the European Championships for the first time, and one of the top moments of the tournament had been scored by Andriy Shevchenko’s team in extra time.
The crowd was completely engrossed with this match, but this has been the story of most Round of 16 matches. There were many outstanding moments in the first knockout round of Euro 2020, complete with major upsets, fantastic goals and outstanding performances. One match was decided by a penalty shootout, while four needed additional time.
Our five top moments from the Round of 16 of Euro 2020 as the tournament heads into the quarterfinals.
1. Spain and Croatia’s record-setting goal fest
Several Euros viewers will remember Croatia vs. Spain as an iconic match in their lives. A thrilling eight-goal thriller ended with La Roja defeating their opponents. This match was full of talking points, between Pedri’s own goal from 40 yards away or the eight goals scored by the two teams.
Spain was en route to the quarterfinals after leading 3-1 in regulation. A late goal by Croatia sent the game into extra time. Alvaro Morata’s sensational volley contributed to two more Luis Enrique goals.
2. Czech Republic ousting the Netherlands
Also in Round of 16 matches, there were a few major upsets. It started with a 2-0 Czech Republic victory over the Netherlands. Despite having a much stronger squad, the Czech Republic outperformed a Dutch side that was one of the favorites for the finals.
Tomas Holes and talisman Patrik Schick each scored two goals in the second half for the eventual winners. On the other hand, Matthijs De Ligt was given a straight red card for clumsy handball in the process of scoring his fourth goal of the tournament. The defeat led to the resignation of manager Frank De Boer.
3. England overcoming Germany in a nail biter
The late Harry Kane strike against Germany opened Harry Kane’s Euro 2020 account
A top-of-the-line match between England and Germany occurred in the Round of 16. Both teams were evenly matched in the long-lasting rivalry between the two nations. Despite Gareth Southgate receiving criticism for his team selection, England had one of the best performances at this tournament.
Their goal-scoring chances were restricted by the Three Lions. Fans inside the Wembley stadium were in a delirium after Raheem Sterling’s opener and Harry Kane’s late second. As Germany bowed out, they celebrated while licking their wounds.
4. Ukraine’s last-minute winner
Among the more entertaining games played so far, it was the one between Sweden and Ukraine. In spite of the odds, Ukraine beat the Swedes. After a fast start by both teams, Oleksandr Zinchenko scored a powerful left-footed goal to give his side an early lead. With four goals in five games, Emil Forsberg leveled the game before the first half-time whistle.
After the break, both teams searched for another goal. Forsberg should have had a hat trick had his shots not hit the post for Sweden. Forsberg hit the post twice as well. A dangerous tackle by Marcus Danielson in extra time resulted in a straight red for the Swede. At the death of extra time, however, Artem Dovbyk sent the Russians through with a 121st minute winner.
5. Switzerland causing the upset of the tournament
The Switzerland penalty shootout victory over reigning world champion France may be the biggest upset of Euro 2020 so far. 3-3 was the scoreline after extra time, which warranted extra time. Following extra time, penalties were necessary as the teams were unable to separate.
The two-legged affair saw Ricardo Rodriguez miss a penalty in regulation time, and Karim Benzema score twice in a quickfire spell, with Paul Pogba curling in an extra-time strike.
Eventually, the poster boy of French football, Kylian Mbappe, missed the decisive penalty that sent France crashing out of the Euros.
