EURO 2012 Unbiased Match Reports - Thursday 21st June
1st Quarter-Final - Czech Republic v Portugal
So, could you cope with almost 48 football-less hours? I spent some of them catching up on the off-field events at the Euros.
The first thing that caught my attention was the €100,000 fine and one match ban levied on Nicklas Bendtner. The Dane celebrated his goal against Portugal by lifting his shirt to display his oversize “lucky” green and white boxer shorts. UEFA’s problem was these bore the name “Paddy Power” in large letters, clearly visible to the watching millions.
Incensed at ambush marketing of a company, not a UEFA Euro 2012 partner (and therefore not mightily enriching UEFA’s coffers) the governing body reacted indignantly, throwing the book at the wayward Dane. Paddy Power were of course delighted with the publicity and immediately paid Bendtner’s fine in full. What is a few grand to a bookie after all? So that all went well then.
Er, not quite. The Twittersphere was soon comparing the size of Bendtner’s fine with the paltry €80,000 fine levied on Croatia for a whole series of offences including chucking flares on the pitch during the match – and, oh yes, the racial abuse of Mario Balotelli.
Vincent Kompany, Rio Ferdinand and other black footballers were rightly angry at the relative punishments doled out. On June 8th, following the abuse aimed at Afellay and other coloured players in Krakow, UEFA released a statement that said “UEFA has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to discriminatory behaviour.” Should we conclude therefore that in UEFA’s dictionary zero-tolerance means a small smack on the wrist? Clearly racial abuse is not as heinous a crime as displaying the name of a business that is not a UEFA commercial partner!
With the group matches complete, UEFA begins trimming the number of officials in the host nations. With just 7 more matches it makes no sense to keep lots of match officials fed and watered so some are sent home.
Interestingly, all 6 of the Hungarian officials who failed to see Ukraine’s “goal” against England the other night were on the “no longer required” list. The announcement suggested this was “to avoid embarrassment.” I simply ask “Whose?”
UEFA and Platini in particular have been dead set against the use of goal-line technology and gave us all these superfluous assistants instead. Did they really expect to address human error by employing more humans? Bloody madness.
I like Pierluigi Collina – he was a splendid referee but these days is UEFA’s head of match officials. It was he they sent out to defend the indefensible in front of the press. It was sad to see the great man talking so much bollocks.
During Euro 96, me and my mates watched 11 matches up and down England. One of these was a quarter-final at Villa Park featuring both these sides. Portugal’s golden generation were in their prime – Sousa, Figo, Rui Costa, the Pintos and the immaculate Fernando Couto had graced the tournament but were sent home by Poborsky’s late lobbed winner. The Czechs carried on towards Wembley and Poborsky earned a few lucrative seasons at Old Trafford.
Czech Republic 0 Portugal 1
Warsaw
Teams :
Czech Republic
Cech, Gebre Selassie, Kadlec, Sivok, Limbersky, Hubschman, Plasil, Pilar, Darida, Jiracek and Baros. Subs: Rezek (Darida – 61) and Pekhart (for Hubschman – 86).
Portugal
Rui Patricio, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Coentrao, Joao Pereira, Veloso, Moutinho, Meireles, Nani, Ronaldo and Postiga. Subs: Almeida (for Postiga – 39), Custodio (for Nani – 84) and Rolando (for Meireles – 88).
Match Report :
Without injured captain Rosicky, the Czechs now looked to Darida to provide attacking inspiration and his introduction was their only change. Portugal, having finally clicked in their previous match, sent out the same XI again.
It set off at a moderate pace with both sides passing the ball well and in the early stages the Czechs looked the better side. I decided we were in for a good game tonight.
Jiracek looked the liveliest on the park but his forays down the right wing produced little of note. This early pressure led to a series of corners but none were sufficiently well hit to trouble Portugal. Then, on 18 minutes Darida broke free on the right and his driven cross eluded the outstretched boot of Baros. It flew across the face of Patricio’s goal and put behind for another corner.
Portugal had started slowly. Ronaldo glowered at his midfielders for not sending passes to match his runs. Indeed, after looking so good against the Dutch, the Portuguese midfield looked strangely out of sorts. Meireles and Veloso (surely his nickname must be “Raptor”) were off the pace and only Moutinho seemed to get to grips with the Czecks.
On 27 minutes Raptor was booked for a crude tackle on Hubschman but from that point on Portugal finally started to play. Their passing improved and at last they started pushing the Czechs back. The Czechs let them – it was as if they’d decided to try and nick an early goal to defend but, if not, defend anyway. The whole mechanics of the game changed.
With Portugal now in the ascendancy, it was they who were winning all the corners. Till this point Cech had just claimed the odd cross or back-pass but the CL winner was now obliged to organise his defence as Portugal continued to press.
On 33 minutes Selassie made a hash of clearing a corner and the ball was dinked to Ronaldo whose bicycle kick missed the mark. CR7 had another pop at goal on 35 minutes, his long range free-kick drifting wide of the mark.
