Italy reached the Final of Euro 2012 after a 2-1 victory over Germany, last night.
"Super" Mario Balotelli was the Italian hero after he grabbed a first half brace to put the Italians 2-0 up. Mezut Ozil scored a stoppage time penalty for Germany but it was too little, too late for Joachim Low's men.
Italy were deserving winners and could have won by more, if they had taken their chances when Germany were pushing extra men forward.
The Italians started the game well and it wasn't long before Mario Balotelli gave them the lead with a close range header. The Germans looked shell shocked and they soon found themselves 2-0 down. Mario Balotelli blasted the ball into the top corner when one on one with German goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.
Germany began taking the game to Italy and for long periods they were camped inside the Italian half but they could not break down the strong Italian defence. As the game wore on, Italy were looking dangerous on the counter attack and could have got the third goal to seal the victory. As it was, they were wasteful with their chances and could not add to Balotelli's two goals.
In injury time, Germany were presented with a lifeline when they got a penalty kick. Mezut Ozil scored but they were unable to create any more chances and it was Italy who reached Sunday's Final against Spain.
The Final will be a repeat of the opening game in Group C. On that occasion the game finished 1-1 with Italy going ahead through Antonio Di Natale, before Cesc Fabregas levelled for Spain. It was quite a tactical battle as Italy lined up with 3 at the back and had Daniele De Rossi playing in a Libero role. Spain had caused controversy by lining up with no recognised strikers.
Both coaches have changed their systems since then. Italy have been playing a 4-4-2 diamond with Andrea Pirlo conducting play from the deep lying midfield role. Spain have gone back and forth between playing a recognised striker and not. Fernando Torres has started twice and Alvaro Negredo started in the Semi-Final. In the other two games, Spain have lined up with Cesc Fabregas in a false number 9 role.
I expect we will hear a lot about formations, tactics and systems in the days running up to the Final. In my own opinion Italy have looked better since changing to the 4-4-2 diamond and Spain have looked better with a recognised striker but I expect both sides will try to counter the other and go back to the way they played in the opening game.
The Final will be another tough battle and it is almost impossible to call. Spain haven’t looked great in this tournament but they have still got to the Final. Their status as reigning World and European Champions shows what they are capable of and if they play well on the night they will be hard to beat. Italy didn’t start very well but have been getting better as the tournament goes on. If they can improve, again, from their Semi-Final performance, there is no reason why Europe can’t be saluting Italy on Sunday night as the European Champions.
Friday, 29 June 2012
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Semi-Final - Germany v Italy
Tonights second Semi-Final sees Germany take on Italy in Warsaw.
Germany have made a few changes & have gone back to the side that came through the group stages with one exception. Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller is replaced by club team mate Toni Kroos. I expect Kroos to spend a lot of the game covering Italian star, Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo was dominant against England and I expect Joachim Low sees him as the biggest threat to Germany's chances.
At this point Germany have 14 wins from 14 games in qualifying & the Finals. It is hard to find fault with them & they appear to have different options for every eventuality. Joachim Low has made few changes throughout the Finals but when he has they have worked perfectly. With Boateng suspended for the Denmark game he brought in Lars Bender & he responded by scoring the winning goal. Against Greece he made 3 changes & 2 of them scored goals. If Low says Kroos is starting in the Semi-Final then we have every reason to believe it will be the right choice.
Italy welcome back Giorgio Chiellini into their lineup & he will most likely start at left-back. Italy keep faith in Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano up front.
Italy have been decent so far but unfortunately for them, decent is unlikely to be good enough to beat Germany. Italy have to be better than they have been up to now and they most definitely cannot afford to be as wasteful in front of goal as they were against England.
I think this will be another tight game and wouldn't be at all surprised to see another penalty shootout decide the victor. However, I think the Germans possess more quality & think they can edge a close encounter.
Germany 1-0 Italy
Germany have made a few changes & have gone back to the side that came through the group stages with one exception. Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller is replaced by club team mate Toni Kroos. I expect Kroos to spend a lot of the game covering Italian star, Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo was dominant against England and I expect Joachim Low sees him as the biggest threat to Germany's chances.
At this point Germany have 14 wins from 14 games in qualifying & the Finals. It is hard to find fault with them & they appear to have different options for every eventuality. Joachim Low has made few changes throughout the Finals but when he has they have worked perfectly. With Boateng suspended for the Denmark game he brought in Lars Bender & he responded by scoring the winning goal. Against Greece he made 3 changes & 2 of them scored goals. If Low says Kroos is starting in the Semi-Final then we have every reason to believe it will be the right choice.
