June 18, 2008

THE Netherlands marched into the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 with a 100 per cent record in Group C and their momentum intact after their reserves strolled to a 2-0 win over Romania in Berne.

A poacher's goal from Klaas Jan Huntelaar just after half-time and Robin van Persie's late strike sealed the win over opponents who were woefully devoid of ambition.

Needing to win to be sure of staying in the competition, Victor Piturca's side's only concern appeared to be to avoid the kind of mauling the Dutch had handed out to France and Italy in their first two group matches.

That was never on the cards with only right-back Khalid Boulahrouz and the defensive midfielder Orlando Engelaar surviving from the Dutch side that had started the 4-1 demolition of France.

But Marco van Basten's side were always in control and would have ended the contest much earlier if Huntelaar and Arjen Robben, who was withdrawn after an hour, had taken their first-half chances.

Van Basten said he was proud of the professional job his side had done after he had rested most of the line-up that will face Russia or Sweden on Sunday (EST).

"We have to be very proud and happy that we have won the group and the three games. We have made a great start. But Saturday is another match altogether and we have to start again from zero.

"The atmosphere is good. The players are working well together and having a good time. If we continue playing like this I dont know where exactly we are going to end but I hope it is going to take a long time."

Piturca admitted the Dutch had been "better and fresher" than his side.

"But we don't go home empty-handed. We avoided defeat in two games against fantastic teams in Italy and France.

"Had we scored from the penalty we had against Italy we would have qualified," the Romanian coach reflected.

Piturca denied that he had been too cautious in his approach to a must-win match.

"I think we took enough risks. There were moments when it was three against three at the back and against teams like Holland you just can't play this way. They can score at any time. If you let them score it is difficult to win - that is what France and Italy also realised."

Van Persie said the result was proof positive of Dutch strength in depth.

"This win tells you a lot. We don't have a B team but a team of 23 players," said the Arsenal star.

Romania's cutting edge was blunted by captain Cristian Chivu being forced to drop back into a holding role in midfield as a result of the serious eye injury suffered by teammate Mirel Radoi in the 1-1 draw with Italy.

They were also missing suspended centre-back Dorin Goian but none of that amounted to an excuse for an absurdly cautious approach which saw every outfield player regularly behind the ball as the Dutch probed for an opening.

The first of those came after 19 minutes, when Engelaar's cross found van Persie in space just beyond the back post, the Arsenal forward mistiming his jump and sending a header high into the crowd.

Mutu then saw a close range effort spin across the goalmouth after a last-ditch intervention by his marker, Wilfred Bouma, before van Persie headed another inviting Engelaar cross off target.

Mutu and Cosmin Cocis both tried their luck from distance without troubling stand-in goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg before the Dutch spurned two gilt-edged chances to take the lead in quick succession.

Sent into the box by Ibrahim Afellay's clever angled pass, Boulahrouz teed up Huntelaar in the 33rd minute but the striker, so prolific for Ajax, appeared edgy as he lifted his shot over the bar from 12 yards.

Huntelaar did better a few minutes later, helping Demy de Zeeuw's pass into the path of Arjen Robben with a deft first-time flick. With only Bodan Lobont to beat, the Real Madrid winger went for an equally cute finish and his strike slipped and inch to the left of the goalkeeper's right-hand post.

Romania's best chance of the first-half came a minute from the break. Razvan Rat made it to the byline and delivered an acute cutback for Paul Codrea, who blasted over from just inside the box.

It took a fine save from Lobont to deny van Persie three minutes after the restart and The Netherlands' superiority finally told in the 54th minute.

Afellay's cross from the right was flicked on by Engelaar and, this time, Huntelaar demonstrated his predatory instincts by getting in front of his marker to prod past Lobont for his eighth goal in what was only his 13th international appearance.

There was a brief flurry of Romanian pressure in the closing minutes but it was to be van Persie who had the final word. Collecting a cross on the left of the Romanian box, the Arsenal forward held off Contra's challenge and the pace of his shot saw Lobont beaten at his near post.