On 38 minutes, ancient striker Helder Postiga did a hamstring and was stretchered from the field, replaced by Hugo Almeida. He is immediately involved, linking with Ronaldo and Nani as the Czechs chased the ball. On 44 minutes Nani broke into the box and fell over. His demands for a penalty were waved away by Howard Webb.
In injury time we finally got the moment of brilliance the game was crying out for. Ronaldo, on the right side of the penalty area, controlled a dropping ball and immediately span away from the attentions of Kadlec. Cech must have been delighted to see the low shot rebound off his post. Half time and still 0-0.
I spent much of the second half convinced we were watching the first 0-0 of the tournament and be forced to endure the tedium of extra time and the agony of penalties. I was praying for someone to score.
For a big bloke, Almeida is rubbish with his head. Portugal continued to press and at least two lovely crosses reached the #9 but both were headed horribly wide. Ronaldo was now getting his eye in and 2 free-kicks in quick succession had Cech worried again. The first was handled by Darida allowing a second chance from closer in. This time the shot soared past Cech, again bouncing to safety off the woodwork.
Ronaldo then had a lash at a ball under pressure from Selassie. It sailed well wide but the #7 was now looking very dangerous. On the hour Almeida finally heads past Cech but his joy is stilled by an offside flag, Sivok having stepped up and left him alone in front of goal.
Pilar then tried to get his team moving forward. He made a superb run past defenders on the left flank but Darida was not on the same wave-length so Portugal got the ball back. Darida was soon taken off and with Rezek now in the hole the Czechs mounted a couple of attacks. Baros shot from range, horribly wide of the mark.
At the other end, Moutinho hit a powerful dipping shot that Cech needed to tip over. The goalie was soon in action again leaping to punch a cross off Ronaldo’s head and clearing out Kadlec in the process. The defender spent the next few minutes gingerly rubbing his bruised ribs.
Kadlec was soon back in the action, closing down Ronaldo and forcing him to shoot wide. Meireles was frequently involved as Portugal stormed forward but his final ball was poor – his shooting worse.
Into the final quarter, goalless, but Portugal were still on the front foot. Moutinho broke into the box and with team-mates shouting for a cross he elected to shoot – and missed. But within a minute the Porto man got another chance to cross and delivered a beautiful ball into the box. It went over the head of Almeida at the near post but behind him Ronaldo was sprinting in from the left. He got past the stationary Selassie and powered a diving header downwards. The ball bounced up and flew past Cech. 0-1. Lovely goal – and in the stands Figo hugged Eusebio as their nation celebrated.
Moutinho was on the attack again soon after, Ronaldo doing well to leap out of the way of his fierce shot and Cech even better to save it. A flurry of late substitutions made little difference to the one-way flow and poor Gebre Selassie who’d looked decent for much of this tournament was being run ragged by Ronaldo.
During injury time the Czechs won a couple of corners, Cech galloping upfield for the second of these. Portugal won the ball back and the big goalie was miles from his own box. Any late embarrassment was prevented by a quite superb tackle by Limbersky and that was that. 0-1 Portugal.
The Czech’s ambition was very limited. Once their early pressure brought no reward they played like a team waiting for penalties. Despite the Eurovision-style support of their Polish neighbours, the Czech team were distinctly second best.
Portugal had not been as sharp as they were last Sunday but they at least tried to play the game in the area of the field where they might get a goal; and of course, once again they had the Man of the Match.
MOM: Ronaldo (Portugal)
EURO 2012 Unbiased Match Reports - Friday 22nd June
2nd Quarter-Final - Germany v Greece
For folk of my vintage, Gdansk will forever be associated with Poland’s Solidarity movement, its moustachioed leader Lech Walesa and the beginning of the end of Soviet communism in Europe. When people think of Gdansk, they think free Poland.
Although this Pomeranian city was founded by Poles, for much of the last thousand years it was controlled by foreign powers. History remembers it as the Hanseatic port of Danzig which was held by Teutonic Knights, Lithuanians, Prussia and Germany as well as the Polish crown and, since WW2, the Polish state. Locals spoke German, not Polish. Danzig also enjoyed 2 spells as a free city when it got on with what it was good at - import, export and making lots of money!
Sat on the Baltic coast and linked to Warsaw by the Vistula River, Gdansk has always been an important trading and shipbuilding area. Over the years it swallowed up neighbours Sopot and Gdynia and today this “Tri-city” metropolitan area is home to three quarters of a million people.
During WW1, Woodrow Wilson promised Poland access to the Baltic but the Treaty of Versailles made Danzig a free city (for the 2nd and final time) from 1920. This compromise suited no-one – not the Poles and certainly not the Germanic population of Danzig. They forged closer links with Germany and in 1933 elected a Nazi leader, thereby giving Hitler another reason to go to war. On 1st September 1939 the opening salvoes of WW2 were fired at Danzig from German warships in the Baltic.
Danzig fell and her Polish minority were among the first to suffer genocide at the hands of the death squads. Danzig was held by Germany for over 5 years but the population fled from allied bombing and the Soviet advance in the winter of 44/45. The evacuation of East Prussia was one of the major refugee movements of the war. Some actually escaped to Germany, but many were killed trying and those that remained were soon deported by the newly communist state of Poland.