Italy welcome back Giorgio Chiellini into their lineup & he will most likely start at left-back. Italy keep faith in Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano up front.
Italy have been decent so far but unfortunately for them, decent is unlikely to be good enough to beat Germany. Italy have to be better than they have been up to now and they most definitely cannot afford to be as wasteful in front of goal as they were against England.
I think this will be another tight game and wouldn't be at all surprised to see another penalty shootout decide the victor. However, I think the Germans possess more quality & think they can edge a close encounter.
Germany 1-0 Italy
Spain 0-0 Portugal (Spain won 4-2 on pens)
Spain reached their third major tournament final in a row after a penalty shootout victory over Portugal.
The game itself was quite a dour, goalless affair. Spain once again had the majority of possession but didn't give Rui Patricio , in the Portugal goal, much to worry about.
Spain lined up with Alvaro Negredo in attack but he didn’t see much of the ball and was subbed in the second half.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the danger man for Portugal but once again he failed to bring his shooting boots. The Real Madrid man had seven shots on goal but was unable to get any of them on target. He had a superb chance to win the tie for Portugal but his shot went high and wide of Iker Casillas’ goal.
The game was quite bad tempered and by the end nine players were given a yellow card by referee, Cuneyt Cakir of Turkey.
Portugal deserve a lot of credit for their work off the ball. They pressed the Spanish high up the pitch and forced them to make errors. Spain were unable to get into their usual flow and Portugal were able to keep them out quite comfortably in the 90 minutes of normal time.
It wasn’t until extra-time that Portugal began to tire and Spain managed to create a few openings. Andres Iniesta and Jesus Navas were both denied by good goalkeeping from Rui Patricio.
Spain were unable to find the breakthrough and the game went to a penalty shootout.
Both goalkeepers got off to a good start with saves from Xabi Alonso and Joao Moutinho, respectively. The next four penalties were taken by Iniesta, Pepe, Pique and Nani. All four were converted and the score was 2-2 after each side had taken 3 penalties.
Real Madrids, Sergio Ramos stepped up to take Spain's fourth penalty & in true Andrea Pirlo fashion, he dinked the ball straight down the middle to give Spain a 3-2 lead. It was very gutsy, especially when you consider the last penalty he hit, in the Champions League Semi-Final defeat to Bayern Munich, is still orbiting in the earth's atmosphere somewhere.
Portugal's fourth penalty taker was Bruno Alves. Alves had stepped up to take the third penalty only to be called back by Nani. When he eventually stepped up to take one he looked a very nervous man & blasted his kick off the bar.
This left Cesc Fabregas with the simple task of, score and it's another Final for Spain. Cesc stepped up & although it wasn't the best connection, the ball hit the inside of the post & went across the line.
Spain have been far from their best in this competition & I believe the man responsible for that is manager, Vicente del Bosque. It seems to me, Spain have reached the Final despite him & definitely not because of him. I don't think he knows what the best formation or system is for Spain. He has been changing back and forward between the false number 9 style & playing a recognised striker. He has changed it during most matches & Spain have suffered due to his uncertainties.
However, Spain do find themselves in yet another Final & only a fool would rule them out of retaining their European crown. They can become the first side to win three consecutive major tournaments & no matter who they meet in the Final, Spain will be a very difficult side to beat.
The game itself was quite a dour, goalless affair. Spain once again had the majority of possession but didn't give Rui Patricio , in the Portugal goal, much to worry about.
Spain lined up with Alvaro Negredo in attack but he didn’t see much of the ball and was subbed in the second half.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the danger man for Portugal but once again he failed to bring his shooting boots. The Real Madrid man had seven shots on goal but was unable to get any of them on target. He had a superb chance to win the tie for Portugal but his shot went high and wide of Iker Casillas’ goal.
The game was quite bad tempered and by the end nine players were given a yellow card by referee, Cuneyt Cakir of Turkey.
Portugal deserve a lot of credit for their work off the ball. They pressed the Spanish high up the pitch and forced them to make errors. Spain were unable to get into their usual flow and Portugal were able to keep them out quite comfortably in the 90 minutes of normal time.
It wasn’t until extra-time that Portugal began to tire and Spain managed to create a few openings. Andres Iniesta and Jesus Navas were both denied by good goalkeeping from Rui Patricio.
