This was the final of Euro 2008, which has been a fantastic tournament. Everyone was hoping for a thrilling game, with Germany the favorites to win the tournament. Spain had won all their previous games prior to this final, beating Italy in the quarter finals and Russia in the semi finals, so came in to this game on top form. Germany, however, had been struggling a bit in the previous game against Turkey, who they beat with a last minute goal in the semi finals.
Germany soon took control of the game, playing intelligent football and putting together a couple of good opportunities, but around half way through the first half, the game became more open, and slowly Spain began to take control. It was not long after this that Torres jumped higher than the German defenders to head the ball on to the post, with Lehmann well and truly beaten.
It was the thirty third minute when the first goal came, with Xavi playing a superb ball through the German defenders, and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres latched on to the ball, pushing through the defenders and chipping the ball over Jens Lehmann and in to the empty German net. After that Spain really took control of the game, playing fast and fluent football, with Germany struggling to gain possession, and when they did, the Spaniards just got the ball straight back, and the teams went in to half time with Spain looking well on top.
In the second half the story was much the same as in the first. Germany started the half well, running rings around the Spaniards for around twenty minutes, and had plenty of opportunities to draw level, but slowly Spain started to take control, and suddenly they looked the more likely team to score, playing the ball around the Germans and after around seventy five minute the Germans seemed to give up, roaming around the pitch with no urgency, and Spain probably should have scored at least two more goals, but the final whistle blew with the Spanish leading by one goal.
The result means that Spain are the European Champions for the first time in forty four years, and they truly deserved the title. On the night they were the better team, with Germany never really looking like much of a threat after twenty minutes had been played, and Spain capitalized on this. A very good game, and congratulations Spain!
Ok, so before you call me crazy and mad, even if they are saying the truth couldn’t they link with another channel which was showing the match? Ok maybe not, but do not blame me for thinking they are lying because when I see that the match is working with no problems on other channels and they are not showing it I will have to assume they are just giving excuses. Anyway, just hope these rains and thunders do not show up tomorrow and leave us hanging in the middle of the match.
I was watching the Germany vs Turkey match and on the second half Aljazeera Sports Channel kept cutting off the match and showing people in the stadium and people in Germany watching the match on a big screen, and every time they cut back the match the commentator apologizing saying that it is a problem from the source, and that they have no control in this. From the SOURCE!!??!?!?! Does Aljazeera really thinks we are that stupid ?! A number of European channels showed the match in full and without interruptions. Some even watched in full over the Internet.
I do not want to go in detail, but the thing that made me mad is the lying more than the cutting, why do they need to lie. We missed 3 goals, the match ended 3-2 for Germany, the only goals we were able to watch were the first two goals from both sides.
Aljazeera is still saying that the reason for the interruptions are the rains and thunders in Vienna And they are promising to show the match in full later tonight. How lucky we are to have you Aljazeera Sports Channel you are so special, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this AMAZING coverage for a freakin SEMI FINAL.
This was the final quarter final of the tournament, and Spain went in strong favorites after winning all three of their group games and playing some extremely good football. The current World Cup holders Italy went in to this game after beating France and Romania, but suffering a disappointing defeat to the Dutch, in which they lost by three goals.
In the first few minutes, Spain created some good opportunities, and this was evident in the stats, which said they had nearly three times as many shots as the Italians in the first ninety minutes. Italy’s best chance of the regular ninety minutes fell to substitute Camoranesi, who’s close range volley was dealt with excellently by Iker Casillas, but overall, in the initial ninety minutes, it was Spain who were the better side, and they really should have finished the game off quite quickly, but instead the game went to extra time for the third time in three days.
In the first period of extra time, the game was pretty up in the air, with both teams having good opportunities, but neither of the players showed the drive to score, and it looked highly probable the game was going to penalties. And it turned out this was going to be the case, after another period of extra time was played, neither team had scored.
In the penalty shoot out, Iker Casillas saved two of the Italian’s penalties, but the Spanish kept their nerve, and four out of five spot kick takers scored against Buffon, meaning they go through.
Not a very good game at all, both teams lacked desire and forward momentum. They looked tired the whole way through the game, and it came down to penalties for an outcome. Tonight’s result means that the semi finals are Germany v Turkey and Russia v Spain.
Final Score: Spain 0 – 0 Italy (Italy win 4-2 on penalties)
Both teams went in to this game knowing that a win would qualify them for the knock out stages, after both teams won their initial game. Spain were expected to win after convincingly beating Russia by four goals to one in their fist game, where as Sweden played an extremely boring game with Greece and won by luck by two goals to nil.
As expected, Spain took control of the game. The Swedes tried to counter, but didn’t get very far, and Spain looked very likely to score. And they did just that. A short corner caught Sweden out, as the ball reached Silva, who played a little chip into the box for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to sneak in front of his marker and prod the ball home with his outstretched foot.