Gdansk was settled by Poles from the east, driven from their homes by Russian expansion. So the people who rebuilt the city and worked in her factories and shipyards were Polish but definitely not communist.
In 1970 the first protests against the communist regime began here. They forced the resignation of First Secretary Gomulka. Ten years on Walesa’s Solidarity Union, born in the Gdansk shipyards, began an anti-communist protest that spread throughout the whole Soviet bloc. By 1989 the communists were gone and the next year Lech Walesa became president of Poland – a free country at last and, since 2004, an active member of the European Union.
At the head of the latest German occupation of Gdansk came Chancellor Merkel, but she and her face-painted hordes were only here for the football. There as a small but noisy Greek phalanx behind one goal, bedecked in blue and white. The magnificent Hoplite helmets were there again. They announced their presence in the stadium by loudly booing the German anthem.
An awful lot of non-football related baggage attached itself to this quarter-final. Don’t know about you, but I was glad when the bullshit stopped and football broke out.
Germany 4 Greece 2
Gdansk
Teams :
Germany
Neuer, Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Ozil, Schurrle, Reus, and Klose. Subs: Mueller (for Schurrle – 67), Gomez (for Klose – 79) and Gotze (for Reus – 80).
Greece
Sifakis, Maniatis, K Papadopoulos, Papastathopoulos, Tzavelas, Torosidis, Makos, Katsouranis, Ninis, Samaras and Salpingidis. Subs: Gekas (for Ninis – 46), Fotakis (for Tzavelas – 46) and Liberopoulos (for Makos – 71).
Match Report :
Germany recalled Boateng at right back and replaced their entire front line. Out went Mueller, Gomez and Podolski for Reus, Schurrle and Klose - who was winning his 120th cap. Makos took the unenviable role of replacing suspended Greek captain Karagounis. Up front Gekas was dropped so Ninis played on the right.
From the off Germany surged forward in numbers and the nature of the game became clear in the 2nd minute. Samaras launched a tackle on Khedira that got some of the ball but plenty of the man. The Greeks had set their defensive line and were not taking prisoners.
But Germany appeared to be able to breach those lines at will. The ball was pinged around the Greek box. On 4 minutes Sifakis fumbled a Schweinsteiger shot and Schurrle knocked in the rebound. Greece were reprieved by the linesman’s flag.
Khedira then had a shot over before Greece mounted their first attack. Samaras broke forward and fed Makos but his tame shot was fielded by Neuer. It seemed the Germans wanted more pace up front to break down Greece and in Reus and Schurrle they certainly got that. The former was involved in a lot of Germany’s best moves, firing wide on 11 minutes.
48 hours of continuous rain on the Baltic coast took their toll on the pitch which was cutting up badly. By 20 minutes most players were well muddied.
As Germany continued to press Greece kept knocking the ball away. This was meat and drink to the centre-backs (for their names, see above – life is too short to keep writing them in full). Both earn their living in the Bundesliga and know all about facing German forwards.
On 23 minutes Klose and Reus engineered a great chance for Ozil but his attempt to curl the ball in saw it go straight into the grateful keeper’s gloves. Then a cross shot from Reus was nearly turned in by Klose and moments later another Reus shot flew wide of the target. Suddenly a lofted ball by Katsouranis put Salpingidis one-on-one with Neuer but the keeper was quick to smash the ball away.
On the side-lines, Joachim Loew paced furiously. His side had spurned enough chances to bury Greece but here they were attacking again. Ninis tried his luck from range, Neuer fumbled but no Greek was on hand to punish him.
With the first half drawing to a close, Germany pressed forward again. The ball stayed permanently in Greece’s muddy final third as both sides fought to control it - or boot it clear. Shots from Khedira and Schurrle are blocked.
The big problem about playing a good team in and around your own box is that your defence cannot ever be less than perfect. On 39 minutes Greece finally made a massive error allowing Lahm the time and space to run at them. Germany’s captain unleashed a dipping, swerving shot that Sifakis could not stop. It flew in. 1-0.
Greece looked stunned and must have been thankful to reach half time only one gaol adrift. In those final 6 minutes and 3 more for injuries Germany continued to press and shots rained in on Greece’s goal. Schurrle got 2 more shooting opportunities but took neither. Half time 1-0.
Greece had looked disappointing in earlier matches yet come back impressively after the break. Coach Santos was clearly looking for more of the same when he withdrew Tzavelas and Ninis and sent on Fotakis and Gekas upfront.
The early minutes of the second half looked much like the first with Germany hogging the ball and doing most of the attacking. Greece were playing a bit further forward now giving Germany’s forwards a bit more space to run in. Even Klose had a strong run with the ball at his feet before being denied by you-know-who (see above).
But on 53 minutes Greece broke with both German fullbacks caught down field. Samaras and Gekas had a two-on-two but failed to capitalise. Gekas’ attempted back heel failed to find his #7.
