Euro 2012 : Spain is the Champion!

Spain 4-0 Italy

Records tumble in stunning triumph

Two goals in each half saw the brilliant Spaniards run up a record scoreline in an international tournament final and win their third major trophy in a row

Spain have been crowned Euro 2012 champions after a record-breaking 4-0 victory over Italy in the final at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on Sunday. 

La Roja's victory, added to their Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 successes, makes them the first team in history to win three major international tournaments in a row.

David Silva opened the scoring after a quarter of an hour with a header, before a lung-busting run and finish from Jordi Alba put Spain two goals ahead by half-time.

The second half saw chances for both teams, but the match changed on the hour mark after Thiago Motta was strechered off moments after coming off the bench, reducing Italy to 10 men with all three substitutions already used. 

There was no way back for the Azzurri after that, as Spain put on a passing exhibition to drain the life out of Cesare Prandelli's men. With time running out, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata added clinchers in the 84th and 88th minutes respectively to capture the European Championship for La Roja for the third time. 

The milestones continued to fall for Spain, with 13 members of their squad becoming the first players to play in and win two Euro finals, while Torres' late goal gave him the Golden Boot. 

Despite pre-match comments hinting that he would play with a recognised striker, Vicente Del Bosque opted for Cesc Fabregas to lead the line ahead of Alvaro Negredo and Torres in a ‘false nine’ role.

Prandelli also made one change to his starting XI, with Ignazio Abate recovering in time from a hamstring injury to replace Federico Balzaretti at right-back, while Mario Balotelli continued in attack after his match-winning double against Germany.

Spain wasted little time in dictating the tempo, with Italy forced to defend deep against the wave of red shirts and relieve pressure on the counter whenever they could.

Sergio Ramos sent an early header off-target, but the first real chance fell to Xavi, whose one-two with Fabregas ended with a crashing drive that flashed inches over the bar after 10 minutes.

It was an opportunity to mark the initial dominance of Spain, and four minutes later, La Roja would find themselves ahead.

Andres Iniesta was the architect, threading in Fabregas on the overlap down the right, who clipped towards Silva at the near post to glance a header past Gianluigi Buffon.

Italy attempted to hit back straight away, with a 20-yard free-kick from Andrea Pirlo deflected about a foot too high. From the resulting corner, the Juventus midfielder forced Iker Casillas to stretch to tip away his dangerous delivery.

The Azzurri were handed a blow after 21 minutes, as defender Giorgio Chiellini limped off after picking up an injury, with Balzaretti coming on. Moments later, Gerard Pique became the first player booked for a crunching challenge that sent Antonio Cassano flying.

Italy, to their credit, did not allow Spain to walk all over them after the opener, and were able to hold a respectable amount of possession in the face of La Roja’s famed tiki-taka football.

Balzaretti was active since his introduction, with a devilish cross tipped by Casillas away from the head of Balotelli, before finding space to squeeze in a shot from the left side that was easily saved.

Just past the half hour mark, the Spanish captain was called into action again to parry Cassano’s strong drive from 20 yards out.

The Azzurri kept up the pressure in midfield, as viewers were treated to the somewhat unfamiliar sight of Spain playing through the counterattack.

However, La Roja proved that they were just as effective on the breakaway, as they doubled their advantage four minutes before half-time through a move started, and finished by Alba.

The left-back played the ball to Xavi near the halfway line, surged behind the Italian defence, and latched onto the Barcelona midfielder’s pinpoint return pass to slot his side further ahead.

Spain were jubilant, but had Casillas to thank once again for punching clear Riccardo Montolivo’s attempt from outside the area to maintain their two-goal lead at the interval.

Prandelli attempted to respond, hauling off Cassano for Antonio Di Natale and the Udinese striker nearly struck gold with his first touch, heading Abate’s inviting cross narrowly over the bar.

That sparked a period of intense Spain pressure, where Fabregas fired just off target before last-ditch blocks from Buffon and Abate denied Iniesta from close range.

Italy were then lucky to escape a penalty after an apparent handball by Leonardo Bonucci in the box, but referee Pedro Proenca waved play on, to the incredulity of many members of the Spanish team.

Di Natale managed to find space once more in the area, but Casillas was equal to his well-struck attempt before smothering the forward’s chance from the rebound.

Shortly after, Silva and Montolivo made way for Pedro and Motta as both coaches looked to shuffle their packs.

But Motta, barely three minutes after making his appearance, was taken off on a stretcher clutching his hamstring, leaving Italy a man short as Prandelli had already used all three of his substitutions.

The Azzurri were floored by the setback as Spain, a man up and two goals ahead, began to kill the game off with large periods of leisurely possession in the opposition half.

With 16 minutes left, Fabregas was called to the bench as Torres, scorer of the only goal in the 2008 final, came on for the final stretch.

At that point, the only question remaining was whether Spain would score again, and they nearly achieved that feat with a bad miss from Pedro, which was tempered somewhat by the offside flag.

However, Torres would make no such mistake with six minutes remaining, finishing another perfect through pass from Xavi to confirm his status as the first player to score twice in a Euro final, while Xavi became the first to register two final assists.

Mata replaced Iniesta late on as the Spanish parties began in the stands, and they were kicked up a notch two minutes from the end as he stroked home Torres' cutback to make it 4-0.

Viva España!

Ole!

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report - 27 and 28 Juni

The Big Final: Sunday - 1 July

Portugal 0-0 Spain (aet, 2-4 on penalties)

Fabregas puts holders into final

The Barcelona man netted the decisive spot-kick after Bruno Alves had rattled the bar to book La Roja a date in the showpiece event in what will be their third successive final

Spain progressed to their third consecutive major final with a 4-2 penalty win over Portugal in the Euro 2012 semi-final at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.

Despite playing at far from their best and with chances to find the net at a premium, a total of 120 minutes failed to separate the two sides as the game ended 0-0. And after Bruno Alves rattled the bar with Portugal's fourth penalty of the shoot-out, it was left to Cesc Fabregas to score the winner.

Vicente del Bosque sprung a surprise before kick off as he made one change to the side that defeated France in the quarter-finals, electing to start with Alvaro Negredo in attack ahead of both Fabregas and Fernando Torres.

His Portuguese counterpart Paulo Bento also made one alteration, with Hugo Almeida replacing the injured Helder Postiga after naming the same side for their six previous competitive fixtures. 

The Seleccao set about disrupting Spain's rhythm immediately by pressing their opponents high up the pitch. It worked for the opening few minutes as La Roja struggled to get their foot on the ball but they soon forged a chance for themselves.

Andres Iniesta played a give-and-go down the left flank with Jordi Alba before passing the ball into the box. Negredo could not get a shot away but managed to stab it back to the top of the penalty area where Alvaro Arbeloa tried to caress it into the top corner but his attempt flew over the bar.

