EURO 2008 RESULTS

Thursday 19th June 2008

Quarter Final Match

Portugal 2 - 3 Germany

Germany lived up to their billing as pre-tournament favourites as they booked a place in the Euro 2008 semi-finals with an impressive 3-2 win over Portugal.

Ballack: Clinches it for Germany
Although the Germans qualified for the quarter-finals as runners-up in Group B following defeat by Croatia, the three-time winners were back to their best in Basel as they proved just too good for the Euro 2004 finalists.


Bastian Schweinsteiger opened the scoring in the 22nd minute on his return from suspension, and the Portuguese were left shell-shocked when the Bayern Munich midfielder laid on a second for Miroslav Klose just four minutes later.


Portugal gave themselves hope four minutes before the break through Nuno Gomes, who became just the third man behind Jurgen Klinsmann and Vladimir Smicer to score in three European Championships.


But Michael Ballack restored Germany's two-goal lead in the 61st minute from another Schweinsteiger free-kick, and although substitute Helder Postiga pulled another one back for Portugal with three minutes left, Germany held on.



Low absence


Joachim Low, unable to sit in the Germany dugout due to the one-match ban imposed following his touchline bust-up with Austria coach Josef Hickersberger in the last group match, made three changes to his starting XI.


Schweinsteiger - back after suspension - Thomas Hitzlsperger and Simon Rolfes came into the line-up with Clemens Fritz, Mario Gomez and rib injury victim Torsten Frings missing out.


Scolari stuck to his pre-match word and named the same starting XI which beat Czech Republic and Turkey to win Group A for this match on the newly-laid turf at Basle's St Jakob-Park.


Low's team, under the temporary guidance of his assistant Hans-Dieter Flick, controlled the tempo and bossed the possession in the early stages.


Hitzlsperger had the first shot with a ninth-minute free-kick but it did not get very far before Deco got the block in, and the Stuttgart midfielder lashed another left-footed effort goalwards moments later which rippled Ricardo's side-netting.


Simao Sabrosa made Jens Lehmann work for the first time just before the quarter-hour mark when he found himself well place on the right-hand side of the area following good build-up play from Pepe and Deco, but the former Arsenal shot-stopper was equal to the Atletico Madrid winger's effort.


Nuno Gomes then looked to put Cristiano Ronaldo through but Arne Friedrich got across swiftly at the expense of a corner.

Jose Bosingwa fired in a cross from the left towards Joao Moutinho but it arrived at an awkward height for the Sporting Lisbon midfielder, who ended up diverting the ball over the bar with his thigh.



Costly


That miss proved costly as shortly afterwards the Germans forged ahead.


Podolski, who had been doubtful with a calf injury, burst down the left and sent in a dangerous low cross which Schweinsteiger tapped home at the near post in the 22nd minute.


Four minutes later, Germany doubled their advantage when man of the match Schweinsteiger floated in a free-kick and Klose glanced a tidy header past Ricardo.


Portugal then suffered a further blow when Joao Moutinho hobbled off with a knee injury, to be replaced by Raul Meireles.


Ronaldo and Simao combined well just after the half-hour to force Per Mertesacker into a scrambled clearance, but the initially shell-shocked Portuguese were beginning to find their feet again.


Gomes picked a fine time to bag his first goal of the tournament to halve the deficit in the 40th minute, reacting first to fire into the bottom-left corner via the right boot of Christoph Metzelder after Lehmann had parried a Ronaldo blast.


Germany almost immediately restored their two-goal cushion when Ballack cut in well from the left onto his right foot, but Ricardo got down well at his near post to save.


Ronaldo then had an opportunity to level matters in first-half stoppage time, only to see his effort drift just wide of Lehmann's right-hand upright.



Lashed


Friedrich and Philipp Lahm were both shown yellow cards in the opening minutes of the second half for lunges on Ronaldo and Simao respectively.


Hitzlsperger had a sight of goal five minutes after the restart but lashed his left-footed strike wildly over the top.


Pepe then passed up a great chance to restore parity when headed over in the 57th minute after Deco had flicked on a corner.


Once again, the Portuguese immediately paid for their profligacy when Ballack met Schweinsteiger's free-kick from the left and - with the help of a slight push in the back of his Chelsea team-mate Paulo Ferreira - made space to head past Ricardo.


Scolari threw attackers Nani and Postiga into the fray in a bid to turn the match around, but the Portuguese were struggling to test Lehmann.

Deco played a fine ball through to Nani but the Germans defended resolutely to prevent his cross reaching its target.