It looked like Sweden were going to do exactly what the Netherlands did last night, with an attack straight from the kick off leading to a shot which so nearly snuck in at Iker Casillas’ near post.
Then Sweden scored. Ibrahomavic turned neatly away from a sliding tackle, before neatly slotting the ball into the goal, although Casillas really should have saved it, the ball literally trickled over the line. Suddenly both teams looked very energetic and Spain should have had a penalty in stoppage time when Silva was clattered from behind the ball had even reached him! The Spanish players were understandably infuriated, but they managed to cool their anger until half time so that they didn’t get booked.
In the second half Sweden dominated for most of the time, but after sixty minutes Spain got three fantastic opportunities in under a minute as Isaksson saved and defenders blocked oncoming shots.
Then, in stoppage time David Villa scored a goal to put Spain in front, when a ball was playing in the box, Villa neatly converted it giving the Manchester City and Swedish goal keeper no chance of stopping it.
Altogether a good game, and Spain are now through to the quarter finals. They maybe could have done more, but will be pleased with the win. Now Russia, Greece and Sweden will all have to fight it out for that crucial second place.
Spain went into this game expected to win. The majority of Britons asked said they thought the Spanish international side were the most likely to go all the way, but first they had to get through their first game against Russia.
For the first ten minutes or so, neither team really found their feet, and it was very hard to decide who would get the first goal, but around the fifteen minute mark, Russia started to play some good football and looked very threatening, although they failed to utilize this advantage and on the twenty minute mark, the Liverpool top goal scorer, Torres made a break down the left hand side, before attracting goal keeper and coolly passing the ball into Villa for a simple tap in.
The first half in general belong to Spain, although it wouldn’t be fair to say Russia didn’t have their chances, including hitting the post, hitting the crossbar and having a one on one opportunity canceled for offside.
The Spanish side then made Russia pay for this mistake. Russia played a short corner and way over hit the cross, then Spain made a counter attack extremely similar to the Netherlands’s, where the left back ran the length of the pitch, before the ball found it’s way through to David Villa, who scored his second of the game calmly passing the ball through the keepers legs.
A number of players looked extremely close to getting booked in the first half, with the referee seeming to disallow psychical contact altogether, giving a lot of free kicks, and it was unsurprising no one received a yellow card, although this didn’t ruin what was a very good game of football so far.
Coming out for the second half and it looked like the Russians might just find a way back into this game, putting the Spanish defense under a lot of pressure for around a quarter of an hour before the tables turned and on the seventieth minute David Villa got his hat trick after an excellent cross-pitch pass from substitute Cesc Fabregas, meaning all Villa had to do was slot the ball neatly home at the near post.
The Spaniards then carried on putting the Russians under pressure, until around the eightieth minute where Russian player Roman Pavlyuchenko headed the ball in to the Spanish net to make the score 3 – 1, but this didn’t mean the Spanish stopped. With yet another counter attack they surged forward, Villa holding the ball up and chipping to Igor Akinfeyev who blasted it to the keeper, who could only rebound the ball in to Cesc Fabregas’ path for a diving header.
The first game of Group D was a good one, with lots of action, and, at last, a decent amount of goals. The Spanish played well, and thoroughly deserved the win. They certainly look like a team with the quality to win this competition.
REAL MADRID ARE THE CHAMPIONS WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
What can I say, there is no words in the world that can describe my feelings, the match was a big thriller.
A dramatic match thanks to the penalty which was granted to Osasuna on the 80th minute where we saw Patxi Puñal score in the middle of the goal. Just in the last 5 minutes of the match Robben and Higuain gives Real Madrid the title and crushes the dreams of Villareal and Barcelona.
YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!
REAL MADRID WINS THE SPANISH LEAGUE
El Real Madrid “Merengue” …. Campeón de Liga 31 2007/2008
Watch the Goals and more after the jump….
We are the champions baby, we are the CHAMPIONS…..
I was watching the Germany vs Turkey match and on the second half Aljazeera Sports Channel kept cutting off the match and showing people in the stadium and people in Germany watching the match on a big screen, and every time they cut back the match the commentator apologizing saying that it is a problem from the source, and that they have no control in this. From the SOURCE!!??!?!?! Does Aljazeera really thinks we are that stupid ?! A number of European channels showed the match in full and without interruptions. Some even watched in full over the Internet. 
And they are promising to show the match in full later tonight. How lucky we are to have you Aljazeera Sports Channel you are so special, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this AMAZING coverage for a freakin SEMI FINAL.
Both teams went in to this game knowing that a win would qualify them for the knock out stages, after both teams won their initial game. Spain were expected to win after convincingly beating Russia by four goals to one in their fist game, where as Sweden played an extremely boring game with Greece and won by luck by two goals to nil.
Spain went into this game expected to win. The majority of Britons asked said they thought the Spanish international side were the most likely to go all the way, but first they had to get through their first game against Russia.