But the Spaniards were by no means dominating and Cristiano Ronaldo was proving difficult for Del Bosque's men to deal with. However, two charging runs down the left failed to result in anything to truly test Iker Casillas with a free kick and a wild volley on the spin inside the opening 25 minutes.

Bento's men continued their high-intensity pressing and Spain were unable to get the most out of Xavi when on the ball. A long delivery forward resulted in an opportunity for Iniesta but he failed to hit the target, and moments later Ronaldo pulled an effort wide of the goal.

Spain continued to look uncomfortable on the ball and just nine minutes after the restart Del Bosque had to concede that his pre-match gamble had not paid off as he replaced Negredo with Fabregas.

Portugal were getting a lot of joy from putting the Spaniards under pressure in their own half but Almeida failed to make the most of it in the 57th minute. After his side won the ball back he could have passed to Nani or Ronaldo but instead produced an ambitious shot from 35 yards that did not work Casillas.

Shortly after the hour mark Spain began to have their best spell of possession in the opposing half but there remained little to separate the two sides as the tension mounted. Xavi got the game's first shot on target with a drilled attempt that was straight at Rui Patricio, shortly followed by a Ronaldo free kick that flashed over the bar.

In the 90th minute Portugal found themselves in a four-on-one but when the ball was shifted to the left, Ronaldo failed to make a solid connection and blazed his well off target in what was the last opportunity of normal time.

As the Seleccao grew tired they were no longer forcing their opponents to play from deep, instead allowing them to control the ball in their own half during much of extra time. Del Bosque's side dominated the extra 30 minutes but Rui Patricio brilliantly thwarted both Iniesta and Jesus Navas either side of the interval to ensure the game went to a penalty shoot-out.

Both teams got off to the worst start possible as Patricio and Casillas both saved from Alonso and Moutinho respectively. Iniesta, Pepe, Pique, Nani and Ramos all scored - including a 'Panenka' from the latter - before Bruno Alves hit the bar to make the score 3-2 to Spain after four spot-kicks each. 

It offered Fabregas the chance to book their spot in the final and he obliged, scoring via the post and setting up a date in Kiev for the final with either Germany or Italy on July 1.

Germany 1-2 Italy

Balotelli double sets up Spain final

The enigmatic striker has come through on the big stage, with two well-taken first half goals leading the Azzurri into the Euro final for the first time since 2000

A brilliant performance from Mario Balotelli has driven Italy into the Euro 2012 final, after a 2-1 win over Germany at the National Stadium in Warsaw on Thursday. 

The Manchester City forward has hit the headlines for all the right reasons, opening the scoring with a powerful header before smashing home an emphatic second to clinch a date with Spain at the Olympic Stadium on July 1.

It was a deserved victory for Italy, who could have added further goals in the second half had they taken one of the numerous chances afforded to them by Germany's rushes forward to find a way back into the match. 

Mesut Ozil ensured a nervy finish to the encounter with a penalty in second-half stoppage time, but there was to be no miracle for Germany, who bowed out at the semi-final stage for the second major tournament in a row. 

Joachim Low restored Mario Gomez and Toni Kroos to his starting XI after the Bayern Munich pair were benched for the quarter-final victory over Greece in the quarter-finals.

Cesare Prandelli made only one change from the side that eliminated England on penalties, with Giorgio Chiellini recovering from an injury in time to replace Ignazio Abate.

It was Germany who threatened first only six minutes in, after Mats Hummels’ scrambled shot was blocked on the line by Andrea Pirlo, allowing Gianluigi Buffon to smother.

The Azzurri skipper nearly forced an own goal moments later after inadvertently diverting a Jerome Boateng cross into Andrea Barzagli, but the deflection rolled just wide of the post.

Despite the scares at the back during the opening exchanges, Italy were quicker to settle into the match, and began to establish a rhythm with some patient play in midfield.

Riccardo Montolivo blasted into the arms of Manuel Neuer from the edge of the box, but the Germany keeper was forced to work much harder by Antonio Cassano, whose curler towards the bottom corner was tipped away.

Italy started to get into their stride, were asking growing questions of the suspect German defence. Then, with 20 minutes gone, the Azzurri carved them completely apart.

Chiellini fed Cassano on the overlap down the left, and the Milan forward delivered a superb cross into the heart of the area, where Balotelli rose above Holger Badstuber to head Italy into the lead.

Italy were buoyed by the goal, with Germany still unable to shake off the erratic edge to their play. Montolivo’s hesitation allowed Badstuber to strip him of possession deep inside the area, but the new Milan signing would make a far more decisive contribution with 36 minutes gone.

His searching ball over the top caught the German back line out completely and released Balotelli, who stormed towards goal and smashed an unstoppable finish high into the back of the net.

The Manchester City man was booked for ripping his shirt of in a passionate celebration, but there were no such signs of desire from Germany, who were showing none of the verve from their entertaining win over Greece in the previous round.

Low was facing an uphill battle to get his side back into the match, and responded in kind, hauling off Gomez and Lukas Podolski at half-time for Marco Reus and Miroslav Klose.

Germany improved in the second-half but Phillip Lahm should have done a lot better after the restart, blasting over from the edge of the box after he was teed up in space by Kroos.

Reus was next to try his luck with a powerful free-kick from 20 yards out, but Buffon was equal to it and managed to punch over the crossbar.

However, for all Germany’s increased endeavour in the second half, they still lacked a cutting edge in front of goal, and with their urgency in the Italian half, were increasingly vulnerable to the counterattack.

A sweeping break just past the hour mark saw Alessandro Diamanti slip in Claudio Marchisio behind Badstuber, but his finish was driven the wrong side of the post.

The Juventus midfielder spurned an even greater chance with a quarter of an hour to play, when Badstuber’s slip allowed him with a clear sight on goal, but he disappointingly dragged his shot wide.

Germany were simply nowhere to be found, and could not make their forward pressure pay as Italy continued to take them apart on the counter.

Substitute Antonio Di Natale wasted the pick of the chances on 82 minutes after being put one-on-one with Neuer, but with all the time in the world to pick his spot, he instead found the side netting.

Germany were handed a late lifeline after Balzaretti's handball was spotted in the box, giving Ozil the chance to bury from the spot.

However, there was nothing left from Low's side despite an even later surge forward, giving Italy a nervy, but deserved victory and setting up a second meeting with Spain in this European Championship.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report - 21 Juni

Czech Republic 0-1 Portugal

Ronaldo finally breaks through

The 27-year-old gave a captain's performance with the winner late in the second-half to lead his side past the uninspiring Czechs into a semi-final against either Spain or France

Cristiano Ronaldo stood up to be counted once again as he led Portugal into the Euro 2012 semi-finals after a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic at the National Stadium in Warsaw.

The Real Madrid star headed home the only goal of the game with 11 minutes left on the clock to seal a narrow victory for the Seleccao and set up a date with either Spain or France on June 27. 

Both sides seemed reluctant to over-commit in attack in a cautious first half, though Ronaldo would come closest in first-half injury time with a low drive that rebounded off the post. 

