An underdog is not in a tournament just to make up numbers. The likes of Ireland, Denmark, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Czech-Republic-c2882 and more recently, Greece have managed to hold their own against sides
The history of football has its fair share of miracles spread across all different time periods. From the giant-killing http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/United-States-c3034 side that beat England in the 60s to Senegal’s shock 1-0 win over France at the World Cup, many upsets have been seen and
will continue to happen which is what makes the game so beautiful and captivating.
The European Championships are just days away and almost every version of the Euros is filled with battles of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Goliath-c15093. Underdogs in every tournament are certainly not there just to make up the numbers. With not much to lose and everything to
gain, these so-called small teams rise on the occasion to shock world football.
Bettor.com now takes a look at few of the biggest upsets in the history of European Championships.
1988 group stage
England Vs http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Republic-of-Ireland-c2987
Euro 1999 hosted by West Germany was the first time Republic of Ireland played in the continental competition. Pitted in Group B that had the likes of Soviet Union, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Netherlands-c753 and England, not many people expected The Boys in Green to put on much of a show.
Ironically, Ireland’s debut Euro game was against England who at that time, boasted the likes of Peter Shilton, Bryan http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 midfielder, Raymond
Houghton scored the only goal of the game in the 6th minute to give the Shamrocks an historic win.
Though the Irish later lost their next two games against Netherlands and the Soviet Union, they thoroughly entertained crowds with their sheer cavalierish attitude and even finished ahead of England in the final standings who lost all three games and crashed
out in shame.
1992 final
Germany Vs http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884
Before Greece, there was Denmark back in 1992. A squad that had no http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749. Tagged as the whipping boys of Group A, the Football Aces made a sluggish
start to the tournament and barely qualified for the semi-finals.
However, after beating the mighty Dutch on penalties, Denmark made sure that they that the fairy-tale story had a happy ending. The Danes beat Germany 2-0 in the final to become the 92 European champions. What’s even more surprising is the fact that the
Danes initially did not even qualify for the Euros. Instead, they replaced Yugoslavia in Sweden.
1996 group stage
Czech Republic Vs Italy
Six nations made their Euro debut at the UEFA Euro 96 in England and it was a plucky Czech Republic side that impressed the most. The Czechs who were touted as the whipping boys of the competition, were pitted with the likes of Germany, Italy and Russia.
In their first game, they lost 2-0 to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alessandro-c4710
Del Piero, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roberto-c31294 Di Matteo. A young Pavel Nedved scored the equaliser after Chiesa gave Azzurri an early lead. 10 minutes before half time, Bejbl scored Czech Republic’s second goal of the game to make it 2-1 to the tournament’s would-be
dark horses which eventually proved to be the winner.
The Czechs went on to impress everyone as they reached the final where they eventually lost 2-1 to Germany.
2004 final
Portugal Vs Greece
What Denmark had accomplished almost 12 years ago, was going to be matched by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Russia-c2991. After
beating Portugal 2-1 in their first group game, a draw and a defeat followed.
Otto Rehhagel’s side finished second in Group A and thus qualified for the last eight of the competition in which they beat favourites France 1-0. Estadio do Dragao saw Hellenics beat Czech Republic by the same scoreline to set-up a date with Portugal in
the final.
Estadio da Luz was the venue for yet another major scalp by an underdog at the Euros as Greece once again beat Portugal to become champions of Europe thanks to a header by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Angelos-Charisteas-c6124.
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