Two minutes later, Greece were level. Fotakis lofted a ball to Salpingidis on the right. This bloke is one of my stars of the tournament. I love his attitude and his ability to make things happen. He surged down the right with Lahm in his wake before sending a beautiful cross into the box. Not one of the many officials saw the crafty shirt-tug on Boateng that enabled Samaras to beat him to the ball and bundle it under Neuer. 1-1 and didn’t the Greeks behind that goal celebrate!
For a few minutes the Germans actually looked rattled. Greece sensed this and launched further attacks – and that was their downfall. As more blue shirted players joined the odyssey, space suddenly opened up behind them which gave the Germans all the encouragement they needed to exploit it.
Back they surged and on 61 minutes their lead was restored. Boateng got down the right and his cross was met by Khedira’s leaping volley and the ball fair flew past the keeper. 2-1.
With Greece now forced to play a bit and Germany ever eager to score more, this second half became one of the better periods of football I’ve watched this month. Within 2 minutes of going behind Gekas got a great chance to drag Greece level. The centre-forward scooped his shot over the bar and looked disgusted with himself.
For a while the game flowed from end-to-end before a crude foul on Ozil gave Germany a free kick wide right. Ozil stood over the ball as Mueller replaced Schurrle then clipped his cross into the box. Sifakis came off his line believing he’d punch this clear but ended an onlooker as Klose out-jumped his marker and powered a header into the empty net. 3-1.
It was international goal #64 for the striker. Gerd Muller’s record is in his sights. If anyone wondered how this Polish-born German felt about playing here in Danzig, the sight of him tapping the badge on his shirt as he ran to his adoring fans told you all you needed to know.
Greece meanwhile decided defending was not the answer. Makos was withdrawn and striker Liberopoulos joined the fray. His first contribution was unimpressive – a shot from 40 yards that sailed towards the stratosphere.
Germany responded by scoring again. Ozil was again the catalyst, playing in Klose whose firm shot was well saved by Sifakis. But the rebound came straight to Reus who thrashed it home off the bar. 4-1.
With the game up, Greece did some more attacking. Gekas was caught offside then Samaras shot horribly wide. Germany took off Klose and Reus – Gotze and Gomez came on.
Ozil was denied the goal his performance deserved and Gomez was flagged offside as he closed on the rebound. Fotakis saw his long range shot saved by Neuer. Then Fotakis sent Samaras through on the left. The Celtic man backed Hummels into the penalty area before taking him on but the defender made the most surgical of tackles and came away with the ball. Great football!
On 88 minutes Greece were awarded a penalty. Torosidis played the ball into the box and it struck Boateng on the arm – handball certainly, but deliberate? Maybe the referee was expressing sympathy for the underdog with that decision….
Salpingidis duly tucked the spot-kick into the corner sending Neuer the wrong way. 4-2 and this was Euro 2012’s highest scoring game. That was the last serious action of the game. Two minutes injury time were played and the whistle sounded.
I’ve enjoyed watching Greece. They were unable to repeat the miracle of 2004 but their spirit and determination were mighty. The defeat of Russia provides an object lesson in winning matches against more gifted opponents and their fans have been top-notch. Where can you get those Hoplite helmets?
Germany march on. They now bar the way to either Italy or England in Warsaw’s National Stadium on Thursday night. Loew has demonstrated a willingness to use the depth of his talented squad to achieve his ends. As ever, Germany look formidable.
MOM: Ozil (Germany)
EURO 2012 Unbiased Match Reports - Saturday 23rd June
3rd Quarter-Final - Spain v France
So, the anti-tika-taka backlash develops apace!
I’ve never really liked Barcelona. I remember when we were in Catalonia in the 80s on the first weekend of the Spanish league season. We were staying in the Pyrenees not far from Andorra and could not get to a match. I decided to buy one of the local sports papers the following day.
It was edged with black. “Who has died?” I wondered. My grasp of Spanish is not great so it took a while to realise they were in mourning because Barca had lost to Sevilla on the opening day. I labelled them “Drama Queens” and nothing in the last 30 years has altered that opinion.
When my mate Neil moved to the Costa Blanca, I began taking an interest in Valencia and became fascinated with their pacy counter-attacking style. They’ve been my team of choice in La Liga ever since. My heart was further hardened against Barcelona by their annoying habit of buying Valencia’s best players. So when it comes to the much-hyped “El Derby” I’m always rooting for Real Madrid.
Nor have I ever been a fan of tippy-tappy whether it be Barcelona or Spain that is doing it. I admire it as a strategy because it prevents opponents from getting on the ball and if they ain’t got the ball they ain’t gonna score! But it can make for deadly dull games. The other thing that gets on my wick is seeing referees lulled into some sort of trance watching it. Should a pass go astray, the player hurls himself to the ground whether there was defender nearby or not. Referees always respond by awarding a free-kick and the tedious tika-taka starts all over again. How I rejoice when teams like Inter Milan and Chelsea stifle and frustrate Barcelona!
