Kylian Mbappe finally got going at Euro 2024, though France could not beat Poland.
Austria topped Group D, having defeated the Netherlands.
There was less action in the later matches in Group C, however.
Here, we round up the best statistics from the penultimate group-stage day of Euro 2024.
France 1-1 Poland: Masked Mbappe off the mark
It has been a long time coming, but Mbappe, with what was his 23rd shot, finally scored his first European Championship goal for France, converting a 56th-minute penalty against Poland in Dortmund.
Mbappe brought up his 13th goal for France at major international tournaments (with the previous 12 having come at the World Cup), with only Michel Platini netting more for Les Bleus in the two competitions combined (14).
That goal was also the first to be scored by a French player at Euro 2024, with Les Bleus having beaten Austria thanks to an own goal before they drew 0-0 with the Netherlands.
Mbappe's maiden Euros strike was not enough to secure a French win, though, with Robert Lewandowski levelling an equaliser from the penalty spot for already-eliminated Poland.
Lewandowski became just the third player to score in four different editions of the European Championships after Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, while the 35-year-old is the only player to score at each of the last four Euros (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024).
That being said, Poland have failed to win any of the five games in which Lewandowski has scored at the Euros (drawn four, lost one), the most games a player has scored in while failing to win in the competition's history.
This is the first time France have failed to win their group at a major international tournament since Euro 2012, with Les Bleus having finished as group winners at each of the previous five such tournaments before Euro 2024.
Netherlands 2-3 Austria: Wreck it Ralf
Plumped into a group with the Netherlands and tournament favourites France, Austria weren't fancied by many to come out on top. Well, Ralf Rangnick's side had other ideas.
Marcel Sabitzer became the first Austrian to play 10 matches at the European Championships, scoring his first goal in the competition from his 22nd shot, to seal a 3-2 victory in Berlin.
Austria have scored six goals at Euro 2024, their most in any edition of the tournament and their most in a major tournament since the 1978 World Cup (seven).
It is the first time Austria have won successive Euros matches. They have won four of their last six group stage matches in the competition (lost two), having not won any of their first six such games (drawn two, lost four).
The Netherlands, meanwhile, lost their first group-stage game at the Euros since 2012 against Portugal (2-1), while they last lost a match in the competition despite scoring two or more goals in 2004, against Czechia (3-2).
Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay got the goals for Ronald Koeman's team. Liverpool forward Gakpo has scored five of the Netherlands' last eight group-stage goals at major tournaments (World Cup and Euros), with no other Dutch player netting more than once in those matches.
England 0-0 Slovenia: Expected goals? Forget it
Another game, another unconvincing display from England, though they still finished top of Group C.
This was England’s seventh 0-0 draw at the European Championship (41st game), second only to Italy in the history of the competition (eight in 48 games).
The Three Lions accumulated an expected goals (xG) of just 0.87. Indeed, England's matches at Euro 2024 have produced the fewest xG (2.26 for, 1.13 against).
England's first shot in this match came via Harry Kane in the 30th minute – it was their longest wait for a shot in a match at the Euros since their meeting with Germany in 2000 (35th minute).
Gareth Southgate's team had 74% possession, which was the highest figure they have recorded in a major tournament match in which they failed to score.
Slovenia (57th) are the lowest-ranked side England have ever faced in a match at a major tournament since the FIFA ranking was introduced.
However, this result ensures Slovenia will be in the last 16 as one of the best third-placed sides.
Both Slovenia and Denmark drew all three of their Group C games; only once previously had a side drew all three of their group games in a single edition of the Euros, with Portugal doing so in 2016. Could Slovenia go on and replicate the Selecao's triumph? Surely not...
Denmark 0-0 Serbia: Eriksen's milestone appearance
Denmark could perhaps have been a tad braver against Serbia, and if they had, then they might have avoided Germany in the last 16.
As it is, they will play the hosts after a goalless draw with Serbia, who exited the competition in the process.
Christian Eriksen featured again and, in the process, became Denmark's record appearance maker, with 133 caps.
Eriksen created another two chances to add to his total haul of 13 at Euro 2024, the most-ever by a Danish player at a major tournament on record.
Denmark have drawn all three of their group games for the first time ever at a major tournament, while in all competitions, it is the first time the Danes have strung three draws together in a row since a run of four in June 2019.
Serbia are now without a victory in their last eight major tournament matches, since a 1-0 win over Costa Rica at the 2018 World Cup, their joint longest winless run at major tournaments.
They mustered just one shot on target, with their total haul of six shots on target at Euro 2024 their lowest-ever figure as an independent nation at a major tournament.
Caribbean Premier Showcase offers scholarship opportunities for Jamaican athletes
Coaches from over 35 colleges and universities in the United States are scheduled to scout for players and offer scholarship opportunities, through the Caribbean Premier Showcase (CPS), that will be held over three days at three locations across the island come January 2025.
The Caribbean Premier Showcase was founded two years go with the goal of connecting soccer players with college coaches in expanding opportunities for Jamaican athletes. The showcase began under another name and started only at St. Elizabeth Technical High School for all male soccer players in Jamaica.