June 19, 2008

SPAIN equalled their record of nine straight wins with a 2-1 defeat of Greece that sent the reigning champions spiralling to their third defeat of the tournament.

Andreas Charisteas opened the scoring for Greece before Ruben De la Red equalised and Daniel Guiza struck an 88th-minute winner.

"It was a tricky first half but we managed to battle through and win the game,'' said Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso, who was named man of the match.

"Now is the time to start thinking about Italy which is going to be the hour of truth.''

With Spain resting almost their entire first-choice side ahead of their quarter-final showdown with Italy on Monday (EST), and Greece playing for little more than pride, the game lacked the intensity and edge of the previous group clashes.

Greece were surprisingly defensive for a game that mattered little and in which both teams had fielded weakened outfits.

Spain, already group winners, had made 10 changes from the starting XI that won their two previous matches.

Liverpool midfielder Alonso had the first effort on goal on 23 minutes, and had it gone in it would surely have been the goal of the tournament.

Spotting Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, captain for the day as he was playing in his final match for his country, well off his line, Alonso hit a David Beckham-esque shot from five metres inside his own half, missing the top corner by only inches with the back-peddling Nikopolidis beaten.

Surprisingly, Alonso seemed the only person trying to score in that opening period and he sent two long range shots wide of the left-hand upright.

On 39 minutes, Cesc Fabregas played a great ball in for Sergio Garcia but he fell over as he tried to shoot.

Greece took the lead against the run of play on 42 minutes as Charisteas headed home a Giorgis Karagounis free kick after losing his marker all too easily.

After the break it was Alonso again who tried his luck from distance, this time with a rasping drive from almost 30 metres that beat Nikopolidis but crashed off the inside of the post and away to safety.

However, Alonso played no part in Spain's well-worked equaliser with Fabregas chipping the ball into the box for Guiza, whose cushioned header back to De la Red was lashed home with venom - the Getafe man's first goal for his country in only his third appearance.

Greece came storming straight back and Charisteas took a pass from Alexandros Tziolis around goalkeeper Pepe Reina but could only hit the outside of the post from a tight angle.

On 73 minutes, Guiza ran onto a lucky ricochet into the box but dragged his shot from the right just past the far post.

But two minutes from time striker Guiza scored his first goal for his country in his fifth appearance, heading home a cross from Sergio Garcia.

June 19, 2008

RUSSIA beat Sweden 2-0 in their Euro 2008 Group D match to reach the quarter-finals at the expense of their opponents.

Roman Pavlyuchenko scored in the 24th minute, for his second of the tournament, and Russian player of the year Andrei Arshavin added a second in the 50th minute to seal victory.

Russia progress to their first knockout stages of a major tournament since the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991, and will play the Netherlands in the quarter-final in Basel, Switzerland, on Sunday (EST) - a repeat to a certain extent of the 1988 final when present Holland coach Marco van Basten scored in the 2-0 victory over the Soviets.

Sweden coach Lars Lagerback was gracious in defeat and warned Holland that they shouldn't take their quarter-final opponents for granted.

"I would like to congratulate the Russians, who really play joyful football,'' said the soon to be 60-year-old veteran handler.

"I think they saw rapidly where they could hurt us and they exploited our weaknesses perfectly.

“To concede two goals is not a disaster!

“We just don't have the same concept of the style of playing football.

“I am very sad, because we haven't been knocked out of the first round of a finals since Euro 2000.

“I am very disappointed by our inability to turn the match around.

“But that is football, sometimes you lose.

“It is, however, important to congratulate the Russian team, they were the better side today.

“They really are a very good team, and the 4-1 defeat by Spain in their opening match didn't reflect their real quality. They are very strong.''

Russia are also coached by a Dutchman in Guus Hiddink, the former Australia coach who took the Netherlands to the 1998 World Cup semi-finals.

