Finland (FIN) meets Belgium (BEL) in a crucial Euro 2020 Group B fixture. The 0-1 defeat at the hands of Russia meant the Finns have to beat the Red Devils to confirm their place in the last 16. They could make it to the knockout stages with a draw, provided Denmark beats Russia. Belgium, meanwhile, will be hoping to spoil Finland’s party and finish the group stage with a perfect record.
The Finland backline faces a mighty challenge as Kevin De Bruyne, Axel Witsel, and Eden Hazard will return to the playing 11. The Manchester City midfielder, brought on as a second-half sub, set up the equalizer for Thorgan Hazard and scored the winner against Denmark. Hazard has registered an assist despite playing just 49 minutes in Euro 2020.
It would require an extraordinary performance from Finland to grab something from the match. A defensive masterclass and a clinical performance from Teemu Pukki-led attacking unit could help Finland do the unthinkable.
Group B Standings
| Team |
PL |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GC |
GD |
Pts |
| Belgium |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
| Russia |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
-2 |
3 |
| Finland |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
| Denmark |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
-2 |
0 |
Head-to-Head
Played: 11
FIN won: 4
BEL won: 3
Drawn: 4
Top Five Fantasy Points scorers (last match)
FIN: R Lod (5.5 pts), J Raitala (4 pts), J Toivio (3.5 pts), J Uronen (3.5 pts), G Kamara (3.5 pts)
BEL: K De Bruyne (17 pts), T Hazard (12 pts), E Hazard (8 pts), T Alderweireld (5.5 pts), J Denayer (5.5 pts)
Euro 2020 Stats
Top Goalscorer: FIN – J Pohjanpalo (1 goal); BEL – R Lukaku (2 goals)
Most Assists: FIN – J Uronen (1 assist); BEL – K De Bruyne, E Hazard, D Mertens, T Meunier (1 assist)
Most Passes Completed: FIN – G Kamara (95 passes); BEL – J Vertonghen (157 passes)
Most Successful Tackles: FIN – J Raitala (4 tackles); BEL – D Mertens, T Meunier, L Dendoncker (2 tackles)
Shots Saved: FIN – L Hradecky (8 saves); BEL – T Courtois (6 saves)
Injuries/Suspensions
FIN: none
BEL: T Hazard (injured)
Playing 11
FIN (possible): L Hradecky; D O’Shaughnessy, P Arajuuri, J Toivio; J Uronen, G Kamara, T Sparv, J Kauko, J Raitala; T Pukki, R Lod
BEL (possible): T Courtois; T Alderweireld, J Denayer, J Vertonghen; T Meunier, K De Bruyne, A Witsel, Y Carrasco; D Mertens, R Lukaku, E Hazard
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Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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