Julius OkorieEuro Championship Enters Knockout Stage
The 2024 Euro Championship enters its knockout stage with defending Champions, Italy, in head-on collision with familiar foes Switzerland in Berlin on Saturday evening.
The two neighbours convene at the iconic Olympiastadion, with the winner of their last-16 tie meeting either England or Slovakia in the quarter-finals.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelOn course to upset the tournament hosts and qualify as Group A winners, Switzerland were denied victory by a late Germany goal in last Sunday’s final group fixture, but they nonetheless reached the knockout rounds unbeaten
Italy, Switzerland In Showdown
Excluding shootouts, Switzerland have failed to win any of their seven previous last-16 matches at either the Euros or World Cup outright, progressing to the quarter-finals on just one occasion.
Though Switzerland have lost only once in their last 13 European Championship matches, that sole setback was a 3-0 defeat to Italy at Euro 2020, and since winning a World Cup qualifier in 1993, they are winless in 11 games against the Azzurri across all competitions.
The Azzuris edged England in the final at Wembley at the last edition to emerge champions and crashing out in the round of 16 this time may not be an option.
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Germany, Scandinavian Duel
In the second match of the day, hosts Germany, will be hoping to continue their jolly ride in front of delighted home fans.
Julian Nagelsmann’s men topped Group A to cruise into the knockout rounds, while their Scandinavian counterparts nabbed second place in Group C.
After unimpressive run in two World Cup campaigns, Germany had already rubber-stamped their knockout place with just two games gone thanks to putting a combined seven goals past Scotland and Hungary
A quarter-final clash with either Spain or the unfancied Georgia will await the hosts if they sack Denmark, and they arrive at Borussia Dortmund’s headquarters still unbeaten from their seven matches in the calendar year, prevailing in five and playing out two draws.
The Danes were responsible for just two of the seven strikes in Group C – although Morten Hjulmand’s rocket versus England will certainly go down as a goal-of-the-tournament contender and they have now qualified for the knockout stages of back-to-back Euros for the first time ever. It certainly promises to be tough match where mistakes will be very costly.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
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