Portugal took control in the second half, sending in a number of shots at Petr Cech's goal, but were largely frustrated in their attempts to breach a Czech defence which had conceded the most goals of any team in the quarter-finals.

And Ronaldo finally settled affairs with his third goal in the tournament to cement his side's place in the last four for the first time since 2004. 

The only change for either side was the inclusion of Vladimir Darida ahead of Daniel Kolar in midfield for the Czech Republic, who also named captain Tomas Rosicky as a substitute for the second game running amid concerns over an Achilles tendon injury.

In front of a sizeable fan presence inside the National Stadium, the Czechs just about managed to claim the upper hand during the initial exchanges, as their control of possession restricted Portugal’s enterprise to forays forward on the counter.

Nevertheless, the first hint of an opening fell to Joao Moutinho after 13 minutes, with the Porto midfielder squeezing in a shot on the turn that was comfortably snatched by Cech.

It was a half-chance at best, and illustrative of the cagey beginning to the match, which saw both sides struggle to really stamp their authority on proceedings.

Ronaldo appeared to force Cech into action with a powerful drive after racing into the box, but the chance was quickly snuffed out by an offside call.

Nani and Miguel Veloso were then both booked within minutes of each other after a pair of thumping challenges on Darida and David Limbersky.

Slowly, Portugal would begin to make an improved contribution to the game, eschewing their long-ball approach for a more concerted offensive effort, with Ronaldo, as ever, at the heart of things.

The Real Madrid star went close with an audacious overhead kick that flashed just wide following a struggle by the Czech defence to clear a corner, before seeing a 30-yard free kick miss the target.

However, the Seleccao were handed a blow with 39 minutes gone when Helder Postiga limped off clutching his hamstring, with Hugo Almeida coming on in his stead.

The change did not faze Portugal too much however, who went closest to snatching the lead on the stroke of half time. Ronaldo collected Fabio Coentrao's cross perfectly on the turn, and drilled a low attempt that bounced agonisingly off the base of the post after the slightest touch off Cech's boot.

Ronaldo would come close once more a few minutes after the restart, with another long-range free kick bouncing off the woodwork via a save by Cech.

Portugal were looking the superior side as the second-half unfolded, with Raul Meireles sending a pair of efforts over the bar, before Nani forced Cech to parry his low drive away from goal.

The Chelsea goalkeeper had to be alert once more to tip over a piledriver from Moutinho at full stretch, as the match crossed the hour mark with the Czech Republic struggling to get a sniff of the ball.

Meireles snatched at an opening from just inside the box, before slipping in Nani, whose deflected effort came close to looping into the top corner.

But just when it looked like there would be no way through for Portugal, up stepped Ronaldo to bounce a punishing header into the back of the net after a great cross from Moutinho.

Pereira nearly increased the Seleccao's advantage within moments with a well-taken drive, but Cech was equal to it and expertly tipped wide. 

But Czech Republic's subdued second half continued as they simply could not find a way back into the match despite a late surge from Cech to the opponents' box for a corner, failing to come close to an equaliser as their tournament ended with a whimper.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report Tuesday 19 Juni

England 1-0 Ukraine

Rooney header seals controversial top spot

The Three Lions top Group D following the three points and France's loss, but the co-hosts saw an equaliser denied despite replays showing that the ball had crossed the line

Wayne Rooney returned from suspension to fire England to the top of Group D and into the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 as a 1-0 victory over Ukraine set up a date with Italy on Sunday.

The co-hosts dominated much of the opening half and England were happy to get into the break level despite having the best chance through the Manchester United striker.

However, Roy Hodgson’s side came out with a much more impetus in the second half and Rooney scored the 29th goal of his international career to keep England’s unbeaten record in Poland and Ukraine intact.

England’s goal continued to lead a charmed life throughout the second period though and they were indebted to John Terry for a fantastic goal-line clearance in the 62nd minute following Joe Hart's save from Marko Devic, however replays showed that the ball had crossed the line.

Rooney’s inclusion in the starting line-up was the only change to the side who beat Sweden so James Milner continued on the right hand of midfield despite the impact made by Theo Walcott in England’s 3-2 victory over Sweden.

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin was dealt a huge blow before kick-off as captain Andriy Shevchenko was not passed fit to start the game with a knee injury. Devic replaced the influential striker in one of four changes to the co-hosts’ side as Artem Milevskiy, Denys Garmash and Yaroslav Rakitskiy replaced Andriy Voronin, Serhiy Nazarenko and Taras Mikhalik. 

Cheered on by a vociferous home support, Ukraine began the game on the front foot but Hart’s goal was never really under threat as the England defence restricted them to shots from outside the area.

Andriy Yarmolenko had the first real sight of goal in the ninth minute from the edge of the penalty area, however the Dynamo Kiev midfielder had the ball taken off his toe as Terry executed a perfectly-timed challenge.

Midway through the half the co-hosts continued to dominate the game and a mistake by Ashley Young, as he attempted to deal with a cross-field pass, nearly gifted them the opening goal. Oleg Gusev was able to steal the ball away from the Manchester United winger, before cutting inside from the right wing and firing over the crossbar.

Rooney missed a golden opportunity to give England the lead in the 28th minute, but he mistimed his jump when trying to connect with Young’s inch-perfect cross, and the ball dropped harmlessly wide.

Moments later, Hart was called into action as Milevskiy found some room 25 yards out. He played a neat pass into the path of Yarmolenko, who had escaped the attentions of Ashley Cole. The winger’s curling shot was on target but it was easy for Hart who was able to drop on the ball and make the save.

The half-time break gave England a chance to regroup and within three minutes of the restart they were ahead.

A Steven Gerrard corner was cleared only as far as Glen Johnson, who returned the ball to his captain to deliver a dangerous cross right across the six-yard box to send the Ukraine defence into a scramble and allow Rooney to head in for a yard out.

England’s goal only served to inspire the Ukrainians and they had two fantastic chances in the space of two minutes on the hour mark. The first came from a quick corner from the left but Milevskiy was unable to keep his header down from Yarmolenko’s cross despite getting in front of Joleon Lescott.

A minute later a piece of heroic defending from Terry kept England ahead as his acrobatic clearance denied Devic, although replays appeared to show the ball had actually crossed the line and the striker was, in fact, offside in the build-up.

Ukraine continued to push for the equaliser and they were denied by the impressive Manchester City duo of Hart and Lescott ten minutes later. Yevhen Konoplyanka unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the area that Hart could only parry away, but before another Ukraine player could get onto the loose ball, the centre-back had tidied up for his goalkeeper and averted the danger.

England finished the game playing on the counterattack but spent the majority of the final ten minutes in their own half as Ukraine threw everything they had at their opponents, even the introduction of Shevchenko couldn’t inspire the co-hosts and their elimination was confirmed.

