A sensational late penalty save from Gianluigi Buffon has kept Italy's Euro 2008 hopes alive with the Azzurri securing a 1-1 draw against Romania in Zurich today.
In a pulsating contest, Buffon saved from Adrian Mutu's penalty with ten minutes to go to keep Italy on level terms, ensuring that Italy goes into its third game against France with a chance of qualification.
Mutu had earlier put the Romanians ahead after a horrible error by Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta on 55 minutes. But his goal was cancelled out less than 90 seconds later as Christian Panucci bundled home Daniele De Rossi's corner.
The result leaves Romania in second place, but the Romanians could have all but locked up qualification with a win, and Mutu was understandably distraught after the game.
As promised, Italian manager Roberto Donadoni wielded the axe after Italy's 3-0 capitulation to the Netherlands, making no fewer than five changes to his starting line-up. Giorgio Chiellini and Fabio Grosso replaced Andrea Barzagli and Marco Materazzi at the back, Roma pair De Rossi and Simone Perrotta came in for Milan's Gennaro Gattuso and Massimo Ambrosini, whilst Luca Toni was given more support up front, with Alessandro Del Piero being preferred to Antonio Di Natale.
Meanwhile, the Romanians were more settled, with manager Victor Piturca opting for just two changes. Paul Codrea replaced Razvan Cocis in midfield, while veteran winger Florentin Petre was given a chance in place of the more youthful Banel Nicolita.
It was an entertaining first half punctuated by many opportunities, and despite Italy dominating possession for much of the half, it was the Romanians who went closest to scoring on a number of occasions.
The Azzurri made their attacking intentions clear early, with full-backs Grosso and Zambrotta overlapping the wingers at every opportunity, and the first chance of the game fell to Del Piero, whose close-range header was blocked by Romania's giant centre-back Dorin Goian.
Many attacks came from the flanks, with Toni the target of many crosses. But the ball never really fell for him early on. Instead, it was Romania who forced Buffon into a number of early saves.
First, Mutu brought about a good save from Buffon after being released in behind Italy's hesitant defence, and then centre-back Gabriel Tamas tried a speculative shot from way out that tested Buffon.
Romania almost surged ahead on 20 minutes, after captain Christian Chivu's blasted free-kick took a deflection off Daniel Niculae, but the cross-bar came to Italy's rescue with Buffon rooted to his spot.
Romania's purpose to shoot from distance was becoming clear, as shortly after left-back Razvan Rat fired just wide with Buffon sprawling to his left.
However, it was Italy which ended the half stronger, as Toni began causing havoc in the Romanian penalty area.
Toni first set up Perrotta after 40 minutes, only for Codrea to execute a well-timed last-ditch lunge to avert the danger. Toni also met the subsequent corner from the right, but keeper Bogdan Lobont palmed his first effort away, and after the ball was played back into the penalty area, Lobont scurried across to punch clear again.
But the game's first moment of controversay came in first-half stoppage time, as Toni finally beat Lobont with a header only for the linesman to flag for offside.
A short-corner routine found Zambrotta, whose cross was nodded home by Toni, who appeared to be level with the last defender, but the Italian celebrations were cut short by both the referee and the linesman.
The second half started much in the same vein as the first ended, with Italy bossing possession. But again, it was Romania who created the better openings, and they were rewarded on 55 minutes after a horrible mix-up at the back.
Mutu nipped in on Zambrotta's blind-side as he attempted to deal with a high cross-field ball, intercepting his back backheader and finishing past a helpless Buffon with aplomb.
But with the Romanian supporters still celebrating, Italy charged down the other end and forged level less than two minutes later.
A hanging corner from De Rossi found Chiellini at the far post, and his header across goal was tapped home by Panucci.
A comparative lull in play ensued after those two minutes of high drama, as both teams made a number of substitutions.
Italy's Antonio Cassano almost had an immediate impact after replacing the ineffective Perrotta, as his centering ball was chested down by Toni to De Rossi, whose diving header forced a brilliant save by Lobont down to his right.
However, the game took another twist with 10 minutes to go as Romania was awarded a penalty after Panucci held back Niculae on the edge of the six-yard box.
Vehement Italian protests were waved away by Norwegian referee Tom Ovrebo, but Buffon proved to be the hero after he magnificently palmed Mutu's penalty away with a strong right hand.
Italy ventured forward in search of a winner after this let-off, but both teams settled for a draw. Italy now faces France on Tuesday evening, whilst Romania faces the Netherlands simultaneously.
Ratings
Italy
1 - Buffon - 8 - Outstanding penalty stop among other great saves.
2 - Panucci - 7 - Safe game, priceless goal.
3 - Grosso - 7 - Tirelessly got forward at every chance.
4 - Chiellini - 6 - Looked hesitant in his unfavoured centre-back position.
7 - Del Piero (c) - 7 - Supported Toni well before tiring.
9 - Toni - 7 - Better game today. Went to ground a bit easily though.
10 - De Rossi - 6 - Ran from box-to-box all game.
14 - Zambrotta - 5 - Terrible error for the goal. Gave ball away often.
16 - Camoranesi - 6 - Tried hard, but couldn't get into the game much.
20 - Perrotta - 5 - No impact.
21 - Pirlo - 6 - Pushed and probed without reward.
(SUB) 13 - Ambrosini - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 15 - Quagliarella - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 18 - Cassano - 6 - Pushed his case for starting XI berth.
Romania
1 - Lobont - 8 - Made some excellent saves.
2 - Contra - 6 - Safe for the most part.
3 - Rat - 7 - Didn't mind getting forward.
4 - Tamas - 7 - Led the defensive line well.
5 - Chivu - 7 - Some nice touches in the middle of the park.
6 - Radoi - 6 - Replaced early on after head-clash.
7 - Petre - 6 - In and out.
8 - Codrea - 7 - Screened his back four well. Some important blocks.
10 - Mutu - 8 - Played superbly apart from the penalty miss.
15 - Goian - 7 - Played well, but needless booking means he'll miss Netherlands game.
21 - Niculae - 6 - Workhorse performance.
(SUB) 12 - Cocis - 6 - No time.
(SUB) 16 - Nicolita - 6 - Lively.
(SUB) 20 - Dica - 6 - Decent game.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Portugal too strong for Czechs
Portugal has become the first nation to book passage into the quarter finals of Euro 2008 after securing a 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Geneva today.
The Portuguese were good value for their win, dominating possession for much of the game, and goals from Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Ricardo Quaresma were enough to see off a battling Czech side.
The Czechs fought hard for the entire game, and were in the contest until the very end, but their lack of cutting edge against the more classy Portuguese proved their undoing, despite an early goal from the impressive Libor Sionko.
Portuguese manager Luis Felipe Scolari named an unchanged side from Portugal's win over Turkey, whilst his Czech counterpart Karol Bruckner made two changes to his side that unconvincingly defeated Switzerland, replacing David Jarolim with Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky, and veteran striker Jan Koller with Milan Baros as the lone striker.
The Portuguese dominated the early exchanges, with Deco in particular looking lively, and in fact he got his name on the scoresheet after just eight minutes.
A clever build-up initiated by Deco ended with Ronaldo via Nuno Gomes just inside the penalty area. Cech saved Ronaldo's effort, but the ball fell back to Deco, who bundled the ball over the line despite the best efforts of Czech defender Marek Jankulovski to keep the ball out.
The goal served to settle the Portuguese players into a nice rhythm, so it came as somewhat of a surprise when the Czechs equalise less than 10 minutes later against the run of play.
Sionko forced the often-shaky Portuguese defence into conceding a corner after stealing in behind Paulo Ferreira, and he was duly rewarded for his efforts as the resulting corner from Jaroslav Plasil landed invitingly for him to rifle a diving header past goalkeeper Ricardo.
Portugal immediately set about restoring their advantage, but the combative Czech backline forced Petit, Deco and Ronaldo into shots from distance, which either sailed over the bar or were easily picked up by Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Matejovsky, Jan Polak and Tomas Galasek were making life difficult for the Portuguese, as they hassled their opposing midfield into loose passes and sloppy turnovers. Up front, Milan Baros tirelessly chased lost causes, keeping Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho on their toes.
Ronaldo seemed inclined to test Cech at every opportunity, and he brought about three smart saves before the interval.
So the teams went in level at half time, and just when it looked as if the Portuguese were settling into a similar rhythm after the break, they were nearly caught out by another raid down the right.
Sionko again found space in behind the nervy Paulo Ferreira, and after being played in by Matejovsky, Bosingwa was hurried into a clearance to avert the danger. The subsequent corner was also only dealt with at the second attempt, and it became clear that the Czechs' best chance of going in front would come from a set-piece, as Ricardo in particular looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Shortly after, however, the Czech defence repeatedly allowed Ronaldo, Simao and Nuno Gomes too much freedom, and the latter nearly punished them after a mistake by David Rozehnal, but Rozehnal scurried back to block his effort. Simao was the next to next test Cech, but his shot was disappointingly too close to the giant keeper.
