Viewing Thread:
"Euro 2008"

This is the place to discuss Euro 2008 starting June 7th. I, as ever, will be watching as much as I possibly can and I'll try to keep this up to date with match results, goalscorers and possibly a review of each match.

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Here are the upcoming matches and the channels you can catch them:

Group Stages

Switzerland 0 V 1 Czech Republic (A) - June 7th
Sverkos 70'
Portugal 2 V 0 Turkey (A) - June 7th
Pepe 61'
Raul Meireles 90+3'
Austria 0 V 1 Croatia (B) - June 8th
Modric Pen 4'
Germany 2 V 0 Poland (B) - June 8th
Podolski (2) 20' + 72'
Romania 0 V 0 France (C) - June 9th
Netherlands 3 V 0 Italy (C) - June 9th
Van Nistelrooy 26'
Sneijder 31'
Van Bronckhorst 79'
Spain 4 V 1 Russia (D) - June 10th
Villa (3) 20', 44' + 75'
Fabregas 90+1'
Pavlyuchenko 86'
Greece 0 V 2 Sweden (D) - June 10th
Ibrahimovic 67'
Hanssen 72'
Czech Republic 1 V 3 Portugal (A) - June 11th
Deco 8'
Sionko 17'
Ronaldo 63'
Quaresma 90+1'
Switzerland 1 V 2 Turkey (A) - June 11th
Yakin 32'
Semih 57'
Arda 90+2'
Croatia 2 V 1 Germany (B) - June 12th
Srna 24'
Olic 62'
Podolski 79'
Schweinsteiger sent off
Austria 1 V 1 Poland (B) - June 12th
Guerreiro 30' (Poland)
Vastic Pen 90+3' (Austria)
Italy 1 V 1 Romania (C) - June 13th
Mutu 55' (Romania)
Panucci 56' (Italy)
Netherlands 4 V 1 France (C) - June 13th
Kuyt 9'
Van Persie 59'
Henry 71'
Robben 72'
Sneijder 90+2'
Sweden 1 V 2 Spain (D) - June 14th
Torres 15'
Ibrahimovic 34'
Villa 90+2'
Greece 0 V 1 Russia (D) - June 14th
Zyryanov 33'
Switzerland 2 V 0 Portugal (A) - June 15th
Yakin 71' + Pen 83'
Turkey 3 V 2 Czech Republic (A) - June 15th
Koller 34'
Plasil 62'
Arda 75'
Nihat 87' + 89'
Volkan sent off
Austria 0 V 1 Germany (B) - June 16th
Ballack 49'
Poland 0 V 1 Croatia (B) - June 16th
Klasnic 53'
France 0 V 2 Italy (C) - June 17th
Abidal sent off
Pirlo pen 25'
De Rossi 62'
Netherlands 2 V 0 Romania (C) - June 17th
Huntelaar 54'
Van Persie 87'
Greece 1 V 2 Spain (D) - June 18th
Charisteas 42'
De La Red 61'
Guiza 88'
Russia 2 V 0 Sweden (D) - June 18th
Pavlyuchenko 24'
Arshavin 50'

Quarter Finals

Portugal 2 V 3 Germany - June 19th
Schweinsteiger 22'
Klose 26'
Nuno Gomes 40'
Ballack 61'
Postiga 87'
Croatia 1 V 1 Turkey AET - June 20th
Turkey win 3-1 on penalties
Klasnic 119' (Croatia)
Semih 120+2' (Turkey)
Holland 1 V 3 Russia AET - June 21st
Pavlyuchenko 56'
Van Nistelrooy 86'
Torbinskiy 112'
Arshavin 116'
Spain 0 V 0 Italy AET - June 22nd
Spain win 4-2 on penalties

Semi Finals

Germany 3 V 2 Turkey - June 25th
Boral 22'
Schweinsteiger 26'
Klose 79'
Semih 86'
Lahm 90'
Russia 0 V 3 Spain - June 26th
Xavi 50'
Guiza 73'
Silva 82'

Final

Germany 0 V 1 Spain - June 29th
Torres 33'

SPAIN WIN EURO 2008!

England Vs Argentina in the head to head finals for me and GP.