Sweden 2-0 France

Stunning Ibrahimovic goal condemns Les Bleus to Spain test

Hamren's men finally held onto a lead at the third time of asking to pick up their first points of the tournament, while defeat means Blanc's side finish second in the group

France will play Spain in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after surrendering their Group D top spot to England by losing 2-0 to Sweden.

Erik Hamren's men, who already had their elimination confirmed after losing both of their first two games, frustrated the French side in the first half and through Ola Toivonen had two excellent chances to take the lead.

Les Bleus looked very flat in the first half, with Franck Ribery forcing Andreas Isaksson into his only save of the period, as they looked nothing like the attacking threat that beat Ukraine 2-0.

After the break it was Sweden who looked the better side and deservedly took the lead when Zlatan Ibrahimovic volleyed home superbly, with Wilhelmsson nearly adding a second soon after. The Swedes then defended well and scored a second through Sebastian Larsson, forcing France to qualify as group runners-up with England beating Ukraine.

Laurent Blanc made two changes from the 2-0 win over co-hosts Ukraine, with Hatem Ben Arfa starting for the first time in the competition in place of Jeremy Menez, who is a booking away from suspension. Yann M'Vila returned from injury to replace another Newcastle man in the French ranks, Yohan Cabaye, who has been struggling with a leg problem this week.

The Swedes also made two replacements from their last game, a 3-2 defeat at the hands of England, with Rasmus Elm (knee) and Johan Elmander (foot) being forced out with Toivonen and Emir Bajrami coming into the side.

The opening stages saw France create a number of chances for themselves as firstly Karim Benzema slipped Ben Arfa beyond the last man but the Magpies man tried an ambitious shot from a tight angle, skewing the ball off-target. 

Toivonen then wasted a golden opportunity to deal a blow to Blanc's men, the forward challenging Philippe Mexes in the air, and got the better of the centre-back getting himself one-on-one with the French keeper. However he lost control of the ball with a poor touch, and allowed Hugo Lloris to force him wide with the eventual shot into the side netting.

France began to stamp their dominance on possession as the first-half progressed, but with 25 minutes passed they were yet to carve out any more clear chances. Adil Rami tried his luck with a long-range free-kick, but fired over, and then Jonas Olsson made a terrific block to deny Benzema a shot on goal.

Minutes before the break Ribery thought he had finally dribbled free of the Swedish defence, only for Olof Mellberg to get back and slide in with a fantastic tackle, sending the ball out of play for a corner. Toivonen nearly managed to get in behind the French back-four twice more before the whistle, but strayed carelessly offside on both occasions.

The second-half nearly started disastrously for France, as substitute Wilhelmsson would have been in on goal had the linesman not ruled him offside. The 32-year-old, who injected some energy into Sweden's line-up, then nearly knicked the ball from the hesitant Rami's toe but was just about muscled off it by the defender.

Five minutes in and Benzema timed his tun perfectly to beat the Swede's offside trap before cutting in and attempting a curler into the far corner, however the forward didn't get the connection he was looking for and missed the target.

Wilhelmsson continued to make a big impact on the game by controlling a long ball with a magnificent touch before beating Debuchy, he then delivers to the back post where Larsson tested Lloris with a good volley. 

The French keeper saved well but was helpless to deny Ibrahimovic from scoring the opening goal. The Sunderland winger who went close moments earlier crossed from the right and the AC Milan star acrobatically volleyed into the back of the net.

Sweden immediately searched for a second as Ibrahimovic nearly turned provider by holding up the ball before teeing up Wilhelmsson, but Lloris to parried his effort behind.

With Blanc surely aware of the news that England had also taken the lead against Ukraine, and Hamren's side looking dangerous, he needed his side to respond and decided to bring Florent Malouda on for the wasteful Ben Arfa. Soon after Nasri narrowly missed the target from the edge of the box but it was more woe for the manager as Mexes picked up a yellow which sees him miss their next game.

With 20 minutes left to find the two goals that would send them top, at that stage, Benzema was denied a shot on goal thanks to brilliant tracking from Jonas Olsson before M'Vila tired his luck from outside the box, stinging the palms of Isaksson and winning a corner in the process - which France wasted.

Sweden's defence continued to hold firm at time ran-out for Les Bleus, with Mellberg denying Mexes with a brave last-ditch tackle with 10 minutes remaining. Then, Jeremy Menez was thrown into the fray, and he would have made an instant contribution if it wasn't for Isaksson's foot. Another substitute, Oliver Giroud, also almost scored with his first touch from the resulting corner, but headed over the bar.

The French loss was confirmed when Sweden added a late second in injury time through Larsson who smashed a volley into an empty net after Wilhelmsson's initial effort hit the crossbar, giving the Swedes their first victory against France since 1969 and handing Blanc an unenviable quarter-final with Spain.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report - Monday - 18 Juni

Croatia 0-1 Spain

Navas sends holders through in top spot

The substitute from Sevilla struck near the end of regulation to decide a tepid contest and send La Roja through to the last eight as group winners

Spain has qualified for the Euro 2012 quarterfinals after an uninspiring 1-0 win against Croatia at the PGE Arena Gdansk on Monday. 

Neither side seemed in any hurry to snatch the initiative throughout, with La Roja's famed tiki-taka football failing to break down a determined defensive barrier set up by Slaven Bilic's men. 

The match seemed destined to end in a stalemate, but with two minutes remaining, substitute Jesus Navas walked the ball into the net to confirm Croatia's exit from the tournament.

The defending champion now progresses to the last eight as the winners of Group C alongside runner-up Italy, where it will face either France, England or Ukraine. 

It was a cagey opening to the match, with Croatia content to sit back and soak up the pressure from Spain– whose possession figures reached 78 percent during the first 20 minutes.

Eventually La Roja would manage a sight on goal through Torres, who managed to squeeze in a shot while being forced to the byline by Gordon Schildenfeld, though Stipe Pletikosa was able to save.

Spain’s next offensive threat would come from their center-back pairing, with both Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique peppering the Croatia goal from long range.

Ramos would almost blunder moments later, with a meaty challenge inside the area on Mario Mandzukic deemed legitimate by referee Wolfgang Stark, despite the incredulity of Vedran Corluka, who was booked for his protests.

Croatia was looking the part defensively, but with news of Italy’s lead over Ireland filtering through at the interval, knew that a breakthrough would be needed at the other end of the pitch.

And it would nearly get it just before the hour mark. Luka Modric was the architect, skipping free on the right, before bending a cross with the outside of his boot onto the head of Ivan Rakitic, who was thwarted by Iker Casillas from point blank range.

Spain’s tiki-taka football was getting them nowhere, and Del Bosque responded by hauling off Torres for Navas, hoping to use the Sevilla man to introduce more width. Bilic responded in kind, bringing on Jelavic and Perisic in a bid to find the goal that would salvage their participation in the tournament.

The Dortmund midfielder snatched at a chance moments after his arrival, sending a half-volley over the bar after a good delivery from Darjo Srna.

