News Delhi: In a Group where all four teams are equal on points, third-placed Slovakia will face leaders Romania in the Group E fixture for UEFA Euro 2024 at Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt (Wednesday, June 26). As both sides play their final Group game, the winner could qualify for the knockout rounds in first place.
After the opening two group games, all four teams have three points, although Slovakia and Romania lost out last time against Ukraine and Belgium, respectively. Slovakia is making its third consecutive appearance in the European Championship. In the 2020 edition, they were eliminated at the group stage despite not losing a single game and getting three points.
They started the season strong, opening their group-stage campaign with an impressive victory against Belgium, who, despite their recent struggles, still have a talented squad featuring players such as Kevin De Bruyne and Amadou Onana. Their second game saw them lose to Ukraine 2-1 despite taking the lead in the 16th minute.
To qualify for the round of 16 by finishing in the top two, Slovakia has to win against Romania. They will finish first if they win and Ukraine does not beat Belgium. In case of a draw, the team with the better goal difference will go to the next round. In case of the same number of goal differences, the team with higher goals scored will advance.
However, with a loss to Romania and Belgium avoiding defeat, they will be unable to reach the final 16. Despite losing their last game against Ukraine, they were on an unbeaten streak of four games in which they won three games.
On the other hand, if Romania avoids defeat on Wednesday, it will finish in the top two and qualify for the round of 16. They will win the group if they win and Belgium fails to defeat Ukraine.
However, a defeat will prevent them from reaching round 16. Romania lost 2-0 to Belgium in their last game. Although they did show signs of their playing capability, they were way behind in the quality of football played by Belgium.
While Romania failed to qualify for the Euros in 2020, they have been impressive in reaching the tournament this time. They finished ahead of Switzerland and conceded only four goals from their 10 games. Their form before the Euros saw them fail to win in four games. The opening game against Ukraine was impressive, showing their skills in counter-attacking and playing well under pressure.
Team News
Slovakia’s squad is injury-free coming into the match. Despite their loss to Ukraine, Calzona is expected to keep the same team he named for the previous two Euro games.
With goalkeeper Martin Dubravka expected to start, captain Milan Skriniar and his centre-back partner Denis Vavro will ensure the defence line remains secured. In midfield, Stanislav Lobotka is most likely to be flanked by Ondrej Duda and Juraj Kucka. Striker Robert Bozenik will be well supported by Lukas Haraslin and Ivan Schranz.
In their last game against Belgium, Romania brought Valentin Mihaila into their starting lineup, replacing Florinel Coman. Mihaila also substituted Ianis Hagi and may start against Slovakia.
Centre-back partners Radu Dragusin and Andrei Burca will cover Goalkpeer Florin Nita. Marius Marin will partner Razvan Marin and Nicolae Stanciu in the midfield area, and Denis Dragus will most likely start as a striker.
Head to Head
Romania won five games against Slovakia and lost only once. Both teams have played five draw games. Slovakia hasn’t won against Romania since 1942. However, the last two draw games were well-fought.
Predicted lineup
Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozeník, Haraslin
Romania: Nita; Ratiu, Dragusin, Burca, Bancu; R Marin, M Marin, Stanciu; Man, Dragus, Mihaila
When, where and how to watch the Slovakia vs Romania match in India?
The Slovakia vs Romania UEFA Euro 2024 match will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network in India. Live streaming of Euro 2024 will be available on SonyLIV app and website. The action begins at 9:30 pm IST tonight.
Slovakia and Romania both search for a confirmed place in the final 16 of Euro 2024 after losses in the previous games. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
