Jumanne, 21 Juni 2016

England have fully-fit squad ahead of Slovakia Euro 2016 showdown

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Euro 2016 group stage qualification Transformations

Tokeo la picha la Euro 2016 group stage qualification Transformations
The top two teams in each group are guaranteed to qualify for the round of 16 at Euro 2016, and they will be joined by the four best third-place teams. There are six groups.
In the event that two or more teams finish level on points within a group, the tiebreakers are as follows:

1. Head-to-head points between the teams in question.
2. Head-to-head goal difference between the teams in question.
3. Head-to-head goals scored between the teams in question.
4. Goal difference in all group games.
5. Goals scored in all group games.
6. If two teams are still level and play each other in the final group game, they will have a penalty shootout.
7. Fair play record (three points for a red, one for a yellow).
8. UEFA national team coefficient ranking.

In deciding the best third-place teams, the tiebreakers are:

1. Points.
2. Goal difference.
3. Goals scored.
4. Fair play record (three points for a red, one for a yellow).
5. UEFA national team coefficient ranking.

See the foot of the page for details of how the fixtures for the best third-placed teams are decided. No third-placed team can finish on more than four points.

Qualified for round of 16: France, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Wales, England
Eliminated: Romania, Ukraine, Russia

RACE FOR BEST THIRD-PLACED
Albania were the first team to secure third place, but with only three points, one goal scored and a -2 goal difference it is going to be very tight for them to be one of the four best. A nervous few days ahead. Two other groups are guaranteed to provide teams on at least three points.

To qualify Albania need two of the following to happen:
- Northern Ireland lose to Germany by four goals
- Czech Republic and Turkey draw OR Turkey beat Czech Republic by only one goal
- Neither Sweden nor Republic of Ireland to win OR Sweden to beat Belgium by four goals and Ireland not beat Italy
- Hungary to beat Portugal


Slovakia are set to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams on four points and a goal difference of zero.
- They can clinch a spot in the knockout stage as early as Tuesday if Germany beat Northern Ireland in Group C OR Turkey win or draw against Czech Republic.

- Click here for the full schedule of games and fixtures for knockout rounds

Saturday, June 25
Switzerland vs. RC -- Saint-Etienne (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
Wales vs. 3A/C/D -- Paris (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
WD vs. 3B/E/F -- Lens (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)


Sunday, June 26
France vs. 3C/D/E -- Lyon (3 p.m. CET/9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
WC vs. 3A/B/F -- Lille (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
WF vs. RE -- Toulouse (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN)


Monday, June 27
Italy vs. RD -- Saint-Denis (6 p.m. CET/12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
England vs. RF -- Nice (9 p.m. CET/3 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

GROUP C
Germany: Need a point against Northern Ireland to guarantee qualification. Top spot is very much up for grabs, and if Germany and Poland both win, it will come down to goal difference. If goal difference and goals scored finish identical, it would be decided on fair play record -- at present Poland have five disciplinary points and Germany three. As in other groups, if they cannot be separated on fair play, teams will be split on UEFA national team coefficient ranking (Germany are higher than Poland).
If Germany draw their game, they will finish top unless Poland beat Ukraine. With a defeat, Germany would drop to third if Poland get a point against Ukraine. The same tiebreak scenarios apply if Poland and Germany finish level on points for second and third, with Northern Ireland top.
Poland: Need a point against Ukraine to guarantee second place -- with a draw, Poland could not be overtaken by both Germany and Northern Ireland but could not finish top either. Poland must win to have a chance of finishing top, and would do so if Germany do not win. Poland will be sure of second if they lose to Ukraine and Northern Ireland do not beat Germany. Even if Poland do lose and drop down to third, four points is likely to be enough to reach the round of 16.
Northern Ireland: Must beat Germany to have any chance of a top-two finish, and would then win the group if Poland fail to beat Ukraine. A point against Germany would only see Northern Ireland finish third, but it could be crucial in trying to secure one of the best third-place finishes as it would give them four points.
Ukraine: Are the first team to be eliminated from Euro 2016.