Russia produced their usual flowing football in the early stages with playmaker Arshavin - coming back after a two match suspension - pulling the strings, and the unimaginative Swedes, who did start with star striker Zlatan Irahimovic despite his knee problem, content to sit back on the whole.

It was Russia who went closest to opening the scoring in the 20th minute as Yuri Zhirkov unleashed a fierce volley from the left side of the penalty box which just crept past the far post of the Swedes, Arshavin having provoked the corner with a cheeky chip which forced Andreas Isaakson into a tip over.

However, they got a deserved lead in the 24th minute as Pavlyuchenko tucked away a finely made goal, having been set up by Zenit St-Petersburg's rampaging full-back Alexander Anyukov.

Sweden hit back almost immediately as veteran striker Henrik Larsson got on the end of a long ball and his header clipped the bar much to the relief of Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev.

Russia were playing the most delightful football, some of the best of the tournament, and in the 36th minute they went desperately close to doubling their lead as the redoubtable Pavlyuchenko was fed inside the box and his chip beat Isaakson only to clip the post.

The ball was crossed in again and Zhirkov fired fiercely on target only for Isaakson to produce a marvellous tip away save to leave it at that point the Russians having had 13 shots to the Swedes three.

Sweden, though, could not be discounted and captain Freddi Ljungberg forced Akineev into a scrambled save in the 44th minute but the Swedes failed to take advantage of the corner.

Russia at last made their overwhelming superiority tell in the 50th minute as Arshavin scored their second, the 'little jewel' as he is fondly called, sliding the ball home after another glorious team move with the Zenit St Petersburg star at the end of Zhirkov's pass.

Sweden were toothless up front, with Ibrahimovic clearly labouring and it was Russia who should have gone 3-0 up 10 minutes from time as Konstantin Zyryanov's shot was deflected onto the post and thence to safety.

Then, as Sweden pressed forward in desperate search of a goal Pavlyuchenko had two glorious chances to add to the Russia tally but first miskicked and then seconds later directed his header into Isaakson's welcoming hands.

Lagerback, whose conservative tactics have served Sweden well but were exposed by the more adventurous approach by Russia's Dutch handler Guus Hiddink, rejected the theory that he should have selected a younger side for the match than including grizzled veterans like 36-year-old Henrik Larsson.

“We didn't lose because we had physical problems but because Russia were better than us,'' Lagerback said.

“A new generation is already on the way, but I always said it was necessary to take the best players and not simply based on age.

“The question of age, of experience, is simply not interesting, what counts is the quality of the players.

“Now we must recharge the batteries for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.''

Lagerback will certainly be able to count on the services of the seemingly ageless Larsson, who said he had no intention of retiring.

“No, its not the last time you will see me in a Sweden shirt,'' he said. “Yes I can go on till the 2010 World Cup finals but there are still the qualifiers to go.''

June 20, 2008

GERMANY marched into the last four of Euro 2008 after Portugal pressed the self-destruct button in a five-goal thriller of a quarter-final.

Goals from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack earned Joachim Loew's side a 3-2 win that sets up a semi-final meeting with either Croatia or Turkey.

Nuno Gomes and Helder Postiga replied for the Portuguese, but they were always trailing and only briefly did it look like they could reclaim control of a match they had been widely expected to win.

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's worst pre-match fears were all realised as Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and the rest of Portugal's wonderful array of attacking talent was cruelly let down by the woeful defending and goalkeeping that contributed to all three German goals.

Loew said that having to watch from a box up in the stands as he was suspended had been extremely frustrating.

"Sitting behind the window in the stands was really difficult," said the 48-year-old.

"I was a long way from the pitch. Obviously from on high you see things better but it is too far from the action.

"Against Austria and Croatia, we did not play well. That is why we tried to send a signal. We wanted to shut down the spaces, and to go from defence to attack really quickly, which we managed to do.''

