By Martin Petty
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) – Slovakia remain underdogs in Euro 2024 and are determined to make a good run in the tournament, coach Francesco Calzona said on Friday, hailing a crop of players who performed well even in defeat against a determined Ukraine side.
Slovakia started the Group E match strongly with a succession of chances leading to Ivan Schranz netting his second goal of the championship in the 17th minute, but a resolute Ukraine fought back to level the score after the break and stunned the Slovakians with another 10 minutes from time.
Slovakia came into the match with 10 wins from the last 14 games, including their shock 1-0 victory over Belgium on Monday, and needed just one more to advance early to the next round of the competition.
“We had the opportunity but we knew that we were coming up against a team that had to win at all costs to stay in the hunt to make it through to the knockout stage,” Italian Calzona said.
“For us we are the Cinderella story of the group stage so the fact that we’re already here and competing to make it through to the knockout stage.
“My team try and play football against anyone regardless of the opposition and I’m very proud of that fact,” he added.
The defeat for Slovakia will be a reminder of their last Euros, when their opening victory was followed by two defeats, including a 5-0 drubbing by Spain, and an early exit from the competition.
Calzona said the loss to Ukraine was all about the strength of a team that was desperate to make amends for their 3-0 trouncing by Romania, Slovakia’s next opponents. Romania play Belgium on Saturday.
“When we led this evening there was still a long way to go. We played very strong opposition, we know that. I am happy with my team’s performance, we produced a great display, I’m very proud of my lads,” he said.
“A few months ago it would have been inconceivable that our team could play against these strong sides.”
(Reporting by Martin Petty; Editing by Toby Chopra)
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