Spain were unable to find the breakthrough and the game went to a penalty shootout.
Both goalkeepers got off to a good start with saves from Xabi Alonso and Joao Moutinho, respectively. The next four penalties were taken by Iniesta, Pepe, Pique and Nani. All four were converted and the score was 2-2 after each side had taken 3 penalties.
Real Madrids, Sergio Ramos stepped up to take Spain's fourth penalty & in true Andrea Pirlo fashion, he dinked the ball straight down the middle to give Spain a 3-2 lead. It was very gutsy, especially when you consider the last penalty he hit, in the Champions League Semi-Final defeat to Bayern Munich, is still orbiting in the earth's atmosphere somewhere.
Portugal's fourth penalty taker was Bruno Alves. Alves had stepped up to take the third penalty only to be called back by Nani. When he eventually stepped up to take one he looked a very nervous man & blasted his kick off the bar.
This left Cesc Fabregas with the simple task of, score and it's another Final for Spain. Cesc stepped up & although it wasn't the best connection, the ball hit the inside of the post & went across the line.
Spain have been far from their best in this competition & I believe the man responsible for that is manager, Vicente del Bosque. It seems to me, Spain have reached the Final despite him & definitely not because of him. I don't think he knows what the best formation or system is for Spain. He has been changing back and forward between the false number 9 style & playing a recognised striker. He has changed it during most matches & Spain have suffered due to his uncertainties.
However, Spain do find themselves in yet another Final & only a fool would rule them out of retaining their European crown. They can become the first side to win three consecutive major tournaments & no matter who they meet in the Final, Spain will be a very difficult side to beat.
Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Semi-Final - Spain v Portugal
The first of the Semi-Finals takes place tonight with an all Iberian Peninsula clash between Spain and Portugal.
Spain got here after a simple win over France in the Quarter-Final. Portugal had an equally comfortable victory over Czech Rep although it did take them 80 minutes to break the deadlock in that game.
Spain have made one change to the starting lineup that started sgainst France. Sevilla striker, Alvaro Negredo starts up front in place of Fabregas. I have watched Negredo a few times for Sevilla and I think he could be the missing link in this Spain team. He is lively and will not be afraid to have a shot if he gets the slightest opportunity.
If Spain can keep possession like they have done in every game so far, then Silva & Iniesta will be able to create openings for Negredo to take advantage of.
Previously Spain have lined up with Torres & Fabregas in that position. Fabregas isn't a natural striker & since Torres has been through his bad run, he has appeared shot shy on occasions.
Portugal will no doubt look to get star man, Cristiano Ronaldo, involved as much as possible. Ronaldo can hurt any team in the world but I think Portugal will struggle to get the ball to him.
Everyone raves about how good Spain are in possession which is justified. However, few people mention how good Spain are when they don't have the ball. When Spain lose possession they are instantly all over the opposition, hunting in packs and forcing mistakes.
Ronaldo is not going to see as much of the ball as he has in the first 4 games. When he does get it he is going to have 3 or 4 Spaniards around him. If Portugal are to cause an upset here I think the key will be to use the spaces created due to the extra attention Ronaldo will receive.
Portugal will give Spain a decent game but I expect Spain to once again have a lot of possession & nick a narrow victory.
Spain 1-0 Portugal
Spain got here after a simple win over France in the Quarter-Final. Portugal had an equally comfortable victory over Czech Rep although it did take them 80 minutes to break the deadlock in that game.
Spain have made one change to the starting lineup that started sgainst France. Sevilla striker, Alvaro Negredo starts up front in place of Fabregas. I have watched Negredo a few times for Sevilla and I think he could be the missing link in this Spain team. He is lively and will not be afraid to have a shot if he gets the slightest opportunity.
If Spain can keep possession like they have done in every game so far, then Silva & Iniesta will be able to create openings for Negredo to take advantage of.
Previously Spain have lined up with Torres & Fabregas in that position. Fabregas isn't a natural striker & since Torres has been through his bad run, he has appeared shot shy on occasions.
Portugal will no doubt look to get star man, Cristiano Ronaldo, involved as much as possible. Ronaldo can hurt any team in the world but I think Portugal will struggle to get the ball to him.
Everyone raves about how good Spain are in possession which is justified. However, few people mention how good Spain are when they don't have the ball. When Spain lose possession they are instantly all over the opposition, hunting in packs and forcing mistakes.
