RaySport Daily Star: De Bruyne Scores in Last-Round Great Escape, Ronaldo and Silva Help Portugal Qualify Early

Last night and early morning, the UEFA Euro 2024 Group Stage Round 2 concluded, while the Copa America’s Matchday 3 kicked off.

Georgia drew 1-1 with the Czech Republic, both teams securing a point and keeping their hopes alive for advancement to the knockout stage; Portugal defeated Turkey 3-0 for their second consecutive win, securing the top spot in their group and advancing, with standout performances from Silva, Ronaldo, and others; Belgium beat Romania 2-0 for crucial three points, setting up a last-round survival showdown in their group. The UEFA Euro Group Stage Round 2 has now finished. In the Copa America, Venezuela overturned a deficit to beat Ecuador 2-1, and Mexico defeated Jamaica 1-0 for their first victory.

Marmaardashvili (Georgia) – 11 Saves

Georgian goalkeeper Marmaardashvili made 11 crucial saves in the match, preserving his team’s clean sheet. This tied him for the second-highest number of saves in a single Euro match (the record is 12), helping his side secure a vital point and maintain their chance to advance to the next round.

Silva (Portugal) – 1 Goal

Silva started and played the full 90 minutes, providing significant attacking support with four key passes, the most in the game. He completed 52 passes at a success rate of 92.3%. In the 21st minute, Silva scored from a central position in the box, breaking the deadlock and ultimately aiding Portugal’s victory, securing their place as group winners and advancing to the Round of 16.

Ronaldo (Portugal) – 1 Assist

The 39-year-old Ronaldo started and played the entire match, registering four shots on goal, the highest in the game, and two successful headers. In the 55th minute, Ronaldo timed his run perfectly, intercepted the ball in the box, and squared it to Fernandes for an unselfish assist, which led to an easy goal. This was Ronaldo’s eighth assist in Euro history, tying him with former Czech star Poborsky as the joint all-time leading assister in the competition.

De Bruyne (Belgium) – 1 Goal

De Bruyne played the full 90 minutes and put in a complete performance against Romania, contributing five shots, three on target, three successful dribbles, and four tackles, all team-highs. In the 80th minute, he received a pass from Courtois, calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to seal a 2-0 win for Belgium.

Lonдон (Venezuela) – 1 Assist

In Copa America’s Group Stage Round 1, Venezuela came back to defeat Ecuador 2-1, with former Chinese Super League player Lonдон recording the highest number of shots (four) and providing an assist that helped his team secure their first victory. He was named the official Man of the Match.

Artiaga (Mexico) – 1 Goal

Artiaga started and played the entire match against Jamaica in the Copa America, achieving a 95% pass accuracy, and scored the lone goal in the 69th minute, helping his team to a 1-0 win.