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!

Bah, you've overtaken me. And all because of that arrogant, lying, disloyal, double-chinned, money-grabbing, diving, egotistical manbaby tw@!

The second half starts slowly although there were a few dangerous crosses. One of those crosses finds Semih and his header beats the keeper, although he could have done better.

Both teams are showing some endeavour but the end product has been poor and considering the wet condition, anything skidding along the ground has to be considered dangerous for keepers.

Tuncay finds some space and attempts to find Nihat but it was just too far in front. A Swiss break has 4 on 2 and the ball comes to the edge of the box for Yakin and the keeper makes a low save and just does enough to stop the follow up from sneaking in.

A lot of huffing and puffing into the last minutes and Turkey break with Arda. He works his way to the edge of the box, he shoots, the ball deflects up and over the keeper to steal the win and send the Swiss out of the competition.

Patient play from both teams as they pass it around. The rain starts lashing it down and starts to collect on the surface. Turkey have a skiddy shot saved and Yakin's effort for the Swiss looked to be going wide but was saved.

Barnetta's freekick was curling but looked like going wide and that was saved. A Turkey free kick is saved into a Turkish player, flicks the edge of the post and goes wide.

A Swiss move finds Derdiyok who takes it round the keeper and slides it across the 6 yard box for Yakin to tap in. The ball almost stopped dead across the box with so much water there.
A sweet cross beats everyone and Yakin has another tap in but he misses that one.

The rain has made it very difficult but has livened up a dull first half.

Nuno Gomes twice wriggles free but the first shot is tamely hit at Cech and the defender blocks the 2nd attempt. Portugal starting to create good chances as Simao gets a shot away which Cech blocks.

The Czechs looked good at set pieces when a flick header flashed across the face of goal with two players unable to turn it in. Straight down the other end, a square ball found Ronaldo in a bit of space and hit beats the keeper to take the lead 2-1.

The game fizzled out a bit with all the subs. A cross from the Czechs found Sionko for a free header which was tipped over the bar. It was over when Portugal won a free kick and took it quickly, finding Ronaldo onside in acres of space. He passes to Quaresma who taps it in.

Portugal pretty much safe in the Quarter Finals now after this result although not qualified just yet.

A slow start to the game exploded into life when Portugal did some nice passing on the edge of the box and Ronaldo had the ball, Cech got a foot to it but played it into the path of Deco who eventually scrambled it in through the legs of a defender and the despairing dive of Cech for 1-0.

The Czechs started creating opportunities and from a corner, Sionko powers a header past the keeper for 1-1. The Portugal defence started to look shaky but the game was pretty evenly balanced. Ronaldo's long range effort forced a diving save from Cech and Ronaldo's free kick was also saved by Cech to end the first half.

Portugal the better team but chances at a premium. Could still go either way.

I only made the 2 changes. Hitzlsperger out for Galasek as Galasek is more likely to play. Postiga (my sub) out for Pavlyuchenko. He looked lively in the defeat to Spain and I think Russia should score against Greece.

Schweinsteiger out, Sneijder in. Stupidly I chose blonde german over the dutch guy when i made the team.
I wanted to bring Robben in as well but he's still unlikely to play against France and i'd have to find a replacement for Bouhlarouz with the 2 player limit.
Luca Toni survives the cut but only because Romania are next up.

Charisteas went on a mazey run but his shot went straight to Isakkson. Svensson's shot on the volley went sailing wide. The game was being played in a frantic pace as a great passing move gave Larsson a shot but he was way offside.

It settled down after around 20 minutes and Sweden started to press home an advantage. Ibrahimovic has his back towards goal with the keeper stranded but his flick header went over the bar. Isakkson made a save late on in the first half from a long range effort.

The second half saw Wilhelmsson try to chip the Greece keeper but it went over the bar. Ibrahimovic hit a free kick over the bar.

Sweden looked more and more likely to score and they did so when Larsson laid the bar to Ibrahimovic to smash past the Greek keeper. They didn't have to wait much longer to put Greece away as Ljungberg got free and the keeper rushed out to block, the ball was looped back in and the defenders didn't deal with it. It came off Hanssen's leg and went through the keepers legs for 2-0.

Sweden looked in control of the game but they needed that goal as Greece could have nicked one.

I wouldnt bother with the first half.
I'll be missing both games tomorrow and will have to catch the highlights as i dont have a video-recorder anymore.

I'm always out Tuesday nights so I've not seen the Sweden V Greece game. I've recorded it so I'll stick my thoughts on it later.