Ronaldo is not going to see as much of the ball as he has in the first 4 games. When he does get it he is going to have 3 or 4 Spaniards around him. If Portugal are to cause an upset here I think the key will be to use the spaces created due to the extra attention Ronaldo will receive.
Portugal will give Spain a decent game but I expect Spain to once again have a lot of possession & nick a narrow victory.
Spain 1-0 Portugal
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
Goal Line Technology? Yes, please!
The debate for goal line technology has raised its ugly head again after Ukraine were denied a certain goal against England in their final Group D clash last week.
Ukraine needed a victory to go through to the Quarter-Finals but fell behind shortly after half-time. After 60 minutes the ball fell to Marko Devic and he managed to get a shot past England goalkeeper, Joe Hart and the ball was looping towards goal. John Terry acrobatically dived, swung a foot at the ball and managed to clear it. It was a superb clearance from the former England captain but when television replays looked at the incident it became apparent that the ball had crossed the line. Quite how the goal line assistant managed to miss it is a mystery.
This debate is not a new thing. Ever since Geoff Hurst in 1966, and probably before it, there have been debates about balls crossing or not crossing the line in key matches. This season alone there have been three high profile examples were goal line technology could have been used to rule on cases were the referee got the decision wrong.
In the FA Cup, Chelsea, the eventual winners benefited from two huge decisions in the Semi-Final and the Final.
In the Semi-Final they led 1-0 at half-time. Just after the restart Juan Mata had a shot which came back out after a goal mouth scramble involving Ledley King, Benoit Essou-Akotto and John Terry. The referee decided the ball had gone across the line but the television cameras suggested otherwise. Chelsea went onto win this game 5-1 but the importance of that "ghost goal" can not be underestimated.
Tottenham players will have received instructions from manager Harry Redknapp on how to get back into the game, just 4 minutes later they were 2-0 down and it wasn't even a goal. Tottenham were forced to go chasing the game after that and Chelsea picked them off to move on to the FA Cup Final.
In that FA Cup Final, with the score at 2-1 to Chelsea, Liverpool striker, Andy Carroll rose to meet a cross and his header was clawed back out by Petr Cech. When the replays were shown it looked as though the ball was right on the line but on further inspection Petr Cech's hand was not in contact with the ball. This would suggest that the whole ball had in fact crossed the line and the game would have been level and approaching extra-time. As it was Chelsea hang on for the remaining minutes and secured another FA Cup.
In the Premier League, Clint Hill's header was goal bound until Adam Bogdan managed to get across his goal and make a superb stop. The only problem was television replays showed the ball was well over the line by the time Bolton stopper, Bogdan got his hand on it. This was a huge goal, as both teams were in the middle of a relegation battle. Bolton took the much needed 3 points in that game. In the end it was Bolton who went down and QPR managed to stay up but it was tight until the very end and could so easily have gone the other way. Premier League is big business and relegation means the loss of millions of pounds.
Bolton know that better that anyone. Back in 1997, they were denied a goal when Gerry Taggarts shot was cleared “off the line” by Everton’s Terry Phelan. Television replays confirmed the ball was over the line and the game finished 0-0. By the end of the season the league table showed Bolton and Everton level on points with Bolton getting relegated on Goal Difference. If the referee or his assistant had spotted the ball going over the line then Everton would have been relegated in Bolton’s place.
There have been numerous other instances, Roy Carroll dropping the ball behind the line against Tottenham, Luis Garcia’s goal that never was against Chelsea in the Champion’s League Semi-Final and the absolutely shocking goal that was given in a game between Watford and Reading when a Reading shot went out for a goal kick but the referee and his assistant decided the ball had gone into the net.
Needless to say something needs to happen to prevent this in the future. I am absolutely delighted that there is due to be a vote taken in early July to decide on whether goal line technology is to be introduced. Surely there is only one answer here and the IFAB will vote to introduce this technology.
Many of those opposed to Goal Line Technology bring up the argument that it would stop the flow of play. Would a few seconds to get a decision right really stop the flow of a game for that long? Statistics suggest that in an average game the ball is in play for between 60 and 70 minutes. That is one third of a match. Would it really interrupt a game for so long that it wouldn’t be worth getting the decision correct? I imagine if you asked any team who have suffered from this if they feel a short delay is worth it you would get a resounding yes.
