It’s another big day at Euro 2024 in Germany on Thursday, as the pool phase ramps up a notch with three more crucial fixtures.
All roads lead to Gelsenkirchen for the Group B clash between fancied Spain and holders Italy.
They follow the second set of Group C matches as Denmark meet England, after the day begins with the rival contest between Slovenia and Serbia in Munich.
*All kick off times in local time.
Group C: Slovenia vs Serbia – 15.00
Euro 2024 kicks off another day of intense action on Thursday with the local derby between Slovenia and Serbia in Munich.
The pair have a point between them after the opening round of fixtures, meaning the race is on to stay in the hunt for knockout qualification.
Slovenia were roared on by a raucous support in Stuttgart on Sunday, as Erik Janza blasted in a 77th-minute equalizer to peg back Demark in their opening match.
They had trailed from the 17th minute when Christian Eriksen capped his return to the European Championship stage with a neat opening goal, three years on from suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch in Copenhagen.
Serbia endured a night of frustration in Gelsenkirchen against group favourites England.
Content to sit deep and absorb the onslaught, they succeeded for only 13 minutes before wonderkid Jude Bellingham bullied his way to head in what proved to be the only goal of the game.
The Serbs threatened to hit back but lacked a cutting edge in the final third, leaving them pointless coming into round two.
Group C: Denmark vs England – 18.00
Denmark and England meet in Frankfurt on Thursday evening in a Group C rematch of their dramatic Euro 2020 semi-final three years ago.
The Danes will have revenge on their minds, too, after Three Lions captain Harry Kane scored the extra time winner to seal a 2-1 success that took the eventual runners-up through to a final with Italy.
It’s advantage England in Germany so far, too.
Gareth Southgate’s side did the business in their opener on Sunday night, as Jude Bellingham barged into the box to head the only goal of the game against Serbia after just 13 minutes.
They tailed off after the break but did enough to seal a vital opening three points, with the opportunity to seal yet another knockout qualification place now on the table.
It was looking rosy for Denmark earlier in the day when Christian Eriksen put them ahead against Slovenia.
The 17th-minute strike was a fairytale moment for the Manchester United midfielder, three years on from his horrifying collapse on the pitch at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen.
But they were pegged back by a Slovenian equaliser, leaving coach Kasper Hjulmand and his charges with work to do here against the group favourites.
Group B: Spain vs Italy – 21.00
What a contest the draw has thrown up in Group B at Euro 2024, as continental giants Spain and Italy go toe-to-toe in Gelsenkirchen on Thursday night.
It looks like a straight shootout for top spot in the pool, too, after both came through their opening fixtures victorious.
The Spanish came through a tricky looking tie against Croatia with flying colours, blazing to a 3-0 win over Luka Modric and Co.
Alvaro Morata and Fabian Ruiz broke the back of the contest either side of the half hour mark, before Dani Carvajal added another goal to his Uefa Champions League final effort a fortnight earlier.
That Berlin battering wasn’t repeated by Italy, but they were relieved to come through their game with Albania clutching a 2-1 victory.
No one was more grateful than Federico Dimarco, whose disastrous throw-in allowed Nedim Bajrami to lash in the quickest European Championships goal of all time on just 23 seconds.
But the Azzurri hit back quickly in Dortmund, as Alessandro Bastoni’s free header pulled the scores level before Nicolo Barella completed the turnaround with just 16 minutes on the clock.
And so it remained, to leave the situation tantalizingly poised ahead of a fixture befitting a much later stage of the tournament.
Slovenia v Serbia
| Result prediction | Slovenia to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Slovenia to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Slovenia |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | E. Janža(Slovenia) |
Denmark v England
| Result prediction | Denmark to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Denmark / Denmark to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | K. Dolberg(Denmark), H. Kane(England) |
Spain v Italy
| Result prediction | Spain to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Spain / Spain to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Álvaro Morata(Spain) |