Guide: Underdogs Meet Top Teams in the European Championship Round of 16

A questioned England meets Slovakia who wants to write history. The group stage's superior Spain meets the sensation Georgia with the super goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. Here's everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's round of 16.

» Updated: July 16 2024

» Published: June 30 2024

Guide: Underdogs Meet Top Teams in the European Championship Round of 16
Photo: Alessandra Tarantino/AP/TT

Share this article

A questioned England meets Slovakia, who wants to write history. The group stage's superior Spain meets the sensation Georgia with super goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Here's everything you need to know before Sunday's round of 16.

What: England-Slovakia, round of 16.

When: Sunday, June 30, 18.00.

Where? Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen.

TV/radio: SVT 2, SVT Play, P4 Radiosporten.

England's results in group C: Serbia 1–0, Denmark 1–1, Slovenia 0–0.

Slovakia's results in group E: Belgium 1–0, Ukraine 1–2, Romania 1–1.

+ A questioned England

England may have won the group. But national team coach Gareth Southgate and his team are still very questioned. The game has looked slow and England has not impressed.

After the goalless event against Slovenia last, he responded to the criticism.

I'm not going to hide from it. The most important thing is that the fans stand behind the players. I've understood the narrative against me, and it's better that I hear it than it affects the players. It creates a demanding environment to perform in, he said according to NTB.

+ Can Slovakia continue to surprise?

Slovakia struck with a surprise already in the first group stage match: a 1–0 win over Belgium.

A loss and a draw later, and the team was through to the playoffs as one of the four best group thirds.

As an independent nation, Slovakia has never gone further than the round of 16 in a World Championship or European Championship. Twice before, the team has played in the round of 16 (World Championship 2010 and European Championship 2016), but both times it ended there.

Will Slovak football history be written against a shaky England?

.

What: Spain-Georgia, round of 16.

When: Sunday, June 30, 21.00.

Where? RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne.

TV/radio: TV4, TV4 Play, P4 Radiosporten.

Spain's results in group B: Croatia 3–0, Italy 1–0, Albania 1–0.

Georgia's results in group F: Turkey 1–3, Czech Republic 1–1, Portugal 2–0.

+ Spain – the group stage's superior

One nation has won all matches so far: Spain.

The 3–0 thrashing of Croatia in the premiere set the tone, and 1–0 against Italy was on the low side. In the final match, 1–0 against Albania, national team coach Luis de la Fuente rested players who had previously started.

Ferran Torres got the chance from the start and became the matchwinner:

All players are ready to come into the starting lineup and that's a key. Anyone can decide a match and the players who come in from the bench are just as important, said Torres to AP.

Now awaits a round of 16 against the sensation Georgia, and Spain must come to terms with massive favoritism.

+ The wall Mamardashvili tops the statistics

One of the European Championship's absolute best players so far is Giorgi Mamardashvili. Georgia's nearly two-meter-tall goalkeeper has excelled in the group stage and is one of the main reasons why Georgia has sensationally made it to the playoffs.

According to figures from the European Football Association (Uefa), no other goalkeeper has made as many saves in this year's group stage as Mamardashvili: 20 saves. This can be compared to the second, Florin Nita, Romania, with 13 saves.

Will the Georgian Valencia goalkeeper hold up against Spain?

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Finland's Stunning Victory Over Serbia in European Basketball Championship
2 MIN READ

Finland's Stunning Victory Over Serbia in European Basketball Championship

Sabalenka Retains US Open Title, First to Do So Since 2014
2 MIN READ

Sabalenka Retains US Open Title, First to Do So Since 2014

Ronaldo Scores Twice as Portugal Honors Jota in World Cup Qualifier
2 MIN READ

Ronaldo Scores Twice as Portugal Honors Jota in World Cup Qualifier

Lagergren Drops Lead but Remains in Top Contention at Irish Golf Tournament
1 MIN READ

Lagergren Drops Lead but Remains in Top Contention at Irish Golf Tournament

Swedish Junior Lea Nilsson Falls Short in US Open Final
1 MIN READ

Swedish Junior Lea Nilsson Falls Short in US Open Final

Häcken Misses Penalty and League Lead in 1-1 Draw with Kristianstad
2 MIN READ

Häcken Misses Penalty and League Lead in 1-1 Draw with Kristianstad

Swedish Canoeist Melina Andersson Wins Second World Championship Gold
1 MIN READ

Swedish Canoeist Melina Andersson Wins Second World Championship Gold

Verstappen Secures Pole Position for Italian Grand Prix at Monza
1 MIN READ

Verstappen Secures Pole Position for Italian Grand Prix at Monza

Kosovare Asllani Scores Historic Goal in London City Lionesses Debut
1 MIN READ

Kosovare Asllani Scores Historic Goal in London City Lionesses Debut

Emil Krafth Supports Alexander Isak Amid Transfer Controversy
3 MIN READ

Emil Krafth Supports Alexander Isak Amid Transfer Controversy

Hammarby Tops Damallsvenskan After Crucial Win Over Malmö FF
3 MIN READ

Hammarby Tops Damallsvenskan After Crucial Win Over Malmö FF

Swedish Referee Decision Sparks Controversy in Euro Championship Loss
3 MIN READ

Swedish Referee Decision Sparks Controversy in Euro Championship Loss

PSG Frustrated After Ousmane Dembélé's Injury in France Match
1 MIN READ

PSG Frustrated After Ousmane Dembélé's Injury in France Match

Montreal Canadiens Legend Ken Dryden Dies at 78
1 MIN READ

Montreal Canadiens Legend Ken Dryden Dies at 78

Elanga Reflects on Slovenia Draw: "Feels Like a Loss"
2 MIN READ

Elanga Reflects on Slovenia Draw: "Feels Like a Loss"

Robin Olsen Reflects on Costly Mistake in Slovenia Match
2 MIN READ

Robin Olsen Reflects on Costly Mistake in Slovenia Match

Sinner and Alcaraz Set for US Open Final Showdown
2 MIN READ

Sinner and Alcaraz Set for US Open Final Showdown

Djokovic Plans Full Grand Slam Season Next Year After US Open Exit
2 MIN READ

Djokovic Plans Full Grand Slam Season Next Year After US Open Exit

Yasin Ayari Shines Despite Sweden's Draw Against Slovenia
1 MIN READ

Yasin Ayari Shines Despite Sweden's Draw Against Slovenia

Carlos Alcaraz Reaches Third Straight Grand Slam Final
1 MIN READ

Carlos Alcaraz Reaches Third Straight Grand Slam Final