Romania vs France (0-0)
Selain perlawanan Belanda vs Italy, tumpuan turut terarah kepada perlawanan ini memandangkan record Romania yang baik disepanjang kempen kelayakan. France pula dibarisi ramai bintang-bintang baru yang diharap dapat menggantikan kelibat Zidane seperti Frank Ribery dan Karim Benzema.
Namun France tidak dapat menjelmakan sesuatu yang menarik buat peminat mereka setelah sekadar seri 0-0 dalam permainan yang amat membosan setelah kempen berlangsung selama 3 hari.
Les Blues in a blue!!! [Game statistic]
Holland vs France (3-0)
Perlawanan tumpuan yang amat menarik ditonton setakat ini setelah Belanda berjaya menewaskan juara World Cup 2006 dengan margin jaringan yang agak besar, 3-0. Kemenganan terakhir Belanda menentang juara World Cup 4 kali ini adalah pada 50 tahun lalu. Jadi kemenangan ini jelas bermakna buat mereka.
Jaringan kontroversi van Nilsterooy, flick cantik Sneidjer dan tandukan van Bronkhost memusnahkan harapan Italy yang ingin terus mencatat kemenangan ke atas Belanda.
Ketiadaan Cannavaro jelas memberi ruang kepada Belanda merobek gawang Italy tetapi ia melalui goal counter attack. Kemasukan Del Piero, Grosso dan Cassano jelas memberi suntikan semangat tapi mereka tewas dengan counter attack Belanda yang tidak dapat dihalang oleh bek-bek Itali.
Apapun saingan masih terbuka setelah France seri dengan Romania. Jadi nantikan perlawanan Group of Death pada 13 June ini. [Game statistic]
Austria vs Croatia
Penulis tak tengok game ini setelah merasakan ia bakal membosankan dan ternyata ia benar. Jaringan penalti Luca Modric seawal minit ke-4 hanyalah satu-satunya goal yang dijaringkan yang memberikan kemenangan kepada Croatia.
Boleh lihat statistic perlawanan di sini. [Game Statistic]
Germany vs Poland
Perlawanan ini berlangsung pada jam 2.45am waktu Malaysia. Agak menarik dengan Poland dapat mengimbangi gerakan-gerakan ciptaan midfield Germany. Namun dua counter attack yang bijak disudahkan Lukas Podolski memberi kemenangan pada Germany. [Game Statistic]
Switzerland vs Republic Czech (0-1)
Portugal vs Turkey (2-0)
Did they have quality to beat Portugal?
Portugal lose to Greece 1-2 during preparation for EURO 2008. Two magnificent freekicks from Karagounis kills Portugal.
So, can Portugal win against Turkey tonight?
Switzerland vs Czech Republic : 1200am waktu Malaysia
Perlawanan pertama malam ini menemukan pasukan tuan rumah dan pasukan Republik Czech yang mana punya sejarah hebat dalam penyertaan kejohanan Eropah.
Bagi kapten pasukan Switzerland Alexander Frei, pastinya pasukan mereka semakin tertekan menjelang pertemuan pembukaan ini. Ribuan penyokong tuan rumah pastinya mengharapkan pasukan Swiss mendapat keputusan yang baik.
Namun, halangan pertama mereka bukanlah pasukan yang calang-calang. Republik Czech pastinya tidak akan memberikan laluan mudah buat pasukan tuan rumah itu. Walaupun kehilangan ketua pasukan Tomas Rosicky akibat kecederaan mereka masih lagi boleh mengharapkan kelibat ketua pasukan yang baru iaitu Tomas Ujfalusi. Selain itu Milan Baros yang dipanggil semula untuk mengukuhkan jentera serangan diharap dapat menghasilkan sesuatu.
Portugal vs Turkey: 2.45am waktu Malaysia
Pertemuan kedua pagi esok adalah antara pasukan pilihan Portugal dan darkhorse Turkey. Setelah kegagalan Portugal di EURO 2008, pastinya kali ini mereka ingin tampil dengan lebih meyakinkan. Cristiano Ronaldo yang menjaringkan banyak gol musim ini pastinya diharap untuk menjelmakan sesuatu yang menarik untuk melengkapkan musim cemerlang. Mereka tampak bagus di midfield tapi bagaimana pula di bahagian defend dan serangan.
