Euro 2024 Group F Match Day 3 Closes In: Georgia vs. Portugal & Turkey vs. Czechia

Euro 2024 Match Day 3 will see the end of the road for Group F. Fortunes could turn around, ties could be broken, and surely one team will go home. What will happen? The suspense is unbearable.

Georgia, the underdogs playing in the continental competition for the first time, will take one last shot at Portugal, who are expected to win the group easily. Could Georgia pull off an unexpected win? Are they destined to advance?

Czechia and Turkey have a long history of competing in the European championship. Both teams will want to defend their good names and clinch a place in the knockout stages. Will one of them go home? 

Read our insider analysis below for a taste of what you can expect on match day 3. Also follow our analysis for Group C and D. 

EURO 2024 Group F Match Day 3: Introduction 

Czechia and Portugal are previous champions, Czechia in 1976 and Portugal in 2016, while Turkey’s farthest advance was in the semi-finals in 2008. Georgia roars onto the field with no precedent. Whatever their outcome, matches against Georgia will make history. 

Portugal has advanced past the group stages every time it has participated in the tournament. It first qualified in 1984, and 2024 will be its eighth time playing on the UEFA Euro field. 

Czechia has participated in the competition eleven times, including 2024—three times as Czechoslovakia and eight more as an independent nation. As the Czech Republic, the team has qualified every time it has played group stage games and came close to bringing the trophy home in 1996. 

Turkey will be participating for the sixth time. Their first qualification was in 1996. They will surely want to top their previous best performance, winning their quarter-final match on a penalty against Croatia in 2008. 

Who has the best shot at finishing on a win? Our in-depth coverage of the matches will clear up any doubts. 

Georgia vs. Portugal 

As the last match in their group, the stakes couldn’t be higher for both teams as they take the field.

Portugal and Georgia have never sparred in the continental championship, and at the very least, this will be an interesting match to watch. Georgia could have everything riding on this match. Meanwhile, expectations are high for Portugal, and fans will scrutinize every move they make. 

Georgia is expected to use the formation that got them where they are now: a front two. Portugal has a strong front three and defensive lineup Georgia will have to combat. 

Portugal and Georgia met once in a friendly in 2008, where Portugal beat Georgia 2-0. Both teams have evolved since then, and only some players survived that era. 

Georgia will have to counter strong attackers and an impressive midfield with its remarkable forwards in the rare moments it has possession. 

Czechia vs. Turkey

The match between Turkey and Czechia is considered a key game. With Portugal tipped to win Group F, the two teams will be vying for second place. It’s a gamble, but it just might work!

If Turkey bests its opponents in the knockout stages, it could make it to a quarter-final showdown with The Netherlands. If Czechia ends up in third place in Group F, it will play the winner of Group B or Group C, which could be England or Spain. Each round has its perils. 

Turkey’s Head Coach, Vincenzo Montella, will rely on a strong midfield and stick to a solid 4-3-2-1 formation to counter Czechia, which will focus on a back-three strategy under the watchful eye of Head Coach Ivan Hasek. 

The two teams have met eleven times and won five matches, with one ending in a draw. However, Turkey has the upper hand, having won all three of their most recent matches, including a UEFA Euro match 2016. 

Unraveling The Underdogs

There is no choice but to call Georgia, popping their championship cherry, the underdog in their match against group leaders Portugal. However, they stand a chance. 

While Portugal boasts some of the most legendary players on the grass this time, many believe they cannot match previous performances and may only clear the semi-finals. What does that mean for Georgia?

If they can display some of the gritty spirit they showed in their qualifying run under the expert care of Willy Sagnol, they could sneak up on an otherwise confident Portugal. A moment of magic or two might be the boost these boys need to pull off the unexpected!

Czechia’s odds of going very far in the overall competition are not heavily favored; thus, the Czechia national team is the underdog in their match with Turkey. Turkey recovered from a difficult qualifying run to clinch their spot in the championship and is tipped to win second place in the group. 

Much depends on the strategy of just-installed head coach Hasek and how he chooses to deploy his best midfielders and defenders. A determined squad could succeed in crushing Turkey’s hopes. However, they will need to increase their goal-scoring capacity, which is a major weakness for the team. 

Key Players To Watch

Kerem Akturkoglu, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Ferdi Kadioglu are the three top players on the Turkish national team. Akturkoglu is the team’s Top Golden Boot Contender and a winger who has scored more Super Lig goals than any other Turkish player.

Calhanoglu is the team’s top tackler, and Kadioglu is a versatile player who effortlessly switches from full-back to midfielder to winger. 

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Giorgi Chakvetadze, and Guram Kashia will all go in with their efforts to lead the Georgia team to victory. Third on the all-time scorer list, Kvaratskhelia is the team’s top Golden Boot Contender. Chakvetadze is an exceptional forward, and Kashia is a center-back and captain of the team. 

Portugal’s remarkable lineup includes the revered Cristiano Ronaldo, the team’s top Golden Boot Contender, Bruno Fernandes, the team’s primary playmaker, and Bernardo Silva, an essential attacker. 

Czechia’s players to watch are rising star Matej Jurasek, team captain Patrik Schick, top Golden Boot contender, and defensive midfielder Tomas Soucek, the team’s top tackler and penalty specialist. 

Conclusion: End Of The Line!

If Portugal takes first place, it will advance to play the third-place winner of Group A, B, or C. Second and third place will mostly be a contest between Turkey and the Czech Republic, but don’t count out scrappy little Georgia!

No matter how these final matches turn out, you can be sure of two things: one team will go home, and historical games will be played!