Switzerland just let in the winning goal to the Turks 3 minutes past the 90. (Thank FSM for ESPN360!) Nice work by the hosts, as they're now pretty much ELIMINATED.

...pretty much ELIMINATED?? They are eliminated. After a meaningless game with <font color="green">Portugal </font>, it's over for one of the hosts.

Typical <font color="red">Swiss </font> game. They played well, hustled, etc. They just couldn't put the ball in the net. They had chances to go ahead 2-0 and 2-1. While giving credit to the <font color="red">Turkish </font> goalie, I still have to ask how you don't convert a 3-on-1 break into a goal?

Oh well, looking forward to seeing what changes Ottmar Hitzfeld (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottmar_Hitzfeld) will bring to the team. As of July 1, he will be the new coach of the national team.

At this point, I'm rooting for Germany, <font color="orange">The Netherlands, </font> and whoever is playing against <font color="blue">France </font> and <font color="blue"> Italy </font>!! :D

Bad loss for the Germans yesterday, who even if they beat Austria on Monday, will then face Portugal in the quarterfinals.

The Azzurri are always disappointing, but are also the luckiest team on the planet. That penalty kick save by Buffon was so lucky.

Does the French team suck this bad or is the Dutch team just that good?

<font color="orange">The Netherlands </font> are that good. They pass well, they move off the ball well, they defend and tackle well and they shoot well.

Right now, they are the scariest team in the tournament.

Right now, they are the scariest team in the tournament.



hmmm...I think Portugal scares me more. They have formerly unheralded players such as Pepe, Deco, and Ferreira playing at an astoundingly high level. And what happens when Ronaldo finally gets going?

Right now, they are the scariest team in the tournament.



hmmm...I think Portugal scares me more. They have formerly unheralded players such as Pepe, Deco, and Ferreira playing at an astoundingly high level. And what happens when Ronaldo finally gets going?



The way things are going, maybe we'll find out on June 29th.

Don't sleep on Sweden. I think the Spaniards may be in for a surprise tomorrow . . .

So after every team has played TWO games it looks like...

The Good: Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Sweden, Germany

The Decent: Romania, Turkey, Czech Republic, Russia

The Bad: Italy, France, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Greece

Spain got a very lucky goal in extra time and Sweden doesn't get moved down into the 'decent' group despite the loss. Russia also prevailed today only due to a bonehead move by the Greek goalkeep. I think the Swedes will easily handle Russia in their next game.

The Germans looked very flat against Croatia and barely stayed in the 'good' group, while Croatia moves up by winning their group. I think the Germans will rebound with a convincing win against the host country Austria.

I still think the Romanians have a very decent team and hope the Dutch rest their starters; I'd like nothing more than a Romanian win to allow them to advance and send both France and Italy home. :cool:

Doesn't get more exciting than the first game tomorrow of Turkey vs. Czech Republic - the winner advances and the loser goes home. Can't wait! :cool:

I was wondering if the <font color="orange"> Dutch</font> might not lose the game on purpose in order to send both <font color="blue">France </font> and <font color="blue"> Italy </font> packing. I couldn't imagine a more beautiful result for that group.

Remember, there is no 'first' game today. The final 2 games for each group are played at the same time (20:45 locally) to keep teams from knowing what kind of results they need to play for. I put the second TV in the living room so I can watch both games for the next 4 days!

For the most part, I agree with your assessments. I do think that <font color="red">P</font><font color="green">o</font><font color="red">r</font><font color="green">t</font><font color="red">u</font><font color="green">g</font><font color="red">a</font><font color="green">l</font> and <font color="orange"> the Netherlands</font> deserve another category - a higher category. They are both playing exceptionally.

<font size=4>Down 2-0 after one half, Turkey scores THREE second half goals to prevail over the Czechs and advance to the quarterfinals!!! </font> <font size=5>

Easily the most exciting game of soccer I've ever watched!!! </font>

<font color="brown"> </font> GO GERMANY

From: Austria and Switzerland don't belong in the tournament (http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=ro-cohosts061408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)


<font size=4>No more co-hosted Euros, please</font>
By Martin Rogers, Yahoo! Sports Jun 14, 11:58 pm EDT

BASEL, Switzerland � Austria and Switzerland deserve to be hosting the second biggest soccer tournament in the world. Whether they should be playing in it is another matter.

Despite awful weather (rain is hardly the tournament organizers� fault) and stadiums on the smallish side, Euro 2008 has been well-run and has provided a fitting showcase for the continent�s finest players.