Immediately, the Czechs raced down the other end, and from another corner, they nearly went ahead. Captain Tomas Ujfalusi rose highest to meet Plasil's hanging cross, and his near-post flick only just evaded the lunging Baros and Sionko when only a touch was needed.
They were made to pay for the miss, however, as Ronaldo restored Portugal's lead just over a minute later.
After Moutinho appeared to be fouled by Matejovsky, the Greek referee Kyros Vassaras played a good advantage as the ball fall to Deco on the right flank. His square cross was met by Ronaldo, who first-time slid the ball past Cech's right-hand from 18 yards.
It was a deserved goal for Portugal, as their lion's share of possession finally brought them joy.
The Czechs did not lie down, though. Paulo Ferreira made a timely intervention from Zdenek Grygera's deep cross as substitute Tomas Vlcek was ready to pounce, and Milan Baros had a golden opportunity as Plasil found him with a dangerous cross, but he headed wide.
But it was Libor Sionko who had the Czech's best chance to equalise. With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Sionko found space between Bosingwa and Pepe, but his header from Vlcek's delightful cross was wonderfully tipped over by Ricardo. A yard either side and the keeper would have been struggling.
But inevitably, as the Czechs poured forward in search of an equalizer, gaping holes were being left in defence, and the Portuguese substitute Quaresma made the game safe in stoppage time.
After spurning a chance only minutes earlier, he wasn't going to waste his second. A quick, lofted Deco free kick from deep inside his own half sprang the offside trap as Ronaldo raced through on goal. Quaresma joined in, and after Cech committed, Ronaldo rolled the ball sideways for Quaresma to tap the ball into the empty net.
The result was perhaps slightly harsh on the Czechs, which now faces a must-win game against Turkey to qualify from Group A. Portugal await Switzerland in its final group game in Basel.
Ratings
Portugal
1 - Ricardo - 6 - Little to do. Looked uncomfortable with set-pieces.
2 - Paulo Ferreira - 6 - Shaky.
4 - Bosingwa - 7 - Got forward well.
7 - Ronaldo - 7 - Didn't dominate, but earned his goal in good performance.
8 - Petit - 7 - Combative.
10 - Moutinho - 6 - Struggled to impose himself.
11 - Simao - 6 - Quiet game.
15 - Pepe - 6 - Looked vulnerable defending set-pieces.
16 - Carvalho - 7 - Stable.
20 - Deco - 8 - Excellent game. Started many Portuguese attacks. Hand in all 3 goals.
21 - Nuno Gomes (c) - 6 - Didn't see much of the ball.
(SUB) 5 - Meira - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 9 - Almeida - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 17 - Quaresma - 7 - Managed to get himself on the scoresheet in limited time.
Czech Republic
1 - Cech - 7 - Made a lot of saves. Little he could do about goals.
2 - Grygera - 6 - Defended Ronaldo quite well. Didn't get forward enough.
3 - Polak - 7 - Worked extremely hard.
4 - Galasek - 7 - Unsung performance screening the back four.
6 - Jankulovski - 6 - Mixed bag.
7 - Sionko - 8 - The Czech's brightest player.
15 - Baros - 6 - Didn't stop running, but little reward for effort.
17 - Matejovsky - 7 - Toiled well, made some nice passes.
20 - Plasil - 6 - Dangerous over set-pieces, not much impact otherwise.
21 - Ujfalusi (c) - 7 - Assured for most of the game.
22 - Rozehnal - 7 - Some important interventions, but a bit inconsistent.
(SUB) 9 - Koller - 6 - A handful in his limited minutes.
(SUB) 11 - Vlcek - 6 - Some dangerous passes after coming on.
(SUB) 14 - Jarolim - 6 - No time.
The Portuguese were good value for their win, dominating possession for much of the game, and goals from Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Ricardo Quaresma were enough to see off a battling Czech side.
The Czechs fought hard for the entire game, and were in the contest until the very end, but their lack of cutting edge against the more classy Portuguese proved their undoing, despite an early goal from the impressive Libor Sionko.
Portuguese manager Luis Felipe Scolari named an unchanged side from Portugal's win over Turkey, whilst his Czech counterpart Karol Bruckner made two changes to his side that unconvincingly defeated Switzerland, replacing David Jarolim with Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky, and veteran striker Jan Koller with Milan Baros as the lone striker.
The Portuguese dominated the early exchanges, with Deco in particular looking lively, and in fact he got his name on the scoresheet after just eight minutes.
A clever build-up initiated by Deco ended with Ronaldo via Nuno Gomes just inside the penalty area. Cech saved Ronaldo's effort, but the ball fell back to Deco, who bundled the ball over the line despite the best efforts of Czech defender Marek Jankulovski to keep the ball out.
The goal served to settle the Portuguese players into a nice rhythm, so it came as somewhat of a surprise when the Czechs equalise less than 10 minutes later against the run of play.
Sionko forced the often-shaky Portuguese defence into conceding a corner after stealing in behind Paulo Ferreira, and he was duly rewarded for his efforts as the resulting corner from Jaroslav Plasil landed invitingly for him to rifle a diving header past goalkeeper Ricardo.
Portugal immediately set about restoring their advantage, but the combative Czech backline forced Petit, Deco and Ronaldo into shots from distance, which either sailed over the bar or were easily picked up by Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Matejovsky, Jan Polak and Tomas Galasek were making life difficult for the Portuguese, as they hassled their opposing midfield into loose passes and sloppy turnovers. Up front, Milan Baros tirelessly chased lost causes, keeping Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho on their toes.
Ronaldo seemed inclined to test Cech at every opportunity, and he brought about three smart saves before the interval.
So the teams went in level at half time, and just when it looked as if the Portuguese were settling into a similar rhythm after the break, they were nearly caught out by another raid down the right.
Sionko again found space in behind the nervy Paulo Ferreira, and after being played in by Matejovsky, Bosingwa was hurried into a clearance to avert the danger. The subsequent corner was also only dealt with at the second attempt, and it became clear that the Czechs' best chance of going in front would come from a set-piece, as Ricardo in particular looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Shortly after, however, the Czech defence repeatedly allowed Ronaldo, Simao and Nuno Gomes too much freedom, and the latter nearly punished them after a mistake by David Rozehnal, but Rozehnal scurried back to block his effort. Simao was the next to next test Cech, but his shot was disappointingly too close to the giant keeper.
Immediately, the Czechs raced down the other end, and from another corner, they nearly went ahead. Captain Tomas Ujfalusi rose highest to meet Plasil's hanging cross, and his near-post flick only just evaded the lunging Baros and Sionko when only a touch was needed.
They were made to pay for the miss, however, as Ronaldo restored Portugal's lead just over a minute later.
After Moutinho appeared to be fouled by Matejovsky, the Greek referee Kyros Vassaras played a good advantage as the ball fall to Deco on the right flank. His square cross was met by Ronaldo, who first-time slid the ball past Cech's right-hand from 18 yards.
It was a deserved goal for Portugal, as their lion's share of possession finally brought them joy.
The Czechs did not lie down, though. Paulo Ferreira made a timely intervention from Zdenek Grygera's deep cross as substitute Tomas Vlcek was ready to pounce, and Milan Baros had a golden opportunity as Plasil found him with a dangerous cross, but he headed wide.
But it was Libor Sionko who had the Czech's best chance to equalise. With less than 10 minutes on the clock, Sionko found space between Bosingwa and Pepe, but his header from Vlcek's delightful cross was wonderfully tipped over by Ricardo. A yard either side and the keeper would have been struggling.
But inevitably, as the Czechs poured forward in search of an equalizer, gaping holes were being left in defence, and the Portuguese substitute Quaresma made the game safe in stoppage time.
After spurning a chance only minutes earlier, he wasn't going to waste his second. A quick, lofted Deco free kick from deep inside his own half sprang the offside trap as Ronaldo raced through on goal. Quaresma joined in, and after Cech committed, Ronaldo rolled the ball sideways for Quaresma to tap the ball into the empty net.
The result was perhaps slightly harsh on the Czechs, which now faces a must-win game against Turkey to qualify from Group A. Portugal await Switzerland in its final group game in Basel.
Ratings
Portugal
1 - Ricardo - 6 - Little to do. Looked uncomfortable with set-pieces.
2 - Paulo Ferreira - 6 - Shaky.
4 - Bosingwa - 7 - Got forward well.
7 - Ronaldo - 7 - Didn't dominate, but earned his goal in good performance.
8 - Petit - 7 - Combative.
10 - Moutinho - 6 - Struggled to impose himself.
11 - Simao - 6 - Quiet game.
15 - Pepe - 6 - Looked vulnerable defending set-pieces.
16 - Carvalho - 7 - Stable.
20 - Deco - 8 - Excellent game. Started many Portuguese attacks. Hand in all 3 goals.
21 - Nuno Gomes (c) - 6 - Didn't see much of the ball.
(SUB) 5 - Meira - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 9 - Almeida - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 17 - Quaresma - 7 - Managed to get himself on the scoresheet in limited time.
Czech Republic
1 - Cech - 7 - Made a lot of saves. Little he could do about goals.
2 - Grygera - 6 - Defended Ronaldo quite well. Didn't get forward enough.