Ballack, who was scoring for the second match in succession, believed that overall the Germans had deserved the victory.

"We started really well, we changed our system and became more compact and we played fantastically well, especially in the first-half."

Scolari, as he had announced on the eve of the match, reverted to the side that had beaten the Czech Republic and Turkey in their opening two matches.

Germany, in contrast, rang the changes with Lukas Podolski the only member of the midfield to remain in the same slot he had occupied in the 1-0 win over Austria that clinched their quarter-final place.

Schweinsteiger returned from suspension on the right in place of Clemens Fritz, Ballack was pushed up front alongside Klose with Mario Gomez dropping to the bench, while Thomas Hitzlsperger and Simon Rolfes doubled up in the centre in the absence of the injured Torsten Frings.

Portugal's start was promising enough. Starting on the left, Ronaldo quickly got away from right-back Arne Friedrich although the resulting cross was easily gathered by Jens Lehmann.

Jose Bosingwa did better from the opposite flank, whipping a dangerous ball across the six-yard line that Nuno Gomes inexplicably missed after 10 minutes, and Joao Moutinho should have put his side ahead 10 minutes later.

Stooping to head another Bosingwa cross, the midfielder changed his mind and finally kneed the ball over from the six-yard line.

Germany had plenty of early possession but it was Portugal who looked the more likely scorers until a lapse of concentration by Paulo Ferreira gifted Germany the opener.

A one-two with Ballack sent Podolski clear on the left and Schweinsteiger's aggressive run to the near post caught the Chelsea defender flat-footed, giving the Bayern Munich star the yard he needed to meet the low cross with a first-time finish from six yards.

Four minutes later, more poor defending combined with poor goalkeeping to leave Portugal reeling.

Granted a free header of Schweinsteiger's chipped free-kick, Klose directed the ball almost straight at Ricardo but, falling backwards, Portugal's goalkeeper failed to block.

"There's only one team in Basel," sang the German supporters - in English.

Deco begged to differ and the Brazilian-born playmaker's artful prompting gave his side a platform for recovery five minutes before the break when his pass sent Ronaldo into the box. The winger's shot was parried by Lehmann but Nuno Gomes hooked in the loose ball.

Another Ronaldo effort zipped inches wide in first-half stoppage time and the opening minutes of the second period saw Friedrich and Philipp Lahm booked for cynical trips on the winger and Deco respectively.

Germany were feeling the heat and the Portuguese should have equalised 11 minutes after the restart, when centre-back Pepe headed over from barely two yards out after Deco had flicked-on Simao's corner.

Instead, it was the Germans who extended their lead with a hugely controversial goal just after the hour mark, after Pepe had conceded a free-kick on the right.

Once again, the back four failed to deal with Schweinsteiger's delivery but Ballack still needed the help of a blatant shove in the back of his Chelsea teammate Ferreira to get the space he needed to head past Ricardo, who had, ill-advisedly, rushed off his line.

Portugal's hopes of a great escape were raised with three minutes left, when Nani swung in a cross that fellow substitute Helder Postiga headed past Lehmann. But Germany held out through four minutes of added-on time without further alarm.

Spain is the suspect this year.

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Terrance

June 21, 2008

TURKEY lived up to their billing as comeback kings with a 3-1 penalty shootout win over Croatia to put them into the Euro 2008 semi-finals.

The spot-kick lottery was called for after the side's were inseparable at 1-1 after additional time, both of those goals coming in the dying minutes of what up to then had been a forgettable affair.

Ivan Klasnic put Croatia into a 119th-minute lead - for his second in successive matches - only for Turkey to level in the first minute of time added on thanks to substitute Semih Senturk.

Croatia then fell apart, with Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic shooting wide and Mladen Petric having his spot kick saved by Turkey keeper Rustu Recber, who turned from villain to hero having made a terrible mistake to gift the Croats their goal.

Turkey, making their first appearance in the semi-finals, face Germany in Basel on Thursday (EST).

