Euro 2020: Group C talking points

With debutants North Macedonia and Austria, who are yet to win a match in Euro, in this group, Ukraine and the Netherlands are tipped to advance. But a surprise can never be ruled out

UKRAINE’S KIT TROUBLE

The unveiling of Ukraine’s shirt for this Euro has not gone down well with the Russians. The front of the yellow jersey shows a map of Ukraine in white that includes Russia-annexed Crimea, which officials in the Kremlin called a provocation. It doesn’t stop there, for the kit is also emblazoned with two Ukrainian military slogans. The political controversy could get even more pronounced if they were to meet Russia in the tournament’s knock-out stage. And Ukraine’s greatest-ever footballer turned manager in Andriy Shevchenko will back his team to get there this time around, thanks to Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko at the back and West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko up front.

ALL NORTH FOR MACEDONIA

The three-decade-old republic, one of the successor nations of Yugoslavia, had never seen its national team make it to a major tournament before this. It was a tight 1-0 win in Tbilisi over Georgia last November that sealed the deal for North Macedonia. At their Euro debut, the odds will be stacked against the Goran Pandev-led side. But North Macedonia are a tough nut to crack, as underlined by the fact that they have lost just twice in 13 games in the past year. A stunning 2-1 win over Germany—in Germany—in the World Cup qualifiers in March show that they can also spring a surprise or two on their day.

AUSTRIA’S DUCK

Austria have never won a match at the Euros—not when they hosted the event in 2008 and not when they played in a relatively easy group in Euro 2016, alongside Hungary and debutants Iceland. Six games, no wins and just one goal in open play. To break their duck, David Alaba-led side has been blessed with an easy group again, with yet another Euro debutant team in North Macedonia, a blow-hot-blow-cold Holland and Ukraine. Can they turn around their fortunes? Austria’s form coming into the Euro should tell you just how unlikely that is, with two losses and a draw in their last three prep games.

THE FIXTURES JUNE 13

9:30pm AUSTRIA VS N M’DONIA

JUNE 14

12:30am HOLLAND VS UKRAINE

JUNE 17

6:30pm UKRAINE VS N M’DONIA

JUNE 18

12:30am HOLLAND VS AUSTRIA

JUNE 21

9:30pm UKRAINE VS AUSTRIA N M’DONIA VS HOLLAND (both matches at same time)