By Dave Bowler

In doing so, the irony is that the man who would be the star did his country two great services. First, by taking five minutes, an aborted comeback and a demand for a stretcher to finally get off the field, a strong start to the game by the French was disrupted and from there, they struggled to recapture the same rhythm or intensity.

Second, and as we have long had cause to suspect, while Ronaldo might be a magician, Portugal are actually a more cohesive team without him demanding and dictating on the pitch. With each player given greater responsibility in his absence, they grew into their jobs and gave a composed, organised and generally more rounded display, relying on themselves to win the game rather than waiting for Cristiano to do it for them. Recovering from a very nervy start, they gradually turned the tables on a home side that themselves started to find the occasion increasingly imposing as the minutes ticked by.

On the night, the men that got France to the final, Pogba and Griezmann, couldn’t quite find the same spark. Pogba played too deep to have a real impact on the game while Griezmann didn’t get the chance to run into space he’d had in previous games, a victim of his own success, yet still missed probably the chance of the game when he put a header over the bar.

France did have two other great chances in the second half of normal time, Giroud having an effort well saved, then the hapless Gignac scuffing a shot against the post in the last minute �at that point, you started to wonder if it might be Portugal’s night.

Extra Time

Heading into extra-time, Ronaldo came to the touchline from the dressing room, as if they’d just rolled away the stone and he was risen once more. In truth, he played the team man role to the full, urging and cajoling his colleagues to give it one last go, almost taking over from his manager. And in the end, it worked for into the second period of extra-time, Eder clubbed a 20 yard effort just inside the post and from there, Portugal, the most defensively minded team in the latter stages of the competition, were always going to collect their clean sheet and the silver trophy.

Overall, you couldn’t pretend that this has been a vintage tournament. Widening the competition to 24 teams ended up being a something and nothing of an idea, particularly as we spent a fortnight whittling it down to 16. Conceptually, 24 makes little or no sense and it certainly didn’t lift the quality, while the idea of four best third placed sides �including Portugal �going through was a nonsense. Far better to either return to the previous format of 16 or go the whole hog and replicate the World Cup with 32 teams, eight groups of four.

As it was, we had a tournament that spent far too long in neutral, going nowhere. It wasn’t helped by the misfortune that saw the knockout draw become hopelessly lopsided, the top half carrying barely any threat while the bottom half was groaning with the continent’s heavyweights.

Underdogs

In no small part, it was the tournament of the underdogs which can be pleasing for a one-off, but generally means drab games when it repeats and repeats. It would be churlish to dismiss the feats of Northern Ireland, the Republic and especially Iceland but in terms of moments that will stick in the memory banks beyond their boundaries, it boils down to a song about Will Grigg who didn’t even get a game, Roy Keane going all metrosexual and hugging Martin O’Neill and some synchronised clapping. It’s not exactly Mexico 1970 is it?

Wales were underdogs of sorts, although it’s hard to dismiss them as that when they have one of the three or four best players in the world in their team. They overachieved perhaps by beating Belgium �the tournament’s biggest let down �in comprehensive fashion, but sadly, they couldn’t defeat serial bores Portugal in the semi-final.

We saw the end of the reign of Spain, as tiki-taka was finally laid to rest at the feet of an ageing team who no longer had the sparkle to turn possession into anything other than pretty patterns, while the Italians brilliantly disguised their own shortcomings to produce some of the competition’s most enduring moments before going out with the signature image, Zaza’s “My Little Pony�run up and penalty miss against the Germans.

Germany

Germany looked ominously good throughout the competition, always doing enough to come through every test without ever raising a sweat. Italy pushed them the closest as the challenge got greater before, in the end, they encountered a host nation that had grown in belief and stature with each fame, the big players coming to the party at the point when it mattered, momentum taking them past the German side in a game when fortune deserted the world champions. Ultimately though, that momentum was not enough.

All told, it’s been an event that has rarely climbed above the adequate, right down to the end. The truth quite simply is that all too often, magic, thrills, excitement, the stuff we pay our money to see, has been stifled by admirable, but ultimately suffocating, organisation. As players get quicker, stronger, faster, that pitch looks smaller and smaller.