3 - Polak - 7 - Worked extremely hard.
4 - Galasek - 7 - Unsung performance screening the back four.
6 - Jankulovski - 6 - Mixed bag.
7 - Sionko - 8 - The Czech's brightest player.
15 - Baros - 6 - Didn't stop running, but little reward for effort.
17 - Matejovsky - 7 - Toiled well, made some nice passes.
20 - Plasil - 6 - Dangerous over set-pieces, not much impact otherwise.
21 - Ujfalusi (c) - 7 - Assured for most of the game.
22 - Rozehnal - 7 - Some important interventions, but a bit inconsistent.
(SUB) 9 - Koller - 6 - A handful in his limited minutes.
(SUB) 11 - Vlcek - 6 - Some dangerous passes after coming on.
(SUB) 14 - Jarolim - 6 - No time.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Euro 2008 - Observations - 1
Well, with every team having played their opening games at Euro 2008, it is time for some preliminary observations.
1) The death of defensive football?
In the first eight games, fans have been wowed by the attacking performances of Germany, Portugal, Netherlands and Spain. Each played expansive, exciting football, with a particular focus on quick movement. It is no surprise, then, that many goals have come on the counter-attack.
Meanwhile, perennial defensive teams, with Italy leading the way, have been found wanting in the early stages of the tournament. Even teams who went ahead early in their games, such as Croatia, were nearly caught out as they went back into their shells and attempted to preserve a single-goal lead.
Hopefully there is more attacking football to come, and the 16 goals scored so far is added to at a rapid rate.
2) Don't write off the Italians
It's true. Italy was comprehensively beaten by a super-impressive Dutch team in their opening game. In fact, the Azzurri was beaten at its own game, with two sweeping counter-attacks bringing two outstanding goals, as the Italian defence was unable to withstand the onslaught.
Now, bottom of Group D, Italy faces must-win games against stubborn Romania and losing World Cup finalists France. But in this writer's opinion, write them off at your peril.
Italy very seldom puts two ordinary performances together, and will surely come out (if only slightly) more attack-minded against Romania.
Manager Roberto Donadoni lost the Netherlands game with his team selection in my view. Starting Milan veteran Massimo Ambrosini ahead of Daniele De Rossi was strange, as was the decision to wait until after the hour mark to introduce the in-form Alessandro Del Piero. Even Antonio Cassano looked lively when he was (eventually) brought on.
The form of Luca Toni was worrying. The jury's out on his major international tournament form, and with a giant Romanian defence to contend with on Friday, he would certainly be better served with a strike partner capable of unlocking the defence.
Nevertheless, Italy are by no means out of contention, and should be able to go one better than their French rivals and get past Romania.
3) Biggest Surprises
1) The death of defensive football?
In the first eight games, fans have been wowed by the attacking performances of Germany, Portugal, Netherlands and Spain. Each played expansive, exciting football, with a particular focus on quick movement. It is no surprise, then, that many goals have come on the counter-attack.
Meanwhile, perennial defensive teams, with Italy leading the way, have been found wanting in the early stages of the tournament. Even teams who went ahead early in their games, such as Croatia, were nearly caught out as they went back into their shells and attempted to preserve a single-goal lead.
Hopefully there is more attacking football to come, and the 16 goals scored so far is added to at a rapid rate.
2) Don't write off the Italians
It's true. Italy was comprehensively beaten by a super-impressive Dutch team in their opening game. In fact, the Azzurri was beaten at its own game, with two sweeping counter-attacks bringing two outstanding goals, as the Italian defence was unable to withstand the onslaught.
Now, bottom of Group D, Italy faces must-win games against stubborn Romania and losing World Cup finalists France. But in this writer's opinion, write them off at your peril.
Italy very seldom puts two ordinary performances together, and will surely come out (if only slightly) more attack-minded against Romania.
Manager Roberto Donadoni lost the Netherlands game with his team selection in my view. Starting Milan veteran Massimo Ambrosini ahead of Daniele De Rossi was strange, as was the decision to wait until after the hour mark to introduce the in-form Alessandro Del Piero. Even Antonio Cassano looked lively when he was (eventually) brought on.
The form of Luca Toni was worrying. The jury's out on his major international tournament form, and with a giant Romanian defence to contend with on Friday, he would certainly be better served with a strike partner capable of unlocking the defence.
Nevertheless, Italy are by no means out of contention, and should be able to go one better than their French rivals and get past Romania.
3) Biggest Surprises
1. The Netherlands
I don't think too many Dutch supporters could have anticipated their comprehensive display against Italy. Everything went right. Van Basten was spot on with his team selection, the defence held firm, a still-hotly debated goal has since been ruled legitimate, and they even showed signs of the "Total Football" of years gone past.
There is still a long way to go, but van Basten appears to have found a very promising mix with his Starting XI and extraordinarily deep bench. To be able to cover for Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben, and leave out classy players like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and the ever-improving Ibrahim Afellay, many people I'm sure will be sitting up and taking notice.
Unheralded players like Orlando Engelaar and Nigel de Jong fulfilled their jobs manfully, Giovanni van Bronckhorst played probably his best game for years, Khalid Boulahrouz teased Chelsea supporters by playing an outstanding game, and Ruud van Nistelrooy was predatory as usual.
Throw in the guile and creativity of Wes Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart, and the Netherlands make for a formidable line-up. If they can put in a similar performance against the desperate French, who knows how far they could go.
2. Romania
Staying in Group B, it looks as if everyone but the French heeded the warnings about Romania not just participating in Group B "to make up the numbers."
Judging by the listless French performance, they were either expecting an easier time of things against the unheralded Romanians, or they were just extremely poor.
Notwithstanding, Romania were full credit for their draw. Star player and captain Cristian Chivu led the team magnificently, and Adrian Mutu represetned a constant thorn in the French's side.
What they lack in star quality, the Romanians certainly make up for in work ethic and constant box-to-box running. Keep in mind, that Romania actually finished above the Netherlands in qualification, scoring 26 goals and conceding just 7 en route to Austria and Switzerland.
4. Biggest Disappointments
1. Croatia
It might seem silly to label one of the first round winners as "disappointing", but really, Croatia were lucky to escape with a 1-0 win against touted whipping-boys Austria.
After going ahead to a Luka Modric penalty in the 4th minute, Croatia failed to test Austrian keeper Jurgen Macho even once more, and had to soak up long periods of pressure as the Austrians, roared on by the parochial Viennese crowd, went in search of an equaliser.
The absence of Eduardo is still causing significant issues for Croatia, which lack a cutting edge in attack. Both Ivica Olic and Mladen Petric are workhorses (when Olic was substituted he looked on the verge of collapse), but they lack the killer instinct oft-required at these major tournaments.
At the back, the central pairing of Josip Simunic and Robert Kovac looked slow and vulnerable at times, whilst Portsmouth midfielder Niko Kranjcar was completely anonymous until he was substituted on the hour.
Luke Modric represents Croatia's best chance of progressing through the tournament. All attacking moves went through him, and he possesses the class his teammates seem to be lacking at present.
Smart money had Croatia at least reaching the semi-finals after an impressive qualification campaign. But the Croats face Germany next, and they will need to substantially improve on their first performance if they are to win anything out of this fixture.
2. France
Obviously Italy were the biggest disappointments in Group B's opening fixtures in terms of results, but the French certainly weren't too far behind.
France's performance lacked creativity, believe it or not. Despite having some of the best attacking players in Europe, namely Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda, the French were only able to fashion one shot on target in 90 minutes.
This is a fairly old French team, with Gregory Coupet between the sticks, the evergreen Lilian Thuram and Willy Sagnol still in defence and Claude Makelele patrolling in midfield. French fans were given a glimpse into the future when selection bolter Batefimbi Gomis and the seemingly Arsenal-bound Samir Nasri were brought on late in the game, but really, it was too late by then.
This is the last chance for the current French side to lift silverware, and the match against the Netherlands on Friday represents a golden opportunity for the side to fend off the milling doom-sayers.
3. Russia
Has Guus Hiddink's magical touch at major tournaments run out?
Russia's performance against Spain was nothing short of terrible. Hiddink gambled on two central defenders who had a combined total of 16 caps, in a move that spectacularly backfired, as both Roman Shirokov and Denis Kolodin looked spectacularly out of their depth, and were run ragged by David Villa and Fernando Torres. Surely the more experienced Berezutsky twins will come into consideration for the Greece game.
The isolation of Roman Pavlyuchenko up front didn't work, either. Despite getting his name on the scoresheet late on, he was constantly facing two or three defenders, and as the Spanish midfield gained the ascendancy, he drifted out of the game.
The Spanish defence looked vulnerable at times, and Russia could indeed have scored more than the one goal they totalled. But the defensive-minded formation didn't allow for much in attack, as the wet pitch, coupled with some lazy passing, made life extremely difficult.
Vladimir Bystrov played a decent cameo after coming off the bench at half time, but he was subsequently withdrawn himself just 25 minutes later. Dmitri Sychev, the so-called "Russian Michael Owen", was completely anonymous in the first half, whilst the central midfield trio of Sergei Semak, Igor Semshov and Konstantin Zyrianov were too often forced to lie deep in midfield as Iniesta and Xavi dictated play.