With Italy still ahead in Poznan, matters remained finely poised in Gdansk, with a goal from one side enough to eliminate the other.

Perisic had another opportunity with 10 minutes to go, but his volley was parried by Casillas as the near post, moments after Cesc Fabregas’ dallying on the ball cost him a gilt-edged shooting opportunity.

Iniesta broke free down the left and fired away at goal, but once more, the opening was nothing but a half-chance and easily saved by Pletikosa.

However in the 88th minute, a swift attack saw Iniesta break free, where he squared to Navas for the simplest of goals. 

Croatia rushed to respond, but with news of Italy's late second against Ireland rippling throughout the stadium, Bilic's men simply ran out of time.

Italy 2-0 Ireland

Cassano and Balotelli seal qualification

Cesare Prandelli's side professionally get the job done against the Irish and will now face the winners of Group D in the quarterfinals

Italy has qualified for the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 as the Group C runners-up thanks to a narrow 2-0 victory over Republic of Ireland in Poznan on Monday evening.

Cesare Prandelli’s men were on top for the majority of the first half, and a header from Antonio Cassano 10 minutes before halftime gave the Azzurri a lead to hold on to for a long period of time. Mario Balotelli then stepped up to seal the victory moments before the final whistle with a typically dramatic finish from just outside the six-yard box.

Italy came extremely close to taking the lead on the half-hour mark when Federico Balzaretti went on a marauding run down the left-hand side and reversed a pass into the area for Di Natale. The Udinese forward then swivelled sharply and hooked a strike at goal, but Sean St Ledger was on hand to make a brave block with his chest from six yards.

This was a period of real dominance for Prandelli’s side in the match, and it nearly took the lead again moments later when Di Natale took the ball beyond Shay Given and attempted to twist a shot over the line from a tight angle, but Richard Dunne sprinted back to make a terrific clearance off the line.

Ireland failed to weather the storm, however, and went behind in the 38th minute thanks to a headed goal from Cassano. Andrea Pirlo whipped in a dangerous cross to the near post from a corner kick and his former Milan teammate bulleted a header at goal that just squeezed over the line, with Given and Damien Duff’s attempts to clear off the line proving to be futile.

Italy came bursting out of the blocks after the break, and should have doubled its lead just four minutes into the half when Balzaretti again showed impressive skill down the left to cut a pass back into the danger area, but Cassano’s eventual strike at goal from 10 yards lacked conviction, and Dunne managed to clear the ball up the park.

The introduction of Shane Long midway through the second half gave Ireland the kick that it needed to up the tempo of its play, with the strength and movement and of West Brom striker causing real problems for the nervy Italian defense. A succession of corner kicks in a five minute period from Trapattoni’s men had the Azzurri looking shaky, but their best chance in this period of dominance came when Keith Andrews powered a strike at goal from long range, but Buffon was equal to it and managed to palm the ball to safety.

It all unraveled for Ireland towards the end of the match as in the space of a couple of minutes, Keith Andrews was given a second yellow card for kicking the ball away in frustration, and then substitute  Balotelli stepped up to score Italy’s second goal with a fantastic bicycle kick just outside the six-yard box.

This victory sees Italy move on to the quarterfinals of Euro 2012 to face the winners of Group of D. Republic of Ireland is heading home from Poland and Ukraine without have registered a point in the group.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Report - Saturday 16 Juni

Greece 1-0 Russia

Captain Karagounis clinches qualification to send Advocaat's side home

The Greeks soaked up pressure throughout the match before exploiting a defensive lapse from the Russians which proved to be an expensive mistake

A hard working performance and an opportunistic Giorgios Karagounis strike saw Greece sneak a 1-0 win over Russia to seal their Euro 2012 progress and send their opponents home.

Despite being under pressure for large parts of the game the Greeks took the lead in first-half stoppage time as Karagounis punished some sloppy defending with a neat finish. 

And his side remained resolute in defence throughout the second half to secure a famous victory which, coupled with the Czech Republic's win over Poland, meant Russia finished third in Group B.

The Ethniki came into the game knowing they needed a win to ensure qualification and they were the first to draw a save from the opposing keeper. Karagounis' near-post delivery was  flicked on target by Kostas Katsouranis but Vyacheslav Malafeev clawed the ball away at full stretch.

Russia responded positively, and three minutes later Alan Dzagoev broke in from the right following a quick throw. Andrey Arshavin got on the end of his cross 10 yards from goal and Michalis Sifakis was forced to parry the ball away. 

Dick Advocaat's side were in the ascendancy and moments later had two great chances to go ahead. Firstly, Aleksandr Kerzhakov failed in his quest to get his first shot of the tournament on target as his volley bent agonisingly wide of the far post. Then, Yuri Zhirkov's cutback for Dzagoev was intercepted by Katsouranis.

By the half-hour mark the Russians had taken control of the match but were more often than not being restricted to shooting from range. Yet, when in possession, the Greeks lacked ambition and committed minimal numbers to their attacks.

Zhirkov fired over five minutes before the break but Fernando Santos' side held out and in stoppage time Karagounis fired Greece into a surprise lead. A misplaced header by Sergey Ignashevich was capitalised on by the 35-year-old who capped his 120th international appearance - a statistic equalling the country's all-time record - by surging into the area and slamming a low shot underneath Malafeev.

Roman Pavlyuchenko replaced the profligate Kerzhakov at half-time but the Russians continued to struggle against the resilient Ethniki defence. Their woes were best summed up when, with space limited in the final third, Igor Denisov shot from distance only to see his effort swing wide. 

Greece remained a threat on the counterattack and after Aleksandr Anyukov somehow cleared Vasilis Torosidis' cross away from inside the six yard box, Karagounis received a booking that will keep him out of the next match for diving in the area though it looked like a certain penalty. 

Santos signalled his intent to see out the game with the solitary goal by replacing striker Theofanis Gekas with left-back Jose Holebas 25 minutes from time. But the Ethniki almost extended their lead in the 70th minute when Gergios Tzavellas' beautifully struck free kick rattled the frame of the goal.

In their desperation to find an equaliser Advocaat's side became extremely disjointed and another long-range attempt from Denisov was saved by Sifakis. With five minutes of normal time remaining Dzagoev came close to restoring parity but his header from Arshavin's cross shaved the outside of the post.

And the Greeks held out to secure their passage to the quarter-finals whilst Russia - who had shown so much promise in their opening game against the Czech Republic - face an early flight home.

Czech Republic 1-0 Poland

Jiracek sends co-hosts crashing out

The Wolfsburg man provided a rare moment of class in a scrappy, hard-fought game, putting his side into the quarterfinals as Group A winners

Petr Jiracek broke Polish hearts in Wroclaw, netting the only goal of a tense Group A encounter to secure a 1-0 win and last-eight berth for Czech Republic. 

The Wolfsburg midfielder was clinical in converting Milan Baros' pass 72 minutes into the game after Poland had been caught on the break and left wide open at the back. The Czechs held on to record all three points, and qualify along with Greece for the next stage.

