Martin Dubravka excels in tightest of games and groups – All 4 Newcastle United players progress | OneFootball

Wednesday 26 June brought the final day of 2024 European Championships group matches, including Martin Dubravka and his Slovakia teammates in action.

Group E the very tightest of groups, as all four teams on three points after two games, all of the quartet could still finish any place in the group.

So on Wednesday, it was Slovakia v Romania and Belgium v Ukraine to decide which teams would progress, with one of them potentially facing England if finishing third in the group, dependent on what happened in the Group F matches on Wednesday night.

A very open end-to-end game saw Slovakia start quickly, as they had in their other two group matches. Duda deservedly put them in front on 24 minutes.

Martin Dubravka also had to be alert and make saves but then undone on 37 minutes as Marin gave him no chance from the penalty spot.

The open nature of the game continued on, both teams going for the win, even though they knew they’d both progress as things stood, with Belgium and Ukraine goalless. Ukraine would be the one of the four not to qualify if things stayed as they were.

As a storm and torrential rain battered them in the second half, Slovakia and Romania continued to slug it out and Martin Dubravka excellent, as he made some crucial saves.

The game eventually saw the final whistle blow and both teams progressed.

Elsewhere, a disappointing Belgium side was very lucky to survive, as Ukraine was the better and more dangerous team, however, they couldn’t get the goal that would have seen them top the group and Belgium was knocked out in bottom place.

Group E ending as tight as it had started ahead of the final round of matches:

An excellent personal effort by the Newcastle United keeper in a superb team ethic, as they absolutely deserved to progress from such a tough tight group.

Martin Dubravka rated second best Slovakia performer in the match, according to the automated Whoscored ratings:

So the 2024 European Championships that kicked off on Friday 14 June with four Newcastle United stars involved, still has four involved.

Martin Dubravka joined Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and Fabian Schar in the knockout stages.

The NUFC goalkeeper and his international teammates then sat back after their qualification to see who they would face in the last 16.

If Georgia pulled off a massive shock win against Portugal, then Martin Dubravka and Slovakia would play England and Kieran Trippier and Anthony Gordon (well, depending on Gareth Southgate…).

Georgia didn’t pull off a shock win, they pulled off a very deserved win over Portugal. By far the better and more dangerous side, easily worth their 2-0 victory.

The net result for Martin Dubvravka and Slovakia, is that they now face England at 5pm on Sunday in Gelsenkirchen.

Newcastle United players on international duty:

Saturday 15 June

Switzerland 3 Hungary 1 (Euros Group match)

The Newcastle United defender with a very good personal performance, playing the full 90 minutes as the Swiss deservedly beat Hungary.

Sunday 16 June

England 1 Serbia 0 (Euros Group match)

England got the job done, eventually.

Anthony Gordon an unused substitute but Kieran Trippier playing the full 90 minutes and doing ok at left-back. His job was to stretch things in attack up England’s left-hand side, with the likes of Foden not willing/able to stay out wide and instead continually drifting inside. With the plan clearly for all of England’s main attacking to be through the middle and especially out wide on the right.

That is where the excellent winning goal came from, a great ball from Walker putting Saka in behind and his deflected cross perfectly then flighted for Bellingham’s pinpoint run into the box and the header giving Serbia’s keeper no chance.

At the other end was Trippier’s main task though and with the rest of the defence he did well, especially after the break when England suddenly went all defensive and invited Serbia to go for the equaliser. The Three Lions offered zero threat in the second half apart from sub Bowen’s cross where the keeper made a great save but in reality, Kane should have given him zero chance with the header.

Pickford only had one shot on target to save all game and whilst the commentator and pundits raved about it, in reality, it was from outside the box and straight at him, the England keeper tipping the ball over the bar.

The highlight of Trippier’s performance was when Serbia got into the box on the left and an equaliser beckoned for Serbia with Mitrovic waiting for the ball to be squared for a tap-in. However, the Newcastle defender covering his central defenders had got across and was too strong for Mitro who was sent sprawling and claiming for a forlorn penalty.

Monday 17 June

Slovakia 1 Belgium 0 (Euros Group match)

Martin Dubravka and his Slovakia teammates pulled off a massive shock, third-ranked in the world Belgium beaten by a team ranked 48th.

Schranz scored after only seven minutes and the Newcastle keeper and his international teammates more than matching Belgium. What a victory.

Wednesday 19 June

Switzerland 1 Scotland 1 (Euros Group match)

Fabian Schar and Switzerland with a nightmare start after 13 minutes, the Newcastle defender deflecting a McTominay shot past his keeper, a shot which would almost for sure have been saved without Schar’s intervention.

The NUFC defender recovering to have another decent game. Helping Switzerland stand up to a very physical but limited Scotland team, Shaqiri with a brilliant 26th minute long range curled into the top corner effort to equalise. The Swiss should have went on to win but wasted a fair few chances and Scotland got lucky with two goals denied by VAR fine margins.

