By Antony Jordan
The last 16 stage action at the 2016 European Championships continues this Sunday with a further three matches being played and it is the hosts who take centre stage once again.
The French headline the day’s card as they meet Ireland in Lyon after the Irish defeated Italy in their final group match after a stunning display and after Thierry Henry’s handball in 2009 saw Ireland fail to qualify for the 2010 World Cup there is certainly history in this match.
Can Ireland upset the odds and send the host nation crashing out? We preview this match as well as the meetings of Hungary v Belgium and Germany v Slovakia with online sportsbook Bet365.com to provide another trio of Euro 2016 picks.
France v Ireland: 1.45 – 4.20 – 10.00
These two sides have not met since that infamous day in world football seven years ago when, after losing the home leg of their World Cup qualification Play Off to France, Ireland fought their way back into contention to book their place in South Africa as the better side in Paris and with 17 minutes left of injury time Thierry Henry set up William Gallas with his hand. The referee missed it and France qualified 2-1, now Ireland – as player of the tournament for Ireland Wes Hoolahan stated – “owe France one”. There would not be a better time for the Irish to gain their revenge than in France at the Euros, especially knowing that victory in this match would pit them against the “old enemy” England should Roy Hodgson’s men defeat Iceland tomorrow.
Can Ireland put it up to the French? If they are to do so they will need to channel the energy, passion and “in your face” attitude that they showed against Italy in their final group game. Yes, Italy were resting players as they’d already qualified from the group but Ireland went in hard from the first moment and dominated that game as they bounced back perfectly from being outclassed by Belgium as Robbie Brady headed the winner to see the Green Army make the knockout stages of the European Championships for the first time. Ireland will be full of confidence and will be fired up with revenge on their mind, but do they have the quality to win?
France rested players in their final group game as they drew 0-0 with Switzerland, but after dropping Paul Pogba against Albania following a poor showing in the opener the Juventus midfielder stole the show with an impressive showing in Lille. They have also had West Ham midfielder Dmitri Payet and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud impress so far too to leave France with some of the best performing players in the competition so far.
Despite this France have struggled for goals with three of their four goals coming after the 89th minute of matches, with both goals against Albania coming in injury time as they failed to breakdown their resolute defence until very late on. Should this happen against Ireland the home support will certainly become nervous and the Irish fans will cheer their team forwards, with players like Hoolahan, Jeff Hendrick and Shane Long all capable of putting the ball in the net for Ireland. Just like all three of the last 16 stage games yesterday we can see this being tighter than the match odds suggest and if France are to win then they’d do this in the second half of the match as they’ve done so far in this tournament.
EURO 2016 Best Bet
Hungary v Belgium: 7.00 – 3.50 – 1.66
The late game this Sunday sees the pre-tournament long shots Hungary take on one of the sides who were expected to challenge for the Euro 2016 title before a ball was kicked, but with Hungary having topped Group F ahead of Iceland and Portugal while Belgium followed Italy out of Group E in second the minnows, whose squad is valued at less than the average of just one Belgian player, who will fancy their chances at upsetting the odds in Toulouse.
No other side at Euro 2016 scored more goals than Hungary in the group stages as they defeated Austria 2-0 before they drew 1-1 and 3-3 with Iceland and Portugal to top their group and with some entertaining football and never say die attitude they have won a lot of friends already. Despite scoring three against Portugal in their last match they had rested Laszlo Kleinheisler, Krisztian Nemeth, Tamas Kadar and Adam Nagy, and all are likely to return for this clash to boost the side.
Hungary have lost eight of their 12 meetings with Belgium, including six of their last eight, and have not beaten their opposition since 1958, and with the Belgians heavily favoured to win this match Marc Wilmots’ men having bounced back well from losing to Italy in their opener Hungary will be worried coming into this match. Belgium put three past Ireland in a comfortable win when the Irish gave them too much respect before they edged out the Swedish 1-0 with a late goal late on to secure their passage to the last 16 stage.
Despite two wins and two clean sheets in their last pair of games as well as being the big favourites Belgium have not shown their best when marshalled well by tight defences and although Hungary have conceded four goals in their last two matches they are sure to be tight at the back just as they were against Austria in their opener. Again, this clash will be closer than the odds suggest and although Belgium are the superior team in every aspect we can see Hungary running them close in Toulouse but we can see Belgium just edging this clash.
Euro 2016 Picks Best Bet
We are backing Belgium to win @ 1.66!
Germany v Slovakia: 1.45 – 4.20 – 10.00
The final match we’re previewing from Sunday’s card happens in Lille as the world champions Germany take on the third placed side from Group B as they clash for the 11th time in their history, with Germany looking for an eighth win and Slovakia a fourth. The two sides met prior to the start of Euro 2016 in a warm up game and it was the Slovakians who emerged the big winners as they bounced back from the concession of an early goal to win 3-1, but with Germany the only side remaining in the Euros yet to concede a goal will Slovakia be able to repeat that win?
Germany topped Group C with seven points as they defeated Ukraine 2-0 and Northern Ireland 1-0 as well as drawing 0-0 with Poland and they ended the group with 72% of the possession as they dominated games. They were expected to have problems defensively in this tournament and outscore their opposition, but their strikers are short on goals and they have defended expertly, clearly having learned their lesson from the last meeting with Slovakia.
The match odds suggest Germany will turn around that friendly match result and with Slovakia not having looked particularly effective in attacking against England or Wales as they drew 0-0 and were beaten 2-1 we can see them struggling against a very different Germany side to the one they faced in Augusburg a month ago.
Euro 2016 Picks Best Bet
Our top Germany v Slovakia tip is back Germany to win to nil at odds of 2.00.