What makes Barca and Spain good to watch is not their ability to retain the football but the fact they have wonderful footballers. You could stick Messi, Iniesta or FORMER Valencia star David Villa into any team or any system and they’d look class – because they are class.
Some of the criticism of Spain this morning is plain ludicrous. Spain did what Spain do and it is hardly their fault that France were too afraid to take them on. I tipped France to go all the way in Euro 2012 and have a number of their players in my failing Fantasy Team. To say I was disappointed in that gutless display would be a massive understatement.
Spain 2 France 0
Donetsk
Teams :
Spain
Casillas, Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Alonso, Silva, Fabregas and Iniesta. Subs: Pedro (for Silva – 65), Torres (for Fabregas – 67) and Cazorla (for Iniesta – 84).
France
Lloris, Reveillere, Rami, Koscielny, Clichy, Debuchy, Cabaye, M’Vila, Malouda, Ribery and Benzema. Subs: Nasri (for Malouda – 64), Menez (for Debuchy – 64) and Giroud (for M’Vila – 79).
Match Report :
Spain opted for the “no striker” variant with Fabregas replacing Torres. Made me laugh to see Carragher spitting feathers. He is from the “lump it down the park for the big bloke” school of football and cannot come to terms with the idea that Spain won’t lump it down the park. (Incidentally, I was overjoyed to realise this was the last match I’ll have to watch on ITV – hooray! The only thing I’ll miss are the acerbic comments of Roy Keane - best pundit on that channel by a mile).
France were obliged to bring in Koscielny for Mexes who was suspended. Blanc also opted for a number of other changes that looked odd. Out went Nasri, Diarra and Ben Arfa replaced by Cabaye, Malouda and Reveillere. Diarra had looked rock solid in midfield - Nasri and Ben Arfa are two of France’s most creative players. Cabaye OK, the guy has lots of energy – but Malouda? And another right back – WTF? France must have expected much from Ribery and Benzema but, truth be told, neither had looked capable of setting Euro 2012 alight.
There were rumours that following the defeat by Sweden, many of the old tensions had resurfaced in the French camp. Players were supposedly rowing with each other. This certainly would not help when preparing to face Spain but the coach picks the side and his selection indicated France were scared stiff. That is exactly how they played and it made for a poor game.
Whatever France intended didn’t work. Arbeloa and Alba got up and down the flanks at will allowing Spain’s ball players to flood midfield, executing their metronomic pass-and-move game. Surprisingly the first shot on goal was a speculative, long distance punt from Xabi Alonso on 8 minutes but Lloris fielded it easily.
The match had been billed as a clash of two great passing sides. Indeed, virtually every Spanish pass reached a Spanish player. France’s problem was most of their passes also went to a Spanish player so all their efforts to recover the ball were immediately wasted. France were grafting extremely hard for very little reward but Spain had not yet broken through and created a good goal-scoring chance.
Once or twice Benzema and Ribery did attack with pace but the Spanish defenders steered them away from the danger area and soon recovered the ball.
The 2 right backs were not faring well and on 19 minutes they were exposed by the guile of Iniesta and the willing run of Alba. The former’s lovely pass inside Debuchy saw Alba break beyond him, the Frenchman stumbled and fell. At the far side of the box, Xabi Alonso had trotted forward hopefully and arrived completely unmarked.
The Valencia man (for the time-being) had his head up and picked out Alonso with a pin-point centre. Alonso headed it down and across the keeper into the far corner. 1-0.
For the next 5 minutes Spain pinged the ball back and forth and France must have wondered if they’d ever get it back. When they did, Debuchy made a bold run down the right. His first cross was blocked by Alba but he chased the rebound and had another go – this sailed disappointingly into the crowd.
On 26 minutes France won a free kick at a reasonable shooting distance. Cabaye was interested but Benzema shooed him away and hit an awful shot high over the bar. What on earth led me to tip these useless bastards?
Spain then won a corner which Fabregas headed wide. On 32 minutes France won another free kick. This time Cabaye did shoot and Casillas was required to touch it over – the only save he was to make all night…...
France did enjoy periods of possession but Spain dropped back in numbers and were able to avoid any serious scares. Ribery looked the man most likely but he was always well marked. When he was able to cross Ramos was there to head it away. On 38 minutes, Xavi launched a corner into the box. Pique met it completely unchallenged and should have scored. Somehow he missed the target. That was the last meaningful action of the half.
Amazingly France made no half time changes so Spain carried on hogging the ball. For those few fleeting moments when France got it back they launched attacks but Spain’s defenders were always there to step across their man then hurl themselves to the ground. Every time the referee bought it.
The game was so devoid of interest that I fell asleep. I’m assured I missed only another long range punt by Xabi Alonso. I was awake on 61 minutes and saw Debuchy get on the end of a Ribery cross but put his header over the bar. This saw a brief period of French pressure but, true to form, Spain nicked the ball and broke away. Xavi threaded a lovely pass into Fabregas. He got there ahead of Lloris but the French keeper managed to block the ball away on the very edge of his box
On 65 minutes Blanc finally used his substitutes bringing on Nasri and Menez for Debuchy and Malouda. Spain immediately stepped up a gear and pressed France back. Rami had to head Alba’s cross for a corner and Ramos almost got on the end of Xavi’s corner. Spain brought on Pedro and Torres for Silva and Fabregas. This pair were soon involved forcing Koscielny to concede another corner.