But the win came at a price for Turkey, who will be missing Tuncay Sanli, Arda Turan and Emre Asik due to suspension after this trio picked up their second yellow cards of the competition while Nihat went off during extra-time clutching his groin.

Turkey coach Fatih Terim, who was in charge when Turkey lost 1-0 to Croatia in Euro 96 in the group stages, was ecstatic.

"What has happened to us is unique in our history,'' said Terim, who was not in charge when Turkey made the 2002 World Cup semi-finals.

"We have become one of the great footballing nations. Our people can rejoice. And if our people are proud of us then we are proud of them."

His Croatia counterpart Slaven Bilic insisted his young side would return stronger in time for the upcoming 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

"This is not the sort of match you play on a regular basis, this is something we'll never forget - it will haunt us for the rest of our lives," he said.

"We'll probably weep for a few days but such is life - things like this happen.

"We have to go on, I've got a young team, qualification for the World Cup is imminent.

"Tomorrow is a new day, the sun will rise, and my players have a strong character and will be back even stronger.''

After Germany's drama-laden first quarter-final win over Portugal the night before, this second quarter-final was a big letdown, with chances as rare as empty seats in the Ernst Happel stadium.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic fielded the same team that defeated Germany in the group stages, with only two players - Danijel Panijec and Rakitic - surviving from the side that lined up against Poland.

Turkey turned up at the Ernst Happel stadium with half a dozen of their first team missing from injury or suspension.

Veteran keeper Rustu came in for Volkan Demirel, sent off against the Czech Republic, and manager Fatih Terim also handed a start to London-born Kazim Kazim, who led the attack with Nihat Kahveci.

Croatia will never know how they didn't go into the lead in the 18th minute, Ivica Olic being guilty of a criminal miss.

Darijo Srna set up the move, laying the ball on to Modric who raced down the right of the box to cross for Olic only for the Hamburg striker's shot to hit the crossbar from only a couple of metres directly in front of goal.

To compound their woes, Niko Kranjcar missed with his header from the rebound.

Tottenham Hotspur signing Modric summed up the mood of frustration, banging the Austrian turf repeatedly with his fist in frustration.

The game then meandered its way, slowly, to the break, with both sides unable to mount anything much resembling a serious challenge, a 35th-minute long-range effort from Mehmet Topal aside.

More of the same in the second half and penalties were in the offing.

Croatia looked more dangerous in the rare moments they were able to break the Turkey defence, with Rustu quick to deal with a Kranjcar effort in the 58th minute.

The match had a goal from Olic shortly after but it was disallowed for offside.

Terim then made his first substitution, taking off the ineffective Kazim Kazim for Ugur Boral, and Bilic followed, bringing off Kranjcar for Petric.

Minutes later Rakitic squandered Croatia's second gilt-edged chance, his close range shot after being set up by Olic flying high over Rustu's bar.

With quarter of an hour left of normal time, Terim switched midfielder Mehmet Topal for Fenerbahce striker Senturk in search of that elusive goal.

On 84 minutes, as Croatia maintained their almost constant pressure, Rustu earned his wages and some when only his outstretched hands edged out Srna's finely struck 20-metre free kick.

Extra time produced the badly needed fireworks, but only in the dying minutes.

Croatia thought they'd grabbed the winner when Klasnic struck but unbelievably after such a turgid affair Turkey struck back with Senturk equalising with a great shot into the top left hand corner to force the spot kicks.

June 22, 2008

RUSSIA coach Guus Hiddink became a traitor in his native Holland after his team's 3-1 quarter-final win after extra-time dumped the Dutch out of Euro 2008.

The 61-year-old former Netherlands coach had said he would be happy to be a traitor if his Russia team beat his countrymen, and he got his wish as two goals in extra-time broke Dutch hearts.

Roman Pavlyuchenko opened the scoring for Russia on 56 minutes before Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy headed home an 86th-minute equaliser to give the Dutch a lifeline - and take him alongside Johan Cruyff on 33 goals for the national side.

