Instead, a side without any big-name players is counting on team spirit to secure an unlikely place in the quarterfinals.
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They were dismissed by some as simply making up the numbers before a ball was kicked, yet Bernd Storck’s 400-1 shots have provided the tournament with goals, entertaining football and desire, all of which has won them many friends this summer.
“We have always understood each other, but now we know we can change the game at any moment”. The team did a great job – a great success, a great result, a great match.
But Nainggolan is also aware of the potential pitfalls on Sunday.
Virtually written off in most quarters after defeat against a thoroughly professional Italian side, they bit back with two wins to nil.
“Of course they are favourites, they have progressed over the years with the excellent players they have”, he said.
Iceland’s defense held in the most part, as it has all tournament, on that occasion but the attitude was clear from Hungary’s point of view: if we are to keep winning, we need to keep scoring.
Wilmots may have to make a decision over Mousa Dembele, with the Tottenham midfielder training separately on Friday due to an ankle problem.
Minnows Hungary topped Group F after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Portugal, who eventually qualified as a best third-placed team. Balazs Dzsudzsak, Adam Szalai, Krisztian Nemeth. lots of top players.
However, De Bruyne has been one of a number of Belgium players to have struggled to replicate their good domestic form on the worldwide scene, and Wilmots believes he knows why.
“I think our answers are too simple because we are still affected by what happened in Budapest and in Hungary – 15 million people went out of their minds”.
Belgium qualified for the knockout phase as runners-up in their group behind Italy, with Hungary qualifying as winners of Group F on goal-difference over worldwide minnows Iceland. After a 3-0 win over Ireland, The Red Devils beat Sweden 1-0 to seal passage into last-16.
We have reached the knockout stages of the European Championships, and as Michael Jordan once said, it’s time to separate boys from men. It’s Ireland’s first Euro knockout appearance in their history, and it came after two goals in the toughest group of the six. 50% of their goals came from outside the box (3 out of 6).
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Kevin De Bruyne is set to continue in a number 10 role in between Eden Hazard and Yannick Carrasco.