On 71 minutes Ribery fired in a left wing cross but Casillas gathered it by his near post. Shortly afterwards Menez was yellow carded for protesting at being pulled up for another non-existent foul on a Spanish defender. I may have nodded off at this point. I did register further substitutes coming on but the next real action I recall was a corner for France on 88 minutes. Nasri took it and Rami missed with his header.
On 90 minutes this sad apology for a match was finally put out of its misery. Pedro had looked pretty lively since coming on and went past Rami before being brought down by Reveillere. It looked a generous decision but by this time everyone was past caring. Xabi Alonso duly stepped up and bagged his second of the night. 2-0.
Spain march on. They’ll face Portugal on Wednesday night in this same stadium. Hopefully Portugal will be more ambitious than France - but don’t count on it. They were dreadful for much of their opening game with Germany and only started playing once they’d conceded. On the plus side, Portugal can be decent, this is now knockout football and in Ronaldo they have a player to whom ripping through Spanish defences and scoring is meat and drink. Fingers crossed.
France were poor - their plan was poor, their execution was poor. Laurent Blanc cannot have enjoyed that utter shambles. If Dan Levy offers him the job at Spurs he will bite his hand off for sure.
MOM: Alba (Valencia and Spain)
EURO 2012 Unbiased Match Reports - Sunday 24th June
4th Quarter-Final - England v Italy
Kiev is one of Europe’s major cities – the 13th largest• in fact. It sits on the mighty Dnieper River in the north of Ukraine, not far from the Belarus border.
Never been there but it is a place I seem to know. A place with grand buildings, tree-lined thoroughfares and happy Slavic sorts going about their business – a bit like Paris but some 2000Km further east. On examination, it appears this view is based entirely on Ravel’s fabulous orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition – the final movement being the “Great Gate of Kiev”. This majestic piece is one of the highlights of the concert hall. I defy anyone to hear it performed by a top notch Symphony Orchestra and not get shivers down the spine!
Kiev was settled by Slavic peoples in the 5th century and became an important staging post on the Viking trade route between Scandinavia and Constantinople. Sat at a major European crossroads it has been influenced - and often controlled – by various different powers down the centuries.
Kiev was capital of the “Rus” before being wiped from the map by Mongols in 1240. Rebuilding was slow and for 600 years Kiev was little more than a provincial capital, ending up in Russia’s Empire. The city’s importance grew during the industrial revolution when Kiev became an important centre for technology and commerce.
In 1917 Ukraine declared independence and Kiev was briefly the capital. In 1922, following Russia’s civil war, Ukraine joined the Soviet Union. By 1934 Kiev was the capital of the Ukrainian SSR. But Kiev suffered horribly under Stalin, her population deliberately starved.
In Kiev is a deep gorge known as Baba Yar. This was the site of political executions during the 30s. Intellectuals and anyone else disliked by Stalin were taken here and shot. During the next decade the Jewish population of Kiev were also murdered here by the Nazis – Kiev has a grim history.
Indeed much of old Kiev was destroyed in WW2. The Luftwaffe had heavily bombed the city before Germans took it in September 1941. Unknown to the Wehrmacht, everything of value had been spirited away east and all Kiev’s principal buildings had been mined. When these mines were detonated all at once, old Kiev disappeared in one large bang and over 1000 Germans died.
The cold war saw Kiev flourish. Her technological prowess was essential to Soviet efforts in both the arms race and the space race. Then, in 1986, the disaster at the nearby Chernobyl reactor saw Kiev face a major clear up as radioactive dust threatened the city.
Modern Kiev, capital of independent Ukraine, is twinned with loads of cities including Chicago, Rio, Munich and Edinburgh. The Olympic Stadium was, like Wembley, opened in 1923. It has undergone major renovations for Euro 2012 and is the home ground of Dynamo Kiev, the most successful football club in the history of the USSR. Today Dynamo vies for dominance of the Ukraine Premier with rivals Shaktar from the eastern city of Donetsk.
England 0 Italy 0 (2 - 4 on Penalties)
Kiev
England went into Euro 2012 with a new manager, injuries to a number of senior players but without the usual hysterical level of expectation on their shoulders. Football’s sages said getting to the quarter-finals would be an achievement.
But then England won two friendlies, drew with France then beat Sweden (at last) and put out co-hosts Ukraine. Hope raised its ugly head. There was talk we could beat Italy and meet our nemesis Germany in Warsaw on Thursday.
Serial world cup winners Italy came here with different problems. They were not expected to set the tournament alight either. Yet they held Spain to a draw and that point was enough to edge out Croatia and reach this quarterfinal.