I made my changes a little while ago to give false hope that I'd forget. Anyway, the semi final between Germany V Turkey.

Turkey starting well as Kazim fires a shot at Lehmann. A mistake by Lahm let Turkey in but Lehmann does well to snuff out the chance. The ball is pulled back to Kazim and he smashes it onto the bar. The chance isn't over as Semih tries to turn it in but the defender gets in the way.

Turkey take a deserved lead when the ball is scooped onto the bar and it lands at the feet of Boral and he squeezes it through Lehmann's legs. Germany then surprise everyone by levelling the scores. Podolski down the left crosses in and Schweinsteiger is there to flick the ball into the corner.

Lehmann looks like he's going to easily grab a free kick and then it looks like it's going over him and in so he has to palm it over. Podolski breaks free from the halfway line and his shot goes over.

Lehmann has to react quickly to a curling free kick and punch it away. Turkey have another long range effort go over as they continue to be the better team. Somehow, Germany go in level at half time.

Not much to talk about in the 2nd half and it looks to be heading to a draw but with 10 minutes to go, Klose pops up with a goal. Rustu made a poor decision to come out and try and claim it and Klose heads into an empty net.

Turkey get themselves level when some good work by Sabri down the right finds Semih to flick in and beat Lehmann at his near post. Germany produce some lovely passing and Lahm keeps running, he receives the ball in the box and beats the keeper to give Germany the lead again in the 90th minute. Germany hold on and head to the final!

Right GP/Nin, I've made my changes ready for the semi-finals:

* Van der Sar replaced by Lehmann
* Pepe replaced by Lahm
* Van Bronckhorst replaced by Capdevila
* Ćorluka replaced by Sergio Ramos
* Mathijsen replaced by Anyukov
* Cristiano Ronaldo replaced by Schweinsteiger
* Sneijder replaced by Zhirkov
* Klose replaced by Arshavin
* Klasnić replaced by Podolski

Plus the three I haven't changed:

* Ballack
* Torres
* Fabregas

I think I'll have to pick my captains wisely if I've got any chance of catching either of you two up. Perhaps Lehman? Double points if he gets a goal!!

[Edit] Note the lack of Turkey players in my team? They really can't win again can they, especially against Germany? They're rubbish to watch so they'd better not make it to the final.

Slow, patient build up from the Spanish as the Italians look to shut the door at the back and frustrate them. A cross comes in and Perrotta runs in and beats the defender to the ball but his header is straight at the keeper.

Spain test Buffon with a Villa free kick but he is up to the challenge. A cross comes in for Toni but his free header is straight into Marchena. Spain with plenty of controlled possession but neither keeper has been severely tested yet. In the end, it was a fairly lifeless first half with the Italians trying to hit Spain from wide areas and Spain have had a lot of the ball but can't break the Italian defence, which is almost all the players in the team.

Slow start again to the second half as both teams have efforts that didn't trouble the keepers. Italy get a great chance on the hour when the ball is bouncing round the Spanish box with Casillas racing back into goal and Camoranesi's shot was saved.

Senna's free kick is punched off the line by Buffon and then a minute later Senna strikes another one, Buffon gets behind it, it squirms free, bounces off the post and into the grateful hands of Buffon.

Italy have a great chance when Di Natale crosses, Toni turns and makes contact but if he had left it, Grosso would have scored. Spain have had the better of the 90 minutes but it's extra time again.

Silva fires a shot just wide as Spain continue to be the better side. Di Natale forces Casillas to tip it over from his header. Toni tries to flick it in at the near post but it lands on the roof of the net. The first half of extra time is over and penalties look on the cards.

They play out a dull 0-0 draw and it's penalties.

Villa scores - 1-0 Spain
Grosso scores - 1-1
Cazorla scores - 2-1 Spain
De Rossi saved - 2-1 Spain
Senna scores - 3-1 Spain
Camoranesi scores - 3-2 Spain
Guiza saved - 3-2 Spain
Di Natale saved - 3-2 Spain
Fabregas scores - 4-2 Spain

Spain win the shootout and play Russia in the semi finals!

Vampyr wrote:
> Cmon Italy, you can do it!