Anytime I’ve watched another sport that uses technology to make key decisions it’s always one of the most exciting parts of the game. Whether its cricket, rugby or tennis every time the hawk eye or video ref is called for the excitement in the crowd reaches fever pitch. Could you imagine in the dying minutes of that FA Cup Final at Wembley, Petr Cech claws out Andy Carrolls header and the referee calls for the use of the goal line technology. Suddenly you have a stadium full of frantic fans. 30,000 fans in blue biting their finger nails, with their heads in their hands praying for a reprieve. 30,000 fans in red biting their finger nails and ready to explode in celebration if the decision goes their way. The decision comes through and it’s a goal. One half of the stadium goes into raptures & the other half sink in despair. Who in their right mind does not want a piece of that? Football is one of, if not the best game on the planet. Let’s take a great product and make it even better.
Another argument against technology is, when do we draw the line? Can the referee just refer every dubious decision to the men upstairs?
At this point I’d suggest something similar to the rules applied by the NFL. Every scoring play in American Football is automatically reviewed. After a goal there is always a delay as the scoring team celebrate their goal. Whilst they are celebrating would it be possible for some kind of video referee to view the goal? This would enable referees and their assistants to confirm if they had got offside decisions correct as well as the rare ocassions when there is doubt over a ball crossing the goal line.
Football is now much more than a game and has become a huge industry with billions of pounds at stake. It's very unfair to expect any business to suffer due to an honest mistake made by an individual when the technology is available to guarantee accurate decisions.
In any other business in the world if a product became available that would improve that sport or business, it would be snapped up. Why are we still having this debate? There's only one answer to the problem and the IFAB owe it to football fans all over the world to make the right choice!
Ukraine needed a victory to go through to the Quarter-Finals but fell behind shortly after half-time. After 60 minutes the ball fell to Marko Devic and he managed to get a shot past England goalkeeper, Joe Hart and the ball was looping towards goal. John Terry acrobatically dived, swung a foot at the ball and managed to clear it. It was a superb clearance from the former England captain but when television replays looked at the incident it became apparent that the ball had crossed the line. Quite how the goal line assistant managed to miss it is a mystery.
This debate is not a new thing. Ever since Geoff Hurst in 1966, and probably before it, there have been debates about balls crossing or not crossing the line in key matches. This season alone there have been three high profile examples were goal line technology could have been used to rule on cases were the referee got the decision wrong.
In the FA Cup, Chelsea, the eventual winners benefited from two huge decisions in the Semi-Final and the Final.
In the Semi-Final they led 1-0 at half-time. Just after the restart Juan Mata had a shot which came back out after a goal mouth scramble involving Ledley King, Benoit Essou-Akotto and John Terry. The referee decided the ball had gone across the line but the television cameras suggested otherwise. Chelsea went onto win this game 5-1 but the importance of that "ghost goal" can not be underestimated.
Tottenham players will have received instructions from manager Harry Redknapp on how to get back into the game, just 4 minutes later they were 2-0 down and it wasn't even a goal. Tottenham were forced to go chasing the game after that and Chelsea picked them off to move on to the FA Cup Final.
In that FA Cup Final, with the score at 2-1 to Chelsea, Liverpool striker, Andy Carroll rose to meet a cross and his header was clawed back out by Petr Cech. When the replays were shown it looked as though the ball was right on the line but on further inspection Petr Cech's hand was not in contact with the ball. This would suggest that the whole ball had in fact crossed the line and the game would have been level and approaching extra-time. As it was Chelsea hang on for the remaining minutes and secured another FA Cup.
In the Premier League, Clint Hill's header was goal bound until Adam Bogdan managed to get across his goal and make a superb stop. The only problem was television replays showed the ball was well over the line by the time Bolton stopper, Bogdan got his hand on it. This was a huge goal, as both teams were in the middle of a relegation battle. Bolton took the much needed 3 points in that game. In the end it was Bolton who went down and QPR managed to stay up but it was tight until the very end and could so easily have gone the other way. Premier League is big business and relegation means the loss of millions of pounds.
Bolton know that better that anyone. Back in 1997, they were denied a goal when Gerry Taggarts shot was cleared “off the line” by Everton’s Terry Phelan. Television replays confirmed the ball was over the line and the game finished 0-0. By the end of the season the league table showed Bolton and Everton level on points with Bolton getting relegated on Goal Difference. If the referee or his assistant had spotted the ball going over the line then Everton would have been relegated in Bolton’s place.