Semak in particular, brought in to replace the suspended midfield talisman Andrei Arshavin, didn't influence the game as much as Hiddink would've liked, and he will need to be at his creative best if Russia are to triumph in its must-win game against Greece.
Russia were tipped by many to emerge from what, on paper, seems a relatively even group with the exception of Spain. It now finds itself on the back-foot, but with winnable games against Greece and Sweden to come, they are not out of the mix for the second round yet.
5. Predictions
Here are my predictions for the next 8 games:
Czech Republic 0-2 Portugal
The Portuguese should have enough to get past the Czechs. The Czechs only squeaked past host-nation Switzerland, whilst Portugal were impressive against Turkey.
Switzerland 2-1 Turkey
Switzerland will still be reeling from the news that inspirational captain and leading striker Alexander Frei will miss the rest of the tournament, but they should still have enough in this must-win encounter to get past Turkey. There is a lot of bad blood between the nations following a spiteful World Cup qualifier playoff in 2005, but on home soil, Switzerland should edge this one. Turkey were disappointing against Portugal, and manager Fatih Terim will surely make changes to his side ahead of this match.
Croatia 1-3 Germany
Germany are like a well-oiled machine at the moment, getting the results they need, and even playing impressive football along the way. Croatia, as aforementioned, were disappointing against Austria, and unless they can produce a better display, the Germans should win this one.
Austria 0-2 Poland
Must-win game for Poland. It seems likely that Poland and Croatia will fight it out in their pivotal match on June 16 for the final qualifying spot after Germany, so the Poles, who weren't disgraced against Germany, should have enough to get past Austria.
Italy 2-0 Romania
Italy always seem to get results when they need them, and as said before, they very rarely put two poor performances together. The Romanians will give them a tough time, but Italy will surely win this one. I'd like to see Donadoni change things up, though. Del Piero should start, as well as De Rossi.
Netherlands 1-1 France
The French must get a result from this game to have any chance of progressing. If the Netherlands put in another display like the one against Italy, they could beat anybody. But look for the French to press forward more in attack, and they should be able to at least nick one goal against the Dutch. Certainly the pick of the second round of matches.
Sweden 1-2 Spain
Spain will have a tougher time of things against an experienced Swedish outfit. Sweden in fact defeated Spain during the qualifying tournament 2-0 in Stockholm, and so will certainly go into the game with confidence. But Spain's performance, especially the form of David Villa and Fernando Torres, who look to have finally struck up a deadly partnership, should be enough to get a win and book a place in Round 2.
Greece 0-1 Russia
It's strange. The Greeks are (figuratively) not the same side they were four years ago, but (in reality) it is the same side. Many of the 2004 squad are present in Austria & Switzerland, but really, they are among the weaker sides of the tournament. Russia entered the competition in better form, and I'm backing Guus Hiddink to get his side up for a narrow win here.
Virtuoso Villa Sinks Russians
A superb hat-trick from David Villa has lifted Spain to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Russia in the opening game of Group D at Euro 2008 in Innsbruck.
Despite only showing indifferent form in the lead-up to the tournament, the Spaniards put in an assured performance, outclassing a Russian side lacking any real creativity, and the margin could have been more had they not wasted a number of chances.
Villa's hat-trick, the first of the tournament, a late goal from Cesc Fabregas, and a comprehensive midfield performance all round will certainly please under-fire manager Luis Aragones.
For the Russians, manager Guus Hiddink will be immensely disappointed with his side's performance, which allowed the Spanish midfield, boasting the creative flair of Barcelona pair Xavi and Andres Iniesta too much space too often.
His defence will give him further headaches, as the inexperienced central pairing of Roman Shirokov and Denis Kolodin were run ragged by Villa and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.
Aragones sprang no real surprises in team selection, opting for the recently-ill Iniesta and Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna over Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, and partnering Villa and Torres up front. Whilst Hiddink handed a recall to veteran Sergei Semak, who had not played for the national side for two years, in place of suspended midfield talisman Andrei Arshavin. Hiddink also isolated Roman Pavlyuchenko alone up-front, in place of the injured Pavel Pogrebnyak.
Spain began the game looking sprightly, with Torres and Villa posing immediate problems for the Russian defence with their quick movement and interplay. They each had chances early on, but their shots were easily gathered by Russian keeper Igor Akinfeev.
Russia seemed content to play on the break from the beginning, but with wide players Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Dmitri Sychev struggling to impose themselves, the counter-attacks broke down quickly, and after twenty minutes they found themselves a goal behind after giving away possession cheaply.
Shirokov's loose pass was picked up by impressive Spanish left-back Joan Capdevila, who released Torres through the centre. After getting past Kolodin, he squared the ball to Villa, who needed to simply tap the ball home as Akinfeev had already committed.
The Russian response was swift, however, and after Sychev and right-back Alexander Anyukov combined well down the right, the latter's cross fell to Konstantin Zyrianov, but his low shot cannoned back off the upright and was cleared.
By now, the game was opening up, and almost immediately Torres could've been on the scoresheet at the other end, but his low shot was well saved by Akinfeev.
The greasy pitch made life difficult for the players, with the Russians in particular over-hitting passes as the ball skidded off the turf. But Russia's defensive frailties were evident once again a minute before half time, as Villa secured his brace.
On another swift counter-attack, the scheming Iniesta played a sumptuous through-ball to Villa, who slid the ball under Akinfeev first-time with the Russian defence completely flat-footed.
It was a pivotal goal just before the break, and it seemed to give Spain some sense of security, as their play immediately after the interval was somewhat sloppy, as the Russians enjoyed a good spell of possession.
Hiddink replaced Sychev with the lightning-quick Spartak Moscow winger Vladimir Bystrov, and he had an immediate impact, heading straight at Casillas after a well-worked corner routine. He perhaps should have done better, but the Russians were growing in confidence.
Torres was withdrawn in favour of Fabregas shortly after the interval in a tactical switch, and he nearly killed the game off after once again springing a poor Russian offside trap, but this time Akinfeev raced off his line to clear the danger.
But with a quarter hour to play, Villa completed his hat-trick and effectively killed the game off.
Fabregas played a well-weighted pass to Villa, who once again tormented Shirokov, going one way then the other, before wrong-footing Akinfeev with a near-post finish.
It was a just reward for a tireless performance, and he ran straight to the withdrawn Torres after scoring, in what was surely a sign of their ever-growing confidence in each other.
Once again, however, Spain's defending became casual after the goal, and Russia duly punished them this time from a corner.
A Zyrianov corner was flicked on at the near-post by Shirokov, before being met with a powerful header by Roman Pavlyuchenko, who solely led the Russian line for much of the game.
The Russians nearly gave Spain another fright only minutes later, but Semak, who found too much space, shot weakly at Casillas. Jolted into action by this near-miss, Spain raced down the other end and restored their three-goal advantage.
The industrious Villa led another swift counter before sliding the ball to Xavi. His shot was well blocked by Akinfeev, but Fabregas, who was in an offside position when Xavi took his shot, was on hand to knock in the rebound with a diving header.
It was an accomplished performance from Spain, which now faces Sweden in Innsbruck on Saturday, whilst Russia faces a must-win clash with defending champions Greece in Salzburg.
Ratings
Spain
1 - Casillas (c) - 7 - Will be disappointed to have not kept a clean sheet.
4 - Marchena - 7 - Defended well.
5 - Puyol - 7 - Reliable as always.
6 - Iniesta - 7 - Played some delightful passes.
7 - Villa - 10 - Hat-trick. Worked hard for the full 90 minutes.
8 - Xavi - 8 - Linked up well with Iniesta and Senna, as well as the strikers.
9 - Torres - 8 - Unlucky not to score himself before being substituted early.
11 - Capdevila - 8 - Very impressive.
15 - Sergio Ramos - 6 - Not himself, but neutralised Bilyaletdinov.
19 - Senna - 8 - Turned defence into attack at will.
21 - D. Silva - 8 - Tirelessly worked up and down the left flank.
(SUB) 10 - Fabregas - 7 - Slotted in nicely with Xavi and Senna.
(SUB) 12 - Santi Cazorla - 7 - Lively.
(SUB) 14 - Xabi Alonso - 6 - Little time.
Russia
1 - Akinfeev - 6 - Little he could do about goals. Kept well otherwise.
8 - Kolodin - 5 - Had a nightmare. Couldn't handle Torres or Villa.
11 - Semak - 6 - Was forced to drop too deep. Wasn't creative enough.
14 - Shirokov - 5 - Didn't fare much better than Kolodin.
15 - Bilyaletdinov - 7 - Tried to create, but was largely neutralised.
17 - Zyrianov - 7 - Battled hard for the full 90 minutes.
18 - Zhirkov - 6 - Decent game. Set piece delivery not good enough.
19 - Pavlyuchenko - 7 - Consolation goal. Faced three or four defenders often, but fought hard.
20 - Semshov - 6 - Battled. Lost midfield battle.
21 - Sychev - 6 - Not involved enough.