However, Switzerland was the first team eliminated after only five days, and Austria is hanging by its fingernails heading into the last round of group matches and praying for a miracle against Germany on Monday. If not for a controversial injury-time penalty for Austria�s Ivica Vastic against Poland on Thursday night, the co-hosts would be pointless after six hours of combined play.

It begs the question: Should nations ranked so low in the world rankings be given two free passes to an event that has only 16 teams?

Switzerland qualified for the last World Cup but is still ranked only 44th in the world and 26th among European teams. Austria is rooted at No. 92 and 43rd in Europe, just behind those European giants Armenia, Georgia, Albania and Iceland.

Let�s be clear about this: None of England, Scotland or Bulgaria, the three highest-rated teams not present at Euro 2008, deserved to qualify. They knew the rules before they started and failed to do what was needed to book their ticket for central Europe. And obviously, the hosts need to be involved in the tournament.

It is admirable that, by combining forces, countries unlikely to be considered to host a World Cup get an opportunity to stage an event such as this, but duo status is in danger of becoming a prerequisite. With Poland and Ukraine scheduled to host Euro 2012, co-hosts have been chosen for three of the last four tournaments. Holland and Belgium shared duties in 2000.

UEFA headquarters are in Switzerland, which is a pleasant place to visit. According to the WorldWide Quality of Living Survey ranking the best places to live in the world, Austria and Switzerland had the top three cities and four of the top 10.

But UEFA has a duty to uphold the quality of play in its international showpiece. This tournament is supposed to display the best talent in Europe. And while the exciting performances of Portugal, Holland and Spain lit up the first week, the fact remains that this field comprises 14 of the best plus two also-rans.

Already the Poland/Ukraine effort is beset by troubles and in danger of being stripped of its staging rights due to stadium problems. Yet the early favorite for a backup plan is for, you guessed it, another sharing situation involving Scotland and Wales. Ugh.

When the UEFA delegates get together in two years to decide the 2016 host, I pray that it goes to a major football nation, with plenty of history, suitable infrastructure and, crucially, the ability to host the thing on its own.

Italy would have been a fine host in 2012, but, sadly, the match-fixing scandal that rocked Italian football in 2006 doomed its ambitions. Hopefully, Italy will try again for 2016 and get the nod to host a major tournament for the first time in 26 years. And if not the Italians, then how about Spain or France or Germany or Russia?

Please, no Scandinavian super alliance or Balkan conglomerate with two or even more teams getting a path straight to the finals. But if recent voting history is anything to go by, maybe we should all start getting ready for a combined tournament hosted by Moldova, Lithuania and Georgia.

At least those teams are all better than Austria.

Just watched <font color="orange">The Netherlands' </font> B-team beat <font color="yellow">Rumania </font> 2-0. <font color="yellow"> </font> <font color="yellow"> Rumania</font> needed a win to insure they went on. <font color="green">Portugal's </font> B-team lost to a <font color="red">Switzerland </font> squad that had already been eliminated and had nothing to play for. I really believe this tournament is <font color="orange">The Netherlands </font> to lose.

(Note: I couldn't log in for a day and I'm now in America using a goofy American keyboard!)

Turns out that <font color="red">Portugal</font> wasn't so scary after all! Got off the plane and found out that <font color="red">Turkey</font> beat <font color="blue">Croatia</font>. This has been a really bizarre Euro! I still think <font color="orange">The Netherlands</font> will win. Although, I think they'll be playing Germany in the finals.

The first semi should be interesting. Germany has millions of Turkish immigrants, many of whom will have divided loyalties.

Well, this is one of the strangest Euros ever. <font color="white">Russia</font>? <font color="red">Turkey</font>? If it wasn't for the Germans, I'd be very confused.

Couldn't agree more. Germany beating Portugal was somewhat understandable but after the Dutch looked in the group stage, how did they lose in the quarters like that?!?

Well, this is one of the strangest Euros ever. <font color="white">Russia</font>? <font color="red">Turkey</font>? If it wasn't for the Germans, I'd be very confused.


dude, greece won in '04... GREECE.

and it was in portugal.

GERMANY.... wooooooo

game was [censored] great yesterday, and i saw the replay at 5 so i didnt have to experience the worldwide outage on the live showing

What channel is the replay??? :( I kept getting [censored] rickrolled trying to find the highlights on youtube.

hahahahahahaha... how long has the rickroll been going on? did you watch the whole thing or immediately close it?

replay was on espn classic at 5 and maybe 9 also.

From: http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/8300820/


<font size=5>Now that Euro 2008 is done, the World Cup takes over</font>

Even as the celebrations finish up from La Coru�a to Alicante and all Spanish points in between, soccer doesn't stop.

