Walk into any bar or pub in Western Europe and I would guarantee there are at least two conversations going on among most patrons; the first is Brexit as the United Kingdom scrambles and tears itself and potentially the European Union apart in some strange politicking. The second much more interesting and in some ways fun conversation is about who is going to win the European Soccer Championship, just ten teams are left of the original 24 that qualified for the final tournament which is taking place in France this summer. Of those ten, six have qualified for the quarterfinals. The round of 16 got underway yesterday but today one team on each side of the bracket had dominating showings, one team you may expect it from and the other whose flag you may have confused with the other country I am talking about. The first country is the defending World Cup champion, Germany who soundly thrashed Slovakia today 3-0, with the first and the third goals coming off of set pieces that the Slovak side simply could not answer. The other country I am talking about is its tiny neighbor to the west that in recent years and in this tournament has come on strong as a force in international football: Belgium.
Of those ten, six have qualified for the quarterfinals. The round of 16 got underway yesterday but today one team on each side of the bracket had dominating showings, one team you may expect it from and the other whose flag you may have confused with the other country I am talking about. The first country is the defending World Cup champion, Germany who soundly thrashed Slovakia today 3-0, with the first and the third goals coming off of set pieces that the Slovak side simply could not answer. The other country I am talking about is its tiny neighbor to the west that in recent years and in this tournament has come on strong as a force in international football: Belgium.
Belgium played Hungary today and won 4-0 and it should have been a lot more lopsided with a goal in the 10th minute being the lone score as for an hour after that the Belgians had 25 shots in the game including 14 on goal but until the 78th minute it was only 1-0, then Michy Batshuayi buried a goal and the rout was on as Eden Hazard smashed home a third goal just one minute later and then in extra time, Yannick Carrasco made the final tally. Although one could look at the half-empty side of the glass and say Belgium should have out possessed Hungary too and that a 60 plus minute drought despite plentiful chances shows a lack of focus, a 4-0 result is always a welcome one provided that you have the four. The Germans have been to these spots before and will probably continue to do so for a great many years but for Belgium this tournament is kind of a coming out to the world party after a strong showing in the 2014 World Cup, because many teams have gone on fluky runs to quarterfinals in the World Cup, to do so again at the Euros 2 years later is not fluke though. Hopefully the two teams will continue to do well and maybe we’ll have an all red, yellow, and black flag final.
