EURO 2016 - Pogba shines as France top group A, Albania wins, hopes to qualify

By Daily Sports on June 20, 2016

Paul Pogba shone through the mediocrity as hosts France secured top spot in Euro 2016 Group A following a subdued 0-0 draw with Switzerland in Lille on Sunday.

A game that featured a substandard pitch, ripped Switzerland shirts and a burst ball concluded in a mutually convenient result that allowed the Swiss to join Didier Deschamps's France in the last 16.

But Pogba, dogged by controversy over an alleged contentious gesture prior to the game, did his best to illuminate proceedings, hitting the bar twice, as did French substitute Dimitri Payet late in the game.

As group winners, France will face the third-place team in either Group C, D or E in Lyon on June 26, while Switzerland will come up against either Germany, Poland or Northern Ireland a day earlier.

It was mission accomplished, therefore, for France, but following narrow wins over Romania and Albania, their failure to record a seventh consecutive victory means they advance with little momentum.

A dry, patchy pitch at Stade Pierre-Mauroy made it difficult for both teams to get the ball down and play football, but aside from a few slips, Pogba did not seemed perturbed by the conditions underfoot.

One of five players brought into the France team by Deschamps, in changes that saw in-form playmaker Payet left on the bench, the Juventus star seemed determined to erase the memory of his alleged 'bras d'honneur' following Payet's second goal in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Albania.

Deployed in his preferred position on the left of a midfield three, he threatened three times in five minutes, forcing Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer to produce a wonder save in between two efforts that clipped the bar from outside the box.

Armando Sadiku scored Albania's first goal at a major tournament in a historic 1-0 win over Romania on Sunday to keep alive their slender hopes of progressing to the Euro 2016 knockout phase.

Sadiku headed home the game's only goal after 43 minutes in Lyon to leave debutants Albania facing an anxious wait to see if they qualify from Group A as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Host nation France progressed as group winners following a 0-0 draw with second-placed Switzerland as Albania finished third on three points, but Romania exited with just a single point.

Text from supersports.com.

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 20, 2016


 

You may also like...
Liverpool Lift Premier League Trophy In Style, Beat...

Tuchel: Havertz Can Play As Outright No 9...

Man.United sign Ibahimovic

Nigeria to pay World Cup bonuses before DRC...

Exhausted Real Madrid Lose Momentum In Title Race...

Neymar, Firminho score to give Brazil World Cup...

 

Latest News Again, Siasia knocks NFF over FIFA ban Boxing coach Mayowa seeks support for kidney treatment West African champ Abubakar set for European debut ‘Shaibu’s impeachment didn’t affect Insurance’ Gusau backs Falcons to shine at Olympics Suspended SWAN Secretary General Cannot Sign Official Letters -Nyong Lagos SWAN Hails Tunde Onakoya's Heroic New World Chess Record Abuja Continental partners boxing tourney for sports dev Boniface: Man who turned ‘Neverkusen’ to Leverkusen Ex-players divided over hiring of foreigner as Eagles coach Chippa won’t stop Nwabali exit FA Cup Now President Federation Cup As GTI Takes It To Next Level

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (53,633 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (44,619 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (42,759 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (42,448 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (42,216 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (42,094 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (41,996 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (41,460 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (40,500 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (39,492 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (37,870 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (37,424 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media