Finding space to do anything in is going to be the biggest challenge in this next phase of football’s development.

By Dave Bowler

It was a fascinating game of football, infinitely better than the previous night’s fare and a fitting climax to the much tougher half of the tournament’s draw that had already accounted for Spain and Italy. The French actually started quite well and almost produced the goal of the tournament in the seventh minute, slick passing and movement ending with Griezmann unable to get enough on his shot, Neuer saving comfortably.

From there, the Germans stepped it up a gear and with some forensic passing, rolled the French deeper and deeper into their own half. Plenty of teams might have buckled, but this French side is starting to resemble its predecessors of 1998 for its grit and resolve.

Backed by that raucous crowd, they stood firm and arguably still produced the best opportunities of the half, despite the German territorial dominance, but even then, they’d have been happy enough to get off at 0-0. Only they went one better in first half injury time, when Schweinsteiger unaccountably followed Boateng’s lead in the previous game and raised his hand as a corner came in, the ball glancing away off his fist as he leapt. A soft penalty perhaps, but the right call nonetheless.

Griezmann

With the referee pointing out that there would be no time for anything but the kick �no rebounds �Griezmann had to be precise with his effort and he was just that, sending Neuer the wrong way. At such moments, you start to believe that their name might just be on the cup.

Setbacks like that rarely affect the German psyche though and, in the second half, they continued to plug away relentlessly, continued to put France under pressure. But there was something more confident about the home side, better able to play on the front foot, better equipped to test Germany at the other end.

Crucially, France’s big players have grown in stature as the competition has gone on, notably Griezmann and Pogba, both left out of the second group game you might recall. Both have been better for that chastening experience too and are now performing at the very highest level, performing like men who realise this is their opportunity to experience something quite extraordinary and who aren’t going to let that pass them by.

Pogba

It was Pogba who grasped the moment to settle the game, his raw athleticism seeing him eat up the ground across the German penalty area to dispossess Kimmich and then float in a teasing cross that drew Neuer into a rare error, flapping at the ball, pushing it out to Griezmann who produced a clever finish with the sole of the boot to double the lead in the 72nd minute.

Germany refused to accept defeat and continued to press, Lloris making one fabulous save late on, but this was very much France’s night. Come Sunday evening, it could be very much their tournament.

Euro 2016 Diary: Wales Dream Run Ends As Portugal Reach Final

Winning ugly is a term beloved of professional sportsmen because, for them, the result must always come first and, if you can’t win the beauty contest, at least make sure you win the game. That said, Portugal really are taking the piss aren’t they?

By Dave Bowler 

At least they actually won a game in regulation time for the first time at these championships, but what a dreadful, joyless grind it was. Credit to them for stifling a Welsh side that had shredded the Belgians, but for a team that has such attacking potential in it, to win games purely by dint of attrition is a dispiriting way of going about things.

From their perspective, it’s justifiable enough I’m sure, especially given the way in which the entertainers of the past, back in the Figo era, always fell short. But from a golden generation to a dreary dozen seems a real fall from grace, whatever the rewards.

As good teams, whatever their style, do, they succeeded in ensuring the game was played on their terms, denying Wales the chance to play the sharp moving football that has brought them so far. From there, they were happy to play it long from the back and leave it to Ronaldo, Sanches and Nani to use their pace to make something happen.

In the end, it was two goals in three minutes from the big names just after the interval that settled the tie for once Portugal got in front, Wales never for a moment looked like getting back on terms.

Ronaldo On Song

It was, of course, Ronaldo who got the crucial first goal. If we haven’t seen him as the creator of extraordinary footballing moments in this tournament, then he has slowly come into increasingly good form as a fine finisher. He is a genuinely wonderful header of the ball and, in the 50th minute, after losing his marker, Chester, at a corner, he rose like he was on Peter Pan wires to thunder the ball into the roof of the net.

His next action was to hopelessly misconnect with a shot three minutes later, but where nothing was going right for him in the first couple of games, now he’s in a spell where he could fall down a toilet and still come up with a bar of Hershey’s, his poor effort dropping perfectly for Nani to jab in from close range.