Highest points total possible for third: Four
Lowest points total possible for third: Three

GROUP D
Spain: Have qualified for the round of 16 and need a point against Croatia to take top spot.
Croatia: Need a point against Spain to guarantee second place, but must beat Vicente Del Bosque's team to finish first. Croatia are guaranteed a top-three finish, and would likely go through in third place with four points.
Czech Republic: Must beat Turkey, and also hope Croatia lose to Spain, to be in the top two. Second place would then be decided on goal difference, and if that finishes identically, it moves to fair play. Going into the final game, Croatia are on four disciplinary points and the Czechs on two. As in other instances, four points might be enough to go through regardless. If it goes to UEFA national team coefficient, Croatia are higher than Czech Republic.
Turkey: Must beat Czech Republic and hope three points is enough for a place in the knockout rounds, though their heavy defeat to Spain makes that unlikely.

Highest points total possible for third: Four
Lowest points total possible for third: Two

GROUP E
Italy: Have qualified for the round of 16 as group winners as they hold the head-to-head over Belgium.
Belgium: Need a point against Sweden to secure second place.
Sweden: Must beat Belgium to go through in second, no other result is likely to send them through, and even then there is the outside chance that Ireland could overtaken them on goal difference. A draw is unlikely to be good enough if they were to finish third on two points.
Ireland: Have to beat Italy, and hope Sweden beat Belgium to have a chance of finishing second. Even then, the Irish would have to beat Italy by at least two more goals than Belgium win to go ahead on goal difference. If goal difference and goals scored finished identical it would go to fair play -- Ireland currently have three disciplinary points and Sweden two. If Ireland and Belgium both win, but Ireland finish third, then four points should be enough to see them through. If it goes to UEFA national team coefficient, Sweden are higher than Ireland.
A draw will almost certainly not be enough even if they finish third on two points.

Highest points total possible for third: Four
Lowest points total possible for third: One

GROUP F
Hungary: Need a point against Portugal to secure a top-two finish, but must win to guarantee top spot. They will also finish top with a draw if Iceland do not beat Austria by at least two goals. There is the chance that Hungary and Iceland will end with identical records for first, if so the fair play position sees Iceland on five disciplinary points and Hungary on four. If it goes to UEFA national team coefficient, Hungary are higher than Iceland.
Hungary are guaranteed a top-three finish and are highly likely to qualify with four points if they finish third.
Iceland: Need a point to secure a top-three finish, but must beat Austria to be sure of being in the top two. A point would also be enough for second place if Hungary beat Portugal.
Iceland and Portugal are currently level on two points, with Iceland second on goals scored (2-2 vs. 1-1), so if both nations draw it would first be decided on goals scored but could go to fairplay record if both nations end up with identical scoring records in the group. At present, Iceland have five disciplinary points and Portugal just two. If it goes to UEFA national team coefficient, Portugal are higher than Iceland. If Iceland finish third on three points it might not be enough for one of the four best places.
Portugal: Must beat Hungary to be certain of going through, and that would be as group winners if Iceland do not beat Austria or if Iceland win by a smaller margin. The above scenarios for separating Portugal and Iceland with two draws (for second and third) would also apply if both win for the right to be group winners and runners-up.
Austria: Must beat Iceland, and that will only be good enough for the top two if Portugal do not beat Hungary. A Portuguese win means Austria can finish no higher than third, though if Austria win then four points would likely see them through as a best third placed team.

