UEFA Euro 2024: Round of 16 Day 1 Match Reviews

Day 1 of the Round of 16 of UEFA Euro 2024 saw reigning champions Italy bow out of the tournament as Switzerland outclassed them with a 2-0 victory in Berlin, before hosts Germany made light work of underdogs Denmark with a professional 2-0 win to book their place into the last eight. 

So without further ado, let’s break down all the action. 

Euro 2024 Match 37: Switzerland 2-0 Italy

Italy’s elimination means the title-holders have gone out in the Round of 16 for the third successive Euros after Portugal in 2021 and Spain in 2016. Goals from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas ensured Switzerland booked their spot in the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory. 

Switzerland had 65% of the ball and made eight of the first nine attempts at goal prior to taking a well-earned lead when Vargas’ cross was met by the Nottingham Forest FC midfielder. Vargas then doubled the lead just 27 seconds after the restart when Italy lost possession from their own kick-off and Vargas curled one from the edge of the penalty box beyond Gianluigi Donnarumma into the top corner.

Italy offered very little in response, coming closest to pulling one back only when Fabian Schär headed against his own crossbar.

All in all, it was a professional performance from Murat Yakin’s men, while the same cannot be said about the reigning champions. It was Italy’s most disjointed performance this Euros and they paid for it by bowing out of the tournament. 

For Switzerland, either one of England or Slovakia await. Given their current form and confidence within the squad, they will back themselves to beat anyone in the quarter-finals. 

Also watch: UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16 preview

Euro 2024 Match 38: Germany 2-0 Denmark

It was a dominant display from the hosts as they swept aside a competent Danish side to move one step closer to their first major title in ten years with a 2-0 victory at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. 

The Germans flew off the blocks and were all over Denmark for much of the first half. However, despite a flurry of chances, the two sides went into half time 0-0. 

Just past the half-hour mark, the match was suspended due to heavy lightning over the stadium. The suspension would not last very long, though, as the storm was short-lived and play resumed after a 25-minute delay.

As the second half began, chaos ensued. First, Danish centre-back Joachim Andersen thought he had scored the first goal for his country when he swivelled and found the bottom corner, but Thomas Delaney was deemed to have been fractionally offside in the build-up.

Moments later, as Germany celebrated their reprieve, VAR official Stuart Attwell spotted a handball from Andersen moments later in blocking David Raum’s cross. Kai Havertz stayed composed to beat Kasper Schmeichel from 12 yards.

There was nothing controversial about Germany’s second goal, however, which killed the contest as Nico Schlotterbeck picked out the run of Jamal Musiala, who breezed past Andersen to fire across Schmeichel and set up a quarter-final against either Spain or Georgia.

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