Wales will be deeply frustrated that they conceded two such poor goals, but equally, they will rue the fact that they offered so little in the opposite direction. The loss of Ramsey to suspension was a disaster for them ahead of the game and the absence of his link up play and his understanding with Bale simply took away Wales�cutting edge.

Stunning Campaign

It’s been a stunning campaign for them but a small nation without real depth cannot do without its finest players and hope to prosper. So it proved this evening and a remarkable month finally came to an end.

So it’s Portugal who march on to the final, and this from the least promising of beginnings. They still fail to set the pulses racing �or barely beating in truth �but they have found an extremely effective formula and neither France nor Germany will take them lightly.

How ironic it would be if, in his comparative dotage, when the flamboyant majesty of his prime is deserting him, Ronaldo finally got his hands on an international winner’s medal. It’s all about peaking at the right time in tournaments.

Euro 2016 Diary: France Demolish Iceland To Set Up Semi Final With Germany

By Dave Bowler

Not only did the French score the goals that gave some real indication of the gulf between the two sides, but the way in which they played the game was exemplary too. They were composed, unflustered, utterly assured in their play and their approach and never looked to have a moment’s doubt that, provided they worked hard and stuck to their guns, their superior ability would prevail. In short, they played like a team and collected the rewards that they deserved as a result.

To go overboard on this French victory would be unwise for, wonderfully well as Iceland have done in this tournament, they are a strictly limited team who have, perhaps, run out of steam after their epic run to the last eight. France are a cut above, especially on home soil, and did precisely what should always have been expected of them.

Greizmann Chasing Golden Boot

But all of that said, since that two goal salvo that took out the Irish in the last round, France have begun to grow in stature and they are beginning to justify their pre-tournament tag as favourites. Griezmann is the competition’s top scorer with four, Giroud and Payet have three each and, in a Euros where goals have been pretty hard to come by, those are compelling statistics.

So too was the fact that having put the game out of sight with four first half goals, they were able to play the second period at pretty much walking pace, thereby nullifying Germany’s advantage of having that extra day of rest, particularly since they were taken all the way to penalties by Italy, have now lost Gomez to injury and Hummels to suspension, with Khedira and Schweinsteiger further injury doubts.

They will be delighted with the quality of their goals, and of their first half football when they offered Iceland no encouragement that they might create another England style upset.

But while Iceland ended up well beaten, the fact that they scored twice to hold it to 5-2 and that for 90 minutes they never gave up in the face of a potential humiliation speaks volumes for their attitude to the game and the competition. They might not have played the best football of the last three weeks, but they have contributed mightily to Euro 2016, and for that we should be grateful.

By Dave Bowler

On they march, just about. Germany finally defeated Italy on penalties, in the messiest of shootouts, and their hopes of winning the Euros, to go with the World Cup, they collected two years ago survive.

The first half was the proverbial chess game as the two sides set about their tactical business. Germany came into the game by matching up systems with Italy, going three at the back and, in doing so, preventing Italy’s wing backs pressing so high up the pitch and helping dictate matters as they had against Spain in particular.

Consequently, Germany just shaded the first half in territorial terms, although in terms of decent chances, it was one apiece, Muller not really getting behind a snapshot from just inside the box, Sturaro having a searing drive deflected just wide by a crucial block from Boateng.

After the break, Germany upped the tempo and started to push Italy further into retreat, though for long stretches it was a position that caused them no real alarms, defending with some real assurance.

Ozil Scores

Eventually though, the Germans got in behind them in slightly unlikely fashion from a long kick by Neuer and an error by the otherwise excellent Florenzi that allowed Gomez to get away.

A clever pass released Hector on the overlap to cut a cross back, a helpful deflection sitting the ball up perfectly for Ozil to rifle inside the near post in the 65th minute. Moments later, a marvellous pass from Ozil set Gomez up inside the six yard box only for Chiellini to get in the way and Buffon to complete matters with a fabulous reflex save as Germany went for the kill.

They looked to be seeing out time happily enough until, extraordinarily, Boateng gave away a penalty with a ridiculous hand ball. Up stepped Bonucci and tucked the spot kick �the first he’d ever taken in a game beyond a penalty shootout �into the bottom corner with a dozen minutes to go. Game back on and on, almost inevitably, to extra time.

