EURO 2024: First team eliminated from EURO; VAR causes outrage when taking away Netherlands' goal
Poland was eliminated from the EURO group stage without playing the final match; Former football stars criticized referee Taylor for denying the Netherlands a goal. These are the highlights of EURO 2024 in the qualifying round on June 21 and early morning of June 22.
The first team eliminated from EURO
Poland was eliminated from the EURO group stage without playing the final match.
Poland is at the bottom of the table with 0 points after 2 losses to the Netherlands and Austria. In the final round, even if Robert Lewandowski and his teammates beat France and Austria loses to the Netherlands, Poland will still be at the bottom of the table due to their inferior head-to-head record to Austria.
Poland had a poor performance at this year's European Championship. Right before the tournament, the "White Eagles" received bad news when their main striker Robert Lewandowski was injured in a friendly match.
The Barca striker still accompanied his home team to Germany but was only on the bench. In the match against Austria, Lewy entered the field when the score was 1-1. He could not shine, while Poland conceded 2 more goals and accepted a 1-3 defeat.
The match against France on June 25th could be the last time fans will see Lewandowski play at a EURO. In the next tournament, the striker will be 38 years old.
VAR causes outrage when it takes away a goal from the Netherlands
Former football stars have criticized referee Taylor for denying the Netherlands a goal in their 0-0 draw with France in the early morning of June 22.
In the 69th minute of the match between the Netherlands and France, the score was 0-0, Memphis Depay turned and shot but could not beat Mike Maignan. Xavi Simons was there at the right time to score the rebound into the French net. While the Dutch players were still celebrating wildly, the linesman raised his flag to signal a foul.
VAR took a long time to check the situation and decided not to recognize the goal. Denzel Dumfries, the Netherlands player, was determined to have participated in the attack while being offside.
Taylor determined the Dutch right-back's positioning impeded the French goalkeeper's dive, but slow-motion video showed Maignan was helpless to stop Simons' powerful shot.
The decision by the refereeing team headed by Anthony Taylor has been met with much opposition. On social media, fans said that Taylor and video referee Stuart Attwell were too heavy-handed in denying the Dutch goal, even calling Attwell "the worst referee in history".