Euro 2012

[Waterloo Sunrise]

This keeper's made himself some money tonight.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

wow 2-2 after 3 PKs each

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

ewwwwwwww.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

What an awful piece of play by Portugal. Either Alves had to be a dummy, or Nani had to let him take the 3rd. Making him do "the walk" twice was just begging for trouble. Also, Ronaldo should have taken the first. Always put your 'bankers' on first. If he'd gone first and scored, then Spain would have been coming from behind.

Terrible game, the biggest loser was football. Hopefully whoever wins tomorrow night steamrollers them in the final, for entertainment's sake.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Boring Spain to the final

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Spain wins the shootout by mere inches (cms) as Portugals last and Spain's last PKs glance off the crossbar/posts. Portugals just bounces out, Spain's bounces in.

 

[airstream]

sh*t won. hooray

 

[killswitch]

Feel sorry for Portugal. Played very positive like ironically Spain used to before 2008. Ronaldo was their worst player for four of the five matches despite working hard and actually passing sometimes - so many wasted opportunities. Pepe immense but still a cnut. Portugal's midfield was great till they tired (only 37% possession).

 

[The Hitch]

Ronaldo choked.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Ronaldo choked.

and after all the hype about Ronaldo helping Portugal win.

 

[Forunculo]

Please del Bosque leave now, you are lucky to have certain players

 

[hrotha]

Despite Del Bosque's best efforts to the contrary, I thought Spain played well. Ok, no, most riders were rather bad (Portugal wasn't at their best either; worse game in the tournament from both teams, I'd say), but they were more entertaining to watch.

 

[c&cfan]

Despite Del Bosque's best efforts to the contrary, I thought Spain played well. Ok, no, most riders were rather bad (Portugal wasn't at their best either; worse game in the tournament from both teams, I'd say), but they were more entertaining to watch.

i still believe that we have the best players. it's a shame that we do not have the best team.

 

[goggalor]

What an awful piece of play by Portugal. Either Alves had to be a dummy, or Nani had to let him take the 3rd. Making him do "the walk" twice was just begging for trouble. Also, Ronaldo should have taken the first. Always put your 'bankers' on first. If he'd gone first and scored, then Spain would have been coming from behind.

Terrible game, the biggest loser was football. Hopefully whoever wins tomorrow night steamrollers them in the final, for entertainment's sake.

I really don't think Ronnie is bankers in a penalty shoot out, but you're probably right that he should've taken the first shot, and put Portugal up by one. Moutinho's penalty was dreadful, and after Alonso's miss all of Spain's shooters looked 100% confident. And yeah, having Alves walk up twice was just unbelievably stupid.

Also, the difference between being eliminated and going through to the final was crossbar and out vs. post and in. Penalty shootouts are cruel.

 

[The Hitch]

Put Portugal up by 1? Didnt he miss the 1st penalty in the shootout against Chelsea in 2008 and miss the 1st penalty in the shootout against bayern this year? Guy handles pressure worse than David Nalbandian.

 

[greenedge]

Despite Del Bosque's best efforts to the contrary, I thought Spain played well. Ok, no, most riders were rather bad (Portugal wasn't at their best either; worse game in the tournament from both teams, I'd say), but they were more entertaining to watch.

10 signs cycling has taken hold of your life

 

[hrotha]

10 signs cycling has taken hold of your life

Hahahahaha, oh god

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The German defence really isn't all that. It's just been made to look better than it is by Portugal playing for 0-0 until the last 15 minutes, and a toothless, poor Dutch team. We're now seeing what happens when players of class start running at them. The Germans going forward are a match for anyone, but after a shaky start the Italians look comfortable.

 

[hfer07]

....unless something unique & special happens in the second half, I'd say this game is over. Germany always falters when matters the most...sadly

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The Italian hex over the Germans continues! Germany kept knocking on the door, even eventually got in, but it was just too little too late. A game that was so much better than yesterday's it isn't even funny, and though I wanted Germany to win tonight I think I'll have to root for the tifosi on Sunday for the sake of football. And rooting for Italy over Spain because of wanting to see more attractive football triumph is not something I thought would happen.

Manuel Neuer deserves a medal for the effort he was putting in towards the end there; epic improvisation. Not seen goalkeeping like that since Chilavert.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

The German defence really isn't all that. It's just been made to look better than it is by Portugal playing for 0-0 until the last 15 minutes, and a toothless, poor Dutch team. We're now seeing what happens when players of class start running at them. The Germans going forward are a match for anyone, but after a shaky start the Italians look comfortable.

the way Van Persie scored the goal already showed the weakness though.

I never thought Germany had a class defence btw. Badstuber and Hummels are simply 'meh'

 

[Libertine Seguros]

the way Van Persie scored the goal already showed the weakness though.

I never thought Germany had a class defence btw. Badstuber and Hummels are simply 'meh'

I was optimistic simply because they weren't playing Per Mertesacker anymore. Badstuber I'm not sure about, but Hummels has plenty of potential. However, he does have a tendency to get caught out going on his exploratory expeditions upfield and leave the team a bit short-changed at the back, especially as long as Khedira's playing in this more advanced role rather than sitting in front of the back four like he often does at Real. Lahm is class, but Boateng doesn't convince me. He's pretty good going forward, very good attacking fullback, but despite a pretty solid game against Ronaldo in the Portugal game, he's been pretty weak as a defender in the last two games; not quite the liability that poor Willems was turned into by Müller and Gómez, but still a very clear focal point in the Italians' attacking play.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Congrats to Italy. Deserved victory.
Horrible game by Germany.
You ain't gonna win nothing with guys like Kroos, Podolski, and Ozil.
Jogging over the pitch like it is a friendly.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I was optimistic simply because they weren't playing Per Mertesacker anymore. Badstuber I'm not sure about, but Hummels has plenty of potential. However, he does have a tendency to get caught out going on his exploratory expeditions upfield and leave the team a bit short-changed at the back, especially as long as Khedira's playing in this more advanced role rather than sitting in front of the back four like he often does at Real. Lahm is class, but Boateng doesn't convince me. He's pretty good going forward, very good attacking fullback, but despite a pretty solid game against Ronaldo in the Portugal game, he's been pretty weak as a defender in the last two games; not quite the liability that poor Willems was turned into by Müller and Gómez, but still a very clear focal point in the Italians' attacking play.

The 1-0 was for 80% Hummels fault the way he was outplayed at the wing. And 20% badstuber for not marking Balotelli properly

 

[hrotha]

Cassano also had a little to do with it.

Imagine if he had been fit his whole career. What a waste of a talent.