With both sides needing a win to guarantee their place in the quarterfinals, the game started at a frantic pace with plenty of goalmouth action. Poland was the first team to go close, when Dariusz Dudka's improvized overhead kick flew into the side netting with the home crowd ready to celebrate the opener. 

The Czechs also went close through Vaclav Pilar in the opening stages, when the midfielder fluffed a first-time effort having been set up brilliantly by Theodor Gebre Selassie. It was the hosts, however, who dominated proceedings in the first half. Ludovic Obraniak was at the heart of the attack, and his delicate ball almost released Jakub Blaszczykowski on the left hand side but Petr Cech reacted well to close the play down. 

It was all Poland at that point, with the Czech side struggling to string two passes together in the face of fierce pressing. An off-balance Robert Lewandowski should at least have hit the target with a shot that veered wide in a dangerous position, while Boenisch forced another save from Cech with a decent long-range effort and Marcin Wasilewski directed a tame header into the Chelsea man's arms. 

The Czechs' best chance of the first arguably fell to Milan Baros. The ex-Liverpool striker timed his run perfectly to spring the offside trap, but hesitated and could not control a decent lofted pass from deep as the danger passed.

A Greece goal against Russia in first-half injury time left Group A on a knife-edge, with both Czech Republic and Poland facing elimination if the scores stayed the same at the final whistle. Michal Bilek's men probed early after the restart, but despite some decent possession around the opposition area could not find a way through the determined hosts' defence. 

David Limbersky had a half chance to open the scoring as he powered into the box, but his shot could only find the side-netting once more as the game remained in an uneasy deadlock. The reticence of the Polish team to push forward, meanwhile, was baffling, as only a win would put the home side into the next round no matter how events in the other game finished. The home fans looked to Kamil Grosicki to make the difference, the Sivasspor winger entering just under 15 minutes into the second half in place of Eugen Polanski to add a new attacking dimension to the Polish team.

The change did not translate into extra potency in the final third, however, and numerous fouls from the hosts ruined their rhythm and handed their rivals the initiative. The Czechs had several chances from free kicks in dangerous areas, but failed to take advantage and net the goal that would take them above Greece and into the next round. One of those dead-balls forced a reaction save from Tyton, but the keeper was attentive and punched clear under heavy pressure. 

With 20 minutes left on the clock, it was the Czech Republic which took the advantage. A slick counter left Poland exposed at the back, and Baros slipped to Jiracek who did well to turn onto his right foot and coolly hit past Tyton.

The goal was a mortal blow for Franciszek Smuda's men, who looked unable to recompose themselves and fight for a now-unlikely victory. Baros momentarily thought he had sewn up the three points when he rounded Tyton, but the play was called back for a marginal offside and the Czechs stayed one goal up. The Polish fans sang their heart out right to the end but, despite a near-miss for Wasilewski right at the death, their efforts were in vain as the hosts bade farewell to the competition.

The central European nation therefore finishes top of Group A with six points, two clear of Greece which goes through after defeating Russia 1-0. Poland, meanwhile lies bottom of the pile and crashes out on home soil, having picked up just two points and failing to win in its fleeting Euro 2012 campaign.

Euro 2012 Report - Sunday 10 June

Spain 1-1 Italy

Fabregas spares holders' blushes

The Barcelona midfielder replied almost immediately after Antonio Di Natale's strike on the hour mark to earn La Furia Roja a point in the opening match of Group C

Italy and Spain kicked off their respective Euro 2012 campaigns with an absorbing 1-1 draw on Sunday in Group C.

Antonio Di Natale drew first blood for the Azzurri on 60 minutes, coming straight off the substitutes bench to put his side ahead, but only four minutes later, Cesc Fabregas ensured their opening day ended with a share of the spoils in Gdansk.

The headline news that preceded the match was the inclusion of Cesc Fabregas as the man who would be bestowed with leading the line for the Spaniards in a 'false No.9' role, ahead of recognised strikers Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente.

Meanwhile, coach Cesare Prandelli went with a 3-5-2 formation, with Daniele De Rossi lining up in defence. Emanuele Giaccherini was also given his maiden bow for the Azzurri at left wing-back.

Predictably, inside the first 10 minutes, Spain set out their stall as Italy were put on the back foot. La Roja threatened to impose their tiki-taka style in the early stages, but la Nazionale's wall at the back refused to be beaten, lead by Daniele De Rossi.

Soon after, the first chance of the game fell to David Silva, as the Roma man's mistimed tackle saw the ball fall to Andres Iniesta, who then laid a pass off for the diminutive Manchester City star. However, his attempt was easily saved by Gianluigi Buffon.

The move provided the impetus for Italy to hit back on 13 minutes with an Andrea Pirlo free-kick. Mario Balotelli's feint allowed the Juventus playmaker to step up and curl an attempt to the right of Iker Casillas, but the goalkeeper parried away to safety.

From there on, Italy gained momentum. Antonio Cassano was next up, collecting Claudio Marchisio's through ball, but his shot in the box went just wide of the far post with Casillas beaten. 

Spain seemed to have lost their cutting edge, but with Iniesta on the ball, they could never be discounted. Italy continued to look more purposeful in their play, but La Roja came steaming back through the Barcelona man, who saw his lobbed effort go just over.

Italy soon rued their luck as Christian Maggio ventured on another lung-bursting foray down the right, before crossing the ball on the head of an incoming Thiago Motta, but the Brazil-born midfielder's header was crucially stopped by Casllas.

No changes were witnessed during the break, but Spain came quick out of the blocks. Within moments of the restart Xavi smashed a powerful effort from the edge of the box, but Buffon was again equal, this time diving to his right to beat the ball away.

Iniesta was quick to fire yet another attempt at the Juventus No. 1 from distance, before a moment of madness saw Balotelli through on goal with the box gaping, but he wanted far too much time on the ball and was eventually dispossessed by Sergio Ramos. 

Prandelli subsequently hauled the temperamental forward off for Antonio Di Natale, who in a matter of minutes superbly latched onto Pirlo's through pass and curled an emphatic finish past Casillas on the hour mark.

However, just four minutes later, Spain took advantage of some uncertain defensive play by the Azzurri, as neat link-up play between Iniesta and Silva saw Fabregas ghost into the box to coolly restore parity.

With only 20 minutes remaining yet more opportunities were fluffed. Substitute Fernando Torres capitalised on a failed offside trap, but his one-on-one with Buffon ended with the grateful goalkeeper putting a foot in to win the ball back.

Moments later, Sebastian Giovinco scooped up a delightful pass into the path of Di Natale, who peeled away from Gerard Pique in the danger area, but he could not connect with the ball as he would have liked, seeing his effort loop just wide of the target.

Torres then was gifted with another opportunity to prove his critics wrong right at the end, but he hesitated in another one-on-one with Buffon, seeing his chip over the goalkeeper go harmlessly over to keep both sides tied after the first game of the tournament.