There have been numerous other instances, Roy Carroll dropping the ball behind the line against Tottenham, Luis Garcia’s goal that never was against Chelsea in the Champion’s League Semi-Final and the absolutely shocking goal that was given in a game between Watford and Reading when a Reading shot went out for a goal kick but the referee and his assistant decided the ball had gone into the net.
Needless to say something needs to happen to prevent this in the future. I am absolutely delighted that there is due to be a vote taken in early July to decide on whether goal line technology is to be introduced. Surely there is only one answer here and the IFAB will vote to introduce this technology.
Many of those opposed to Goal Line Technology bring up the argument that it would stop the flow of play. Would a few seconds to get a decision right really stop the flow of a game for that long? Statistics suggest that in an average game the ball is in play for between 60 and 70 minutes. That is one third of a match. Would it really interrupt a game for so long that it wouldn’t be worth getting the decision correct? I imagine if you asked any team who have suffered from this if they feel a short delay is worth it you would get a resounding yes.
Anytime I’ve watched another sport that uses technology to make key decisions it’s always one of the most exciting parts of the game. Whether its cricket, rugby or tennis every time the hawk eye or video ref is called for the excitement in the crowd reaches fever pitch. Could you imagine in the dying minutes of that FA Cup Final at Wembley, Petr Cech claws out Andy Carrolls header and the referee calls for the use of the goal line technology. Suddenly you have a stadium full of frantic fans. 30,000 fans in blue biting their finger nails, with their heads in their hands praying for a reprieve. 30,000 fans in red biting their finger nails and ready to explode in celebration if the decision goes their way. The decision comes through and it’s a goal. One half of the stadium goes into raptures & the other half sink in despair. Who in their right mind does not want a piece of that? Football is one of, if not the best game on the planet. Let’s take a great product and make it even better.
Another argument against technology is, when do we draw the line? Can the referee just refer every dubious decision to the men upstairs?
At this point I’d suggest something similar to the rules applied by the NFL. Every scoring play in American Football is automatically reviewed. After a goal there is always a delay as the scoring team celebrate their goal. Whilst they are celebrating would it be possible for some kind of video referee to view the goal? This would enable referees and their assistants to confirm if they had got offside decisions correct as well as the rare ocassions when there is doubt over a ball crossing the goal line.
Football is now much more than a game and has become a huge industry with billions of pounds at stake. It's very unfair to expect any business to suffer due to an honest mistake made by an individual when the technology is available to guarantee accurate decisions.
In any other business in the world if a product became available that would improve that sport or business, it would be snapped up. Why are we still having this debate? There's only one answer to the problem and the IFAB owe it to football fans all over the world to make the right choice!
Italy 0-0 England (Italy win 4-2 on pens)
Italy came through a penalty shootout to seal the last Semi-Final spot and set up a clash with Germany.
Nobody can deny Italy deserved their victory but once it gets to a penalty shootout anyone can win.
England started off quite well and had two or three good chances early on. Glen Johnson should have done better from 6 yards but the ball seemed to get caught in his feet and he could only scoop the ball straight at Buffon. Wayne Rooney was unlucky with a header and Danny Welbeck went close after a nice passing move between him & Rooney.
Italy were also unlucky in the opening minutes with Daniele De Rossi's speculative effort struck the inside of the post & came back out into play.
After England's good start, it wasn't long before the Italians began to dominate. England had lined up in a flat 4-4-2 and the Italians were playing a narrow 4-4-2 diamond. This left the Italians with an extra man in the middle & Pirlo then dropped into the space between the midfield and defence. Due to being light in the middle the English wingers were being dragged into the centre & this left the Italian full backs with a free run up the wings & they kept England in their own half for most of the game.
Such was the Italian dominance a comfortable victory of three or four nil would not have been a flattering scoreline. However, England deserve credit as their defence and midfield worked extremely hard to keep the Italians score at nil.
Balotelli was lively throughout & could have grabbed a few goals but was denied by a mixture of bad finishing, good goalkeeping & good defending.
The overwhelming Man of the Match was Italys, Andrea Pirlo. He ran the game from his deep lying midfield position & managed to complete 115 passes which was 32 more than his nearest rival, Riccardo Montolivo. Englands top passer was Ashley Cole with 33. Eight Italians completed more passes than Ashley Cole which emphasises how dominant Italy were.
Despite all the Italian possession and chances they couldn't break down the tough English defence in 120 minutes so the game went to a penalty shootout.