It was the traditionally anti-climactic half an hour, Draxler hooking the best chance over his head and over the bar from three yards out as Germany were the more positive outfit but penalties had beckoned from the first minute and duly arrived to the surprise of absolutely nobody.

Dismal Penalties

What was surprising were the dismal penalties from Zaza �a Waddle of an effort �and Muller’s weak as water effort which Buffon gobbled up, this after Insigne and Kroos had scored. After Barzagli drilled in, Ozil missed too, then Pelle dragged a weary effort way off target. Draxler squared it up and then Neuer pulled off a marvellous save to deny Bonucci of all people.

The game was won, surely? But the similarly exhausted Schweinsteiger blazed over to make it 2-2 after five each. Giaccherini showed everyone how it should be done as did Hummels, just about. A terrified looking Parolo scored straight down the middle and Kimmich responded by squeezing his shot in the corner. Penalty eight came from De Sciglio and that went in off the bar before Boateng atoned in part for his error in normal time by scoring too.

A woeful effort from Darmian was saved all too easily, leaving Hector to drill the ball through Buffon and in. After all, that’s what happens in shootouts isn’t it? The Germans always win.

Euro 2016 Diary: World Class Wales Beat Bungling Belgium

By Dave Bowler

Wales�performance in this tournament has been quite remarkable, not least because somehow they managed to lose to England which nobody else could do. They’ve deserved to get where they are, not least because they’ve been the top scorers in the competition thus far and, in a tournament that has at times been too dour, that’s a delight.

Again, Belgium were the nation that flattered to deceive. A rollicking start should have been enough to put Wales out of the game in the first 15 minutes when some blistering football created three golden opportunities, but a combination of desperate defending and desperate finishing meant that Wales emerged from the crisis just a goal down.

It came from Nainggolan, perhaps the most decorated player in world football �tattoos, not medals �who struck his shot just perfectly, sending it screaming into the top corner off Hennessey’s fingertips, the goalkeeper at full stretch.

Having ridden out that storm, the Welsh got a foothold and started to roll Belgium further and further into their own defence. Courtois made a fabulous save from Taylor �yes, the left-back �before, just past the half hour mark, Williams planted his head on a lovely Ramsey corner and put it in the bottom corner that De Bruyne had, idiotically, vacated.

Half-time came at a great time for Belgium for they were rocking by the interval and they duly returned afterwards in more lively fashion but, once again, Wales found the answer. A long, raking ball down the right found Ramsey who killed the ball stone dead with a fantastic first touch and then picked out Robson-Kanu with his back to goal.

Robson-Kanu Goal

A quick Cruyff turn saw three defenders heading for the Eurotunnel by mistake, Robson-Kanu then opening himself up to slot the ball past Courtois and in, a beautiful finish.

The Welsh continued to threaten and played some beautifully composed football while the brittle Belgians reverted to their disappointing type once more, losing the cohesion of the Hungary win and becoming, once again, a team of individuals worth considerably less than the sum of their impressive parts.

Wales are the exact opposite. Yes, they have one truly world class player in Bale and another magnificent one in Ramsey, but the rest are good, solid pros, more talented than some might suggest it’s true, but full of character, belief, hunger. You could not have found a better example of that than in the 85th minute when Gunter �yes, the right-back �whipped in a dangerous cross from the right and Vokes simply decided it was his, getting across two defenders and flashing a glancing header into the far corner to seal victory.

That’s all Vokes indeed.

Euro 2016 Diary: Portugal Through To Semi Finals On Penalties

by Dave Bowler

The Poles have been an effective looking outfit throughout the competition without being able to set the pulses racing, solid but very rarely spectacular. In fact, they found their most thrilling moment of the Euros right at the outset, Lewandowski finally cracking in a goal after a couple of minutes when Soares had made a terrible misjudgement to allow Poland away down their left. It was a crisp finish and for the next dozen minutes, Poland looked as though they might take the game away from their opponents.

