Euro 2016 Schedule: Live Stream, TV Info and Group Odds for Saturday Fixtures
Belgium, the highest-ranked team at the 2016 UEFA European Championships, will be out to recover from their opening-game loss to Italy when they face the Republic of Ireland in Bordeaux on Saturday.
Following what should be a fascinating battle will be two Group F ties, with Iceland and Hungary seeking to build on their impressive starts. Meanwhile, both Portugal and Austria will be under pressure to get a result when they meet.
Here are the key viewing details from what should be another absorbing round of fixtures from the France showpiece, how the bookmakers are seeing the battle to finish top of these groups and a closer examination of how these matches will pan out.
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| 2 p.m. | E | Belgium vs. Republic of Ireland | ITV (UK), ESPN (US) | ITV Hub (UK), Watch ESPN (US) |
| 5 p.m. | F | Iceland vs. Hungary | BBC One (UK), ESPN (US) | BBC iPlayer (UK), Watch ESPN (US) |
| 8 p.m. | F | Portugal vs. Austria | BBC One (UK), ESPN (US) | BBC iPlayer (UK), Watch ESPN (US) |
| Group E Winner | Italy (1/4) | Belgium (10/1) | Sweden (10/1) | Republic of Ireland (14/1) |
| Group F Winner | Portugal (4/6) | Hungary (6/4) | Iceland (11/2) | Austria (20/1) |
Odds accurate as of 7 a.m. (BST) on Friday, June 17. For further odds, visit the Oddschecker website.
Belgium Expected to Deliver
Marc Wilmots’ Red Devils amounted to far less than the sum of their parts when they came up against a razor-sharp Azzurri outfit, losing 2-0 on Monday.
Despite boasting creative stars like Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, there was no sparkle to the Belgium side. They came up against a fine Italian defence, although the ease with which they coped with the aforementioned duo, as well as a completely out-of-sorts Romelu Lukaku, was striking.
Now they need to put that poor performance behind them and look forward. But, as noted by Bleacher Report’s Gianni Verschueren and Football Italia, Wilmots is struggling to let it go:
The Irish may not have quality that measures up to Belgium, but what they showed against Sweden was plenty of spirit and determination. Wes Hoolahan’s wonderful strike gave Martin O’Neill’s men a deserved lead and one they looked set to cling on to given just how well they had nullified Zlatan Ibrahimovic throughout the match.
Yet the Scandinavian side were able to battle back thanks to a piece of magic from their talisman, with Ciaran Clark turning his cross into his own net. As these numbers from Bleacher Report UK noted, it was a rare lapse in focus from the Irish:
Although Belgium should not be taken lightly, as any of the players aforementioned can turn the course of a game with a moment of magic, Ireland should be confident. The likes of Hoolahan, Shane Long, plus the surges from attacking full-backs Seamus Coleman and Robbie Brady will be enough to trouble the Red Devils.
Two more teams that underwhelmed on their Euro 2016 debut were Portugal and Austria, who will meet in Paris.
Fernando Santos’ team were held by a resolute Iceland team, losing a one-goal lead given to them by Nani. Looking forward, the manager will want to see more chances created by the trio of Joao Moutinho, Joao Mario and Andre Gomes. A greater impact from Cristiano Ronaldo would also be helpful.
The Real Madrid man saw a lot of the ball against Iceland in dangerous areas. He was pretty profligate, though, per OptaPaolo:
Austria were a little naive against Hungary, as they were picked off on the counter-attack by a savvy outfit. The likes of David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic will have to pose more of a threat in the final third against Portugal if they're to avoid making it two losses in as many games.
Meanwhile, Hungary lead the way in the group after what was an unexpected triumph on their part. Manager Bernd Storck got his tactics just right on the day, as his team showed composure on the ball, counter-attacking prowess and a clinical edge when chances did come their way.
Goal’s Harry Sherlock was impressed with the performance put in by the Group F underdogs:
Iceland were also outstanding on what was the nation's first-ever appearance in a major tournament. Birkir Bjarnason’s volley gave the north Atlantic side a deserved point, upsetting Ronaldo in the process. "I thought they’d won the Euros the way they celebrated at the end," said the Portugal forward, per Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
The clashes in Group F will be especially intriguing. In the first two games, tactical plans trumped talismanic stars; Portugal and Austria will need to find some fluidity to supplement their star power if they’re to progress to the knockout stages.
