The group stage of Euro 2016 has thrown up more than the usual share of surprise results and surprise packets. With some debate before the tournament as to whether the expanded, bigger 24-team format would lead to a better tournament, the general consensus has been that it has produced more excitement for spectators, more surprises, upsets, and drama and this even before the knockout stage begins.
In fairness, the final rounds of the group stage do take on more of a knockout quality as teams which have not yet secured qualification for the next stage take greater risks in a bid to get a result.
Certainly the expanded 24 team format has given more fans the opportunity to engage with the tournament particularly supporters of the lesser lights of world football. For fans of Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, and Iceland, it’s been an exciting tournament as each of those teams qualify for the knockout phase of the Euros for the first time. Add to that group the Hungarians, who are participating in a European Championship for the first time in 44 years.
Indeed the Hungarians and the Welsh topped their groups by eclipsing England and Portugal respectively. They also share the tournament’s top scoring nation status with six goals each. Gareth Bale has scored three goals for the Welsh, whilst another left-footer with a lethal shot, the Hungarian left winger Dzuddzsak has left his mark on the group stage, by scoring twice in the dramatic 3-3 draw against Portugal.
Croatia’s win over Spain thanks to an 87-minute winner by Perisic and the Republic of Ireland’s 1-0 win over Italy thanks to an 85th minute Robbie Brady header, were two unexpected results, and exemplify a trend which emerged in the group stage – the scoring of late goals. Seventeen goals were scored in the final 15 minutes, which is almost 30 per cent of all the goals scored in the group stage.
Titleholder Spain’s loss could prove costly as it has consigned them to second place in Group D behind Croatia. It now has a Round of 16 knockout date with Italy in Saint-Denis on Tuesday morning, in a reprise of the last Euro final. Both teams are in the tougher half of the draw which contains five of the pre-tournament favourites: England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.
It’s the first Euro which features a Round of 16 as the first phase of the knockout rounds. Previous Euros went from the group stage straight into quarter-finals. If there has been one criticism of the format, it’s been that the introduction of the Round of 16 knockout phase (and its underlying two halves of the draw), has resulted in a lop-sided draw in the knockout phase. It means we’ll probably not end up with the two strongest teams meeting in the grand final. On a positive note, it does mean we’re likely to see a new, first-time finalist from the weaker side of the draw. Also, in theory, we can expect to see more matches in the knockout phase of the competition between evenly matched teams rather than one side attacking for most of the game whilst the other defends.