Podolski almost made it 4-1 12 minutes from time when his fierce long-range drive whizzed just past the right-hand post with Ricardo merely an onlooker.


Four minutes later, Nani set up fellow substitute Postiga to head home a second and give Portugal hope.


But there was to be no grand finale for Portugal and Scolari, as Germany - even without their coach on the touchline - held on.

Friday 20th June 2008

Quarter Final Match

Croatia 1 - 1 Turkey
Turkey win 3-1 on penalties

Turkey set up a meeting with Germany in the Euro 2008 semi-finals after beating Croatia on penalties after an extraordinary climax to the last-eight showdown in Vienna.

Rustu mobbed by team-mates

Rustu Recber saved Mladen Petric's spot-kick in the shoot-out, after Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic had already missed, to send Turkey into the last four of the European Championship for the first time.

Croatia enjoyed the better chances during normal time and should have taken the lead in the first half when Ivica Olic hit the crossbar from close range following excellent work by Modric.

Towards the end of the second half, Turkey keeper Rustu produced a flying one-handed save to turn away Darijo Srna's free-kick.

Turkey created little at the opposite end, with Mehmet Topal shaving the post with a long-range drive and Tuncay Sanli flashing a 25-yard drive narrowly wide.

With a minute to go, Modric beat Rustu to a loose ball on the by-line and clipped in a cross which substitute Ivan Klasnic headed home as the Turkey keeper scrambled back.

But in stoppage-time, Rustu's huge punt downfield fell kindly at the feet of Semih Senturk just inside the box and he smashed a fierce drive into the top corner via a slight deflection.

Tottenham-bound Modric missed the first penalty and, after Turkey converted all three of their spot-kicks, Petric's attempt was parried away by Rustu to book a semi-final date with Germany next Wednesday.


Early danger

Turkey had reached the last eight with back-to-back comebacks, against Switzerland then famously against the Czech Republic - and they looked in danger of falling behind early to Bilic's men.

Fatih Terim's side were hit by injuries and suspensions, and Croatia almost took advantage of unfamiliarity in the Turkish defence early on.

Veteran goalkeeper Rustu, deputising for the banned Volkan Demirel, failed to clear his lines and Rakitic raced down the left to cross for Srna - only for Hakan Balta to scramble clear when an open goal beckoned.

Modric crossed to the far post in the 19th minute, with Olic thudding the crossbar when he had most of Rustu's goal to aim for. The finish span to Niko Kranjcar but the Portsmouth midfielder could not tame the ball with his head.

Tuncay Sanli earned a yellow card and a one-match suspension for elbowing Niko Kovac, while he appealed for a penalty after Josip Simunic appeared to impede him in the area.

Turkey got even closer to Stipe Pletikosa's goal when Mehmet grazed the post with a powerful 35-yard drive seven minutes before the break.


Penalty drama

After the restart Arda joined Tuncay in the referee's book, also earning him a ban.

Croatia almost pounced on Rustu's hesitancy early in the second half when he failed to collect a long ball, but Olic was unable to get power on his header.

Rustu was down sharply, however, when Modric released Kranjcar and the midfielder poked towards goal.

Srna's free-kick was tipped over by Rustu and when the veteran blocked another effort from Olic, extra-time was inevitable.

Klasnic thought he had won it when he headed in Modric's cross after more Rustu hesitation in the 119th minute, but when Semih found the top corner with a deflected drive, the drama of penalties unfolded.

Saturday 21st June 2008

Quarter Final Match

Holland 1 - 3 Russia

Guus Hiddink came out on top against the country of his birth as Russia secured a 3-1 victory over Holland to book their place in the semi-finals of Euro 2008.

Russia: Deserved win

It took extra-time to get there as Dmitri Torbinski and Andrei Arshavin netted after Roman Pavlyuchenko's opener had been cancelled out by Ruud van Nistelrooy's late diving header.


The Russians looked fired up from the off and edged a cagey first half as Holland struggled to rekindle the free-flowing, attacking panache which had illuminated their group outings.


Hiddink's side peppered Edwin van der Sar's goal with dangerous long-range efforts throughout the opening period, while Van Nistelrooy spurned a couple of half-chances at the opposite end of the field.


Then, on 56 minutes, Russia finally broke the Dutch resistance as Sergei Semak swung over a cross from the left and Pavlyuchenko crashed home a crisp volley.


That appeared to be enough to send Hiddink's men through, but Van Nistelrooy's 86 minute header forced extra-time.


Russia continued to look like the more likely victors, though, and it came as no surprise when Torbinski bundled home an Arshavin cross with just eight minutes left on the clock.


