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The 2016 UEFA European Championships is being played across France from June 10 to July 10 for the first time with 24 nations across 10 venues in nine cities with the French capital Paris being the only city with two venues in the Stade de France and the Park de Prince.
The defending double champions are Spain, who are three time record champions along with Germany.
GROUP B – Matchday 2
Russia 1-2 (0-2) Slovakia
Slovakia scored a 2-1 win over Russia in a hard fought encounter, which allows the Slovaks to look to qualify for the pre-quarterfinals, while Russia with one point from two matches stare at elimination.
Once more a slow start into a game at Euro 2016 by both Russia and Slovakia, before the Marek Hamsik took an attempt at goal which went over. It was a wake-up call for the Russians, who started to combine and create chances, but Artyom Dzyuba and Fedor Smolov both couldn’t score.
Then came a moment of magic from Slovakia as Hamsik played a diagonal pass to Vladimir Weiss, who beat two Russian defenders and keeper Akinfeev to give his the lead in the 32nd minute. Russia was shocked and Hamsik first missed the target but in the 45th minute he banged in a short corner to give Slovakia a comfortable 2-0 half-time lead.
Russia made a couple of changes at the break and though they had more of the ball it took them until the 80th minute to reduce the deficit through a Denis Glushakov header. Russia thereafter had chances to equalise through Glushakov and Dzyuba, but Slovakia held on to a historic win.
Carlsberg Man of the Match: Marek Hamšík (Slovakia) #RUSSVK
England 2-1 (0-1) Wales
England scored an injury time 2-1 comeback win over Wales in a tough and rather uneventful derby in Lens, which England controlled from the start to finish though Wales went ahead through a freekick from their superstar Gareth Bale.
It was a slow first half with England having the first chance of the game in the 7th minute with a quick counterattack as Harry Kane played on for Adam Lallana, whose cross in the middle was met by Raheem Sterling, but his shot went high and wide.
Wales were lucky not concede a penalty in the 32nd minute when Ben Davies touched the ball after a Kane header in the box, but referee Felix Brych and his assistants thought otherwise and allowed the match to go on.
England’s second chance of half was a Chris Smalling header off a corner which went wide in the 39th minute but that was it for all the ball control the Three Lions had. At the other end until the 42nd minute Wales were without anything close to a chance, but then they struck through a Gareth Bale freekick which England keeper Joe Hart should have saved. Wales went into the break with a surprise 1-0 lead.
England put more pressure on Wales, but it was only in the 55th minute that Wayne Rooney’s attempt was cleared by keeper Wayne Hennessey for a corner. But only a minute later England equalised as a Daniel Sturridge cross is headed on by Wales captain Ashley Williams to Jamie Vardy, who is offside but as the ball came from the opponent he is onside and the goal counts.
England thereafter continued to have more of the game, but without really having a chance to go ahead. Wales had their only chance of the second half in the 80th minute through substitute Jonathan Williams whose shot went over the goal.
And then came the added time and Daniel Sturridge, who finished off an own created chance to give England a deserving victory and it also enhanced their chances to reach the pre-quarterfinals.
Carlsberg Man of the Match: Kyle Walker (England) #ENGWAL