At the Olympic Stadium last night we witnessed the yawning chasm between England and a top footballing nation. While England pressed, harried, chased and booted the ball away, the Italians stroked it and treated it with respect. Those beautiful aspects of Italian football I described the other day were there to see - the 30 yard pass, the instant control, the anticipation and movement into space, the creating of opportunities and shooting from distance.
And when 120 minutes of football had not delivered victory, Italy held their nerve and won the penalty shootout.
Teams :
England
Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young, Rooney and Welbeck. Subs: Carroll (for Welbeck – 60), Walcott (for Milner – 61) and Henderson (for Parker – 94).
Italy
Buffon, Abate, Bonucci, Barzagli, Balzaretti, Marchisio, Pirlo, De Rossi, Montolivo, Cassano and Balotelli. Subs: Diamanti (for Cassano – 78), Nocerino (for De Rossi – 80) and Maggio (for Abate – 90).
Match Report :
England were unchanged. For Italy the injured Chiellini was replaced by Bonucci. Montolivo and Balotelli replaced Motta and De Natale.
This was a fascinating game to watch. There was as much goalmouth action in the first 15 minutes as in 90 of France and Spain. Indeed England looked pretty decent in the early stages and sought to get forward in numbers and take the game to Italy.
However it was the Azzurri who got forward first, Balotelli hitting a tame shot at team-mate Hart. Their next shot was far from tame. Montolivo laid a ball back to De Rossi and his sweet volley curled past Hart and rebounded off the woodwork. Back in the 60s, inspired by Brazilian winger Garrincha, we used to practice “banana shots” cutting across the ball with the outside of your foot and seeing it swing away; Granddad out on the wing and your Dad keeping goal. De Rossi’s effort brought back happy memories.
England might have scored within a minute. Johnson carried the ball down the right, passing to Young before drifting inside. Young found Milner down the wing and his lovely cross found Johnson in front of goal. With the superb Abate diving in front of him, Johnson had to lift the ball over him giving Buffon the chance to parry and then clasp it to his chest. Good stuff so far!
Rooney was quiet in the opening minutes but suddenly appeared wide left. His cross, aimed at Welbeck, is headed away for a corner. England penned Italy back for a while, lofting crosses into the box, till finally Buffon punched a Cole cross out to Parker but the midfielder dragged his shot wide.
Johnson was seeing a lot of the ball on England’s right. On 15 minutes his cross was headed over by Rooney. Both teams were then guilty of creating, then wasting, promising opportunities. Italy gradually eased themselves into the game with Balotelli looking lively up front. On 21 minutes they won their first corner but Welbeck headed it clear.
On 26 minutes Balotelli latched onto a long ball. As he shaped to shoot, a magnificent last ditch tackle from Terry saved our bacon. England’s attacking moves were becoming less frequent and usually broke down when Rooney or Young tried something overly ambitious.
By the half hour, Italy were pretty much camped in our half. It had all looked so promising early doors – Milner and Young were occupying the fullbacks and Rooney and/or Welbeck stood guard on Pirlo preventing the Italians from passing to him. Now Balzaretti and Abate were playing in our half of the field and demonstrated that they were no mean footballers. Pirlo strode around, unchallenged.
Despite defending with 11 men England were still susceptible to the looped ball forward. Montolivo chipped it in and Balotelli, seemingly off balance, hit another shot straight at Hart. Suddenly England broke out and moved swiftly downfield. The ball was played to Rooney, again wide left (I thought Young was playing there BTW) and his pass to Welbeck was blasted over.
Italy then moved back into England’s half. On 38 minutes Cassano took a pot from range which Hart needed two goes at saving. Then Pirlo set up a glorious chance which Balotelli somehow stuck over the top from close range. Moments later only a timely intervention from Lescott denied the striker another scoring chance.
Young, Welbeck and Rooney were involved in a further breakaway but the club-mates were not on the same wavelength and possession was squandered yet again. Italy quickly moved the ball forward and Balotelli hit a 25 yard screamer just over the top. Half time 0-0.
England again started brightly enough. Milner sold Balzaretti a classic dummy and fired in an excellent cross. Both Welbeck and Rooney had run too far – one in, one out you fools! Then Italy won a corner and Hart’s punch was headed back in to De Rossi. It seemed he must score but somehow the ball went wide.
Italy then enjoyed another period of pressure. Terry was immense, heading crosses away yet back came Italy. Pirlo’s long range effort was parried by Hart, Balotelli’s follow up was also blocked then Cassano shot over the bar. England could get no time on the ball and whenever Parker or Gerrard looked up, all they saw in the other half was Buffon leaning against his goal post.
Abate was running riot down England’s left. Cole got little help from Young and the Italian seemed happy to take them both on at every opportunity. On the hour, another right wing cross from the fullback found Balotelli, back to goal. The striker held off Terry and contrived an overhead kick which went high.
In previous matches, Roy’s substitutions had been spot on but the ones he made on 60 minutes hinted at panic. Theo on, by all means – but taking off Milner who was at least trying to help out and not Young who’d contributed nothing looked ill-judged. Replacing Welbeck with Carroll was even harder to fathom. Carroll does all his good work in the other box. In a game where we are defending deep he is a liability. He drops back into his own half seeking the ball and invariably commits a string of fouls as he is incapable of a clean tackle. Presenting Pirlo with more opportunities to put the ball into our box was not what England’s beleaguered defence needed. Get Welbeck off by all means but Defoe or Oxo would have been of more use.
