An entertaining day nine of Euro 2020 saw the second round of group matches draw to a close as Group F took centre-stage, whilst Spain and Poland fought for survival in Group E.
France and Portugal entered their matches looking to secure qualification in Group F but were in for tough tests against Hungary and Germany respectively, with eight goals scored across both matches.
Spain meanwhile knew that a defeat would leave them with everything to do in their final Group E clash as Poland looked to avoid early elimination.
Now here is a full roundup of the day’s action starting in Budapest.
Hungary 1-1 France
Hungary enjoyed a bright start as Roland Sallai drew fouls from Raphael Varane and Benjamin Pavard, with the resulting latter free-kick forcing a corner from Laszlo Kleinheisler which Hugo Lloris saved.
Peter Gulacsi then saved a 14th minute shot from Antoine Griezmann before Kylian Mbappe headed Lucas Digne’s cross wide three minutes later.
Karim Benzema and Paul Pogba then saw shots go begging as France begun to dominate the first half, until Hungarian substitute – Nemanja Nikolic met Gulacsi’s goal kick in the second minute of stoppage time to start a move which Attila Fiola blasted in after cutting in from the left to give Hungary the lead.
After the break, Paul Pogba created the first decent opportunity from around 30 yards as he dragged a low shot wide of the bottom right corner.
Sallai then curled a 58th minute chance wide of the top right corner for Hungary just moments before Ousmane Dembele broke on the counter, only for Gulacsi to punch away his shot.
Sallai then won a 65th minute free-kick after being fouled by Pavard only for Lloris to save the set piece and play long to Mbappe who teed up Benzema, only for Griezmann to sweep in and smash in a pivotal 66th minute equaliser.
Mbappe, Corentin Tolisso and Varane all wasted late chances to find a winner for the reigning world champions in Budapest, as Hungary clung on for a point despite Sallai seeing a 74th minute shot saved by Lloris.
Portugal 2-4 Germany
Matthias Ginter produced the opening chance for Germany as he whipped in a cross which was blocked out for Robin Gosens, who volleyed in but the goal was ruled offside for a Thomas Muller handball and offside move from Serge Gnabry.
Kai Havertz and Muller then saw shots saved whilst Joshua Kimmich won a 15th minute corner from which Portugal broke away on the counter, as Bernardo Silva played a deep cross towards Diogo Jota who teed up Cristiano Ronaldo to fire in.
Gosens almost equalised for Germany three minutes later but his tightly angled shot was saved by Rui Patricio, before Jota wasted two chances up the other end.
Germany eventually restored parity in the 35th minute as Muller teed up Gosens who volleyed his compatriot’s cross down for Havertz to flick in from close range only for Ruben Dias to get the last touch to harshly gift himself an own goal.
Four minutes later, Muller and Havertz both saw opportunities blocked only for Havertz’s rebound square ball to be poked into his own net by Raphael Guerreiro as Germany came from behind to lead at half-time despite Antonio Rudiger and Gosens seeing chances denied.
Upon the restart, Germany continued their momentum as Muller delivered a 51st minute pass to Gosens who found Havertz to flick in for his fourth international goal in 16 senior appearances.
Gosens soon afterwards scored his second goal in his last three appearances for Germany as he headed in from Joshua Kimmich’s cross to make it 4-1 to Joachim Low’s Die Mannschaft on the hour mark.
Seven minutes later, Portugal reduced their deficit as a free-kick from the left found Cristiano Ronaldo at the back post to knock the ball across for Jota to volley in from close range.
Germany eventually held on for a huge victory which places their knockout qualification fate in their own hands, despite Renato Sanchez’ 79th minute curled shot hitting the bar as Portugal threatened a late comeback.
France therefore sit top by a point from Germany and Portugal with Hungary sat rock bottom of Group F as all four teams face a crunch final group match decider on Wednesday 23 June to determine their fates.
Spain 1-1 Poland
A scrappy start saw both teams fail to produce any notable early chances until Dani Olmo delivered a curled 10th minute shot, which was saved by Wojciech Szczesny.
Pau Torres and Gerard Moreno proceeded to waste chances as Spain began to dominate which paid off in the 25th minute, as Moreno curled through from a cut-in of the right flank for Alvaro Morata to flick across into the bottom right corner.
Poland soon responded in the closing stages of the first half as Robert Lewandowski wasted two chances, first creating a 35th minute cross which Karol Swiderski flicked over before the Bayern Munich forward saw his rebound from Swiderski’s shot blocked eight minutes later.
Lewandowski however got Poland’s equaliser eight minutes into the second half as he nodded in from Kamil Jozwiak’s cross.
Spain immediately went up the other end with Moreno winning a controversial penalty after going to ground following an accidental stamp on his foot from Jakub Moder. Moreno stepped up and put his penalty onto the left post with Morata firing the rebound wide.
Morata and substitute, Ferran Torres then wasted various chances as the match wore on with Szczesny and Poland making excellent clearances to deny the three-time Euro champions, which earned both teams a vital point.
Spain though remains third ahead of Poland with both teams needing to beat Slovakia and Sweden respectively on Wednesday 23 June, if either team are to stand any chance of qualifying for the Round of 16.
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