That same year the Caribbean Premier Showcase team was invited to the islands of Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago to bring the same opportunities for their high school soccer athletes. Shortly after these stagings the showcases were rebranded to Caribbean Premier Showcase (CPS) reflecting the organizations commitment to the Caribbean.
Rajay Maragh, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Partner at CPS, said the major objective is mainly bringing players and coaches together to create opportunities for recruitment. Players he said get to see show their skills live, interact with coaches, gather information and processes all with the intention of securing a scholarship to study and play overseas.
“The process is heavily based on the coaches whereas the showcase is not limited to anyone local school or conference but rather each athlete is given the same access, playing time and information to showcase their talent. Once completed coaches will reach out after, gather additional data and also create a player profile of they wish to proceed,” Maragh said.
“There is also the academic check with takes place after, each school have their own admission processes and requirements which crates the second stage of follow up to make sure the student is eligible for recruitment,” he added.
All the members of the CPS team received academic and sports scholarship at some point to attend and or player soccer overseas. Maragh said they understood the value, the complexity and the opportunities showcase like CPS can create and felt the need to pass it on, as it is important for the continuity and development of the region.
Colleges confirmed so far include Iowa Western College CC, Wright State University NCAA DI, Eastern Kentucky University NCAA DI, Pearl River CC, Tougaloo College CC, NYU, UCON NCAA DI, Comberland University NAIA, Lincoln University NCAA DII, Concordia NCAA DII, Missouri Valley NAIA, New College Florida NAIA, Baker University NAIA, Johnson County CC, Lindenwood University NCAA DI, Missouri State University, Keiser University NAIA, Hampton University (Womens Soccer) NCAA DI, Maine Maritime University (Women Soccer) NCAA DIII, Ruben Gap (High School), Broward College CC, Hill College CC, Ranger College CC, Allen CC, Southeastern CC, NIU (NCAA DI), Fairleigh Dickinson University NCAA DI, Daytona Beach CC, North Eastern Community College CC, Daemen College CC, Central Community College CC.
Professional coaches include Atlanta United, Houston Dynamo and CSF Spartanii Sportul (Moldovan Super League).
The Caribbean Premier Showcase will be held on January 8, 2025 at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School; on January 9, 2025 at the Horace Burrell Facility in Kingston and on January 11, 2025 in association with the Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA), All DaCosta Cup versus All Manning Cup teams.
Maragh said their team while focused on the Caribbean have been invited to help with other showcases; this past May in Athlone, Ireland and next year in Portugal, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago and Bermuda.
The application process is now open and athletes can register online at carribeanpremiershowcase.com:
https://www.caribbeanpremiershowcase.com/event-page
Persons interested in being apart of the project can email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Red Bulls win New York derby as Seattle knock out Los Angeles FC
Goals from Felipe Carballo and Dante Vanzeir settled the New York derby as New York Red Bulls defeated New York City 2-0 at the Citi Field to enter the Eastern Conference final of the MLS Cup.
Uruguayan Carballo blasted an effort into the top corner in the 16th minute to give the visitors the breakthrough in the 16th minute before Vanzeir drilled an Emil Forsberg corner in off the post nine minutes later.
City probed for a way back into the game as they enjoyed about 70% of possession and attempted 25 shots. But failing to produce a goal despite an xG of 2.8, the 2021 champions crashed out.
Meanwhile, it was a clinical and well-organised display from the Red Bulls, who generated an xG of 0.88 with nine shots and were happy to sit back and protect their two-goal advantage for the majority of the game.
"It's a big win today, but in the end, it’s the next step. We have to continue this hard work and next week take the next step,” said Red Bulls boss Sandro Schwarz after the game.
Michel delighted with Girona's return to form after injury boosts
Michel puts Girona's rediscovered form down to the energy of the returning players from injury after they thrashed Espanyol in LaLiga on Saturday.
Girona had endured a shaky start to the season but moved up to fifth in the standings on 21 points after a superb home victory featuring a Bojan Miovski brace and goals by Bryan Gil and Ladislav Krejci.
Michel's side have now won their last three LaLiga matches, going on their best such run since between April and May 2024, the last time they recorded three victories on the bounce.
"Today's victory, which is our third [in a row], it's due to the fact we got people back, because we've rested, because we've had a very good week of training and because that energy today was noticeable," Michel told a press conference.
"The only thing I hope is that we continue to recover people, that we continue to have the necessary minutes for everyone and that, as we have very tough games coming up every three days, we need everyone to be at 100%; we'll see if we can achieve this without any problems."
Yaser Asprilla and Krejci, back from injury, combined for the fourth goal, but it was the pairing of Miovski and Gil who made the night with lethal attacks for the second and third goals.
"I am very happy for Miovski, he is a player who gives everything in training," Michel added. "I was worried because he wasn't scoring goals.
"He always tries to do his best for the team, he needs time. I am happy for him.
"Bryan is a very important player for everyone, his best version is yet to come. Right now, the process with him is what we all expect."
Last season's surprise package Girona face Austrian side Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Wednesday and the manager hopes they can repeat Saturday's performance in the European game.
"This is the Girona I want, 100%. We started the game very well, that's the reality," Michel added.
"The first half hour was spectacular, with and without the ball... We had a presence up front. The first half hour is what we want to do this season."
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