The Three Lions were not living up to expectations, even though they reached the round of 16, with a fair amount of luck. They failed to top their group, winning only one of three matches. England struggled to take their chances and, unsurprisingly, scored only three goals in their first three games at Euro 2016.
Roy Hodgson seemed to do everything possible to get his team knocked out of the tournament: leaving out Vardy, letting Kane take corners, using defensive tactics against weaker opponents and so on. Somehow, England still reached the knockout stage. The Three Lions would face Iceland, and if they underestimated the Icelanders, Hodgson’s players would be flying home early.
Wales:
The Dragons were among the most impressive teams from the start of the tournament. Gareth Bale scored in every group game, helping his side win a tough group. Most importantly, Wales showed real team spirit, proving they did not depend solely on their world-class forward. Their best performance came in the third group match against Russia, a 3-0 win in which they gave the Russians no chance, creating plenty of scoring opportunities and defending at a world-class level. Wales were fortunate to land in the half of the draw with the weaker teams, avoiding strong sides such as Germany, France, Italy and Spain, so they could even dream of something bigger.
Northern Ireland:
Northern Ireland surprisingly reached the round of 16 as well. Norn Iron collected three points with a magnificent 2-0 win over Ukraine. They also played very well against world champions Germany despite losing 0-1, showing their qualities and deservedly qualifying for the knockout stage. Northern Ireland fans had every reason to be happy with the team’s performance, even if it did not go on to reach the quarter-finals.
Rep. of Ireland:
A late Robbie Brady goal against Italy sent the Boys in Green into the round of 16. The match against the Azzurri was a very impressive display from Martin O’Neill’s players. They defended superbly and outwitted the Italians, looking very disciplined and fully deserving their place in the knockout round. They faced a very difficult round-of-16 tie against hosts France, but the Irish would be looking for revenge for Henry’s handball in the play-offs for the 2010 World Cup.
Round of 16:
England vs. Iceland
France vs. Rep. of Ireland
How the round of 16 went
The all-British tie came first. On 25 June 2016 Wales beat Northern Ireland 1-0 at the Parc des Princes in Paris, the only goal arriving in the 75th minute when Gareth McAuley turned the ball into his own net. Northern Ireland’s tournament ended there, while Wales moved into the quarter-finals.
The Republic of Ireland made a dream start against the hosts in Lyon on 26 June. Robbie Brady scored a penalty in the second minute, but Antoine Griezmann struck twice in the second half, in the 58th and 61st minutes, and France won 2-1.
England’s fears about Iceland proved justified. In Nice on 27 June, Wayne Rooney gave the Three Lions a fourth-minute lead from the penalty spot, but Ragnar Sigurðsson equalised two minutes later and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson scored the winner after 18 minutes. Iceland won 2-1, the result was described as one of England’s worst ever, and Roy Hodgson announced his resignation after the match.
Wales go furthest
Wales made the most of the favourable side of the draw. In the quarter-final on 1 July 2016, at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy near Lille, they fell behind to a Radja Nainggolan strike after 13 minutes but came back to beat Belgium 3-1, with goals from Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes. The run ended in the semi-final in Lyon on 6 July, where Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani scored within three minutes early in the second half to give Portugal a 2-0 win. Portugal went on to beat France 1-0 after extra time in the final at the Stade de France on 10 July 2016, Éder scoring in the 109th minute.
Questions people ask
Which British and Irish teams reached the Euro 2016 knockout stage?
All four reached the round of 16: England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Wales won their group, while the other three went through from lower positions.
Who won the Wales v Northern Ireland match at Euro 2016?
Wales won 1-0 at the Parc des Princes in Paris on 25 June 2016. The only goal was a 75th-minute own goal by Northern Ireland defender Gareth McAuley.
What happened to England against Iceland at Euro 2016?
Iceland won 2-1 in Nice on 27 June 2016. Wayne Rooney scored an early penalty, but Ragnar Sigurðsson and Kolbeinn Sigþórsson replied, and Roy Hodgson resigned after the match.
Where did Wales's Euro 2016 run end?
Wales reached the semi-finals after beating Belgium 3-1 in the quarter-finals. Portugal beat them 2-0 in Lyon on 6 July 2016 and went on to win the tournament.