The Netherlands went in to this game expected to win after incredible results in the group stages, including beating both of the 2006 World Cup Finalists (France and Italy) by three goals each time. Russia were expected to be thrashed in this game after coming second in their group, but their final game against Sweden showed that they still may have some thing to offer after playing extremely good football.
Surprisingly, Russia started off the better team, with lots of possession and some good chances, with Kolodin with three shots from way out side the penalty area resulting in good saves and extremely near misses.
Although Russia dominated, the Dutch had good chances, and Real Madrid striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy should have put Holland one up after a brilliant free kick was inches away from his boot, and although Russia had more chances, the Dutch chances were better, and the half time score was 0 – 0.
In the second half it was much the same story, with Russia leading the way and the Dutch having few chances, and it was on the sixty third minute when Roman Pavlyuchenko slotted the ball in to the near post after a brilliant cross. Their lead was canceled out on the eighty sixth minute though, when Van Nistelrooy headed from point blank range after a brilliant free kick from Sneidjer.
In the first period of extra time, Russia continued to dominate, and the Dutch looked more and more desperate, and it was in the second half of extra time when, on the one hundred and twelfth minute, Torbinsky tapped the ball home from less than a foot off the line after a cross looped over Van Der Sar’s head.
Russia confirmed their victory with four minutes remaining, when man of the match Andrei Arshavin’s deflected shot went through the legs of the Dutch keeper.
Overall a fine game, and whoever Russia face next out of Spain or Italy will be worried. Favorites Holland are out of the tournament though, and their fans will be truly disheartened, although the better team won.
This was the second quarter final of the tournament so far, with Croatia excelling in their group with three wins, including an impressive win over Germany. Turkey went in to this game after clinching the last eight spot with three very late goals in their last game against Czech Republic, meaning they came in to this game after finishing second in their group.
Croatia started well, playing some good football and keeping possession well. Turkey had a bit of possession, too, as well as a free kick that was expertly blocked by Nico Kovac. But it was just before the twenty minute mark when Croatia had a flurry of chances, with the best of which falling to Olic, who just needed to tap the ball in to the open goal, but the ball rebounded off him on to the crossbar and the ball came back out.
After that, there was no real action in the first half, although the game was relatively entertaining. Turkey had nearly two thirds of possession in the first period, as well as having more shots, but they didn’t utilize these statistics, and the game was goal less as they went in for the half time break.
The story was much the same in the second half, which Olic again missing crucial chances, and Turkey just about held on with expert saves, long clearances up the pitch and poor Croatian final touches. Because of this, the game went in to extra time.
This was by far the most exciting part of the game, and in the third period of the game, Turkey looked on top, playing brilliant football, and if they had been a bit more attacking it was fairly obvious that they would have scored, but the game went in to the fourth period goal less.
The second half of extra time belonged to Croatia, with some chances going astray before with ninety second left to play, a foolish error by the Turkish goal keeper meant that substitute Klasnic has an easy header, and Croatia thought they had won, but they hadn’t. A long ball forward from goal keeper Rustu caused some errors by the Croatian center backs, who let Senturk blast a shot in to the top corner from around eight yards, and the game went to penalties.
Croatia missed their first, third and fourth penalties with saves and two off target shots, with Turkey scoring all of their three penalties to go through to the semi finals to face Germany.
The game took around ninety minutes to warm up, but after that it got very exciting, although the best team lost, and Turkey shouldn’t really be where they are, but that’s not to take anything away from them, as they played brilliantly and ultimately scored more goals.
Final Score: Croatia 1 – 1 Turkey (Turkey win 3-1 on penalties)
Both teams went in to this game needing a win to progress, after they had both beaten Switzerland and lost to Portugal. If this game was a draw, then there would be the first ever penalty shoot out for a group stage in the tournament. Czech Republic wore all white, while the Turkish wore all red.
Neither team ever really took control in the first half, although the Czech Republicans had almost all the opportunities. They kept possession well, playing fluent football, while the Turks held on for dear life, blocking crosses and jumping in the way of Czech shots.
In the first ten minutes, two of the Turkish players had received bookings, which made them the most booked team in Euro 2008 so far, although the referee was being extremely strict and a lot of the Czech players were making the most of the challenges, throwing them selves to the floor, which slowed the game down and soon got tiresome.
Then a break through for the Czech Republic. An exquisite cross played in from the right hand side from Zdenek Grygera was inch perfect for six foot seven inches giant Jans Koller to make a powerful header, which Turkish goal keeper Demirel got his hand to, but couldn’t keep out.
