Euro 2020: The Wednesday recap

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Jun 23, 2021

Highlights

Thursday, June 23
Spain 5 Slovakia 0. (Goals: Own goals 30, 71, Laporte 45+3, Sarabia 56, Ferran Torres 67. Att.: 11,204.)



Thursday, June 23
Sweden 3 Poland 2. (Goals: Forsberg 2, 59, Claesson 90+3; Lewandowski 61, 84. Att.: 14,252.)



Thursday, June 23
Portugal 2 France 2 (Goals: Cristiano Ronaldo pen. 30, pen. 60; Benzema pen. 45+2, 47. Att.: 54,886.)



Thursday, June 23
Germany 2 Hungary 2. (Goals: Havertz 66, Goretzka 84; Szalai 11, Schaefer 68.  Att.: 12,413.)



Numbers

109. Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals made him the all-time the men’s all-time goalscoring leader with 109 goals, breaking the record held by Iranian Ali Daei.

Spotlight

Spain's 5-0 win over Slovakia after two disappointing ties was needed. "It shut up a lot of mouths," said French-born defender Aymeric Laporte, who scored the second goal just before halftime.

Laporte, 26, switched allegiances from France to Spain to play at the European Championship. He played for France up through the youth ranks and was called in for World Cup qualifiers in October 2016 but never appeared for Les Bleus at the senior level. As recently as 2019, he received a French call-up, but an injury prevented him from joining the team.

France is loaded at center back, a position Spain is now thin at. Gerard Pique retired in 2018, and captain Sergio Ramos wasn't picked for the Euros after an injury-riddled season at Real Madrid. Laporte's partner in the middle of the Spain backline is Manchester City teammate Eric Garcia, who is only 20.

Laporte moved to Athletic Bilbao when he was 16 and qualified for a change of association, which he filed for this spring. His decision was harshly criticized in France if only because he previously said he would never do it.

Schedule

Saturday, June 26
Wales vs. Denmark Noon.
Italy vs. Austria 3 pm.
Sunday, June 27
Netherlands vs. Czech Republic Noon.
Belgium vs. Portugal 3 pm.
Monday, June 28
Croatia vs. Spain Noon.
France vs. Switzerland 3 pm.
Tuesday, June 29
England vs. Germany Noon.
Sweden vs. Ukraine 3 pm.
Note: All times ET.