The group phase was getting close to its end when Israel took the field against Luxembourg.
Israel were well on top with a two-goal lead when Luxembourg finally found their scoring boots. Rodrigues Patrick soon scored a double, making it 2:2 at half time. By the 31st minute the margin had grown to 6:2. Christopher Da Graca scored the last goal of the match, for Luxembourg, in the 38th minute. The final score was 6:3.
Slovakia and Bosnia & Herzegovina of Group H were playing next. Slovakia needed the three-point win to come out on top of the group. Marin Jukic’s opening goal temporarily lit up the otherwise rather dull first half.
He completed his brace early in the second half, and Marko Vujica scored his team’s third goal. Felix L’udovit of Slovakia hit back with a double, settling the 2:3 final score.
“We met Spain last year as well in the round of 16. I hope it’s going to be the same result this year too, and we will win” said Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Marin Jukic after the match. Slovakia will face Germany tomorrow.
The last match of the day saw Group C’s Italy taking on Estonia, another game without anything at stake. Estonia’s quick start was rewarded 2 minutes in, and the team in white kept the 1:0 lead until the break.
Fans did not have to wait long after the second half started to cheer Estonia’s second goal, Igor Ivanov struck home in the 25th minute. Babjak Maksim and Juri Amosov put the game to bed with two Estonian goals in the last 10 minutes, making it 0:4.
They held on to the lead to pick up their three points at the end of the game, as both sides said goodbye to the EMF EURO.