International Matches
Germany – Netherlands: revamped Mannschaft dominates, but Dutch seal group win with last-minute comeback (2-2)
More often than we fans would like to admit, the result of a game of football has very little to do with which team actually played
England – Croatia: England get deserved, late turnaround against Croatia (2-1)
Gareth Southgate’s side displayed fluid rotations and movements that enabled England to pull apart the Croatian midfield throughout the first half. After they failed to convert
Italy – Portugal: Mancini’s Italy finally clicks but can’t break down the Portuguese wall (0-0)
Italy’s possession game outplayed a conservative Portugal in the first half thanks to the efforts of the Jorginho-Verratti-Insigne triangle. In the second half, Portugal defended more
Netherlands – France: The Emperor Wears No Clothes As Dutch Team Outplays World Champion (2-0)
World Cup winners France showed passiveness on and off the ball, which was thoroughly exploited by the Dutch team. Trailing, France’s strategy looked especially ineffective and
Croatia – Spain: Croatia’s first half control eventually pays dividends in second half thriller (3-2)
Zlatko Dalić’s flat 4-5-1-0 shape perfectly managed to frustrate Spain’s 4-3-3 formation. The match changed when the visitors transitioned into a back-three, as Luis Enrique’s tweaks
France – Germany: Some reasons for optimism for Germany, despite loss to World Champions France (2-1)
Joachim Löw surprised with a new system that outplayed the World Champions in their own stadium. After an early lead for Germany, Didier Deschamps’ adjustments brought