22 - Anyukov - 7 - Got forward at every opportunity.
(SUB) 6 - Adamov - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 7 - Torbinsky - 7 - Added some creativity off the bench.
(SUB) 23 - Bystrov - 6 - Only lasted on pitch 25 minutes before being subbed himself.
Despite only showing indifferent form in the lead-up to the tournament, the Spaniards put in an assured performance, outclassing a Russian side lacking any real creativity, and the margin could have been more had they not wasted a number of chances.
Villa's hat-trick, the first of the tournament, a late goal from Cesc Fabregas, and a comprehensive midfield performance all round will certainly please under-fire manager Luis Aragones.
For the Russians, manager Guus Hiddink will be immensely disappointed with his side's performance, which allowed the Spanish midfield, boasting the creative flair of Barcelona pair Xavi and Andres Iniesta too much space too often.
His defence will give him further headaches, as the inexperienced central pairing of Roman Shirokov and Denis Kolodin were run ragged by Villa and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.
Aragones sprang no real surprises in team selection, opting for the recently-ill Iniesta and Villarreal midfielder Marcos Senna over Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, and partnering Villa and Torres up front. Whilst Hiddink handed a recall to veteran Sergei Semak, who had not played for the national side for two years, in place of suspended midfield talisman Andrei Arshavin. Hiddink also isolated Roman Pavlyuchenko alone up-front, in place of the injured Pavel Pogrebnyak.
Spain began the game looking sprightly, with Torres and Villa posing immediate problems for the Russian defence with their quick movement and interplay. They each had chances early on, but their shots were easily gathered by Russian keeper Igor Akinfeev.
Russia seemed content to play on the break from the beginning, but with wide players Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Dmitri Sychev struggling to impose themselves, the counter-attacks broke down quickly, and after twenty minutes they found themselves a goal behind after giving away possession cheaply.
Shirokov's loose pass was picked up by impressive Spanish left-back Joan Capdevila, who released Torres through the centre. After getting past Kolodin, he squared the ball to Villa, who needed to simply tap the ball home as Akinfeev had already committed.
The Russian response was swift, however, and after Sychev and right-back Alexander Anyukov combined well down the right, the latter's cross fell to Konstantin Zyrianov, but his low shot cannoned back off the upright and was cleared.
By now, the game was opening up, and almost immediately Torres could've been on the scoresheet at the other end, but his low shot was well saved by Akinfeev.
The greasy pitch made life difficult for the players, with the Russians in particular over-hitting passes as the ball skidded off the turf. But Russia's defensive frailties were evident once again a minute before half time, as Villa secured his brace.
On another swift counter-attack, the scheming Iniesta played a sumptuous through-ball to Villa, who slid the ball under Akinfeev first-time with the Russian defence completely flat-footed.
It was a pivotal goal just before the break, and it seemed to give Spain some sense of security, as their play immediately after the interval was somewhat sloppy, as the Russians enjoyed a good spell of possession.
Hiddink replaced Sychev with the lightning-quick Spartak Moscow winger Vladimir Bystrov, and he had an immediate impact, heading straight at Casillas after a well-worked corner routine. He perhaps should have done better, but the Russians were growing in confidence.
Torres was withdrawn in favour of Fabregas shortly after the interval in a tactical switch, and he nearly killed the game off after once again springing a poor Russian offside trap, but this time Akinfeev raced off his line to clear the danger.
But with a quarter hour to play, Villa completed his hat-trick and effectively killed the game off.
Fabregas played a well-weighted pass to Villa, who once again tormented Shirokov, going one way then the other, before wrong-footing Akinfeev with a near-post finish.
It was a just reward for a tireless performance, and he ran straight to the withdrawn Torres after scoring, in what was surely a sign of their ever-growing confidence in each other.
Once again, however, Spain's defending became casual after the goal, and Russia duly punished them this time from a corner.
A Zyrianov corner was flicked on at the near-post by Shirokov, before being met with a powerful header by Roman Pavlyuchenko, who solely led the Russian line for much of the game.
The Russians nearly gave Spain another fright only minutes later, but Semak, who found too much space, shot weakly at Casillas. Jolted into action by this near-miss, Spain raced down the other end and restored their three-goal advantage.
The industrious Villa led another swift counter before sliding the ball to Xavi. His shot was well blocked by Akinfeev, but Fabregas, who was in an offside position when Xavi took his shot, was on hand to knock in the rebound with a diving header.
It was an accomplished performance from Spain, which now faces Sweden in Innsbruck on Saturday, whilst Russia faces a must-win clash with defending champions Greece in Salzburg.
Ratings
Spain
1 - Casillas (c) - 7 - Will be disappointed to have not kept a clean sheet.
4 - Marchena - 7 - Defended well.
5 - Puyol - 7 - Reliable as always.
6 - Iniesta - 7 - Played some delightful passes.
7 - Villa - 10 - Hat-trick. Worked hard for the full 90 minutes.
8 - Xavi - 8 - Linked up well with Iniesta and Senna, as well as the strikers.
9 - Torres - 8 - Unlucky not to score himself before being substituted early.
11 - Capdevila - 8 - Very impressive.
15 - Sergio Ramos - 6 - Not himself, but neutralised Bilyaletdinov.
19 - Senna - 8 - Turned defence into attack at will.
21 - D. Silva - 8 - Tirelessly worked up and down the left flank.
(SUB) 10 - Fabregas - 7 - Slotted in nicely with Xavi and Senna.
(SUB) 12 - Santi Cazorla - 7 - Lively.
(SUB) 14 - Xabi Alonso - 6 - Little time.
Russia
1 - Akinfeev - 6 - Little he could do about goals. Kept well otherwise.
8 - Kolodin - 5 - Had a nightmare. Couldn't handle Torres or Villa.
11 - Semak - 6 - Was forced to drop too deep. Wasn't creative enough.
14 - Shirokov - 5 - Didn't fare much better than Kolodin.
15 - Bilyaletdinov - 7 - Tried to create, but was largely neutralised.
17 - Zyrianov - 7 - Battled hard for the full 90 minutes.
18 - Zhirkov - 6 - Decent game. Set piece delivery not good enough.
19 - Pavlyuchenko - 7 - Consolation goal. Faced three or four defenders often, but fought hard.
20 - Semshov - 6 - Battled. Lost midfield battle.
21 - Sychev - 6 - Not involved enough.
22 - Anyukov - 7 - Got forward at every opportunity.
(SUB) 6 - Adamov - 6 - Little time.
(SUB) 7 - Torbinsky - 7 - Added some creativity off the bench.
(SUB) 23 - Bystrov - 6 - Only lasted on pitch 25 minutes before being subbed himself.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Delightful Dutch Trounce Azzurri
The Netherlands have put on a masterclass in their opening game of Euro 2008, seizing the initiative in Group C with an imperious 3-0 victory over world champions Italy.
The Dutch dominated from the off, and thanks to goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, they put in a performance reminiscent of the great Dutch teams of the past, in what was clearly the match of the tournament so far.
After France were held to a goalless draw earlier in the day by Romania, both the Netherlands and Italy had the chance to take control of Group C, which many consider to be the 'Group of Death'.
Dutch boss Marco van Basten was left with selection headaches before kick-off, with Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie both struggling with injuries. For the Azzurri, manager Roberto Donadoni opted for a largely conservative formation, isolating Luca Toni up-front, and preferring Massimo Ambrosini to Daniele De Rossi, completing an AC Milan trio with Andrew Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso in the middle of the park.
The game began with the Italians sitting back in their customary counter-attacking style, whilst the Dutch settled into a nice passing rhythm with Sneijder and Hamburg's Rafael van der Vaart seeing plenty of the ball early.
Italy's rearguard was breached on the quarter hour when Dirk Kuyt slipped van Nistelrooy through, but pressure from Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon forced him wide, and his subsequent cross was cleared.
Buffon actually clipped Van Nistelrooy as the striker tried to round the keeper, but van Nistelrooy chose to stay on his feet, stifling the chance.
But the game sprang to life after 26 minutes, as the Dutch went ahead after a highly controversial goal.
After Buffon failed to punch a van der Vaart cross clear, van Bronckhorst flashed the ball back across the box, where van Nistelrooy, in a seemingly offside position, was on hand to divert it home.
Italian defender Christian Panucci was injured in the build-up, but he was lying off the pitch over the byline when van Bronckhorst sent the ball back across goal. Nevertheless, the goal stood, despite vehement protests from the Italians.
The goal clearly stunned the Azzurri, and seven minutes later they were two behind, but this time, nobody could question what was truly a sumptuous Dutch move.
Having just cleared a dangerous Italian corner, van Bronckhorst energetically raced down the left in a sweeping counter-attacking move. After being released by Sneijder, he played a delightful cross-field ball onto the head of the tireless Dirk Kuyt.
Despite back-pedalling, Kuyt headed it square to Sneijder, who poked the ball beyond the on-rushing Buffon.
The game could have been all but over at half time, as van Nistelrooy was once again put through on goal by van der Vaart just before the interval, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Buffon's outstretched boot.