Source: goal.com

Republic of Ireland 1-3 Croatia

Two goals from Mario Mandžukić ruined Ireland's long-awaited return to a EURO finals as Croatia opened up with an impressive victory in Poznan.

Mario Mandžukić struck twice as Croatia opened their UEFA EURO 2012 campaign with a stylish victory against the Republic of Ireland.

A match played in incessant rain for long periods produced anything but a damp squib. Mandžukić, a focal point for Croatia throughout, struck as early as the third minute – the sixth-fastest goal in EURO history. Ireland rallied to level through centre-back Sean St Ledger, but Mandžukić grabbed his second after Nikica Jelavić had reclaimed the lead and Croatia never looked like slipping up from there.

Enjoying their first experience of a UEFA European Championship in 24 years, Ireland's fans were in boisterous mood despite the deluge in Poznan, but Croatia soon rained on their parade. Ireland failed to clear a corner, Darijo Srna's cross came off the back of Stephen Ward and – despite an untimely stumble – Mandžukić guided a precise header to Shay Given's left, with the goalkeeper's desperate clawed attempt not enough to keep it out.

The goal subdued the large contingent of fans dressed in green and Nikica Jelavić was nearly in straight away for a second, only to be denied by a wonderfully timed challenge from Richard Dunne. However, the Irish supporters soon rediscovered their voices as their team regained their composure. Damien Duff shot wide, Keith Andrews had a free-kick blocked and then, in the 19th minute, they levelled.

Vedran Čorluka – only passed fit on the eve of the match – bundled over Kevin Doyle on the left flank and from the resulting Aiden McGeady free-kick, St Ledger lost Čorluka at the back post to head firmly past Stipe Pletikosa. Croatia came back at Giovanni Trapattoni's men, though. Given had to beat away Ivan Perišić's drive, Jelavić headed just wide and Luka Modrić fired straight at the Ireland No1. The pressure was building, and Ireland's defence soon burst.

Another half-cleared corner came to Modrić. His tame effort ricocheted into Ward who could only stab the ball towards his own goal – his second inadvertent assist of the night – and Jelavić was waiting to flick a deft finish over the onrushing Given.

If the goal came at a bad time for Ireland, just before half-time, Croatia were not about to let the lead slip this time. Three minutes after the break, Perišić's invitation of a cross was met with glee by Mandžukić, and his powerful header hit the post, before striking the prone Given and cannoning in.

Croatia were playing on the break now, inviting Ireland on to them. Trapattoni brought on Jon Walters and Simon Cox, but apart from set pieces, Ireland were looking forlorn going forward. As their belief ebbed, Croatia reassumed their hold on possession. Ivan Rakitić shot narrowly wide and Mandžukić was a constant threat. Ireland supplied some late pressure, Andrews in particular going close with a couple of headers, but Croatia were good value for the three points and have the early lead in Group C after Italy and Spain's draw earlier in the day.

Euro 2012 Report

The Euro 2012 is officialy begon!!! 

And these were the first twee games played today:

Poland 1-1 Greece

Szczesny sent off as sub Salpingidis grabs thrilling draw

Fernando Santos' men produced a stunning display after falling behind and having a man sent off, and went close to winning only to see their captain miss a penalty

Poland and Greece played out a thrilling 1-1 draw that included two red cards and a penalty in the opening game of Euro 2012 at the National Stadium in Warsaw.

Franciszek Smuda's men dominated proceedings in the first half and deservedly took the lead through Robert Lewandowski. Just before half-time, Sokratis Papastathopoulos was sent off for a second bookable offence, leaving Greece with an uphill task to overturn their deficit.

Fernando Santos introduced Dimitris Salpingidis after the break and the PAOK man made an instant impact, netting the equaliser shortly after the restart. The substitute later won a penalty after he was fouled by Wojciech Szczesny, who was sent off for the offence, but captain Giorgos Karagounis missed from the spot.

Ultimately, the two sides had to settle for a draw in game which offered plenty of excitement from start to finish.

Both teams employed a cautious approach in the beginning of the match, but it was Poland, spurred on by their vocal fans, who created the first chance. A cross from the right by Lukasz Piszczek caught the Greek defence by surprise, but Lewandowski failed to connect with pass.

The ball ended up in the path of Rafal Murawski, who powered a shot at goal from outside the box, but his finish was palmed over the bar by goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias. Greece's reply came in the 12th minute when Theofanis Gekas sent a header wide of the left post from inside the box with the Polish defence beaten.

Smuda's men soon regained the initiative, and were looking particularly dangerous down the right flank as Borussia Dortmund duo Jakub 'Kuba' Blaszczykowski and Piszczek were causing the visitors plenty of trouble.

Their persistence paid off the 17th minute as they combined well on the wing before the former Wisla Krakow midfielder delivered a perfect cross for Lewandowski, who powered an unstoppable header past the onrushing Chalkias, making amends for missing with a volley moments earlier.

The opener calmed the nerves of Poland, who took their foot off the gas after their period of dominance. Greece adjusted their approach as well, and looked more committed in attack, but were struggling to create chances as the home side's pressing game was proving difficult to handle for the visitors.

Things went from bad to worse for Santos' men as in the 37th minute Avraam Papadopoulos was forced to leave the pitch after picking up an injury. His replacement, Kyriakos Papadopoulos nearly made an instant gaffe as his poor clearance on a free kick allowed Damien Perquis to fire a shot from inside the box, but to the relief of the Schalke man the finish missed the target.

The turning point of the half arrived in the 44th minute when Sokratis Papastathopoulos picked up his second caution of the game for foul on Murawski, leaving Greece with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

Sotiris Ninis was replaced by Salpingidis after the restart, and Santos' decision paid instant dividends. A mix-up by Szczesny and defender Marcin Wasilewski gifted Salpingidis a golden chance to level the proceedings, and the attacker took it with both hands, finishing in the left corner.

Smuda's men looked shell-shocked by the equaliser and were lacking ideas in the final third. Greece, on the other hand, were defending superbly, easily soaking up the pressure, waiting for their chance on the counter.

Just after the hour mark Georgios Samaras had a superb opportunity to put the Greeks ahead, but sent a volley from just outside the six-yard box way over the bar.

Poland received another blow as in the 69th minute as Szczesny was shown a straight red after fouling Salpingidis in the box, conceding a penalty in the process. Karagounis, however, saw his spot-kick saved by substitute goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, wasting a chance to give Greece the lead.

The visitors had a goal disallowed in the 75th minute, and despite their best efforts were unable to score again as the game ended in a draw.

Russia 4-1 Czech Republic

Deadly Dzagoev fires incisive double

The CSKA star hit a pair of goals in each half as Dick Advocaat's charges ran out worthy winners in Wroclaw, inflicting a punishing blow on their Group A rivals

An outstanding attacking display from Russia had as its highlight two wonderfully taken goals from Alan Dzagoev, as they cruised to a 4-1 win over the Czech Republic in Group A to kick their Euro 2012 campaign in impressive fashion.

