TWO football fanatic politicians are in The National’s Euro 2024 sweepstake’s spotlight for Saturday as the second lot of the group stage games are firmly underway.
Gavin Newlands’ Georgia will come head-to-head with Alex Salmond’s Czechia for the 2pm kick-off as both sides will be looking to secure their first points of the tournament.
Georgia’s opener against Turkey was most people’s surprise game of the opening round as they played a tremendous fast-paced match.
It wasn’t meant to be, however, for the plucky underdogs as they lost 3-1 but they put on a good show and Newlands will be hoping they can play the same football against Czechia but manage to get a result over the line this time.
On the other hand, Salmond will be hoping Czechia’s luck will improve for their second match after a 2-1 defeat against Portugal in their opener.
It was always going to be a tall order for the Czechs to take down one of the tournament favorites led by the iconic Cristiano Ronald, but it wasn’t to be for them.
Regardless of today's result the match is sure to be an enjoyable one for any neutral.
A reminder that Newlands's chosen charity for the sweepstakes is the Renfrewshire Toy Bank and Salmond’s is the Erskine Veterans.
The second game of Group F has the potential to be one of the tournament's earliest and biggest upsets as Iona Fyfe’s (below) Turkey takes on Tadhg Hickey’s Portugal.
Turkey got off to a flyer in their opening game which was a real highlight of the first round of matches for any natural football fan. They are no strangers to knock-out football after making the semifinals in 2008 and the quarter-finals in 2000.
However, they have the no small feat of beating the 2016 tournament winners this evening if they plan on topping the group.
Perhaps their saving grace is the star-studded Portuguese side is still yet to really get up and running.
Fyfe’s chosen charity is Refuweegee and Hickey’s is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
Speaking of upsets could there be another on the cards this Saturday?
Pete Wishart’s (below) Belgium will be looking to spare further blushes after their opening defeat to Slovakia as they take on Hannah Bardell’s Romania.
Belgium and football fans across Europe were stunned as Slovakia beat them 1-0 in their opening game and just when you couldn’t think Group E could get any wilder Romina smashed Ukraine 3-0 in another huge upset.
The last game on Saturday has all the potential to deliver a blockbuster evening worth of entertainment.
A reminder that Wishart’s chosen charity is Scottish Charity Air Ambulance and Bardell’s is Chron's & Colitis UK.