After both teams scored their first penalty it was suddenly advantage, England. Montolivo missed the target & Wayne Rooney scored for England to put them ahead 2-1 after two penalties each.
Andrea Pirlo stepped up next for Italy to score one of the gutsiest penalties you are ever likely to see. With Italy behind in the shootout the pressure was firmly on Pirlo to keep them in the tie. The Juventus man stepped up and dinked the ball straight down the middle. Had England keeper, Joe Hart, stood his ground it would have been one of the easiest saves of his career but he had dived to his right & Pirlo scored.
Ashley Young stepped up for England & summed up his entire tournament in one kick. He struck the cross bar & the scores were now level at 2-2 after 3 penalties each.
Nocerino scored for Italy & the pressure was now on Ashley Cole. Cole hit a weak penalty & Buffon was able to get down to his left to make the save. Italy were now ahead & Alessandro Diamanti would have the opportunity to send his side into the Semi-Finals. Diamanti sent Hart the wrong way and it was yet more penalty heartbreak for England.
Italy will now play Germany in Thursday's Semi-Final. Germany have been very impressive so far. They have a 100% record throughout the Finals and qualifying. Italy will have to improve again and play better than they have so far to have any chance of beating the Germans.
Nobody can deny Italy deserved their victory but once it gets to a penalty shootout anyone can win.
England started off quite well and had two or three good chances early on. Glen Johnson should have done better from 6 yards but the ball seemed to get caught in his feet and he could only scoop the ball straight at Buffon. Wayne Rooney was unlucky with a header and Danny Welbeck went close after a nice passing move between him & Rooney.
Italy were also unlucky in the opening minutes with Daniele De Rossi's speculative effort struck the inside of the post & came back out into play.
After England's good start, it wasn't long before the Italians began to dominate. England had lined up in a flat 4-4-2 and the Italians were playing a narrow 4-4-2 diamond. This left the Italians with an extra man in the middle & Pirlo then dropped into the space between the midfield and defence. Due to being light in the middle the English wingers were being dragged into the centre & this left the Italian full backs with a free run up the wings & they kept England in their own half for most of the game.
Such was the Italian dominance a comfortable victory of three or four nil would not have been a flattering scoreline. However, England deserve credit as their defence and midfield worked extremely hard to keep the Italians score at nil.
Balotelli was lively throughout & could have grabbed a few goals but was denied by a mixture of bad finishing, good goalkeeping & good defending.
The overwhelming Man of the Match was Italys, Andrea Pirlo. He ran the game from his deep lying midfield position & managed to complete 115 passes which was 32 more than his nearest rival, Riccardo Montolivo. Englands top passer was Ashley Cole with 33. Eight Italians completed more passes than Ashley Cole which emphasises how dominant Italy were.
Despite all the Italian possession and chances they couldn't break down the tough English defence in 120 minutes so the game went to a penalty shootout.
After both teams scored their first penalty it was suddenly advantage, England. Montolivo missed the target & Wayne Rooney scored for England to put them ahead 2-1 after two penalties each.
Andrea Pirlo stepped up next for Italy to score one of the gutsiest penalties you are ever likely to see. With Italy behind in the shootout the pressure was firmly on Pirlo to keep them in the tie. The Juventus man stepped up and dinked the ball straight down the middle. Had England keeper, Joe Hart, stood his ground it would have been one of the easiest saves of his career but he had dived to his right & Pirlo scored.
Ashley Young stepped up for England & summed up his entire tournament in one kick. He struck the cross bar & the scores were now level at 2-2 after 3 penalties each.
Nocerino scored for Italy & the pressure was now on Ashley Cole. Cole hit a weak penalty & Buffon was able to get down to his left to make the save. Italy were now ahead & Alessandro Diamanti would have the opportunity to send his side into the Semi-Finals. Diamanti sent Hart the wrong way and it was yet more penalty heartbreak for England.
Italy will now play Germany in Thursday's Semi-Final. Germany have been very impressive so far. They have a 100% record throughout the Finals and qualifying. Italy will have to improve again and play better than they have so far to have any chance of beating the Germans.
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Quarter-Final - England v Italy
England & Italy will complete the Quarter-Finals when they face off tonight in Kiev.
Roy Hodgsons, England, got here on the back of a draw with France, followed by wins over Sweden & Ukraine. That was enough to top Group D.
Italy claimed second in Group C after a win over Ireland and draws with Spain & Croatia.
Neither side have been great in this tournament but they have both done enough to get them through.