Then the enormity of where they were, the lead they had and the thought of what was at stake hit them and they reverted to type, dropping deeper and deeper, Portugal only too happy to take advantage of the territory they were being granted and it was no surprise when they got back on terms just past the half hour. The hugely impressive youngster Sanches played a lovely one-two with Nani who cleverly wrong footed the defence, Sanches crashing in a slightly deflected shot from the edge of the box.

From there, it was all set up for Portugal to go on and win the game but in truth, the match died on its feet after the break, Sanches being shifted out to the left having done his damage through the middle. From there, while the Poles hoped, largely in vain, for something on the break, Portugal did little or nothing with the ball at their feet, rarely threatening Fabianski’s goal.

Ronaldo Chances

When they did, it was, of course, Ronaldo who had the best of the chances but in keeping with the vast bulk of his tournament, the usually decisive touch was conspicuous by its absence, missing a couple of admittedly tough opportunities but ones that he would normally knock in without thinking about it for Real Madrid.

And so it ended up with penalties where Ronaldo did lead the way with a decisive strike. The quality of the penalties was excellent until we came to number four for the Poles, Rui Patricio going the right way to claw away Blaszczykowski’s effort, paving the way for Quaresma to win the second game in a row and send Portugal into the last four.

They have done it without winning one of their five games in regulation time thus far, mounting three draws in the group and Quaresma’s last gasp extra time winner in the last round. On that basis, you would ordinarily dismiss their chances of going further, but at some point, surely the real Ronaldo will turn up and the very fact that they’ve got this far without him turning on the magic has to give them plenty of encouragement. This tournament gets curiouser and curiouser�/p>

Euro 2016 Diary: No Future In England’s Dreaming

By Dave Bowler

Hodgson has gone and another sacrificial lamb will turn up in his place, but who is going to break the cycle when umpteen, eminently well qualified predecessors have already failed? It’s time to look beyond the man at the top and look at the people on the pitch who, time and again, fail. And then, perhaps, beyond that too.

Since his first one back in 2004, when has Rooney ever had a good tournament? Hart, once again, was found lacking when it mattered. In the past you could say the same about Gerrard, Beckham et al. Younger bloods this time like Kane, Alli, Sterling were all uniformly dreadful. So what is it that happens to decent footballers the moment they put an England shirt on at a tournament �because that’s when it goes wrong. They generally look great in qualifiers.

There seems to be something in the English psyche that cannot handle the pressure when it really counts �big name players aren’t big game players when the expectations come upon them and it happens time and again.

Panic

There were two or three moments yesterday that summed up the contrast between perennial failures England and perhaps the consummate tournament team, Italy. Before their game with Spain, the Italians looked relaxed in the tunnel, talking to each other and their opponents. Buffon at the front was all smiles, chatting to the mascots as though he was off out for a Sunday kick about.

Before England’s game, it was all contorted faces, snarls and screams, Hart roaring some cliched nonsense about “Our night, our fucking night!�That’s the kind of thing Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang did 30 years ago as underdogs in every game. Should England really need to resort to that against Iceland?

And then the game starts. Italy were all focused power, determination, togetherness, but in their hunger and desire, there was a belief in themselves and in one another, controlled aggression not caricature frenzy. From Barzagli to Eder, they knew they could trust one another and there was never a hint of panic, even in the final seconds as Spain mounted a late onslaught.

When England’s game started, even when they took that early lead, there was never any sense of that same emotional control but rather a blind panic. There was no taking of responsibility, only the passing of it on, the hope somebody else would sort things out. The defending of both Iceland goals was laughable because nobody led, nobody dominated, nobody took charge.

Confusion

Beyond that though, it was the looks on the faces that betrayed what was going on. There was a moment around the half hour mark when Rose overran the ball behind for an Icelandic goal kick and immediately had his head in his hands before running back upfield with the haunted look of a man going to the gallows. There was still an hour to go. An hour. Plenty of time to turn things round but you could see he didn’t believe it would happen. And he wasn’t alone.

On the BBC earlier in the day, Vincent Kompany, who has provided some supremely incisive analysis, made the key point that Italy play a game reflective of their national culture and play to its strengths. They know who they are and what they are about, and this while all the time knowing that failure will see them ripped to shreds by a media yet more savage than the English. Expectation for them is every bit as great, greater, than for England.

