The 2012 UEFA European Championship - Poland/Ukraine - The Thread!

[Mango]

The Croatians are sitting Corluka today. I think it'll be a closer match...maybe 2-1 for Croatia or even a draw.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

come on Bosnia

come on Bosnia

come on Bosnia

I'm cheering for the an early Bosnian goal. That will really open up the game and make it really entertaining.

[Locke]

I cant see any of the other first leg deficits being overturned.

Okay, Montenegro, maybe, but Estonia are dead and buried and Croatia are too organized to let a 3-0 lead fall.

I cant believe how badly three teams played their first legs. You could basically cancel these matches. Usually the playoffs are really interesting, not so this time.

The one matchup that should have been tight and intense was boring as all hell.

[d_phaneuf]

early Bosnian goal would create a new definition of parking the bus

Bosnia may take Dzeko off and just line 11 men up on the goal line

[d_phaneuf]

I really don't see anyway this game is entertaining

Portugal score early and they still fear the away goal, Bosnia wouldn't really start to push until late knowing they only need 1

Bosnia score early and they switch to the 'greece' formation

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

I really don't see anyway this game is entertaining

Portugal score early and they still fear the away goal, Bosnia wouldn't really start to push until late knowing they only need 1

Bosnia score early and they switch to the 'greece' formation

Not sure about that. Bosnia took an early lead against France and were still going for a 2nd. Only a cheap penalty saved the French.

[d_phaneuf]

ya but it's a completely different scenario here, the game against France was the last of a group stage

they get an away goal and portugal need 2 to beat them, 1-1 and Bosnia go through

I think going for the 2nd, at least counter attacking, is a much better strategy. But based on the way they played the 1st leg I don't think they employ it here, too much on the line to take risks

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Nerves are starting to creep in. I fear the 1-1 result. I really do.

Would love to see Cristiano show up in a big game for his country. He hasn't really done that since he took the captain's arm band.

[Locke]

I agree with Diane, if the Bosnians score early they're going to make the Greeks look like the Philadelphia Flyers. An early goal would kill this game exactly because they'd know that Portugal would then need 2.

1-1 or 1-0 game is probably how this is going to end.

And I also agree with VFF, Ronaldo has completely mailed in his form for Portugal, but I think a lot of the blame for that is identical as the blame Messi takes, they're just not being used the same way as with their clubs because their countries just dont have the same kind of talent.

Germany/Holland:

Pretty strong teams fielded here. For Germany the only notable changes are Dennis Aogo instead of Philip Lahm and Miroslav Klose instead of Mario Gomez.

For Holland, the only name I dont recognize is Kevin Strootman and aside from that the only notable omission is Robin van Persie, so both sides leaving out the big guns but fielding strong teams.

Klose with the armband tonight.

[troutman]

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=...ght/index.html


10 Rähn (Estonia) is shown a yellow card.

32 Ward (Republic of Ireland) scores! Stephen Ward powered the loose ball into an empty net after Pavel Londak parried Kevin Doyle's header from the corner.

57 Vassiljev (Estonia) scores! Estonia restore some pride with a thumping equaliser from distance by Konstantin Vassiljev that flew under Shay Given's arms, who will not be happy with himself there.

66 Vunk (Estonia) is shown a yellow card.

[Locke]

1-0 Germany after 14 minutes.

This match has been great! Beautiful goal by Muller.

[Locke]

Italy down 1-0 to Uruguay.

[Locke]

2-0 Germany from Klose, the ageless wonder.

[cheevers]

Hopefully Montenegro can get one early to at least make it interesting.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Klose just missed a header in the 36th minute. That doesn't happen often

[cheevers]

Montengro has had 2 sitters missed already in the 2nd half.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

Klose just missed a header in the 36th minute. That doesn't happen often

He just barely missed a nice cross in the 39th as well. Maybe hes slipping! Haha!

Klose having a hell of a game.

[GirlySports]

Germans are just clinical. Dutch are missing players and just don't really care.

Italians showing good offensive prowess but are down a goal. Uruguayans just hacking Balotelli for fun. They've taken turns kicking him and have picked up 4-5 yellow cards.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Germans are just clinical. Dutch are missing players and just don't really care.

Italians showing good offensive prowess but are down a goal. Uruguayans just hacking Balotelli for fun. They've taken turns kicking him and have picked up 4-5 yellow cards.

The Germans are clinical, but I dont necessarily agree with the rest. Who are the Dutch really missing? Van der Vaart and Van Persie are the only ones I can think of.

Germany could say the same thing by not playing their Captain, Philip Lahm, leaving out Bastian Schweinsteiger and not playing Mario Gomez their top scorer.

But that the Dutch dont care? Theres a pretty long-standing rivalry between these two teams, if theres something the Dutch hate, its losing to Germany.

I'm not watching the Italy game, primarily because I dont care, I dont know why they've decided to zero in on Balotelli though. Interesting that they rested Luis Suarez and Digeo Forlan. They're not even on bench.

[GirlySports]

Forlan is hurt and they're resting Suarez and a couple others due to the hectic schedule They had WC qualifying at home on Friday then flew all the way to Italy for this one.