Turkey pastinya punya ramuan istimewa untuk melihat ruang kelemahan Portugal. Pada kempen kali ini jurulatih Turkey, Fatih Terim ingin terus menerus menerapkan corak dalam perancangan taktikal. Tidak mustahil mereka akan berjaya menyekat penguasaan Portugal andai adik beradik Altintop, Emre, Kaveci dan yang lain-lain menampilan permainan penuh bersemangat pagi esok.
Sesiapa yang tiada Astro, jangan risau Media Prima melalui TV3 dan NTV7 akan menyiarkan perlawanan-perlawanan tersebut.
Let's live with EURO 2008 this June!!!
After long holiday, I return to continue posting in this blog. The football season is not over yet as EURO 2008 start this June. Actually football is not seasonal; it is always football throughout the year.
Group B (
Group C (France,
Group D (
It has been 3 days I am not writing here and a lot of football action happen especially in top league in Europe.
English Premier League
Man Utd beat West Ham 4-1 and last night Chelsea beat Newcastle 2-0 to take the title decider to the final day. On the final day Man Utd will face Wigan who defeat Aston Villa recently and Chelsea will face Bolton. Chelsea will become the winner on the final day if they level the point and win with big goal margin.
Spanish Primera Liga
In the Spanish Primera Liga, Real Madrid who defeat Osasuna retaining their trophies for the second consecutive year. Villareal who make good fight this season claiming second spot in the league. For Barcelona, the will end the season without any trophy in hand.
Italian Serie A
Last week game focus on Inter versus AC Milan. The game won by AC Milan and they open the path to UEFA Champions League next season. A goal from Fillippo Inzaghi and Kaka put Milan in front before Julio Cruz struck Kalac nets to make it classic Italian game.
Let's finish the season with enjoyment and EURO 2008 in June will make this year a great year for football.
Di Natale saves the day for the World Champion. This group is very tight. After France lost to Scotland. The World Champion remain in second place, Scotland goes top of the group and France slipped to third place. Definitely France will do or die mission if they want to stay on track.
Not a convincing performance by France. Need Zidane to return? No way man. They got a lot of world class player in their team right now.
Hopefully England can perform well after and play better football. After good show in two qualifying game, without many star studded player, England play their style of football.
Source: ESPN Soccernet
Emile Heskey insists he never gave up hope of earning an England recall as he relishes the prospect of resuming his partnership with Michael Owen.
Heskey could make his first appearance since the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal in Saturday's qualifier for the 2008 tournament against Israel, after being called into the squad this week by Steve McClaren.
Owen has always sung the praises of Heskey and he has scored 11 times in 12 starts alongside him - including his hat-trick in the 5-1 demolition of Germany in Munich in 2001.
And many strikers have commented on the unselfish nature of 29-year-old who has so far won 43 caps since making his debut against Hungary in 1999.
The Wigan striker told the FA's wesbite: 'I wasn't expecting the call-up to be honest. I was on my way home from the game at Newcastle last weekend and I got the call.
'I was a bit surprised, but delighted as well to be back in the England squad.
'We've got a new manager in Steve McClaren, who was number two at the time I last played, and we've got a lot of younger players. But it's good. Still the quality and everything is here.
'I'd never given up hope of a recall but you know the situation with the national team. We've got so many good players coming through at the minute so he's got to pick from a lot.
'But it's good, I'm enjoying every minute of it. The lads have taken me in well again, so I'm enjoying it.
'I'm that sort of unselfish player who will try my hardest and I think a lot of people see that in me.'
Heskey is delighted to be reunited with Owen, who scored a last-gasp winner for Newcastle against the Latics at St James' Park.
He said: 'It's always been a joy playing alongside Michael Owen. I've played with Michael many times going back England Under-18s level.
'We kind of gelled then and it's gone on through most of my career. It's been a joy to play with him.
'He's a brilliant player, a fantastic goalscorer. If I get a chance on Saturday alongside Michael, it will be excellent.'
Superb goal from C.Ronaldo!!!
