Euro 2024 data dive: Mbappe finally off the mark, expect (no) goals when England play

By Sports Desk June 25, 2024

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.

Related items

  • St Johnstone 0-6 Celtic: Defending champions continue perfect start St Johnstone 0-6 Celtic: Defending champions continue perfect start

    Celtic stormed to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a thumping 6-0 win away at St Johnstone.

    The defending champions thought they had taken the lead early on through Daizen Maeda, but VAR intervened due to a foul in the build-up.

    Nevertheless, a brace from Kyogo Furuhashi and Paulo Bernardo's sumptuous strike virtually ended the contest at half-time.

    There was to be no mercy in the second half though, as captain Callum McGregor added a fourth for Celtic shortly after the restart.

    Maeda and substitute Adam Idah added further gloss to the scoreline to make it six league wins out of six for Brendan Rodgers' side so far this campaign and take them top, ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference.

    St Johnstone are now just a point above second bottom in the table.

    Data Debrief: Defence first

    Celtic have kept a clean sheet in each of their last six games in the league.

    Their last longer run of games without conceding a goal in the competition was a run of seven games from 26 April 2015 to 9 August 2015, so as well as their rampant attack, Rodgers' team have a mean defence, with St Johnston accumulating only 0.29 expected goals (xG) on Saturday.

    With two assists in this match, meanwhile, Nicolas Kuhn now has four in total for the season, which is two more than any other player in the Scottish Premiership.

     

  • Bayern Munich 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Andrich and Pavlovic stunners ensure spoils are shared Bayern Munich 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen: Andrich and Pavlovic stunners ensure spoils are shared

    Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen played out an enthralling 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.

    Two long-range strikes, one from Robert Andrich and another from Aleksandar Pavlovic, ensured a share of the spoils on Saturday.

    Defending champions Leverkusen scored with their first chance in the 31st minute when Granit Xhaka controlled a corner with his chest and set up Andrich outside the box, with the Germany international's sweeping low shot drilled through a crowd of players into the bottom corner.

    Their lead did not last long, however, as a poor clearance fell to Pavlovic and the midfielder pulled the trigger from 25 yards with a half-volley that brushed the fingertips of goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky as it sailed into the top corner.

    With Serge Gnabry having hit the post and then crossbar in quick succession, Bayern dominated proceedings in the second half, with Leverkusen pegged back. The hosts boasted an expected goals (xG) total of 1.32 at full-time compared to their opponent's meagre 0.07xG.

    But despite their 18 shots, Bayern could not clinch a decisive second goal.

    Bayern stay top with 13 points, while Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen are third with 10 points, a point behind RB Leipzig, who thrashed Augsburg 4-0.

    Data Debrief: Wonderstrikes and fine margins

    Bayern hit the woodwork twice through Gnabry in a matter of seconds, but ultimately only managed to get three attempts on target, while Pavlovic's stunning equaliser came with an xG value of just 0.02.

    That being said, Leverkusen - who hammered Bayern 3-0 in their last meeting - hardly offered much going the other way, having just three attempts in total.

    This top-of-the-table clash also marked the first time in three years that Harry Kane has not attempted a single shot after starting a league match. The last time was when he represented Tottenham against Crystal Palace in September 2021.

    Their one goal, however, does mean Bayern have scored in their last 12 games in the Bundesliga, scoring 33 goals in that run.

  • Genoa 0-3 Juventus: Vlahovic double ends goal-drought to send visitors top of Serie A Genoa 0-3 Juventus: Vlahovic double ends goal-drought to send visitors top of Serie A

    Dusan Vlahovic scored twice to help Juventus to a 3-0 win at Genoa in Serie A as Thiago Motta's side moved top of the standings.

    Vlahovic scored Juventus' first goal in four league games when he converted from the spot after they were awarded a penalty for a handball following half-time.

    He added his second in the 55th minute from a tight angle after Teun Koopmeiners found the Serbian striker on the edge of the box with a deep cross-field pass.

    Substitute Francisco Conceicao then sealed the win with a low, one-touch finish late on.

    The game in Genoa was played behind closed doors after crowd violence during their Coppa Italia fixture against Serie B side Sampdoria left more than 50 people injured.

    Juventus, who drew each of their last three league games 0-0, top the table with 12 points from six games, one point ahead of second-placed Torino who host Lazio on Sunday.

    Data Debrief: Vlahovic gets Juventus firing

    Vlahovic broke the deadlock on Saturday and is now only one of the two players to score at least two braces in Serie A this season, level with Marcus Thuram.

    The Serbian was bound to score from the sport having converted 18 of his 22 penalties taken in Serie A, including his last three in 2024.

    Fellow goalscorer Conceicao scored 8,252 days after his father, Sergio, last bagged in Serie A on 24 February 2002, meanwhile, for Inter against Udinese.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.