Dzagoev and Roman Shirokov netted before half time to put the Eastern Europeans in a commanding position, although they could have led by more if not for wasteful finishing. 

Vaclav Pilar then gave the Czechs a shout of getting something from the game with his strike, but Russia saved the best for last as Dzagoev and Roman Pavlyuchenko both scored in the last 15 minutes to seal an emphatic opening victory. 

The game started in a scrappy, hectic fashion, with both sides conceding numerous fouls in the first 10 minutes. It was the Czechs, however, who appeared to be in control in the first phases, controlling the ball albeit with very little action in front of goal. Tomas Rosicky fired from long range, but the Arsenal man put his speculative shot high and wide. 

Russia were content to sit back at the beginning, but they had demonstrated their ability in front of goal with last week's destruction of Italy. Apparently the Czech defence had not learnt the lesson; a fluid counterattack spearheaded by Alan Dzagoev led to Aleksandr Kerzhakov hitting the post, but Dzagoev was on hand to fire home the rebound and give Dick Advocaat's men the lead with just 15 minutes played. 

The goal was the cue for Russia to take a stranglehold on proceedings. Dzagoev was played in one on one with Peter Cech following a neat pass from Kerzhakov, but the CSKA Moscow star snatched at his effort and could only find the side-netting.

Andrei Arshavin was the inspiration for the second of the evening. The Arsenal star split open the defence with a brilliant pass across the area, which was met by Roman Shirokov to chip over the prostrate Cech and double the advantage. 

Czech Republic continued to try and build from deep with the ball at feet, but any mistake was punished by a Russia team that attacked continually with purpose and numbers. 

Kerzhakov would have been extremely disappointed not to have registered on the scoresheet during a one-sided first half. The Zenit man had another golden chance to hit the net having been played in from the left-hand side but, stretching and off balance, blazed over the bar.

The Czechs, meanwhile, barely tested Vyacheslav Malafeev at the other end, and would have been relieved to hear the half-time whistle and go into the dressing room just two behind. 

Michal Bilek's team came out after the break looking to reduce the deficit, but they were frustrated by a Russian outfit determined to deny their opponents the slightest glimpse on goal.

At the other end they remained the side looking most likely to add to the scoreline; Kerzhakov was given another chance on the right hand side, but once again fired wide. 

Seven minutes into the half, however, the Czech side finally found the breakthrough. A wonderful pass from Jaroslav Plasil opened the Russian defence for the first time, and Vaclav Pilar was the beneficiary as he controlled the ball instantly, took it round Malafeev and slotted into the empty net for a much-needed lifeline. 

Wroclaw's Municipal Stadium suddenly burst into life with the strike, as the sizeable Czech contingent in the crowd finally found something to cheer after an opening period that had provided little and they made themselves heard.

On the pitch as well, the effect of Pilar's effort began to make itself felt. The Czechs were playing with more calm and authority, while the previously flawless passing game from Russia began to look rather more ragged as passes were falling astray.

Advocaat's side, however, remained dangerous and should really have sewn up the game with 20 minutes gone of the second half. Kerzhakov broke the offside trap perfectly to go clean through, but his torrid evening in front of goal continued as he dragged his shot well wide to blow a golden opportunity. 

It just was not to be the Zenit hitman's day. Another decent effort blazed to the left of Cech's post, followed by an attempt on his weaker left foot moments marked the sixth and seventh shots on goal of the evening for Aleksandr, without once forcing a save from the Chelsea goalkeeper.

His profligacy meant that Russian hearts were in mouths for the last 15 minutes; a wonderfully-hit volley from Theodor Gebre Selassie from wide on the right momentarily looked like flying in, before ultimately finishing in the side netting.

Rosicky's vicious long-range shot also gave Malafeev trouble, but the keeper did brilliantly to first parry before instantly recovering to smother the loose ball. The game was wrapped up shortly after, however; more fluid Russian passing sent Dzagoev away in the area, and the CSKA man proved he had no problem converting as he blasted home to give Cech no chance.

And minutes after come off the bench for Kherzakov, Roman Pavlyuchenko added a fourth with a high shot into the roof of the net, having bamboozled an exhausted Czech backline. 

The victory means Russia go straight to the top of Group A, overtaking Greece and hosts Poland after the pair drew 1-1 in the tournament's opening clash.

Source: goal.com

Euro 2012 Friendlies

Spain 1 - 0 China

"We deserved to win" said midfielder David Silva, whose 84th-minute strike earned La Roja a narrow victory in Seville.

Spain players celebrate David Silva's late winner

Spain completed their pre-tournament preparations with a 1-0 victory against China PR, David Silva's late strike proving the match-winner in Seville.

Vicente del Bosque had his 23-man EURO squad available for the first time following the return of the FC Barcelona and Athletic Club contingent and he will have appreciated the intense workout provided by a China side that were eventually undone by an 84th-minute winner from man of the match Silva.

The Manchester City FC schemer proved a constant menace and had his side's first chance with a long-range shot that zipped just wide. China – led by former Spain coach José Antonio Camacho – should have scored soon afterwards, Zhi Zheng evading Iker Casillas' challenge before slicing wide with the goal at his mercy.

Álvaro Negredo's dragged shot was blocked by goalkeeper Cheng Zeng, but it was Casillas that proved the busier of the two custodians, called into action twice in eight minutes. First he parried Junmin Hao's strike before expertly deflecting Zhi Zheng's angled effort.

With the introduction of Fernando Torres, Andrés Iniesta and Jesús Navas at the break, the hosts dominated and both Raúl Albiol's close-range header and then Iniesta's clever chip struck the crossbar. Torres then found Cheng Zeng unbeatable; the visiting goalkeeper denying the Chelsea FC man with a fine double save.

The game was heading for 0-0 when Iniesta stole possession, darted down the left and cut back for Silva, who stroked in his 16th goal for Spain. "We played well, especially in the second half and with the chances we created we deserved to win," Silva commented afterwards. "We know defending our title will be difficult but we'll look to do our best while staying injury free. Let's see what happens."

Source: uefa.com

International Friendly

2012 International Friendly Results

Tonight's games

Source: ESPN

Euro 2012: Spain's Official 23-Man Squad Selected

On Sunday morning, Vicente Del Bosque announced the names of the 23 players he will take with him to represent Spain for Euro 2012. La Roja will be looking to repeat as European champions and will start their Euro 2012 campaign on June 10 against Italy.

Without further ado, here is your Spanish national team for Euro 2012.

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes  (FC Barcelona), Pepe Reina (Liverpool)

Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (FC Barcelona), Jordi Alba (Valencia), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi (FC Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Malaga), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (FC Barcelona)

Forwards: David Silva (Manchester City), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Juan Mata (Chelsea), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Pedro (FC Barcelona), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

Source: bleacher report