The European contenders now must immediately turn their attention to World Cup 2010 qualifying that starts in earnest for UEFA this September.

Even newly-crowned champions Spain aren't a lock to a be favorite in South Africa, but they, along with Croatia, Russia and Turkey, were the four nations which emerged from the tournament with enhanced reputations and high hopes.

Others were less fortunate, specifically France and Portugal � two teams that departed Switzerland with fans wondering if they had seen the end of an era. And still others � Romania, Austria, Greece and Sweden � are now really on the hook after baffling or subpar performances that call into question their futures.

Here's a final look at all sixteen of the nations who made Euro 2008 a pleasure to watch:

ON TOP

Spain � Their decisive moment came when Cesc Fabregas buried that penalty kick against Italy to win their quarterfinal shootout. Until then, even the Spaniards didn't believe they'd ever win another title. Coach Luis Aragones summed it up succinctly when he said: "Now that we've won, we believe we can win." In perhaps no other sport is history � and the hexes of failure � so potent. In winning, Spain shook off that burden, and the result is that this team's young talent has a wide-open road ahead. They should come out of a qualifying group where Turkey is the only serious challenger (Belgium and Bosnia-Herzegovina will hope, but that's about all they have) and the only question is whether the new manager can work the same magic Aragones did. Aragones managed the egos and picked the right combinations, often against the odds. That will be a difficult trick for someone else to repeat.

Croatia � Possibly the true revelation of Euro 2008 (sorry, Russian fans), especially when you consider that they went to the finals without Eduardo, potentially one of the best attackers in Europe. Of the four teams which rested players in game three, only the Croatians fielded a 'second' eleven that was as full of fight, spirit and skill as the ones who were on the bench. That bodes well for their future, especially since Croatia is in a WCQ group that includes England and Ukraine as the supposed top opposition. This team would have gone farther if it had believed it could recover from Turkey's last-second bombshell. Manager Slaven Bilic will need to build back that confidence. One hopes he'll purchase a new suit while he's at it.

Russia � As good as Guus Hiddink's team was against Holland, they now need to demonstrate true growth over the next 18 months to full take advantage of the momentum gained. We know this side is young and packed with talent, but it has also been frightfully inconsistent. Still, Hiddink gambled on the kids and won, so now if the Russians cannot figure out how to finish ahead of Germany in their WCQ group, they sure won't be worried about overtaking Finland and Wales for the runner-up spot. One thing to keep an eye on � Russia's strength has been built to date off the fact that many of their best players play at home. If you're the Russian FA, do you try to convince your clubs to sell these guys and expose them to more demanding competition every week � as well as the possibility of failure � or do you stick with what you have and face the real disadvantage that your team will not be as familiar with opposing players and differing styles? That's the question Hiddink and his bosses have to answer quickly, and either way, it's a big gamble.

Turkey � The Turks' great contribution was fighting spirit allied with skill up front. But they also demonstrated great depth as they survived injuries and suspensions to reach the semifinals, narrowly missing their chance to move on. In retaining coach Faith Terim, they keep their talisman and their presence in a World Cup semifinal in 2002 and a Euro semifinal in 2008 should remove any notion that the team's performances have been a fluke. The Turks have always played hard, but this team has real core belief as well � those two 'escapes' via late goals show that they are a team willing to play the full game. They should make Spain work hard to take the top of WCQ Group 5 and they should have shaken the 'outsider' tag for good.

NOT WHAT THEY USED TO BE

Germany � The reached the final because German teams always enjoy wonderful self belief. What they lacked was midfield depth, a true playmaker and someone who can score consistently. Bastian Schweinsteiger was the player of the tournament for this team, but what happened to Mario Gomez? And isn't anyone worried about the fact that this team has no replacement for Michael Ballack? The Germans don't need a rebuild, but they do need some beefing up. Note to Joachim Loew: Kevin Kuranyi is not the answer.

Netherlands � So good one day, so average the next and so tired out in extra time against Russia. What a confusing mess. Yes, they'll like their chances against Scotland, Macedonia, Norway and Iceland in qualifying, but who wouldn't? We'll no doubt be seduced again by their terrific talent and get excited about their chances in 2010, but we'd be wise not to take them too seriously. Euro 2008 proved once again that the Dutch always attend the party but don't know what to do when they get there.

Italy � Without Fabio Cannavaro, the usually perfect Italian defense looked lost. When Luca Toni failed to show up as well, the rest of the team went south. This team was rightly criticized for an insipid, overly defensive style, and Roberto Donadoni took the fall for it. But expect Marcelo Lippi to do the same thing. Italy may well be a dour, safety-first side in the months ahead. It will be good enough to qualify for 2010 but not likely much better than that. Their 2006 ration of good fortune has been spent.