Highest points total possible for third: Four
Lowest points total possible for third: Two
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Jumatatu, 20 Juni 2016

Slovakia boss Jan Kozak delighted to draw with England

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Slovakia boss Jan Kozak delighted to draw with England
Tokeo la picha la Jan Kozak
Slovakia coach Jan Kozak said he was surprised to have ended Group B with four points after the loss to Wales and expressed his delight at holding England to a goalless draw.
Slovakia lost their opener 2-1 to Wales but they hit back to record a convincing 2-1 success over Russia and then managed to snatch a point against England.
They therefore secured four points and appear likely to qualify for the round of 16 as one of the third-placed teams, and Kozak told reporters afterwards: "Before the tournament I did the maths and thought we'd only get four points if we beat Wales.
"But football is like that. I am very glad to have four points but we have to wait to see what happens with the other matches, and if we get through I'll be very happy."

He said taking "a point against England is the biggest positive" of the night and was asked whether he considered Wales or Roy Hodgson's side to be the better team.
"When it comes to football quality, England are better than Wales," he said.
Slovakia had qualified for Euro 2016 as Group C runners-up behind Spain, and they had beaten the European champions 2-1 at home before losing 2-0 away.
Kozak said England had presented the same sort of test for his side.
"This was similar to the qualifier against Spain," he said. "Against tough opposition, they had an attack-minded lineup and we were pressed right back. It was a very important point to get to the last 16.
"Our players tired as the game went on and England showed their quality and strength but when you see an opportunity you go everything you can. Perhaps I didn't expect to be pressed so deeply but we made some substitutions to neutralise the impact of their attack."
Hodgson made six changes for the Slovakia game, seemingly in an effort to rest the likes of Wayne Rooney, Dele Alli and Kyle Walker for the knockout phase.
"When I saw the England games against Wales and Russia I could guess the lineup for today's match," Kozak said. "It was a logical decision. The alternatives for the full-backs were very similar.
"It was very physically demanding against Wales and Russia and the centre-backs were the same. I supposed Rooney and Dele Alli would stay on the bench. Vardy and Sturridge scored against Wales so it was a logical decision."
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Jamie Vardy anonymous as England settle

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Jamie Vardy anonymous as England settle for dull 0-0 draw vs. Slovakia


Tokeo la picha la England have fully-fit squad
A frustrating evening for England saw them draw 0-0 with Slovakia and finish second in Group B, but they are still through to the next round of the European Championships.
It was a little difficult to get upset about this performance, blunt as it was, against a Slovakia side that defended superbly, though there were clearly flaws in the way England tried and failed to break through the massed ranks. That said, praising England for keeping possession would be rather pointless, as Slovakia were more than happy to donate it. It would be like praising someone for not dropping a glass of water they'd just been handed.
The changes Roy Hodgson made -- six in all -- were not the reason for the draw. Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand were more or less as good as the men they replaced, everyone wanted Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy in anyway, and England were actually worse after Wayne Rooney and Dele Alli were reintroduced.
England will of course have to find a way to be more incisive in the knockout rounds, but the group stage is about qualifying, which they have now done, however unconvincingly.