Thursday 20 June 2024

England 1 Denmark 1 (Euros Group match)

Yet another Gareth Southgate masterclass of cluelessness and negativity.

The team playing so deep and defensive, clearly the plan to try and stop Denmark scoring and not a plan of how England would score.

On 18 minutes some individual opportunism and ambition by Kyle Walker as he ignored Southgate’s orders and pressed high, won the ball in a dangerous position and Kane scoring from close in, he couldn’t miss.

Southgate’s reaction was to have England even more negative and defensive, invited Denmark on and they equalised 16 minutes later. The whole game a shambles with the negative tactics and no apparent plan as to how England were trying to win the game. Very lucky to get a draw.

Kieran Trippier played well on the left and didn’t put a foot wrong.

Friday 21 June 2024

Slovakia 1 Ukraine 2 (Euros Group match)

Martin Dubravka and Slovakia looking to be cruising through to the last 16 when dominating the first half and leading 1-0. However, Ukraine came out for the second half all fired up and turned it around, equalising on 54 minutes and then a shocker with 10 minutes to go from Martin Dubravka, when a ball was played over the top that he should have dealt with, allowing the striker to score from a narrow angle and he should have stopped it for sure.

Sunday 23 June 2024

Switzerland 1 Germany 1 (Euros Group match)

A man of the match performance from Fabian Schar helped Switzerland get the point they needed to guarantee progress to the last 16.

However, a brave and dangerous Swiss side deserved the win, as Germany created next to no clear chances. Switzerland scoring a great team goal on 28 minutes and then defending brilliantly but at the same time looking more dangerous on the break than the hosts.

The win they deserved was denied in the second minute of added time due to a quality header from sub Fullkrug. A moral victory for Fabian Schar and his teammates and a performance that will give them massive confidence and momentum for their last 16 tie on Saturday.

Monday 24 June 2024

Colombia 2 Paraguay 1 (Copa America Group match)

Miguel Almiron and Paraguay very unlucky against one of the favourites to win the tournament.

Paraguay going two down by the break due to poorly defended headed goals, then pulling one back in the second half but unable to get the equaliser they deserved.

The final stats showed that Paraguay had more overall shots (12 v 11), the same number on target (3 v 3) and the same number of corners (3-3). Only when it came to putting the ball in the net, did Colombia edge it.

Tuesday 25 June 2024

Brazil 0 Costa Rica 0 (Copa America Group match)

Chance after chance went by for those playing in front of Bruno Guimaraes, who has a generally more disciplined deeper role to play for his national side. The Newcastle midfielder having a very good personal performance.

Marquinhos saw a goal ruled out via one of those very marginal VAR offside calls, whilst Paqueta saw a rocket of a shot come back off the post.

Costa Rica struggled to even get out of their half and the final stats showed Brazil with 19 v 2 in terms of overall shots and 9 v 1 on corners.

Bruno Guimaraes almost won it himself late on, his effort from just inside the box, clearing the angle of the goal by a very small margin.

England 0 Slovenia 0 (Euros Group match)

Yet another woeful Southgate masterclass, his only change was Gallagher for Alexander-Arnold.

Kieran Trippier playing the opening 84 minutes and doing well, actually creating by far the best chance in a shocking ambition-free half, Kane somehow failed to turn in Trippier’s brilliant cross, when arriving unmarked at the back post.

The only change at the break was Mainoo for the woeful Gallagher and whilst the Man U sub improved things to a very small extent, Cole Palmer likewise when introduced on 71 minutes. It was only when Anthony Gordon arrived with one minute remaining that England produced a dangerous and exciting, incisive move. The Newcastle winger cutting inside and a brilliant ball from the halfway line found Mainoo on the edge of the box, he and Kane then set up Palmer, but his shot straight at the keeper.

Yet another woeful negative display to add to the Gareth Southgate collection. Will he make the clear and obvious changes to his team on Sunday (5pm kick-off)? We live in hope.

To add to the embarrassing Southgate behaviour, he actually brought Alexander-Arnold on with six minutes to go, replacing Trippier and moving Walker to the left. Obviously this was desperately needed, not somebody who could run at and open up a defence…

Wednesday 26 June 2024

Slovakia 1 Romania 1 (Euros Group match)

Group E the very tightest of groups, as all four teams were on three points after two games and all of the quartet could still finish any place in the group depending on the final round of matches.

An excellent performance from Martin Dubravka saw him make key saves, as Slovakia took a 24th-minute lead in a very open game, only for Marin to give him no chance with a 37th-minute penalty.

Going into the final stages, both games remained drawn, any goal scored would see that team finish top of the group and their opponent knocked out in bottom place. However, 1-1 it stayed for Slovakia and Romania, goalless for Belgium and Ukraine, so the table the same as before the final round of matches. Ukraine the one to be knocked out AND most importantly, a shock 2-0 win for Georgia over Portugal on Wednesday night, means Dubravka and Slovakia play England in the last 16 on Sunday at 5pm,

Friday 28 June 2024

Tuesday 2 July 2024