Euro 2008: Portugal 2-3 Germany (Full Match Report and Video)

This was the first quarter final of the competition, with Portugal coming top of their group with six points. Germany, however, looked shaky in the group stages, coming second in their group after a disappointing loss to Croatia.

Portugal started well, playing good football, but neither team really pressed in the first ten minutes or so. The Portuguese started to find their feet, and created a good opportunity or two that could have been turned in. But then, as we’ve seen so many times in this competition, a quick counter attack led to the first goal. Bastian Schweinsteiger applied the final touch after a bursting run and a superb cross from Klose meant an easy tap in.

It was just four minutes later when the Germans doubled their lead. A free kick from the left side of the pitch had pin point accuracy, and poor defending from the Portuguese meant that Klose had a free header to score his first goal of the tournament.

After that Germany looked extremely likely to add a second, playing extremely good football in both attack and defense, although a couple of off side decisions meant they couldn’t add another goal in the first half.

Portugal, however, added a goal before the half time whistle was blown, Nuno Gomes adding the final touch from a rebound after Jens Lehmann saved Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot.

In the second half the Germans started the brighter team, with some more good attacking play leading to another goal, extremely similar to the second. A free kick from the left, to the back post, and a little push from Michael Ballack meant that he had a bit more room to apply the finishing touch, and it looked like there was no way back for Portugal.

The Portuguese then found some confidence, but they simply couldn’t get through the German defense until late in the second half, Nani crossing for Postiga to head the ball in, bringing the Portuguese within just one goal of the Germans, but they couldn’t do enough to win it.

This was a very exciting game, with Germany dominating for the majority of the ninety minutes, and although the score line flatters the Portuguese a bit, they go home with nothing to show for their efforts, and Germany go through clear favorites for the semi final they will play against either Croatia or Turkey.

Final Score:
Portugal 2 – 3 Germany

Watch the five GOALS:

Comments June 20th, 2008

Khairy Ramadan moves from Orbit to Assaa Channel

Khairy Ramadan, a very well known Egyptian journalist, until last week he was a co-host of “Cairo Today” or “Alqahera Alyaum” talk show, although lately was a co-host he started by just presenting the journalism segment were he reads the next day’s newspapers with a guest who is usually either a journalist, a poet, a writer or even sometimes an actor.

“Alqahera Alyaum” originally had two co-hosts, Amr Adeeb and Nirvana. Nirvana was fired from the show because of public demand. She was too much defensive of the Egyptian government, in each and every situation. Anyway, later Amr was in sort of a problem, who would be co-hosting with him?, but in the end the chair of the second host was not fixed on one person, and we started seeing a pattern, although a lot of actors and actresses started co-hosting, there are few names that recurred a lot. It was Ezzat Abu 3of, Ahmed Mousa and Khairy Ramadan.

The program usually have a one hour intro, where Amr and the co-host that day will discuss current news and current happenings in Cairo and Egypt in general. The most strongest intro’s were when Amr and Khairy were together, because both of them are journalists and loose they were more fun to watch.

Now I come to the main issue, Khairy Ramadan got a very interesting offer, “Assaa” or “Assa3a”  channel offered him to co-host a new show which is sort of a clone of “Cairo Today”, actually there are enough clones already, Mehwer channel has “90 Minutes” and Dream Channel has “Al3ashera Masa’an” or “10 O’clock”, and the official Egyptian satellite channel has “Elbeit Baitak”, but still it seems each and every channel want to have a piece of the pie. Anyway, the program is called “Sa3a B Sa3a” “Hour by Hour”, the other co-host will be Mai Elsherbeeny, who left “90 Minutes” from Mehwer channel.

So Khairy will be a solid part of the program, I don’t think khairy left for the money, Orbit would have paid him what he wants, I am sure of it, but he left because of the chance of being part of something he has more control in and can better contribute to, which is his right, everybody should grab the chance for a better thing in his life, but I will really miss the kind of chemistry that was between him and Amr.

Mei Elsherbeny was ok in “90 Minutes”, but not great thou, I am not sure was that because of her co-host there Mo3taz Eldemerdash?!, I wish khairy will get the best out of her, and I advise him to keep using the tone he had on “Cairo Today”, that is speaking simple Arabic, and not choosing so big and difficult words which most writers prefer to use, because most of your audience are either not educated or had middle education, and with those kind of programs you would want to reach to everybody.

I had a chance to have a very tiny chat with Khairy in his group in FaceBook, he said that he left Orbit in a very professional friendly way and he has no issues with either the program’s administration nor with Amr Adeeb, which is good to hear, he said that his new show in “Assaa” channel is not totally a clone of those kind of shows like “Cairo Today”, he said that parts of it is actually like that, but a lot of parts are new and original.

In the end all what I have to say is good luck in the new show.

Comments December 24th, 2007