Are the English national team reflective of English culture? Perhaps so, for they look like a team in search of an identity. In a week where the nation was split right down the middle about its future direction in a far more important sphere, then perhaps the football team’s confusion is a perfect metaphor for that of the country as a whole.

By Dave Bowler

Let’s start with England. Dear God, they were beyond awful. Men who lord it around the Premier League week after week and who were given a goal start in the opening minutes through a Rooney penalty then spent the next 86 minutes punting the ball around cluelessly.

After they failed to defend a routine long throw of the kind Allardyce and Pulis sides have tossed in routinely for ten years, they then allowed Iceland to pass through them as if they weren’t there before Hart and his swing door wrists allowed a weak shot to dribble past him.

From there, England simply could not put a thing together and went out of the competition with a whimper. Full credit to an Iceland side that defended superbly and totally deserved their win, but from an English perspective this truly was the moment that the noisy kid pointed out that the Premier League is wearing no clothes.

Roy Hodgson has already paid with his job but once, just once, maybe the inquest �and the buck �shouldn’t stop solely with the manager. Perhaps it’s time the players took their fair share of the blame too.

End of an Era

If there were any doubts remaining, they were conclusively answered today �the Spanish era is over, at least in terms of international football. After a poor World Cup two years ago, their eight year reign as the champions of Europe was ended when they were comprehensively outclassed by an Italian side that had all the answers throughout 90 minutes of almost total control.

Had it not been for a string of superb saves from De Gea, Spain would have been heading for oblivion long before Pelle’s injury time goal finished the game off at 2-0. But it wasn’t merely the defeat, not the scoreline that mattered in the end, it was the way in which Italy dismantled the last ramparts of the tiki-taka castle and showed it to be a system that has been overtaken by time and by the age and weariness of those required to put it into practice.

Italy were quicker, pressed higher, more determinedly, gave them no room in which to play and to pass and consequently denied them the opportunity to play the mesmerising game that came so naturally and easily when the likes of Iniesta, Fabregas and the much missed Xavi were young men.

Spain Doomed

But Spain stuck to their system and simply refused to vary it in any way and ultimately, it took them to their doom. The world �its better teams anyway �have worked them out and know how to defeat them. Following this tournament, and facing a World Cup group that includes the Italians, Spain need a long, dark night of the soul to decide where they go from here, with what system and with what personnel.

Meanwhile the bandwagon for “the worst Italian team in 50 years�just rolls on. Conte’s tactics, in contrast to Del Bosque, are shrewd but fluid, intelligent and evolving. And above all, he has crafted a group that clearly loves being together, believes in one another and in what they are doing, and fancies its chances.

This is the most cohesive team in the tournament �though they are weak beyond the first XI and suspensions could yet play a big part �and they have a belief in the impregnable nature of that Juventus back line that gives them real confidence in each game.

They could have been over the hills and far away by the break, but had just one goal to show for it thanks to De Gea. Even that goal underlined the Italian drive for while Spain barely reacted to their goalkeeper’s parry from a fee-kick, four Italians converged on the ball, Chiellini getting the decisive touch.

Bonucci Shines

Spain were better after the break, a little more urgent, but Italy were rarely flustered. You could make a good case for Bonucci as player of the tournament so far and he was magnificent again. Then behind him, the grand old man, Buffon, was security itself, producing one extraordinary reflex save in the dying seconds to keep it at 1-0, Italy breaking up the other end moments later for Pelle to volley in from close range to complete the victory. Germany await in the quarter-finals, and that promises to be epic.

Euro 2016 Diary: Germany & Belgium Impress, France Rally To Beat Ireland

All through this competition we’ve been waiting for someone to emerge as its star. A few have had their moments but there’s been no individual display yet to rival that of Hazard in Belgium’s demolition of Hungary.

It was a curious victory in many ways for through the first half, Belgium were comfortably on top but could only boast the one goal, Alderweireld’s 10th minute header all that was separating the sides despite Belgium being on a different level.