On 63 minutes Montolivo and Pirlo carved out another chance but De Rossi lashed it wide. On 66 Theo charged down the right and hit a cross over for Carroll to challenge for. The ball dropped for Young whose shot hit a defender. The corner came in a Carroll fouled somebody. Then Rooney found Theo on the edge of the box. He laid it back to Parker and went for the return but the pass was overhit and rolled into touch.
On 72 minutes Gerrard went down. A nation held its breath as Henderson warmed up. Fortunately it was just a bit of cramp – the players all took the opportunity to take a drink before play restarted.
On 77 minutes Gerrard lofted a free kick across the box. Again his cross was right on the money but Rooney, looking strangely out of sorts, got under the ball. Italy then brought on Diamanti for Cassano and the former Hammer was soon involved. His curling corner was punched clear by Hart. With Nocerino on for De Rossi, Italy continued to control play and Pirlo now found so much space it was embarrassing. Diamanti hit a dipping 25 yarder that Hart held at the 2nd attempt.
The treat of extra time forced England forward in the hope of nicking a winner. Parker’s shot was blocked by Balzaretti. On 87 minutes Carroll’s angled shot rebounds to Parker but again his attempted pass to Theo was badly overhit.
As injury time began, Abate limped from the field and was replaced by Maggio. In the dying seconds England mounted one last attack. Cole overlapped on the left and delivered the ball for Carroll at the back stick. He headed back across the goal but Rooney’s attempted overhead kick missed the mark. We should know by now those only come off when he dons the red of Manchester United. Time up 0-0.
Parker had looked shagged-out so it was no surprise when he was replaced by Henderson on 94 minutes. Try as I might I cannot recall Henderson touching the ball at all. With both teams tiring the game got stretched and players dragged themselves up and down the park. The first meaningful shot of extra time came from Balotelli – safely collected by Hart. A minute later Hart was beaten. Looked like an attempted cross from Diamanti but it went beyond everyone but bounced away of the far post.
England’s goal had lived such a charmed life one might have believed this was our night – what simple fools we are! Yet after 15 minutes it remained 0-0.
Italy continued to press and now it was Carroll back in his own box heading the crosses away. On 112 minutes Balotelli had another punt – this a long range free kick that soared over the bar. Should’ve let Pirlo take it!
Then Johnson again saved England, sweeping round behind the centre backs as Italy threatened. He has done that well at the Euros.
On 115 minutes Italy finally got the ball in the net but the cameras confirmed that that Diamanti was offside so it didn’t count. The remainder of the match seemed to take place inside our box. Even them Montolivo got one last chance to score but his effort went wide. 120 minutes were up. 0-0. It would be penalties!
The condemned men were selected by coaches and Joe Hart studied pictures on an iPad. I hope they were of Italian penalty takers.
A coin was tossed, a decision was made and Balotelli followed Buffon and Hart towards the goal where the action would decide who would face Germany in the semi-final.
Penalties
Balotelli Scored - Beat Hart with a shot into the corner. 0-1 Italy
Gerrard Scored - Pretty much identical to Balotelli’s shot. 1-1
Montolivo Missed - Low shot, wide of the post. 1-1
Rooney Scored - Looked nervous, but sent Buffon the wrong way. 2-1
Pirlo Scored - Chipped over Hart’s dive. Imperious! 2-2
Young Missed - Crashed against the bar. Oh No! 2-2
Nocerino Scored - Stutter sends Hart the wrong way 2-3
Cole Saved - Too soft. Buffon pounces on it 2-3
Diamanti Scored - Safely tucked away. Goodnight nurse! 2-4 Italy
Make no mistake, England are not a bad side. They defend well. Their back 5 is as good as any who’ve played in the Euros this summer - but that just makes us an average team on the international stage. Our midfield cannot hold onto the ball. We seem afraid of it and try to dump it too soon. Our forwards are not clever enough. They have neither the wit nor the talent to hurt the better footballing nations.
So we are condemned to exist in the purgatory that is quarterfinals and penalty shoot-outs until someone, somewhere forces us to hold the ball like Spain, pass like Italy and score like Germany. It is not rocket science yet we always seem to find an excuse to choose effort over skills. Utter bloody madness!
Now at least we can look forward to semi-finals where expert footballers can demonstrate how the game ought to be played.
MOM: Pirlo (Italy)
• Europe’s largest cities by population (in millions): Moscow (14.8), Istanbul (13.0), London (12.5), Paris (10.5), Madrid (6.5), St Petersburg (4.7), Milan (4.6), Barcelona (4.5), Berlin (4.3), Naples (4.1), Athens (3.8), Rome (3.3) and Kiev (3.2).
The conurbation along the Ruhr in Germany (4.5) including Dortmund, Essen, etc is not included, as this comprises a number of separate cities.