Despite being two goals in arrears, the Azzurri were hardly outclassed, and they made their intentions clear after half-time, enjoying better possession as Pirlo probed around the Dutch penalty area.
The introduction on the hour of veteran Alessandro Del Piero gave the Italians further attacking impetus, and he tested Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar just moments after coming on with a curling effort.
He was joined on the pitch by perennial bad-boy Antonio Cassano shortly after, and he nearly unlocked the Dutch defence with a lofted through ball for the quiet Toni.
Toni, not realising how much space he had after the Dutch backline was caught square, blazed the ball over the bar in what was Italy's best chance of the match.
Van der Sar then came to the Netherlands' rescue twice in the space of five minutes to preserve the Dutch lead. Substitute Fabio Grosso found space in behind the Dutch defence, but his shot was saved smartly by van der Sar. Then, Andrea Pirlo hit a delightful free kick that was spectacularly saved by the veteran keeper, and Italy were made to pay as the Dutch once again hit the Italians on the break.
Once again van Bronckhorst raced forward, and after being played in by Sneijder, he cut the ball back to Kuyt. Kuyt had his initial effort saved, but he regained possession, and from out wide, crossed for an unmarked van Bronckhorst, whose goal-bound header couldn’t be kept out by Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta.
Italy were perhaps undeservedly three goals behind, but it was nearly four moments later, as lively Dutch substitute Ibrahim Afellay blasted a shot from outside the area that skimmed the top of the crossbar.
It clearly wasn’t Italy's night, and the final whistle ended their misery. The result matched Italy's worst ever result in major tournament history, and they will have to regroup quickly before facing Romania on Friday in Zurich.
The Dutch, meanwhile, certainly proved that on their day, they could beat anybody and possibly go all the way at Euro 2008. But they will have to be in similar form if they are to clinch qualification by beating France in Berne on the same day.
Ratings
Netherlands
1 - Van Der Sar (c) - 8 - Couple of outstanding saves.
2 - Ooijer - 7 - Comfortable overall.
4 - Mathijsen - 7 - Didn't put a foot wrong.
5 - Van Bronckhorst - 9 - Outstanding. Had a hand in all three goals.
8 - Engelaar - 7 - Played his role in midfield.
9 - Van Nistelrooy - 7 - Could've scored a hat-trick.
10 - Sneijder - 8 - Along with van der Vaar, pulled the strings in midfield.
17 - De Jong - 7 - Did well.
18 - Kuyt - 7 - Worked tirelessly down the right flank.
21 - Boulahrouz - 8 - Exceeded expectations. Tidy game at right back.
23 - Van der Vaart - 8 - Incisive passing for a solid game.
(SUB) 3 - Heitinga - 6 - Cagey at times.
(SUB) 7 - Van Persie - 7 - Run-out will aid his fitness.
(SUB) 20 - Afellay - 7 - Lively.
Italy
1 - Buffon - 6 - Little he could do about the goals.
2 - Panucci - 6 - Didn't get forward enough.
6 - Barzagli - 5 - Caught square too often.
8 - Gattuso - 6 - Nuggety as usual, didn't offer much in attack though.
9 - Toni - 5 - Quiet, fluffed his only real chance.
11 - Di Natale - 6 - Didn't see much of the ball.
13 - Ambrosini - 6 - Defensively sound.
16 - Camoranesi - 7 - Most lively attacking player of the Starting XI.
19 - Zambrotta - 6 - Average.
21 - Pirlo - 7 - Distribution solid, nearly scored with great free kick.
23 - Materazzi - 6 - Looked slow against nippy Dutch midfielders.
(SUB) 3 - Grosso - 7 - Energetic down left, unlucky not to score.
(SUB) 7 - Del Piero - 7 - Added new dimension to Italian attack.
(SUB) 18 - Cassano - 6 - Nearly set up goal, otherwise quiet.
The Dutch dominated from the off, and thanks to goals from Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, they put in a performance reminiscent of the great Dutch teams of the past, in what was clearly the match of the tournament so far.
After France were held to a goalless draw earlier in the day by Romania, both the Netherlands and Italy had the chance to take control of Group C, which many consider to be the 'Group of Death'.
Dutch boss Marco van Basten was left with selection headaches before kick-off, with Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie both struggling with injuries. For the Azzurri, manager Roberto Donadoni opted for a largely conservative formation, isolating Luca Toni up-front, and preferring Massimo Ambrosini to Daniele De Rossi, completing an AC Milan trio with Andrew Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso in the middle of the park.
The game began with the Italians sitting back in their customary counter-attacking style, whilst the Dutch settled into a nice passing rhythm with Sneijder and Hamburg's Rafael van der Vaart seeing plenty of the ball early.
Italy's rearguard was breached on the quarter hour when Dirk Kuyt slipped van Nistelrooy through, but pressure from Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon forced him wide, and his subsequent cross was cleared.
Buffon actually clipped Van Nistelrooy as the striker tried to round the keeper, but van Nistelrooy chose to stay on his feet, stifling the chance.
But the game sprang to life after 26 minutes, as the Dutch went ahead after a highly controversial goal.
After Buffon failed to punch a van der Vaart cross clear, van Bronckhorst flashed the ball back across the box, where van Nistelrooy, in a seemingly offside position, was on hand to divert it home.
Italian defender Christian Panucci was injured in the build-up, but he was lying off the pitch over the byline when van Bronckhorst sent the ball back across goal. Nevertheless, the goal stood, despite vehement protests from the Italians.
The goal clearly stunned the Azzurri, and seven minutes later they were two behind, but this time, nobody could question what was truly a sumptuous Dutch move.
Having just cleared a dangerous Italian corner, van Bronckhorst energetically raced down the left in a sweeping counter-attacking move. After being released by Sneijder, he played a delightful cross-field ball onto the head of the tireless Dirk Kuyt.
Despite back-pedalling, Kuyt headed it square to Sneijder, who poked the ball beyond the on-rushing Buffon.
The game could have been all but over at half time, as van Nistelrooy was once again put through on goal by van der Vaart just before the interval, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Buffon's outstretched boot.
Despite being two goals in arrears, the Azzurri were hardly outclassed, and they made their intentions clear after half-time, enjoying better possession as Pirlo probed around the Dutch penalty area.
The introduction on the hour of veteran Alessandro Del Piero gave the Italians further attacking impetus, and he tested Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar just moments after coming on with a curling effort.
He was joined on the pitch by perennial bad-boy Antonio Cassano shortly after, and he nearly unlocked the Dutch defence with a lofted through ball for the quiet Toni.
Toni, not realising how much space he had after the Dutch backline was caught square, blazed the ball over the bar in what was Italy's best chance of the match.
Van der Sar then came to the Netherlands' rescue twice in the space of five minutes to preserve the Dutch lead. Substitute Fabio Grosso found space in behind the Dutch defence, but his shot was saved smartly by van der Sar. Then, Andrea Pirlo hit a delightful free kick that was spectacularly saved by the veteran keeper, and Italy were made to pay as the Dutch once again hit the Italians on the break.
Once again van Bronckhorst raced forward, and after being played in by Sneijder, he cut the ball back to Kuyt. Kuyt had his initial effort saved, but he regained possession, and from out wide, crossed for an unmarked van Bronckhorst, whose goal-bound header couldn’t be kept out by Italian defender Gianluca Zambrotta.
Italy were perhaps undeservedly three goals behind, but it was nearly four moments later, as lively Dutch substitute Ibrahim Afellay blasted a shot from outside the area that skimmed the top of the crossbar.
It clearly wasn’t Italy's night, and the final whistle ended their misery. The result matched Italy's worst ever result in major tournament history, and they will have to regroup quickly before facing Romania on Friday in Zurich.
The Dutch, meanwhile, certainly proved that on their day, they could beat anybody and possibly go all the way at Euro 2008. But they will have to be in similar form if they are to clinch qualification by beating France in Berne on the same day.
Ratings
Netherlands
1 - Van Der Sar (c) - 8 - Couple of outstanding saves.
2 - Ooijer - 7 - Comfortable overall.
4 - Mathijsen - 7 - Didn't put a foot wrong.
5 - Van Bronckhorst - 9 - Outstanding. Had a hand in all three goals.
8 - Engelaar - 7 - Played his role in midfield.
9 - Van Nistelrooy - 7 - Could've scored a hat-trick.
10 - Sneijder - 8 - Along with van der Vaar, pulled the strings in midfield.
17 - De Jong - 7 - Did well.
18 - Kuyt - 7 - Worked tirelessly down the right flank.
21 - Boulahrouz - 8 - Exceeded expectations. Tidy game at right back.
23 - Van der Vaart - 8 - Incisive passing for a solid game.
(SUB) 3 - Heitinga - 6 - Cagey at times.
(SUB) 7 - Van Persie - 7 - Run-out will aid his fitness.
(SUB) 20 - Afellay - 7 - Lively.
Italy
1 - Buffon - 6 - Little he could do about the goals.
2 - Panucci - 6 - Didn't get forward enough.
6 - Barzagli - 5 - Caught square too often.
8 - Gattuso - 6 - Nuggety as usual, didn't offer much in attack though.
