Arsenal Euro 2024 roundup: Midfielder sets new tournament high | OneFootball

Jorginho became the second Arsenal player to feature at Euro 2024 on Saturday, helping Italy to a comeback win over Albania.

DORTMUND, GERMANY: Jorginho of Italy acknowledges the fans after the team’s victory in the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Italy and Albania at Football Stadium Dortmund on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images for FIGC)

Following Kai Havertz’s starring role in Germany’s opening-day win over Scotland on Friday night, there were no Arsenal participants in the next couple of games on Saturday.

Hungary faced Switzerland first, and there was a bit of an Arsenal connection there, with Granit Xhaka leading the Swiss as captain.

Switzerland took a 2-0 first-half lead through Kwadwo Duah and Michel Aebischer, before Hungary’s Barnabas Varga pulled one back. But Breel Embolo secured the win for Switzerland with an injury-time third goal for 3-1.

Xhaka ended up winning the Player of the Match award as his team started the tournament in positive fashion.

COLOGNE, GERMANY: Granit Xhaka of Switzerland and Murat Yakin, Head Coach of Switzerland, celebrate after the team’s victory in the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Hungary and Switzerland at Cologne Stadium on June 15, 2024. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

After that, Spain faced Croatia, but Unai Simon got the opportunity to start ahead of Arsenal’s David Raya.

Raya might briefly have had hope of a chance in the Spain team when starting goalkeeper Simon made a major error to gift Croatia an open goal.

But Rodri denied the chance with a foul, and Simon saved the subsequent penalty to redeem himself. The match finished 3-0 to Spain.

MALLORCA, SPAIN: David Raya of Spain looks on after the international friendly match between Spain and Northern Ireland at Estadi de Son Moix on June 08, 2024. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)

That left Jorginho and Italy, with the Arsenal midfielder making the starting lineup for his national side.

Within 23 seconds, Italy were behind, with Nedim Bajrami pouncing on a poor throw-in to score the fastest goal in European Championships history.

Italy quickly rallied, with Alessandro Bastoni and Nicolo Barella scoring in the next 15 minutes to give them the lead, and Jorginho was pivotal in killing the contest after that.

The 32-year-old completed 120 passes, the most of any midfielder at the Euros since Toni Kroos in 2016. Italy secured the three points, meaning all three Arsenal players have been on the winning side so far.

What’s next?

Poland’s Wojciech Szczesny (L) punches the ball ahead of Jakub Kiwior during the Qatar 2022 World Cup round of 16 football match between France and Poland at the Al-Thumama Stadium in Doha on December 4, 2022. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

Poland face the Netherlands at 14:00 BST on Sunday, June 16th, with Jakub Kiwior likely to start.

There won’t be an Arsenal player involved in the subsequent match between Slovenia and Denmark at 17:00 BST, but Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are expected to start in the evening game between Serbia and England at 20:00 BST.

Aaron Ramsdale is also in the England squad, though he’s likely to have a bench role behind Jordan Pickford.