Player ratings (1-10, with 10 the best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating):
GK Joe Hart, 5 -- Hart flapped at a cross but otherwise enjoyed a very leisurely evening. Given the nervy manner in which he has played the past couple of games, that was probably for the best.
DF Nathaniel Clyne, 7 -- One of the advantages of this England squad is that because there are few outstanding individuals, most players can be replaced without huge problems. Clyne was good going forward; it can't be often that an opposition team makes a defensive substitution, as Slovakia did by taking off Vladimir Weiss on the basis of the right-back.
DF Gary Cahill, 6 -- You do sort of wonder why Hodgson didn't simply chuck Cahill up front in the last 10 minutes. He didn't have anything better to do in defence.
DF Chris Smalling, 5 -- It was almost as if England's defence decided that, if Slovakia weren't going to give them any work to do, they'd create some excitement for themselves. Smalling's attempted chest back to Hart in the second half, a pass that the keeper just reached, was as pointless as it was dangerous, and the Manchester United man was lucky to get away with it.
DF Ryan Bertrand, 6 -- Bertrand was not quite as impressive as his counterpart on the other flank and perhaps didn't get into enough crossing positions, but he was fine overall.
MF Eric Dier, 7 -- Probably England's best player in the tournament so far, Dier did his job perfectly, by sitting deep in midfield and shifting the ball to his more attacking colleagues, with the expectation that they might do something more imaginative with it. It was hardly his fault that they didn't do their jobs.
MF Jordan Henderson, 6 -- His was a slightly odd performance in that much of his approach play was pretty decent, but when he actually got the ball, particularly in wide areas, his delivery was horrendous.
MF Jack Wilshere, 5 -- He started well and looked like he would bring a bit of control to the England midfield, but then he started giving the ball away. When the one thing you're in the team for is keeping and intelligently using possession, that's not ideal. He didn't really look fit either, which isn't a colossal surprise.
FW Adam Lallana, 6 -- Lallana always looks quite good, but there is sometimes a sense that he could and should be doing a little more. This was one of those evenings in which he showed some nice touches and passes but rarely did anything of enormous incisiveness. That said, England looked less inventive after he went off.
FW Jamie Vardy, 5 -- Vardy showed a few decent runs in the first half, including the one-on-one that he really should have buried, but he was utterly anonymous after the break. Vardy's in the team to provide some dynamism, but for all the good he did, he might as well have been sitting on the touchline in a deckchair, sipping plastic cups of UEFA-endorsed, watered-down lager.
FW Daniel Sturridge, 7 -- Sturridge was always lively and at least looked like he was trying to create chances, though we can probably all agree that he isn't a right winger. He was unlucky to be taken off rather than the ghost-like Vardy.
Substitutes:
FW Wayne Rooney, 5 -- Ponderous. Against a team with a packed defence like Slovakia, England needed someone with a bit of spontaneity and creativity, but Rooney offered little. His idea of creating danger seemed to be blundering into the penalty area with little idea of what to do next, then losing the ball. He had plenty of time to make an impact but didn't.
MF Dele Alli, 6 -- Again, Alli wasn't brilliant, but he did at least try a little something more than his captain -- and with a bit more urgency.
FW Harry Kane, 5 -- Brought on in the hope he'd create something, Kane looked as jaded as he had in the first game-and-a-half. Marcus Rashford would have been a more dynamic option.

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The more England change, the more they remain the same

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The more England change, the more they remain the same


SAINT-ETIENNE, France -- Roy Hodgson must sometimes look at his available players and wonder what difference any of his choices makes.
If he maintains direction, the way he did between England's first and second matches at Euro 2016, he is criticized for his conservatism and his side looks flat. If he undertakes a near-complete shift -- the way he did before Monday's group-stage finale against Slovakia, when he changed out six of his starters, including captain Wayne Rooney -- he is criticized for his recklessness and his side looks flat.

Maybe England are less a country any more than a planet, locked into orbit. No matter who wears the jersey, in whatever order, led by whichever random beleaguered soul, perhaps their only possible path is a circle.
After another luckless draw, this one scoreless, Hodgson was asked whether he had made too many switches, whether he had crossed some line between innovation and gamble. "What would necessarily have changed?" he asked back. "Had Wayne started, he would have scored the goals that the others missed?"
What's the answer to Hodgson's question that feels right to you? "Probably not?" It's not as though evidence of alternative outcomes abounds.
England weren't terrible. They were just ... England. Even if you didn't see a minute of the match, you can imagine exactly how they looked. Like their opening draw against the Russians, when a poor late goal cost them a victory that they should have easily claimed, they put pressure on Slovakia, had their chances, were never especially threatened and still came away with nothing. They can point to some good saves made by Matus Kozacik and countless blocks by Jan Durica and Martin Skrtel -- "Some heroic defending," Joe Hart said -- but they still should have managed to find a way to win.
That win would have seen them top their group and with the easier way forward that that presumes. Instead, they finish second to Wales, who scored as many goals against the Russians on Monday as England have for the tournament.
Now Wales will play Saturday in Paris against the third-place finisher from Group A, C or D. England will travel to Nice on Monday to face the second-place finisher from Group F, possibly Portugal, to close the round of 16. A potential clash with France in Paris looms in the quarters.
"I'm happy to play anyone," Hodgson said. He was talking about his opponents. He could have also been talking about his 23-man squad.