England look better under Hodgson. Previous English managers have been criticised over the style of football they play but there seems to be an attitude of we're not very good & we're just pleased to be here among the media & the fans.
This change of attitude has allowed Roy Hodgson to play to England's strengths which is far from the free flowing style previous managers have been forced to play.
England are able to play a more containing style & it suits them perfectly. England are quite strong in defence and they also possess a lot of pace in attack. Counter attacking football is perfect for this current England squad.
This England side remind me in many ways of the Greece side who won in 2004. Neither would be considered when discussing the best teams in the tournament but both have a great team spirit and will to win. The one difference in the two is that England do have one or two players who could be regarded as world class.
However, it is very difficult to play this containing style throughout a whole tournament. To win you will always require an amount of luck which so far England have had in abundance.
The bizarre Walcott goal in the Sweden game and the "ghost goal" in the Ukraine game are examples of this. If lady luck stays on their side and players like Terry, Cole, Gerrard & Rooney are at their best then England might just be crowned European Champions next Sunday.
Italy appear to have stuck to their 4-4-2 diamond formation, from the 2-0 victory over Ireland.
I expect Pirlo to be the deep midfielder and Montolivo to play behind the strikers. De Rossi and Marchisio should form a narrow 2 in the centre. Fullbacks, Abate and Balzaretti will be expected to get forward and provide width for the Italians.
Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano line up in attack for Italy and I do believe it is the right decision. Both have looked lively in the group games and I have been particularly impressed by Balotellis hold up play, something we have saw little of for Man City.
England players will no doubt have plenty to say to Balotelli as it is well known he isn't the hardest player to wind up but as long as Balotelli lets his football do the talking he can be the difference here.
I expect Italy will have large amounts of possession, but it will take the creativity of Pirlo or Montolivo to break down a difficult England defence. Italy will have to be wary not to push too many bodies forward as Rooney, Welbeck and Young all possess the pace to hurt the Italian defence.
I think this game will be tight and expect we could see the first penalty shootout of Euro 2012.
England 1-1 Italy (aet)
Roy Hodgsons, England, got here on the back of a draw with France, followed by wins over Sweden & Ukraine. That was enough to top Group D.
Italy claimed second in Group C after a win over Ireland and draws with Spain & Croatia.
Neither side have been great in this tournament but they have both done enough to get them through.
England look better under Hodgson. Previous English managers have been criticised over the style of football they play but there seems to be an attitude of we're not very good & we're just pleased to be here among the media & the fans.
This change of attitude has allowed Roy Hodgson to play to England's strengths which is far from the free flowing style previous managers have been forced to play.
England are able to play a more containing style & it suits them perfectly. England are quite strong in defence and they also possess a lot of pace in attack. Counter attacking football is perfect for this current England squad.
This England side remind me in many ways of the Greece side who won in 2004. Neither would be considered when discussing the best teams in the tournament but both have a great team spirit and will to win. The one difference in the two is that England do have one or two players who could be regarded as world class.
However, it is very difficult to play this containing style throughout a whole tournament. To win you will always require an amount of luck which so far England have had in abundance.
The bizarre Walcott goal in the Sweden game and the "ghost goal" in the Ukraine game are examples of this. If lady luck stays on their side and players like Terry, Cole, Gerrard & Rooney are at their best then England might just be crowned European Champions next Sunday.
Italy appear to have stuck to their 4-4-2 diamond formation, from the 2-0 victory over Ireland.
I expect Pirlo to be the deep midfielder and Montolivo to play behind the strikers. De Rossi and Marchisio should form a narrow 2 in the centre. Fullbacks, Abate and Balzaretti will be expected to get forward and provide width for the Italians.
Mario Balotelli and Antonio Cassano line up in attack for Italy and I do believe it is the right decision. Both have looked lively in the group games and I have been particularly impressed by Balotellis hold up play, something we have saw little of for Man City.
England players will no doubt have plenty to say to Balotelli as it is well known he isn't the hardest player to wind up but as long as Balotelli lets his football do the talking he can be the difference here.
I expect Italy will have large amounts of possession, but it will take the creativity of Pirlo or Montolivo to break down a difficult England defence. Italy will have to be wary not to push too many bodies forward as Rooney, Welbeck and Young all possess the pace to hurt the Italian defence.
I think this game will be tight and expect we could see the first penalty shootout of Euro 2012.
England 1-1 Italy (aet)
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