Scotland and England have proven to be unpredictable teams at Euro 2024, with both BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton and the majority of fans getting their predictions wrong in the second round of group games. Scotland’s improved performance against Switzerland was not enough to secure a win, and Sutton believes their defense remains a concern. He predicts that Hungary will beat Scotland in their upcoming match.
On the other hand, England’s start to the tournament has been met with disappointment, despite earning four points from two games. Sutton acknowledges that there is room for improvement, particularly in midfield and providing service to Harry Kane. However, he believes that England will bounce back and defeat Slovenia in their final group game.
Moving on to Group B, Sutton predicts a victory for Italy over Croatia, despite Croatia’s poor performance against Spain. He also expects Spain to defeat Albania, although he praises Albania’s energy and zest in previous matches.
In Group C, Sutton defends England’s performance so far, emphasizing that they have not lost any games and only need to improve their control in midfield. He predicts a 2-0 victory for England over Slovenia. Denmark, who surprised Sutton with their performance against England, will face Serbia, and he predicts a 1-0 victory for Denmark.
In Group D, Sutton believes that Austria will upset the Netherlands with a 2-1 victory. He also expects France to defeat Poland, although he expresses disappointment that Robert Lewandowski has not had a chance to shine in the tournament.
Moving on to Group E, Sutton predicts a 2-1 victory for Belgium over Ukraine. He praises Belgium’s response after their defeat to Slovakia and highlights Kevin de Bruyne’s quality. In the match between Slovakia and Romania, he predicts a 1-0 victory for Romania, believing they have the edge over Slovakia.
Finally, in Group F, Sutton predicts a draw between the Czech Republic and Turkey. Despite Turkey’s disappointing performance against Portugal, they only need a draw to secure second place in the group. Sutton also expects Portugal to defeat Georgia, highlighting Portugal’s strength in depth and their various gears to go through.
Overall, Sutton’s predictions for the third set of group games reflect his analysis of each team’s performance and their strengths and weaknesses. While some matches are more difficult to call, Sutton provides insights and reasoning behind his predictions, making them more than just guesses.