Some of his changes worked. Nathaniel Clyne had a strong game at right-back, pressing so far forward at times that his footprints wore a little socket in the grass just outside the Slovakian 18-yard-box. The alignment of the English back line looked more like a check mark as a result. He made good runs and provided quality service, including a low cross in the 33rd minute that Adam Lallana ended up firing just a little too close to Kozacik. Clyne also had a decent chance of his own in the second half, but his tight-angled shot was saved.
(Who to play at right-back might represent one of Hodgson's most significant lineup dilemmas, if he still cares to consider them. Kyle Walker has also been playing very well, but the manager intimated that Clyne and Jordan Henderson, another one of Monday's new faces, had earned more playing time by his eyes.)
Other experiments were fairly obvious disasters. Hodgson rested Rooney, at least at first, in favor of the rusty Jack Wilshere. A series of giveaways led to the pair switching early in the second half, and mocking fans began an ironic Twitter campaign to see Wilshere named Man of the Match. That award went more deservedly to Kozacik.
The right balance seems so elusive, if it even exists at all, that Hodgson was asked after whether England have been taking penalty practice in preparation for the elimination shootout that undoubtedly awaits.
"We're not doomed yet," Hodgson shot back. "We're not doomed to penalties. We're not doomed to not score goals and take our chances. I believe we will."
(Yes, he also said. They have been practising penalties.)
Hodgson is a remarkable man in many ways. He has been given an impossible task, under the weight of immeasurable expectations, and he remains philosophical and patient and largely temperate when lesser men would have broken long ago. Even if he just pretending to be hopeful, he does a mostly good job of it.
But if it's not doom that shadows England, Hodgson's own questioning of change and its limits feels at least like doom's harbinger: inevitability. Even for the most optimistic supporters, it's hard to watch England and see anything more than what they already are. It's hard to imagine what could possibly happen that might put them on a different course.
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England have fully-fit squad

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England have fully-fit squad ahead of Slovakia 


England have no serious concerns ahead of their final Euro 2016 group match against Slovakia.
All 23 players trained on Sunday ahead of the trip to Saint-Etienne, although third-choice goalkeeper Tom Heaton did not do ball work due to a mildly-sprained finger.
The Burnley shot-stopper sustained the knock during training on Saturday evening, but nothing is broken so he is expected to be available on Monday.
England only need a draw against Slovakia at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stages.

England boss Roy Hodgson: 'We're not condemned at Euro 2016

England manager Roy Hodgson insisted "we're not doomed yet'' after his much-changed side drew with Slovakia to give themselves a mountain to climb at Euro 2016.
A 0-0 stalemate in St Etienne ensured England will be in the last 16, behind neighbours and Group B winners Wales, but there was an overriding air of dissatisfaction.
Hodgson made six alterations, including resting his captain Wayne Rooney, but could not change what seems to be this side's one constant -- a failure to turn possession and territory into goals.
They have yet to score in the first half in France, and might easily have drawn all three of their games had Daniel Sturridge not popped up at the death in Lens.
They will meet Group F's second-place side next -- one of Portugal, Hungary, Iceland or Austria -- and the manager's message was clear: Things aren't as bad as you might think.
"We're not doomed yet,'' he said.
"We can't do much more, we dominated the game from start to finish, we had so many chances and one day we will put them away. I can't fault the effort and work of the players.
"It has been attack versus defence in all three games and I never thought I'd see England dominate three games like we have done.
"We will be criticised for not taking chances, I can't deny that, but I think the time will come when we will take those goal chances, and some team will be on the end of that fairly soon.

