Euro 2020: Group C guide

Group C fixtures, UK kick-off times and TV coverage

June 13 - Austria 3-1 North Macedonia. Read the match report here. Netherlands 3-2 Ukraine. Read the match report here.

June 17 - Ukraine 2-1 North Macedonia. Read the match report here. Netherlands 2-0 Austria. Read the match report here.

June 21 - North Macedonia 0-3 Netherlands. Read the match report here. Ukraine 0-1 Austria. Read the match report here.

Teams

Netherlands: It hasn’t been a good decade for the once-great Netherlands. They lost all three of their group fixtures at Euro 2012, then subsequently failed to qualify for both the 2016 edition and the 2018 World Cup two years later.

They’ve found their groove again in recent years though and secured their place for this summer’s finals after suffering just one defeat across their eight qualifying matches (W6, D1, L1). 

A good showing in the coming weeks would signal to the world that they're back on the right track.

Ukraine: Ukraine head to their third European Championship but this is the first time they have qualified in top spot. They were co-hosts in 2012 and needed a play-off to make it to the 2016 edition.

No such route was needed this time, after going undefeated (W6, D2) on the way to finishing top of a group that included European champions Portugal. 

That success raised expectations and they’ll be hoping they can at least progress into the knockout phase for the very first time as an independent nation.

Austria: Austria have reached just two European Championship finals previously – and one of those was when they hosted the tournament.

However, the runners-up from qualifying Group G will be motivated by the fact that they're on the cusp of history. If they can defeat one of their Group C rivals, they'll have secured their first-ever win in the competition’s finals.

North Macedonia: No matter what happens across the next few weeks, North Macedonia have already made history, with Euro 2020 being their first-ever participation in a major summer showpiece.

They’re massive underdogs in a particularly tough group but will be hoping to spring a surprise against some of Europe’s bigger fish this summer.

Venues

The Netherlands will benefit from a crucial home advantage with all of their fixtures being played at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam. Bucharest’s National Arena in Romania will play host to the other fixtures in the group.

Pre-tournament form guide

Frank de Boer’s Dutch side managed just three wins from their eight games across 2020 (W3, D3, L2), and while their form has noticeably improved in 2021 with three wins, one draw and one defeat from four matches, those victories came against minnows Latvia, Gibraltar and Georgia.

Although they’ve faced predominantly unremarkable opposition, it is worth noting that they've scored two or more goals in seven straight encounters.

Their opening opponents Ukraine are undefeated in their previous six fixtures, though four of those games did end as 1-1 draws.

That’s a better record than Austria though, who come into the tournament with just one win from six matches (W1, D3, L2), and that was against minnows the Faroe Islands.

More worrying for manager Franco Foda is the fact that his side have failed to find the back of the net in each of their previous three fixtures.

If they don’t sharpen up in front of goal in the coming weeks, another European tournament is sure to come and go without that elusive victory being secured.

They might be massive underdogs in name, but North Macedonia’s recent form suggests they shouldn’t be underestimated.

The tournament debutants have won three of their previous four games ahead of Euro 2020, and that run included an impressive 2-1 victory over Germany in Duisburg.

Key game

In one of the more open groups in the tournament, each game is likely to have a lot riding on it. However, the opener between Austria and North Macedonia could be the most exciting, as both sides aim to win their first-ever fixture at a European Championship.

LiveScore verdict

The Netherlands’ reputation makes them favourites to top the group, but we don’t think it’ll be that straightforward for the Oranje.

Home advantage might just be enough to see them progress but Ukraine’s impressive qualifying campaign and resilience in close encounters makes them our dark horse to finish in first place.