With the Dutch desperately seeking a second route back into the game their dreams were finally crushed four minutes later when the impressive Arshavin squeezed a low effort through Van der Sar's legs, with the aid of a deflection from Johnny Heitinga.



Rattled


Russia had their opponents rattled early on, Hiddink's smothering tactics working a gem with Dutch playmakers Rafael van der Vaart and Wesley Sneijder frozen out.


They settled quicker and had the better of the early chances, Yuri Zhirkov's free-kick drawing a smart save out of Van der Sar and Pavlyuchenko heading wastefully over when free eight yards out.


Holland improved slightly and midway through the first half, Orlando Engelaar fired just wide and Van Nistelrooy somehow failed to get on the end of Van der Vaart's swinging free-kick.


Russia remained dangerous, though, and it was the unlikely source of centre-back Denis Kolodin who almost put them ahead, his first rasping drive tipped over by Van der Sar and another - again from 35 yards - narrowly clearing the crossbar.


Van der Sar was working overtime, pushing away Arshavin's curler with his fingertips, and Marco Van Basten would have walked to the dressing room at half-time slightly concerned.


Denied the luxury of introducing Arjen Robben off the bench - the Real Madrid winger did not take part in the pre-match warm-up because of a slight groin strain - Van Basten instead plucked for Robin van Persie for the second half.


It almost turned out to be a tactical masterstroke, the Arsenal forward - who replaced the ineffective Dirk Kuyt - volleying just off target within seconds of coming on.


Van Persie was then cautioned for use of the elbow but worse was to follow for the Dutch when Pavlyuchenko broke the deadlock.


Semak broke free down the left and crossed low for the Spartak Moscow striker to sidefoot a volley home left-footed.



Credentials


Holland were behind for the first time this tournament, and their title credentials were being firmly put to the test.


Van Persie was still plugging away though, driving a shot over, heading Van der Vaart's corner wide and then spooning a free-kick over after Kolodin was booked for fouling Van Nistelrooy.


That means the defender will now miss the semi-final.


In a tense last 10 minutes, substitute Torbinski should have wrapped it up for Russia but he did not get decent purchase on a lay-off by Zhirkov, who may have been better off shooting instead.


And they were made to pay when Van Nistelrooy took the game into extra-time, heading home Sneijder's free-kick at the far post from close range in the 86th minute.


A key decision came with seconds left in stoppage time. Kolodin thought he had received his second yellow card for bringing down Sneijder - but the assistant referee spared the 26-year-old by signalling the ball had earlier gone out of play.


So to extra-time it went, and after Arshavin had shot wastefully over, Pavlyuchenko struck the crossbar with a fierce effort from the angle.


Russia continued to hold the upper hand, their superior fitness telling, and Torbinski's close-range effort was weak with just Van der Sar to beat in the 98th minute.


The second half was a similar story, the Russians swarming all over the Dutch but they could not find the cutting edge until Torbinski tapped home Arshavin's deft far-post cross.


Arshavin then scored the killer third by turning his marker and slipping home a deflected shot through Van der Sar's legs.

Sunday 22nd June 2008

Quarter Final Match

Spain 0 - 0 Italy
Spain win 4-2 on penalties

Cesc Fabregas scored the winning penalty to send Spain into the semi-finals of Euro 2008 after a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Italy.

Fabregas is mobbed by his team-mates after dispatching winner

The Arsenal star kept his cool from the spot to beat Gianluigi Buffon and set up a semi-final meeting with Russia on Thursday after Antonio Di Natale and Daniele De Rossi both missed from the spot for Italy as Spain reached their first semi-final since 1984.


The game ended goalless after extra-time following a tense and hard-fought battle in Vienna with chances few and far between.


The Spaniards went closest to scoring in the 81st minute when Buffon fumbled a shot from Marcos Senna on to the post, while Mauro Camoranesi saw his shot blocked by the legs of Iker Casillas.


Spain dominated possession in the early stages and had the first chance in the eighth minute with David Silva playing a one-two with David Villa before his shot took a deflection from Daniele De Rossi and went straight to the hands of goalkeeper Buffon.

Torres wasted a good chance to break the deadlock in the 17th minute when his cross was way off target with Villa and Xavi waiting in the box.

Italy finally had their first effort on goal in the 18th minute, with Simone Perrotta latching onto Massimo Ambrosini's cross but his header proved an easy catch for Casillas.

Midway through the first half Villa's powerful free-kick towards the far post forced Buffon into action.


Save
Buffon's next save was all the more impressive as he was forced to fully stretch to save Silva's left-footed strike from the edge of the area on the half-hour mark.

