With the First Round of Euro 2016 over tonight after the Portugal - Iceland game it seems that there are no Minnows in Euro 2016.
When UEFA has increased the number of teams from 16 to 24 for Euro 2016 many feared that the competitive nature of the Euro's will be lessened, as unlike the FIFA World Cup generally Euro's tended to have very tight games & no weak teams.
The First round of Group stage has proved all the critics wrong.
Right from the opener between France v Romania, where it was excepted that the Romanians will play defensive,to the Germany- Ukraine game were the World Champions were given a run for their money. Though Germany won 2-0 that scoreline does not tell the story.
Even the First timers Albania played well against the Swiss.
But the biggest news has to be Portugal drawing 1-1 to Iceland. No one in their wildest dreams expected the island nation of a population of 330,000 to score against the Portuguese. Infact most of the pundits predicated a massacre by Ronaldo, Nani & Co.
But the so called minnow or weak teams who are lacking superstars are showing discipline, fitness, team spirit & tactical astuteness.
We already had a minor upset with Hungary beating Austria 2-0, but we can surely expect a major upset or two in the remaining group stage games.
When UEFA has increased the number of teams from 16 to 24 for Euro 2016 many feared that the competitive nature of the Euro's will be lessened, as unlike the FIFA World Cup generally Euro's tended to have very tight games & no weak teams.
The First round of Group stage has proved all the critics wrong.
Right from the opener between France v Romania, where it was excepted that the Romanians will play defensive,to the Germany- Ukraine game were the World Champions were given a run for their money. Though Germany won 2-0 that scoreline does not tell the story.
Even the First timers Albania played well against the Swiss.
But the biggest news has to be Portugal drawing 1-1 to Iceland. No one in their wildest dreams expected the island nation of a population of 330,000 to score against the Portuguese. Infact most of the pundits predicated a massacre by Ronaldo, Nani & Co.
But the so called minnow or weak teams who are lacking superstars are showing discipline, fitness, team spirit & tactical astuteness.
We already had a minor upset with Hungary beating Austria 2-0, but we can surely expect a major upset or two in the remaining group stage games.
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