What? Kill off the tournament?
The semi's could have been Portugal Vs Croatia and Holland Vs Spain/Italy. Instead it's Germany Vs Turkey and Russia Vs Spain/Italy. It'll be a big disappointment if Italy win tonight.

Cmon Italy, you can do it!

Zhirkov forces a good save out of Van Der Sar early from a free kick. Pavlyuchenko puts a free header over and he'll be kicking himself over that chance I think. Holland struggling to get in the game early.

Engelaar fizzes a shot wide and a ball is fed into the danger area and Van Nistelrooy should have scored as he was free and the ball was in reach. Arshavin twists and turns and gets a shot away and Van Der Sar makes a fine finger tip save. Kolodin hits a shot from distance and another save from Van Der Sar. Kolodin hits another over.

Van Nistelrooy turns and gets free of the defence but Akinfeev saves. A mistake by the defence gives the ball to Van Der Vaart but his shot was straight at the keeper and parried. And that's half time. Keepers in charge so far.

Russia get a cross in and Pavlyuchenko beats the defender to the ball and scores. Things looking bleak for Holland as they struggle to create any meaningful chances with 20 minutes left. Anyakov from a tight angle forces Van Der Sar to stick a hand out and save.

Van Der Sar stops Pavlyuchenko when a defensive mistake gets him free in the box. Sneijder from distance and it flies just over. Sneijder is firing them in from all angles but there is still no way through.

5 minutes to go and Sneijder whips a great ball into the box from a free kick and it finds Van Nistelrooy's head to level it up. Kolodin had already been booked and he had shown him a second yellow card. The ref then reverses the decision and the replay shows it was a good call. Extra time it is.

Sneijder goes on a charge but his shot is tame. Arshavin gets a shot away and Van Der Sar almost bobbles it but gathers it. Van Nistelrooy gives himself a yard but his shot goes over. Pavlyuchenko goes close but it hits the bar.

Torbinskiy is found by Arshavin in acres of space but he fluffs his shot. He could have had a touch. Kolodin smashes a free kick wide as Russia stamp their authority on extra time and we head into the 2nd half of extra time all square.

Russia continue to press as a nice passing move ends with the ball fizzed across the 6 yard box but no one can put it in. Russia down the wing and Arshavin chips the ball over Van Der Sar and it finds Torbinskiy to dink it in for 2-1 with 7 minutes remaining.

A simple throw in and Arshavin latches onto it, he shoots, deflects through the legs of Van Der Sar and it's 3-1 Russia with 3 minutes left. Holland are down and out as the final whistle goes.

Turkey with the early pressure but Croatia are the closest to scoring first as a cross comes in for Olic but he scoops it onto the bar and the rebound is headed over by Kranjcar.

Turkey go close when a shot is fired just wide with the keeper scrambling. Croatia left him a bit too much space. All in all, a combative first half rather than a half full of chances.

Olic latches on to a high bouncing ball in the box not dealt with. The keeper doesn't deal with and Olic can't get it towards goal but the defenders don't deal with it and Olic gets a touch but can't find the goal.

Kranjcar gets between 2 defenders but can only poke it towards goal. Croatia move the ball well and a 1-2 sets Rakatic free but he blazes it over. Olic heads wide as Croatia look the more likely to score with 15 minutes to go.

Srna goes close with a free kick that is well saved and Olic tries to poke one in from close range but it is stopped. Srna has another free kick smothered and Olic goes close again but no joy and it's extra time.

Turkey start extra time better and they go close with a Semih shot and Tuncay, which just goes wide. Extra time pounds on as Modric gets the ball ahead of Rustu, Rustu in no mans land as Modric crosses for Klasnic to head into the corner of the goal with no time left.

With seconds remaining, Rustu lumps a long free kick up the field and the defence don't deal with and Semih swings a foot at it and it flies into the top corner to send the game to penalties.

Modric misses - 0-0
Arda scores - 1-0 Turkey
Srna scores - 1-1
Semih scores - 2-1 Turkey
Rakatic misses - 2-1 Turkey
Altintop scores - 3-1 Turkey
Petric saved - Turkey win 3-1 on penalties!

Oh you've got to be f**king kidding me!

* Weeps *

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah wooooooooooooooooooooo!
Thank god for that. I dont think i could have sat through watching Turkey again.