Euro 2016: Quarter-Final Results, Semi-Final Predictions and Title Odds
UEFA Euro 2016 hosts France became the last side to qualify for the semi-finals with a 5-2 win over Iceland on Sunday, joining Germany, Portugal and Wales on the list of teams still vying for the title.
Germany needed penalties to get past Italy on Saturday, while Wales booked their spot in the semi-finals with a 3-1 win over Belgium on Friday and Portugal scraped past Poland on Thursday.
France and Germany will resume their rivalry on Thursday, July 7, one day after Portugal and Wales go head-to-head.
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Here's a look at the full quarter-final results:
| Poland | 1-1 (3-5) | Portugal |
| Wales | 3-1 | Belgium |
| Germany | 1-1 (6-5) | Italy |
| France | 5-2 | Iceland |
The latest Euro 2016 title odds, per Oddschecker.com:
| Germany | 7-4 |
| France | 7-4 |
| Portugal | 10-3 |
| Wales | 8-1 |
The schedule for the semi-finals:
| Wednesday, July 6 | 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET | Portugal | Wales |
| Thursday, July 7 | 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET | Germany | France |
Portugal vs. Wales
The first semi-final will be billed as the battle between Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the clash between Portugal and Wales will be about so much more.
On one side, you have a highly talented Portugal team that have yet to play their best football and are too reliant on individual efforts and moments of genius―in many ways, they're similar to Wales' last opponents, Belgium.
Meanwhile, Wales have done far better than fans and pundits would have imagined, playing as a tight-knit group that does plenty of damage on the counter and in the air. Bale has been key, but others, like Joe Allen and Aaron Ramsey, have proved the Welsh are about far more than their star Real Madrid man.
Comedian David Baddiel thinks the Dragons are far less dependent on their main attacking weapon than their opponents:
But Ramsey will be suspended for this semi-final, and his absence will create an enormous gap in between the front two and the central midfielders. The Arsenal man has done a phenomenal job bridging that gap so far, and it's unclear who will be asked to replicate that role.
Portugal have more star power in their squad, but they've struggled to find any sort of balance. Ronaldo has flashed his potential, and Renato Sanches and Ricardo Quaresma have also been decisive at times, but as a whole, the team hasn't really clicked.
Against Wales' tight and organised defence, that could be a problem. Ronaldo has the technical ability to carve open any back line with a single moment of brilliance, but he'll also be involved in a personal battle with Bale.
Per BBC Sport Wales, Wales manager Chris Coleman thinks the two will be anything but friends on the pitch:
Ronaldo is an incredibly competitive individual, and while that desire to win has driven him to greatness, it could be a weakness against Wales. Portugal have relied too much on individuals so far―if Ronaldo turns the semi-final into a one-on-one between himself and Bale, his team will only suffer for it.
Prediction: Wales have the advantage in form, but the absence of Ramsey will hurt. Their Cinderella run ends here.
Germany vs. France
While Germany needed 120 minutes, penalties and a whole lot of effort to book their semi-final spot, France cruised to their easiest win of the tournament against Iceland. Les Bleus will have one day fewer to prepare and rest up for Thursday's clash, but that disadvantage should be negated by the simple nature of their win.
France didn't waste much energy, while Germany had to dig deep and lost several key warriors as a result. Both Mario Gomez and Sami Khedira won't be fit for the semi-finals, per footballer-turned-pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft:
Manager Joachim Low doesn't have many attacking stars to choose from outside of Gomez, and it's likely his only realistic option will be Mario Gotze, who has already made appearances as a false nine.
At the back, he'll have to replace star defender Mats Hummels, who will be suspended. It's yet another question mark for manager Joachim Low, something Les Bleus don't gave to worry about one bit, as their coach Didier Deschamps was able to take off his players who were in danger of missing out during the second half against Iceland.
The fresher legs, complete squad and home-field advantage will all be key here, as Germany have seemed far more dominant than their opponents at times during the tournament. France were very efficient in front of goal against Iceland, but once again, their defensive fragility showed, and they couldn't outclass their opponents over the course of 90 minutes.
The absence of Gomez and Khedira will help their defence somewhat, and Die Mannschaft will struggle to contain a midfield consisting of the likes of Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and N'Golo Kante, with Dimitri Payet playing in front of that group.
Prediction: Ultimately, there are just too many factors working against the world champions. France have a rich history of success on home soil, and it will continue at Euro 2016.