Luca Toni should have broken the deadlock shortly after but his header from Antonio Cassano's cross hit Carlos Marchena.

Spain picked up where they left off after the re-start and Giorgio Chiellini made a crucial tackle inside the area on Silva who tried to punish the Italians for a defensive error.

Villa then wasted a good chance when his cross went off target with Torres waiting in the box.

Donadoni made his first substitution before the hour mark, with Mauro Camoranesi replacing Perrotta in an attempt to give the Azzurri a spark up front.

Aragones replied by sending on Santi Cazorla and Fabregas for Xavi and Iniesta.

Italy had the best chance in the 62nd minute with Camoranesi's close-range strike forcing Casillas to make a desperate foot clearance after confusion in the box.

Marcos Senna warmed the hands of Buffon with a stinging free-kick with 11 minutes remaining.


Lucky escape
Soon after, Buffon tried to collect a shot from Senna but the ball bounced out of his grasp. The goalkeeper scrambled toward the goal-line to get the ball and fortunately, for the Italian, it struck the post before staying out.

Aragones made his last substitution with five minutes remaining in regular time

with Daniel Guiza replacing Torres.

Zambrotta made a vital clearance with Villa ready to hit the target from Fabregas' brilliant cross, but there was no way of avoiding extra time.

Silva fired inches wide after Chiellini had blocked Fabregas' powerful strike inside the area after the re-start.

Italy kept up the pressure and twice had the chance to break the deadlock.

Casillas made an acrobatic save from Di Natale's close-range header while Toni nodded the ball over the crossbar as the Azzurri got closer.

Buffon was forced to come off his line to clear Villa's close-range effort while Cazorla fired wide instead of passing to the unmarked Villa at the far post as penalties were required.

Casillas saved spot-kicks from De Rossi and Di Natale after a goalless 120 minutes before Fabregas slid the winning penalty past Buffon.

Wednesday 25th June 2008

Semi-Final Match

Germany 3 - 2 Turkey

Philipp Lahm's last-gasp goal gave Germany a thrilling 3-2 win over Turkey to book their place in the final of Euro 2008.

Lahm celebrates his late winner

Full-back Lahm struck in the final minute to finally end depleted Turkey's dreams of causing a major upset.


Semih Senturk appeared to have sent the game into extra-time when he equalised four minutes from time only for Lahm to win the game for Germany in the 90th minutes


Turkey took the lead midway through the first half when Ugur Boral scrambled the ball home past Jens Lehmann after Colin Kazim-Richards's looping effort came back off the crossbar.


The lead proved short-lived as Bastian Schweinsteiger equalised for Germany five minutes later when he cleverly flicked in a cross from Lukas Podolski.


Miroslav Klose gave Germany the lead on 79 minutes when he headed home after a mistake by Turkey goalkeeper Rustu Recber.


Turkey refused to lie down and Semih drew them level when he converted Sabri Sarioglu's cross at the near post.


The game looked destined to head into extra-time until Lahm played a one-two with Thomas Hitzlsperger to go clear on goal and he kept his cool to drive the ball high past Rustu.


Turkish side were still much the quicker out of the blocks and enjoyed a brilliant start to the game, with Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann needed to be alert to efforts from Kazim-Richards and Hamit Altintop in the first 10 minutes.

Turkey then struck the woodwork in the 13th minute through London-born Kazim-Richards, whose rising shot crashed against the top of the crossbar from 12 yards out following an Ayhan Akman cut-back.


Opener
It was therefore not unexpected when Turkey took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute through Boral.

The chance came after Kazim-Richards had hit the Germany crossbar for the second time - this time with an effort that looped up into the air and onto the bar - and Boral was on hand to slot home the rebound, despite Lehmann's best efforts on the line.

Turkey's joy was shortlived though, as Germany equalised with their first chance of the match five minutes later through Schweinsteiger.

Podolski sent over a low cross from the left and Schweinsteiger darted in front of Mehmet Topal and with the outside of his right foot guided the ball across Rustu and into the far corner of the net.

Opportunities were coming thick and fast at both ends with Semih's header saved by Lehmann, who was then almost left red-faced by Altintop's deep free-kick, which the former Arsenal goalkeeper misjudged and needed to dive backwards to

tip over.

Podolski then wasted a gilt-edged chance for Germany when he was put clean through by Hitzlsperger, only for the Bayern Munich man to blaze over with just Rustu to beat.

Turkey goalscorer Boral stung the knuckles of Lehmann with a free-kick before Sabri fired just over from distance as the underdogs finished the first half just as they started it - in total control.