"But we'll wait and see; we're in the knockout phase which is where we wanted to be.''
Hodgson appeared piqued by queries over his selection, bristling at the notion that he had rolled the dice by switching more than half of his starting XI.
While Jamie Vardy and Sturridge were widely tipped to start after their game-changing efforts from the bench against Wales, the call to stand down Rooney, Dele Alli and both full-backs seemed more bold.
"You're saying that had Wayne started, he would have scored the goals the others missed from his left half [midfield] position,'' he told one inquisitor.
"Wayne and Dele Alli and Harry Kane came on and created chances. The 'six changes' amuses me.
"We finished the game against Wales with Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge up front and people said that was positive. Now it suddenly becomes six with those two starting.''

Hodgson also faced questions for the first time about a possible penalty shootout in the knockout stages, a scenario that seems more likely every time England fail to take their chances inside 90 minutes.
He added: "They get taken every day [in training], so we'll wait and see. Penalties in training, and penalties in front of a lot of people ... that's two different things as we in England know.
"We're not doomed to penalties, we're not doomed to not take our chances. If the team continues to play with the intensity and domination we've shown in these three games we're capable of winning a game in normal time.''
Hodgson also defended Jack Wilshere, who took over Rooney's playmaking role but looked decidedly off colour before being hooked in the 55th minute.


"I realise his performance hasn't been too highly rated in the mass media. I've picked up on that one fairly early doors,'' he said.
"I think he's a very good footballer and will be a very important member of our troop and squad. If we can stay beyond the next round, I think you'll be speaking of him in a different light because that's the player he is.''
Hodgson found some unexpected support in the form of Slovakia coach Jan Kozak.
Twice Kozak was invited, gently, to rub salt into Hodgson's wounds and twice he declined.
On the subject of England's half-dozen changes, and whether that was tantamount to disrespect, he said: "When I watched the matches against Wales and Russia I could guess the line-up of England for today's match.
"It was a logical decision. I suppose the alternatives at full-back were very similar, the centre-backs were the same, and I guessed Rooney and Dele Alli would stay on the bench. Sturridge and Vardy scored against Wales, and Lallana stayed in the line-up. It was a logical decision of the manager.''
More surprisingly, perhaps, was his response when asked to compare England with the Welsh side who beat his team 2-1 in Bordeaux.
He said: "I think that, regarding football qualities, England are better than Wales.''
Chris Coleman and Gareth Bale might well differ with that assessment as they toast pipping their neighbours by a point, while Kozak must wait for results elsewhere to see if Slovakia qualify from third place.

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England finish second in Group B

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England finish second in Group B    


England had to settle for second place in Group B as they were held to a goalless draw by Slovakia in Saint-Etienne.
England had gone into the match as group leaders but they could not make the pressure pay against Slovakia and, with Wales beating Russia 3-0, they have to settle for second, with Slovakia finishing third with four points.
England boss Roy Hodgson made six changes from the 2-1 win over Wales, including the decision to rest captain Wayne Rooney and bringing Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge into the attack.
The changes brought little change to England's fortunes, though, during a first half that saw them once more dominate possession but struggle to make it count.
They did have chances. Vardy, who scored after coming on as a substitute against Wales, had the first sight of goal when he diverted a Nathaniel Clyne cross over the bar.
Vardy then set up Daniel Sturridge -- scorer of the winner in that match -- but the Liverpool striker's shot was blocked in front of the goal-line by Peter Pekarik, who later suffered significant bleeding after being caught by Ryan Bertrand's forearm.
Jordan Henderson was then allowed time to control, swivel and shoot in the area with a quarter of an hour played, but his shot was blocked. Two minutes later, Vardy was played through and got a shot away despite the close attentions of Martin Skrtel, but he was denied by Slovakia keeper Matus Kozacik.
On 33 minutes, Adam Lallana was given a free shot near the penalty spot, but his shot was palmed away, and England once more went in at half-time without having scored.
Slovakia improved after the break, and on 52 minutes they were nearly handed the advantage when Chris Smalling made an ill-advised attempt to chest the ball back to Joe Hart only for Robert Mak to sneak in, but the PAOK attacker could not steer it toward goal.
At the other end, Clyne got behind the defence and fired in a shot from the right but his effort was saved by Kozacik. Vladimir Weiss then had a chance when a deflection fell kindly, but Hart was able to make the save at his near post.
With Wales 2-0 up against Russia in Group B's other match, England required a victory to top the group and Hodgson opted to introduce Rooney and Dele Alli from the bench for Wilshere and Lallana.
Alli almost made the difference with his first touch, steering a Jordan Henderson cross toward goal, but Skrtel was able to deflect it over the bar.
On 73 minutes, Eric Dier clipped a ball over the defence for Sturridge, but the striker could not make contact to send it into the net.
Shortly afterwards, Hodgson brought on Harry Kane to replace Sturridge, while Slovakia looked to shore up their defence with Sampdoria centre-back Milan Skriniar replacing Weiss.
The final minutes saw England throwing numbers forward as they tried to force a late winner but they could find no way through and may now have to contend with more daunting opposition in the round of 16.
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Gareth Bale and Wales control Russia to finish top of Group B

