euro 2016 group B - Historical Football Kits

Euros 2016 Group B

euro 2016 logo England qualified with a 100% record. Wales made their first appearance in the Euros having finished second in a weak qualifying group, the first time that they had been in the finals of a major tournament in 58 years.

Two days before their opening match, English supporters were involved in fighting with French Ultras and the following day what appeared to be organised Russian gangs joined in, targeting English fans who had gathered in Marseille's old port. There was a concerted attack inside the Stade Vélodrome after the match on 11th June and further disorder followed in the city. UEFA issued Russia with a suspended disqualification and warned that any further trouble would result in their expulsion from the tournament. This sanction did not apply to incidents occurring outside match venues, however, as these are considered a matter for the French security forces rather than UEFA.

European Championships Index

Wales

Slovakia

Wales 2 Slovakia 1

Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux
11 June

Gareth Bale put Wales ahead with a superb first-half free kick, slamming the ball over the wall and into the space recently vacated by the Slovakian goalkeeper. In the second half Slovakia came back into the game and deserved their equaliser. With the game slipping away, 25,000 Welsh fans roused their team, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ringing round the stadium. With nine minutes left Joe Ledley passed to Ramsey who, off-balance, took the ball deep into the penalty area before slipping it to Robson-Kanu whose scuffed shot deceived the 'keeper and secured an historic victory.

England

Russia

England 1 Russia 1

Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
11 June

England dominated but could not find a way through a disciplined Russian defence until Eric Dier scored from a carefully worked out free-kick on the edge of the box in the 73rd minute. All England had to do was hold on but not for the first time they proved unable to retain posession and in injury time Berezutski equalised. Flares, evidently smuggled into the ground despite supposedly tight security, were set off in the Russian section of the crowd and immediately after the final whistle, Russian supporters burst through the stewards to attack English fans.

Russia

Slovakia

Russia 1 Slovakia 2

Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille
15 June

Russia looked ponderous and short of imagination and Slovakia were 2-0 up at half-time in what was a poor game. In the second half, the pattern continued until against all expectation, Glushakov scored a fine goal with ten minutes to go. The Slovaks lost their composure and it was panic stations as the Russians belatedly poured forward in a frantic last 13 minutes.

England

Wales

England 2 Wales 1

Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens
20 June

With 42 minutes gone, Gareth Bale lined up a free kick 30 yards out and his swerving shot eluded Hart in the English goal. In the second half Wales settled in for a siege while England adjusted their formation. They were rewarded with an equaliser after 56 minutes. A draw was on the cards but in the second minute of injury time, Sturridge poked home the winner following a scramble in the Welsh goal mouth.

Slovakia

England

Slovakia 0 England 0

Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne
20 June

England laboured hard and the lion's share of possession, racking up 26 goal attempts to Slovakia's paltry three. Despite all the pressure England could not find a way through and had to be content with second place in the group.

Russia

Wales

Russia 0 Wales 3

Stadium Municipal, Toulouse
20 June

Needing a win to remain in the competition, Russia looked dangerous in the opening stages but their defence was exposed by two precision passes and Wales were two up with just 20 minutes played. The Welsh now dominated and looked dangerous every time they went forward and in the 67th minute their talisman, Gareth Bale, poked home a third goal. In the remaining 20 minutes Wales gave an object lesson in how to keep the ball, pinging it around in neat little triangles. Tidy!