The match was more of an even contest in the second half, with the two defences looking much less charitable than the opening period.

The ever-threatening Boral fired a rare shot at Lehmann in the 71st minute before Germany midfielder Hitzlsperger saw his left-footed effort go just wide of the top corner.


Mistake
But just as the match looked to be drifting towards extra-time, Germany took the lead through Klose in the 79th minute.

Rustu looked favourite to come out and claim Lahm's lofted cross into the area, but Klose beat both Rustu and Topal to the ball to send a glancing header into an unguarded net.

That might have spelt the end of some side's hopes, but Turkey had proven themselves an obstinate opponent in the three previous matches and, astonishingly, they managed to net yet another late goal.

Sabri sent over a low cross and Semih managed to poke the ball past Lehmann at his near post.

That was not the end of the drama though as Germany showed their own determination by netting a last-gasp winner through Lahm.

Lahm raced into the Turkey area before being picked out by Hitzlsperger, and the Bayern Munich full-back showed remarkable composure to fire past Rustu into the near top corner, sending Germany into the final.

Thursday 26th June 2008

Semi-Final Match

Russia 0 - 3 Spain

Spain will contest Sunday's Euro 2008 final after they put on a sumptuous second half display to see off a Russia side that were put to the sword 3-0 on a wet night in Vienna.

Spain through to Euro 2008 final

The opening 45 minutes was a closely fought affair that was full of tension, if not chances, as both sides toiled without too much success.


After the interval though and Spain, with substitute Cesc Fabregas at the hub of much of their best work, played some glorious football after Xavi had fired home Andres Iniesta's cross-cum-shot from the left.


Fabregas' sublime touch played in fellow substitute Daniel Guiza to double Spain's lead with a cute dinked effort, before David Silva concluded a wonderful team move with the finish it deserved to put the gloss on the most polished of performances.



Villa blow


Spain looked to be on top of the Russians at the Ernst-Happel Stadium in the first half but had no goals to show for their work, and after losing the tournament's leading goalscorer David Villa to injury in the 34th minute, their prospects did not look bright.


Arsenal's Fabregas, who converted the clinching spot-kick to beat Italy in a penalty shootout in the quarter-final, came on and excelled just as Guiza did when he replaced Fernando Torres.


Spain came flying out of the traps and almost took the lead after just five minutes when Villa fed Torres inside the area but the Liverpool striker's close-range effort was parried away by goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev. Russia meanwhile, struggled to get past Spain's defence.


With 10 minutes played, Villa's right-footed effort from the edge of the area was saved by Akinfeev. The Russians weathered the early storm and began to grow in confidence, with Roman Pavlyuchenko hitting a powerful strike that went straight into the hands of Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas.


Midway through the first half, Sergio Ramos drove the ball straight to the keeper's hands. Iniesta missed a golden chance to put Spain in front in the 26th minute when he was unable to control Xavi's clever pass towards the area.


Casillas came to the rescue for Spain on the half-hour mark, going full length to palm away Pavlyuchenko's curled effort from the edge of the area. The Spanish suffered a blow shortly after, when star man Villa limped off and was replaced by Fabregas.



Casillas save


Villa's absence hindered Spain, who seconds later could have fallen behind. Pavlyuchenko chested down Ivan Saenko's cross inside the box but fired wide, much to the relief of Casillas. But back came Spain and Ramos got past his marker before firing just wide of the near post.


Torres should have put Spain in front before half-time. Having perfectly controlled Fabregas' pass, the striker fired a weak central effort that proved an easy save for the keeper. Spain picked up where they left off after the re-start, and their efforts were soon rewarded.


Xavi played in Iniesta down the left, before finishing his Barcelona team-mate's cross-shot from inside the box. Torres almost made it 2-0 shortly after, with his curled angled effort from Fabregas' assist going just high over the bar.



Class comes to fore


Hiddink was quick to react making a double substitution with Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Vladimir Bystrov being called upon. But it was Spain who looked more deadly.


Torres twice had the opportunity to double Spain's lead but his touch from Ramos' two sensational passes went wide. Aragones made Torres pay for those mistakes as he brought in Guiza to replace the Liverpool frontman.


What a wise move it proved to be as Guiza made it 2-0 in the 72nd minute. Fabregas served Guiza inside the area who lobbed the ball over the keeper.


With Russia offering little opposition, Spain continued to surge forward and put the game beyond their rivals' reach with nine minutes remaining. Fabregas' perfect ball found Silva inside the area, who fired past Akinfeev to start the fiesta for the Spanish fans.