June 16 – England vs Wales: The waiting is over. Ever since the draw was made in December, this is the mouth-watering fixture English and Welsh fans have been anticipating.
Despite their excellent qualifying campaign and almost perennial expectations, the fact is England have played eight matches in major tournaments since Roy Hodgson took over and have won precisely two. Now the talking – and there has been a lot of it – stops and the action starts in the Stade Bollaert.
Wales have the advantage of an opening win over Slovakia and England’s problem, as they target three essential points after conceding an unfortunate last-gasp equaliser against Russia, is to somehow concentrate on attack whilst at the same time keeping Gareth Bale quiet.
Amidst all manner of mind games between the two British rivals and against the backdrop of unwanted hooliganism, the pressure is very much on Hodgson and his team in what is bound to be a high octane affair in Lens.
Northern Ireland vs Ukraine
When the groups were drawn for Euro 2016, this is the fixture both these sides would have looked at as their best chance for recording a win.
Defeats to Poland and Germany respectively will only have cemented that view. Northern Ireland’s players are expected to wear black armbands in memory of supporter Darren Rodgers, the 24-year-old supporters who died in the early hours of Monday morning after falling accidentally from a wall.
The Irish have never beaten Ukraine whose six-game unbeaten run was ended by Germany. It’s make-or-break time for both sides but the Irish will certainly not freeze as they did at times against Poland.
Stopping Ukraine’s most potent attacking threat, Sevilla winger Yevhen Konoplyanka, could prove key. “Everyone is so disappointed with the first game that they want to prove a point this time,” said Irish midfieder Chris Brunt.
Germany vs Poland
This game received the biggest demand for tickets given the huge immigrant Polish population in both France and Germany, and the German border not too far away.
It has been billed in some circles as likely winners against potential dark horses and there are so many juicy factors, not least Robert Lewandowski leading the line for Poland and encountering several of his Bayern Munich teammates.
The two nations featured in the same Euro 2016 qualifying group – claiming a win apiece – and are familiar foes. Joachim Low is expected to restore Mats Hummels to Germany’s starting line-up after the Bayern Munich defender missed the opening game with a calf problem.
Poland will be without Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who spent last season on loan at Roma, because of a thigh injury and will be replaced by either Swansea’s Lukasz Fabianski or Artur Boruc of Bournemouth. With one victory each already in the group, there should be few nerves which could make for a compelling spectacle.
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