Portugal � The Portuguese have flattered to deceive for almost a decade ... so much individual talent and so little to show for it. Luiz Felipe Scolari made the most of what was there but even 'Big Phil' could not solve this team's long-standing problems. They have a weak defense, suspect goalkeeping and a lack of physical presence in the big games. Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world right now, but he's one man sometimes playing against 21 others. Sweden and Denmark must be thinking the Portuguese are ready to be had in WCQ Group 1. Will anyone be shocked if Scolari's successor finds the fires too hot?

Czech Republic � When Jan Koller is your best attacking option, you have problems. When Petr Cech shows signs of being human, you've got real problems. The first is easy � somebody will take Koller's place and hopefully the Czechs will figure out that they have to learn how to attack rather than simply hoping some big guy up front will steal a goal. Cech's loss of form is more troubling, and it's not an easy fix. Have the head injuries cost the world a great player? Their WCQ group is easy so qualifying may not be hard ... but rebuilding this team into a contender may be a stretch.

France � The glory days are gone. There are huge gaps in the defense to fill, there is no automatic new goalkeeping choice and the fact that Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet have passed their sell-by dates suggests that this team is in deep trouble. It's not hard to imagine Romania finishing ahead of Les Bleus in their qualifying group and consigning the best team of the last 12 years to a playoff just to reach South Africa. It's easy to blame Raymond Domenech, but the fact is that too many of their great stars have been eclipsed, and the young kids just aren't ready.

WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?

Romania � They produced more than expected in Euro 2008 and were an Adrian Mutu penalty miss (or Gianluigi Buffon save, if your prefer) away from the quarterfinals. Are they a rising force or simply a middle-of-the-pack side that figured out a defense that was good enough to confuse opponents? Honestly? I don't know.

Sweden � That Henrik Larsson wants to keep on playing tells you all you need to know about this mediocre team. If he's the best you have, you are not going to score very often. But you know what? This team is still darn hard to beat. They're also darn hard to watch. Is this good or bad? Discuss.

SIMPLY AWFUL

There is no doubt who were the worst four in the finals: Austria, Greece, Poland and Switzerland.

The Greeks proved that 2004 was a fluke, the Poles left us wondering how they qualified in the first place and the co-hosts were nice hosts, lousy teams.

Look at the World Cup qualifying groups and you will discover that the Greeks and Swiss are paired together in Group 2. This must mean that Israel thinks that this is their time to qualify. Heck, even the Moldovans and Latvians might fancy their chances in this section.

THOSE WHO WEREN'T THERE

Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland are the four most notable non-qualifiers who will think that they can catch the plane to South Africa despite missing the train to Vienna.

Of that bunch, England is the best bet because manager Fabio Capello will finally end the mess that has become the national team. Players will either play his way or watch on TV. That said, English hopes depend almost entirely upon Wayne Rooney, but what else is new?

The Danes, Irish and Scots all have wonderful fans and the right attitude towards winning and losing. Of course, they've had a fair bit of practice at the latter and just enough of a taste of the former to know what it's like.

You might like Denmark's chances to pip Portugal in Group 1 and the Irish might make it interesting in Group 8. Scotland will dream big dreams of course, but they are longest qualifying shot of this bunch.

Denmark scores three goals in the last eight minutes to upset Portugal 3-2 in a World Cup qualifier!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

http://www.pr-inside.com/denmark-beats-portugal-r799244.htm

Switzerland has looked really good in their first two qualifiers! :mad:

Not the World Cup, but did anyone see the US beat the #1 team in the world, Spain, in the semis of the Confederations Cup tournament? :eek:

Great game...The Spaniards were all over the U.S. net but couldn't get one in. Gotta love the fan support, amazing to win on their turf.
I don't think the red card should have been pulled on that hard defensive tackle near the end of the game.

Great game...The Spaniards were all over the U.S. net but couldn't get one in. Gotta love the fan support, amazing to win on their turf.

I thought this tourney is playing in South Africa as a prelude and sneak peak to the International Kick-Ball Cup next year?

The only problem with the USA getting good at kick-ball is that it fosters even more international resentment. We're big and we're bullies in World affairs, but there has always been something extra satisfying for those other guys when they stomp us at kick-ball. Not Spain and France and Germany, but the littler guys like Bolivia and UAE and Kenya and Pakistan.

It just makes 'em madder when they lose to us, where kick-ball is like our 18th favorite sport.

RSA 0 : BRA 1
Brazil looked very beatable. Can USA pull it off, or at least do better than the 0:3 drubbing they received last Wednesday?