However, super sub Dmitri Torbinsky grabbed a second in the 112th minute, before Andrei Arshavin settled it with a third on 116 minutes.

"I don't know how far we have come since our preparation for the first match (a 4-1 defeat by Spain) but usually the Dutch are a team who one cannot outdo tactically, technically or physically, but we did on all three counts,'' said Hiddink.

"Of course we realised we couldn't give away too many free kicks to them but as you get tired you tend to commit more fouls.

"However, my players responded really well and instead of relying on the counter-attack they pressed for the winning goal.''

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, this is the first time Russia have made the knockout stages of a major tournament and will contest Friday's (EST) semi-final in Vienna.

But it was heart-break for Holland as the defeat signalled the last game in charge for coach Marco van Basten - who joins Ajax next season on a four-year deal - making his swansong at Euro 2008 after four years in charge.

The former AC Milan striker failed in his bid to bow out out on a high by giving the Netherlands a second European crown to the one he helped win in 1988.

His team had come into the Basel quarter-final with a 100 percent record from Group C having handed out comprehensive defeats to 2006 World Cup finalists France (4-1) and Italy (3-0) en route.

"The Russians played a lot better than we did and deserved their victory,'' said van Basten.

"I can live with the indisputable fact that they were better than us. We delivered some remarkable performances in the first round, but today we were not able to repeat those.''

After Holland defender Khalid Boulahrouz and his wife suffered the tragedy of losing their prematurely born daughter last week, the team wore black armbands, but the result only served to cap a dark week for the Dutch.

Meanwhile, Hiddink has continued his habit of helping international teams punch well above the weight.

The former Netherlands boss guided South Korea to the semi-finals at the 2002 World Cup and Australia to the knockout phase in 2006 just before signing on to coach Russia.

His side opened their Euro 2008 campaign with a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Spain as David Villa hit a hat-trick, but Russia hit back with a 1-0 win over Greece and were impressive in their 2-0 win over Sweden.

Both sides had plenty of chances in the first half.

Russia made a bright start and kept Manchester United goalkeeper Edin van der Sar busy in the first half with Dynamo Moscow defender Denis Kolodin and Pavylyuchenko going close early on.

But the Dutch also threatened on attack with Real Madrid's Wesley Sneijder testing the Russia defence and fellow midfielder Rafael van der Vaart also squandered several chances as it remained 0-0 at the break.

Van Basten brought Arsenal forward Robin van Persie into the fray at the start of the half but the Dutch went behind for the first time in the tournament soon after.

After Arshavin terrorised Sweden in Russia's 2-0 win last week, he blasted in a free kick which forced van der Sar into a diving save, but the shot just carried wide.

Russia opened the scoring when Pavlyuchenko slipped his marker and stabbed home Ivan Saenko's cross on 56 minutes for his third goal of the tournament.

But with time running out, the Dutch made their experience count as striker Nistelrooy headed an 86th-minute equaliser from Sneijder's superb cross to put his side back in the game and take the match to extra-time.

Russia looked down to 10 men when Denis Kolodin was shown the red card, but Slovakian referee Lubos Michel rescinded a second booking for the defender in stoppage time of normal time after a linesman told the official the ball had gone out of play before Kolodin tangled with Wesley Sneijder.

And the goal which ended Dutch hopes came after a pinpoint accurate cross along over the goalmouth from Arshavin was poked home by Torbinsky in the 112th minute.

And Arshavin scored a third just four minutes later as his side will now face Italy or Spain in the semi-final.

It was a great win for the Russia who are the under dogs of the competition.

Id like to see them go all the way and win it.

Cant beleive what Hiddink can do for a team he is a wonder coach.

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Great coach Guus Hiddink. It's a shame he is not coaching australia anymore, but Pim Verbeek is going okay.

so far all 3 favs in the q/finals have been beat