Their inability to put the game away encouraged the Hungarians, who were much more feisty in the second period and threatened an equaliser. But ultimately, Hazard, who had been unplayable all night long. He stepped it up into an even higher gear, creating a tap in for Batshuayi in the 78th minute to all but seal the game before helping himself to a sensational solo goal a minute later.

Carrasco then made it four on the break in injury time as the scoreline indicated the real gulf between the sides. The Belgian win elevates them to the pick of the sides in the top half of the draw as they head off to play Wales, but there are still question marks about them, not least in their cohesiveness as a side.

There are great attacking individuals in the team but there’s a lack of humility about some and the selfishness shown in attacking situations by a few, not least De Bruyne, cost them a goal or two when the game was still in the balance. That is a foible that might cost them dear as we reach the sharper end of the tournament, but that said, if Hazard keeps playing like this, he might just be enough on his own.

France Defeat Ireland

For a while, it looked as though Euro 2016 was going to be a party without a host because for 45 minutes, France were in all kinds of trouble against the Irish. Starting slowly, they conceded a second minute penalty through a clumsy Pogba challenge on Long, Brady stepping up to convert the kick, in off the post.

From there, the French played with insufficient intensity through to half-time, Ireland keeping them at arm’s length with some ease, right up until the final moments. France ended the half with a flurry of activity and that proved portentous, not simply because it suggested that the home side were finally getting going but also that Ireland, who had three fewer days of preparation, were beginning to run out of steam.

In the end, Ireland were defeated by their lack of ambition in the early minutes after the break, defending in numbers and forgetting to play on the front foot whenever possible as they had in the first half. By conceding territory to the French, they were merely inviting disaster and it ultimately arrived when Griezmann pounced twice in three minutes either side of the hour mark to turn the game on its head.

Discipline

The 58th minute equaliser unhinged the Irish so badly that for the following ten minutes, the discipline which had hitherto been their strength went AWOL, such that the second goal came for France on the counterattack, a disaster shortly thereafter compounded by Duffy’s desperate lunge at Griezmann that resulted in a red card and, in effect, the end of the game.

For Ireland, overall, it’s been a positive competition where new players have emerged from the shadow of the likes of Given, Keane and O’Shea and have provided strong signs that they can go on into the World Cup qualifiers with real confidence, particularly if they play with the drive they showed in the first 45 minutes.

France move forward and will take similar confidence from this game, coming from behind to win and playing with more intensity and bravery in the second period. That style needs to become emblematic of the team if they are to progress further, but they will be pleased to see the way Griezmann has stepped up to look a real goalscoring threat now.

That’s because, as we have seen, finding a finisher in this competition has been an issue for everyone. Gignac, who came on in the second half, looks as if he couldn’t score in a massage parlour, even if equipped with a handful of gift vouchers and an instruction booklet.

Germany Clinical

Germany, on the other hand, look a lot more clinical, albeit that they were playing Slovakia who were abject. That said, the ease with which the Germans dismantled their massed defence, and this on a pitch that looked as if they’d just put down some laminate flooring from IKEA, throws England’s failings into sharp relief.

This was the consummate German display aside from Ozil’s missed penalty in the first half. They were in front after eight minutes when Boateng pounced, Modric-like, on a ball cleared out of the box, flashing a 20 yard effort into the bottom corner.

A typically clumsy Skrtel challenge then gave Ozil the chance to make it 2-0 from the spot shortly after, but his miss merely kept the game interesting for a bit longer, Gomez slotting in just before the break after good work by Draxler.

Draxler Volley

Slovakia picked up a little at the start of the second half but just as they were beginning to threaten, Germany, with typically good timing, found a third, Draxler steering in a Gerd Muller type volley to end the contest and set the rest of the competition off worrying about the Germans once again.

So they should for they have looked the most composed and consistent side we have seen to date and, again in traditional German fashion, they look to be finding their best form at the business end of the tournament.

But unlike previous German sides, this one likes to open the game up a little more and that could ultimately be their undoing in a tighter tie. They do give the opposition an opportunity to play, they don’t crush the life out of the game the way they used to, and that gives every other nation a little glimmer of hope.

That said, they haven’t conceded a goal in four games.