In the second half the game really livened up. On the sixty fifth minute, Libor Sionko swung in a wonderful cross and Jaroslav Plasil latches on the end of it to put Czech Republic up, and it looks like check mate for Czech Republic.
But then, on the seventy fifth minute Arda Turan scored his second goal of the tournament with a brilliant shot right in to the bottom corner, just out of Petr Cech’s reach. Suddenly it looks like Turkey may have a chance.
And they have a chance. And a rather brilliant one at that, when usually rock solid Cech lets a ball slip out of his hands, and Nihat reacts first to slot the ball in to the empty net. Truly remarkable football, and everyone is suddenly choosing who will take penalties.
But then, another shock, when Turkey score their third goal in fifteen minutes! Nihat receiving a through ball before running through to the edge of the penalty area before picking his spot in the top corner, giving Petr Cech no chance. Unbelievable football, no one can quite believe it.
And as if everyone wasn’t already excited enough, there is even more action, when in the fourth minute of added time Czech Republic get a chance before Turkish goal keeper Volkan foolishly pushed Koller to the floor, who made the most of it, but the goal keeper still got a red card.
And then a bizarre decision. The referee books Milan Baros, giving him a yellow card, but the crazy thing is, he isn’t even on the pitch! Too confusing to take in.
After the two teams first games were on the complete opposite on the spectrum, both teams were eager to impress. Italy especially wanted to win this game, as anything other than three points would slash their chances of qualifying dramatically.
The game kicked off, and it was extremely intense, Italy looking like they could score any minute for the whole first half, having chance after chance and finding Romania’s weakness which the French couldn’t find: the air. Romania failed on multiple occasions to clear Italy’s crosses, resulting in Luca Toni and his attacking companions missing a couple of good chances. Italy also had other good opportunities including hitting the post and having a header disallowed for offside, although it was a bad decision, and it looked like Friday the 13th was going to be unlucky for Italy.
That isn’t to say Romania didn’t have any chances though, hitting the post, having a one on one and hitting a scorching free kick from a long distance, although their poor attacking record means it was no surprise they didn’t score in the first half.
Out for the second half, and in similar fashion to the first half, the game is end to end football, it is clear fairly soon after the kick off that Romania want to win this game just as much as Italy.
Then, on the fifty fifth minute, a poor header from Zambrotta back to Buffon meant that former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu could run on and take full advantage of the Italian mistake, slotting the ball above a helpless Buffon and in to the roof of the net.
And, before we could even watch the replay of the goal, Italy were pressing and got a corner at the other end, and after a superb cross and a nifty header toward goal, Christian Panucci poked the ball passed the line.
Italy kept pressing, desperate to get a second, although just before the eighty minute mark, a tug in the Italian penalty area resulted in a rather harsh Romanian penalty. After countless Italian protests, Romanian goal scorer Mutu stepped up to take the penalty, knowing a win would knock Italy out the competition. He drove it hard to Buffon’s left, but Buffon re-adjusted his jump and knocked it onto his leg with his right hand, and the ball went out for a corner.
Overall a good game with plenty of action, and Italy were extremely unfortunate not to get the win, but now there is a lot of pressure on both sides, especially Italy, to get through to the next round.
They were ready, they were energized, they were organized and they won, they won BIG. Real Madrid could have easily won today with a way bigger margin, they should have scored something between 6 to 8 goals.
Barca players were like walking corpses, they were like ghosts, the only player that did something was Messi, although Thierry Henry scored the consolation goal he also was dead most of the time during the match.
Actually Thierry Henry was playing so weird, falling down everytime a player simply touches him. All the players of Barcelona where not normal. They were clueless during the full match, while Real Madrid players performed beautifully.
Some say that Barca did not play well because of the firing of Rijkaard, and some say it was because of Real Madrid winning the league. Whatever the reason is, Barca was weak and the players were eager to listen to the referees whistle that would end their misery.
Real Madrid players were so confident and delivered 4 great goals, the first as usual came from Raul on the 13th minute, then we saw a great header from Arjen Robben on the 21st minute. On the second half Gonzalo Higuaín scored on the 63rd minute and then on the 78th minute of the match Ruud Van Nistelrooy played the penalty and scored the 4th goal for Real Madrid.
Both teams went in to this game needing a win to progress, after they had both beaten Switzerland and lost to Portugal. If this game was a draw, then there would be the first ever penalty shoot out for a group stage in the tournament. Czech Republic wore all white, while the Turkish wore all red.
After the two teams first games were on the complete opposite on the spectrum, both teams were eager to impress. Italy especially wanted to win this game, as anything other than three points would slash their chances of qualifying dramatically.