9 - Toni - 5 - Quiet, fluffed his only real chance.
11 - Di Natale - 6 - Didn't see much of the ball.
13 - Ambrosini - 6 - Defensively sound.
16 - Camoranesi - 7 - Most lively attacking player of the Starting XI.
19 - Zambrotta - 6 - Average.
21 - Pirlo - 7 - Distribution solid, nearly scored with great free kick.
23 - Materazzi - 6 - Looked slow against nippy Dutch midfielders.
(SUB) 3 - Grosso - 7 - Energetic down left, unlucky not to score.
(SUB) 7 - Del Piero - 7 - Added new dimension to Italian attack.
(SUB) 18 - Cassano - 6 - Nearly set up goal, otherwise quiet.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Cagey Croats Squeak Past Austria
Croatia has opened its Euro 2008 campaign with an unconvincing 1-0 victory over host nation Austria in Vienna today.
The Austrians put in a spirited performance after going behind to a Luka Modric penalty early on, and will consider themselves unlucky to have not gained a draw, as they dominated significant parts of the game especially in the second half.
Croatia failed to test the Austrian goal after going ahead, and the overall performance will worry manager Slaven Bilic with tricky matches against Poland and tournament favourites Germany to come.
Bilic will also be concerned that Croatia's indifferent form leading up to the tournament was evident throughout much of this match, with the side lacking a cutting edge in the absence of injured striker Eduardo.
Neither team sprang any selection surprises, with Borussia Dortmund striker Mladen Petric continuing alongside Ivica Olic in place of Eduardo up front.
Croatia's intent to score an early goal was clear from the outset, and its efforts were helped invaluably after being awarded a penalty in the 4th minute.
Clever footwork from Modric played in Olic, who was needlessly, but clumsily brought down in the penalty area by Rene Aufhauser.
Modric stepped up and coolly sent the ball down the middle to hand Croatia the early lead.
The goal settled Croatian nerves, as the midfield, with the diminutive Modric pulling the strings, settled into a comfortable rhythm which stifled Austrian efforts to gain a foothold in the game.
The full-backs Vedran Corluka and Daniel Pranjic also caused Austria grief down the flanks in the early stages, as their overlapping runs troubled Austria's three central defenders as they found space behind the wing backs.
Croatia nearly went two up inside the first quarter hour, as a dangerous whipped free kick from Darijo Srna flashed across the box, but despairing dives from Olic and Petric failed to turn the ball home.
Austrian initial chances were limited to speculative shots from distance, with Jurgen Saumel, Sebastien Prodl and Aufhauser all trying their luck, but all failed to test the comfortable Stipe Pletikosa in Croatia's goal.
But as the half wore on, Croatia's rhythm was curbed, as captain Niko Kovac and Modric were driven further back as Austria enjoyed good spells of possession, and it was the Austrians who finished the half looking the better team.
Austria's best chance of the opening half came in the 40th minute, after inspirational captain Andreas Ivanschitz slipped in winger Martin Harnik, but towering defender Josip Simunic blocked his square ball out for a corner with the largely unsighted striker Roland Linz ready to pounce.
The second half brought more of the same, with Croatia content to soak up possession and play on the counter attack.
After trading long shots that sailed harmlessly over, the Austrians seized the initiative as Croatia began unnecessarily giving the ball away in midfield.
When Modric drifted out of the game as he became crowded out, Austria, led by the tricky Harnik down the right and plucky substitute Korkmaz Umit on the left flank made life extremely difficult for the Croatian full-backs, which until then were mostly untested.
All 3 of Austria's substitutes, including the 38-year-old Ivica Vastic, had a significant impact on the game, as Croatia's defence became pegged on the edge of its own 18-yard-box.
Pletikosa was forced into a number of saves, especially from hanging crosses played into the area for the third substitute Roman Kienast, as the central defensive pairing of Simunic and Robert Kovac grew increasingly anxious.
The introduction of target man Igor Budan for the tireless Petric late in the game failed to ease Croatian nerves, as Korkmaz forced a full-stretch save from Pletikosa in the 86th minute, whilst Kienast's stoppage time header from Ivanschitz's free kick drifted only just wide, with Pletikosa spectating.
The final whistle was greeted by sighs of relief from the Croatian players and fans, as the team failed to test Austrian keeper Jurgen Macho once after the 4th minute goal.
Ratings
Austria
21 - Macho - 7 - Little to do after penalty.
2 - Standfest - 6 - Inconsistent with crosses.
3 - Stranzl - 6 - Decent.
4 - Pogatetz - 6 - Lucky to still be on the pitch at half time.
6 - Aufhauser - 5 - Clumsy tackle for penalty.
9 - Linz - 5 - Anonymous.
10 - Ivanschitz (c) - 6 - Drifted in and out.
12 - Gercaliu - 6 - Worked hard.
15 - Prodl - 7 - Solid at the back.
19 - Saumel - 6 - Worked hard.
20 - Harnik - 7 - Excellent second half.
(SUB) 7 - Vastic - 6 - Decent cameo.
(SUB) 11 - Korkmaz - 7 - Lively.
(SUB) 18 - Kienast - 7 - A handful.
Croatia
1 - Pletikosa - 8 - Safe when called upon.
3 - Simunic - 6 - Couple of important interventions, but looked shaky.
4 - R. Kovac - 6 - Austrian pace worried him.
5 - Corluka - 7 - Excellent first half, quiet second half.
10 - N. Kovac (c) - 6 - Decent game.
11 - Srna - 6 - Free kicks were disappointing, but worked hard.
14 - Modric - 8 - Class act, if a little in and out.
18 - Olic - 7 - Tireless, but lacked finishing product.
19 - Kranjcar - 5 - Anonymous.
21 - Petric - 7 - Tireless, but too in and out.
22 - Pranjic - 6 - Harnik ran him ragged in the second half.
(SUB) 8 - Vukojevic - 5 - Little impact.
(SUB) 15 - Knezevic - 5 - Struggled with Kienast after coming on.
(SUB) 20 - Budan - 5 - Little impact.
The Austrians put in a spirited performance after going behind to a Luka Modric penalty early on, and will consider themselves unlucky to have not gained a draw, as they dominated significant parts of the game especially in the second half.
Croatia failed to test the Austrian goal after going ahead, and the overall performance will worry manager Slaven Bilic with tricky matches against Poland and tournament favourites Germany to come.
Bilic will also be concerned that Croatia's indifferent form leading up to the tournament was evident throughout much of this match, with the side lacking a cutting edge in the absence of injured striker Eduardo.
Neither team sprang any selection surprises, with Borussia Dortmund striker Mladen Petric continuing alongside Ivica Olic in place of Eduardo up front.
Croatia's intent to score an early goal was clear from the outset, and its efforts were helped invaluably after being awarded a penalty in the 4th minute.
Clever footwork from Modric played in Olic, who was needlessly, but clumsily brought down in the penalty area by Rene Aufhauser.
Modric stepped up and coolly sent the ball down the middle to hand Croatia the early lead.
The goal settled Croatian nerves, as the midfield, with the diminutive Modric pulling the strings, settled into a comfortable rhythm which stifled Austrian efforts to gain a foothold in the game.
The full-backs Vedran Corluka and Daniel Pranjic also caused Austria grief down the flanks in the early stages, as their overlapping runs troubled Austria's three central defenders as they found space behind the wing backs.
Croatia nearly went two up inside the first quarter hour, as a dangerous whipped free kick from Darijo Srna flashed across the box, but despairing dives from Olic and Petric failed to turn the ball home.
Austrian initial chances were limited to speculative shots from distance, with Jurgen Saumel, Sebastien Prodl and Aufhauser all trying their luck, but all failed to test the comfortable Stipe Pletikosa in Croatia's goal.
But as the half wore on, Croatia's rhythm was curbed, as captain Niko Kovac and Modric were driven further back as Austria enjoyed good spells of possession, and it was the Austrians who finished the half looking the better team.
Austria's best chance of the opening half came in the 40th minute, after inspirational captain Andreas Ivanschitz slipped in winger Martin Harnik, but towering defender Josip Simunic blocked his square ball out for a corner with the largely unsighted striker Roland Linz ready to pounce.
The second half brought more of the same, with Croatia content to soak up possession and play on the counter attack.
After trading long shots that sailed harmlessly over, the Austrians seized the initiative as Croatia began unnecessarily giving the ball away in midfield.
When Modric drifted out of the game as he became crowded out, Austria, led by the tricky Harnik down the right and plucky substitute Korkmaz Umit on the left flank made life extremely difficult for the Croatian full-backs, which until then were mostly untested.
All 3 of Austria's substitutes, including the 38-year-old Ivica Vastic, had a significant impact on the game, as Croatia's defence became pegged on the edge of its own 18-yard-box.
Pletikosa was forced into a number of saves, especially from hanging crosses played into the area for the third substitute Roman Kienast, as the central defensive pairing of Simunic and Robert Kovac grew increasingly anxious.