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Gareth Bale and Wales control Russia to finish top of Group B
Neil Taylor scored a rare goal to help Wales beat Russia. 
Gareth Bale's third goal at Euro 2016 helped Wales cruise into the knockout stage as Group B winners with a dominant 3-0 win over Russia on Monday.
Aaron Ramsey scored early and Neil Taylor added his first international goal before Bale's second-half effort as Wales finished top of the group after runners-up England failed to beat Slovakia in a 0-0 draw.
Wales pressured Russia from the start, as Igor Akinfeev saved Gareth Bale's shot from 18 yards and Sam Vokes' follow-up was offside.
But they didn't have to wait long for the breakthrough after James Chester picked off a Russia pass at midfield. The ball fell to Joe Allen, who played in Aaron Ramsey and the Arsenal man chipped the ball over Akinfeev to give Wales the lead in the 11th minute.
Wales doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Bale drew defenders on the counter-attack, and when Roman Shirokov took the ball off his foot it worked as a perfect through ball to Neil Taylor, who saw his first shot saved but made no mistake with the follow-up.
Taylor had not scored any goal since April 2010, when he was with Wrexham in England's fifth-tier Conference National.
Russia's best chance in the first half came after Ashley Williams could only touch Akinfeev's long punt back toward his own goal, and Artem Dzyuba got a touch to it before Wayne Hennessey made the save.


Wales were soon in on goal again, though Akinfeev stopped Vokes with a kick save.
With Russia needing to win and playing a very high line, their keeper was kept busy until the whistle, first stopping Ramsey's hard shot from distance, and later another from Bale.
Ramsey had a chance to make it 3-0 just before the break but took one too many touches in the box.
The second half began as the first ended with Bale firing in another shot from an angle, though Akinfeev got down to make one of his X saves on the night.
Ramsey played in Bale on the wing in the 55th minute, but again Akinfeev got a small piece of the ball to stop the Real Madrid man from scoring.
But in the 68th minute Bale finally did score his third at the Euros, the most of any player in the tournament, when Ramsey again played him through to score with the outside of his boot.
As Wales saw out the game, boss Chris Coleman gave tournament debuts to Andy King and Simon Church, with Bale coming out to applause in the 83rd minute.
Artem Dzyuba redirected a cross over the bar from point-blank range in the 85th minute, but for the most part Russia offered little in response over the final 20 minutes and finished bottom of Group B, finishing the tournament with just the single point earned from their opening game with England.

Wales will next play in the round-of-16 on Saturday in Paris against either Albania or one of the third-placed teams in Group C or D.
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Alhamisi, 16 Juni 2016

Austria Squard

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Austria Squard

COACH
Marcel Koller
In charge since October 2011.



Final tournament


GOALKEEPERS
DEFENDERS
MIDFIELDERS
FORWARDS
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