The introduction of target man Igor Budan for the tireless Petric late in the game failed to ease Croatian nerves, as Korkmaz forced a full-stretch save from Pletikosa in the 86th minute, whilst Kienast's stoppage time header from Ivanschitz's free kick drifted only just wide, with Pletikosa spectating.
The final whistle was greeted by sighs of relief from the Croatian players and fans, as the team failed to test Austrian keeper Jurgen Macho once after the 4th minute goal.
Ratings
Austria
21 - Macho - 7 - Little to do after penalty.
2 - Standfest - 6 - Inconsistent with crosses.
3 - Stranzl - 6 - Decent.
4 - Pogatetz - 6 - Lucky to still be on the pitch at half time.
6 - Aufhauser - 5 - Clumsy tackle for penalty.
9 - Linz - 5 - Anonymous.
10 - Ivanschitz (c) - 6 - Drifted in and out.
12 - Gercaliu - 6 - Worked hard.
15 - Prodl - 7 - Solid at the back.
19 - Saumel - 6 - Worked hard.
20 - Harnik - 7 - Excellent second half.
(SUB) 7 - Vastic - 6 - Decent cameo.
(SUB) 11 - Korkmaz - 7 - Lively.
(SUB) 18 - Kienast - 7 - A handful.
Croatia
1 - Pletikosa - 8 - Safe when called upon.
3 - Simunic - 6 - Couple of important interventions, but looked shaky.
4 - R. Kovac - 6 - Austrian pace worried him.
5 - Corluka - 7 - Excellent first half, quiet second half.
10 - N. Kovac (c) - 6 - Decent game.
11 - Srna - 6 - Free kicks were disappointing, but worked hard.
14 - Modric - 8 - Class act, if a little in and out.
18 - Olic - 7 - Tireless, but lacked finishing product.
19 - Kranjcar - 5 - Anonymous.
21 - Petric - 7 - Tireless, but too in and out.
22 - Pranjic - 6 - Harnik ran him ragged in the second half.
(SUB) 8 - Vukojevic - 5 - Little impact.
(SUB) 15 - Knezevic - 5 - Struggled with Kienast after coming on.
(SUB) 20 - Budan - 5 - Little impact.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Sluggish Socceroos edge Ghana
The Socceroos have warmed up for their big month of World Cup qualifiers with an unconvincing 1-0 win over Ghana in Sydney tonight.
Despite Ghana dominating possession for large parts of the often unexciting match, it was Mile Sterjovski who scored the decisive goal with arguably the only piece of individual brilliance for the night.
Sterjovski, however, went from hero to villain as he was sent off for two bookable offences late in the match, forcing the inexperienced Australian defence to withstand a late barrage from the Ghanaians.
Whilst the scoreline will please Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek, he will still be left with selection headaches for the upcoming qualifiers, as the depleted Australians struggled to find their rhythm for much of the game.
Despite giving valuable starts to inexperienced players, including four A-League players, Verbeek would have been largely unimpressed with the performance. The Socceroos surrendered possession too cheaply, too often, and lacked imagination in attack.
Controversy reigned before kick-off, as the Ghanaian national anthem was embarrassingly skipped due to a technical glitch. Unusually, It was eventually played after the half-time break in an attempt to placate the Ghanaians, provoking a raucous reaction from the disappointing crowd of just 29,914.
Neither team settled into the game early on, as both defences resorted to hitting long balls to lone strikers. Ghanaian target man Junior Agogo proved a handful all night for the Socceroos' central defensive pairing of Michael Beauchamp and Jade North, but his final product lacked polish.
The Ghanaian midfield, however, took hold as the half wore on, with the experienced Kingston Laryea driving Ghana forward. But chances were at a premium, with Ghana limited to shots from distance that either sailed harmlessly over the bar, or were hit straight at goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
For the Australians, many eyes were on acting captain Harry Kewell, but he failed to impose himself on the match, and looked to be lacking match fitness and pace before he was substituted in the second half.
A-League top goalscorer Joel Griffiths was also crowded out by a swarming Ghanaian defence on most occasions, whilst the inexperienced central midfield of Mile Jedinak and Jacob Burns were often forced to defend as Ghana's midfield enjoyed greater possession.
Australia's best chances of the first-half were also long-range efforts, with Sterjovski volleying straight at Ghana's keeper, and Jacob Burns also flashing a shot over the crossbar.
Neither keeper was seriously tested before the break, so it came as a surprise when Australia broke the deadlock less than a minute after the interval.
Ghanaian captain John Mensah was caught in possession on the halfway line by Sterjovski, who capitalised on Ghana's dozing defence by racing to the edge of the box before coolly drilling the ball across the keeper into the bottom corner.
The goal unsurprisingly rattled Ghana, which for the next 20 minutes attempted to regain its lost rhythm. The Socceroos, meanwhile, began passing the ball with more confidence, but they failed to create any further clear-cut chances.
Another lull in play ensued, with one highlight being the introduction of young defender Matthew Spiranovic, who is now tied to the Socceroos after a drawn-out battle with Croatia for his allegiance.
His introduction, along with Australia's other substitutions, further disjointed the Socceroos play, and handed Ghana the impetus once again. But their opportunities were still mainly limited to speculative efforts from long-range, despite gaining reasonable shooting positions.
In the 86th minute, the game took a twist when Sterjovski was sent off after collecting two yellow cards. Whilst he faces suspension from the upcoming game against Iraq in Brisbane on June 1, he was already likely to miss anyway due to his impending fatherhood.
Now with an extra man, the Ghanaians poured forward in search of an equaliser, and were denied by a brilliant save from Schwarzer deep into injury time.
Largely untroubled for much of the game, Schwarzer pulled off a brilliant save to deny a point-blank flick from Ghanaian substitute Asamoah, preserving Australia's fifth consecutive clean sheet.
Despite Ghana dominating possession for large parts of the often unexciting match, it was Mile Sterjovski who scored the decisive goal with arguably the only piece of individual brilliance for the night.
Sterjovski, however, went from hero to villain as he was sent off for two bookable offences late in the match, forcing the inexperienced Australian defence to withstand a late barrage from the Ghanaians.
Whilst the scoreline will please Socceroos manager Pim Verbeek, he will still be left with selection headaches for the upcoming qualifiers, as the depleted Australians struggled to find their rhythm for much of the game.
Despite giving valuable starts to inexperienced players, including four A-League players, Verbeek would have been largely unimpressed with the performance. The Socceroos surrendered possession too cheaply, too often, and lacked imagination in attack.
Controversy reigned before kick-off, as the Ghanaian national anthem was embarrassingly skipped due to a technical glitch. Unusually, It was eventually played after the half-time break in an attempt to placate the Ghanaians, provoking a raucous reaction from the disappointing crowd of just 29,914.
Neither team settled into the game early on, as both defences resorted to hitting long balls to lone strikers. Ghanaian target man Junior Agogo proved a handful all night for the Socceroos' central defensive pairing of Michael Beauchamp and Jade North, but his final product lacked polish.
The Ghanaian midfield, however, took hold as the half wore on, with the experienced Kingston Laryea driving Ghana forward. But chances were at a premium, with Ghana limited to shots from distance that either sailed harmlessly over the bar, or were hit straight at goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.
For the Australians, many eyes were on acting captain Harry Kewell, but he failed to impose himself on the match, and looked to be lacking match fitness and pace before he was substituted in the second half.
A-League top goalscorer Joel Griffiths was also crowded out by a swarming Ghanaian defence on most occasions, whilst the inexperienced central midfield of Mile Jedinak and Jacob Burns were often forced to defend as Ghana's midfield enjoyed greater possession.
Australia's best chances of the first-half were also long-range efforts, with Sterjovski volleying straight at Ghana's keeper, and Jacob Burns also flashing a shot over the crossbar.
Neither keeper was seriously tested before the break, so it came as a surprise when Australia broke the deadlock less than a minute after the interval.
Ghanaian captain John Mensah was caught in possession on the halfway line by Sterjovski, who capitalised on Ghana's dozing defence by racing to the edge of the box before coolly drilling the ball across the keeper into the bottom corner.
The goal unsurprisingly rattled Ghana, which for the next 20 minutes attempted to regain its lost rhythm. The Socceroos, meanwhile, began passing the ball with more confidence, but they failed to create any further clear-cut chances.
Another lull in play ensued, with one highlight being the introduction of young defender Matthew Spiranovic, who is now tied to the Socceroos after a drawn-out battle with Croatia for his allegiance.
His introduction, along with Australia's other substitutions, further disjointed the Socceroos play, and handed Ghana the impetus once again. But their opportunities were still mainly limited to speculative efforts from long-range, despite gaining reasonable shooting positions.
In the 86th minute, the game took a twist when Sterjovski was sent off after collecting two yellow cards. Whilst he faces suspension from the upcoming game against Iraq in Brisbane on June 1, he was already likely to miss anyway due to his impending fatherhood.
Now with an extra man, the Ghanaians poured forward in search of an equaliser, and were denied by a brilliant save from Schwarzer deep into injury time.
Largely untroubled for much of the game, Schwarzer pulled off a brilliant save to deny a point-blank flick from Ghanaian substitute Asamoah, preserving Australia's fifth consecutive clean sheet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
