Euro 2016

[jsem94]

Agreed. The 24 team format is horrible. So many garbage teams.

 

[del1962]

Matches like that are the result of Fifa's greed. A team that does not belong in the Euros and would not have qualified under the normal system, totally humiliated.

Also makes it look quite pathetic how they celebrated about qualifying for this joke of a tournament.

This competition is run by UEFA, not FIFA.

There have been play-offs in qualification for every Euros bar one since it was expanded beyond being an eight team tournament: what do you mean by "the normal system"?

It is a 24 team tournament, Ireland are the 23rd highest ranked European team: by what criterion do they not belong?

Thy played poorly, and a game that they were only going to get a result in if things went there way was badly lost, but that is what happens in sport, and if a tournament is going to have the best teams in it, there will be a difference between them and the remainder of the field.
Should Italy have not been in Euro 2012? they lost one of their matches in that tournament 4-0.

Eight teams was too restrictive. With 16 teams, we had the right balance.

Under the 16 team qualifying format, we wouldn't have got a play-off.

For all the talk of Coleman doing wonders qualifying Wales, Mark Hughes would have qualified them automatically under this format in 2004. While Coleman under that format could have faced a formidable team in a play-off.

Plus, this 4 best third place teams qualifying for the last 16. This will suit the later groups who will know what to get in their games.

I actually used to prefer it when it was only eight teams, qualification was more difficult but each game was much more important, the 24 teams for the euros is a bit of a joke

 

[Amsterhammer]

My last eight predictions, fwiw.

SWI - POL - I totally don't care, but will take the Swiss to go through.
WAL - N.I. - As wonderful as the N.I. fairy tale has been, this should be end of the line.
CRO - POR - I fear that POR will go through, though I really, really hope that they don't.
FR - IRE - France should be too strong, especially if my man Payet is on song.
GER - SLO - Germany should be way too strong.
HUN - BEL - The Hungarians can't be that lucky two games running.
IT - SPA - If Spain 'turn up', they win, but it could be close....
ENG - ICE - The whole world would love to see the Icelandic saga continue, but I fear that this will be end of the road.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Nah, Poland is very likely to win this one (I'd have said exactly the same before the match started).

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Anyone watching the UEFA.com live stream know what that noise heard every couple of minutes is? A dull thump, a bit like the bottom of a chess piece hitting the board.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Wow, what a stunning save by Fabianski.

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Mother of God. Shaqiri!

 

[Red Rick]

Goal of the tournament, and its not gonna be close

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Gotta love Xherdan's enthusiasm, especially when it pays off like this. Great goal!

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Switzerland don't deserve to win this for the simple reason that the Swiss pronounce "veggie burger" as "veggy burger".

 

[Red Rick]

That was some penalty serie from the Poles.

 

[BigMac]

Not watching it live but stats suggest a very dull game between Wales and Northern Ireland. Wales leads 1-0 with an own goal by Gareth McAuley. Match about to end.

 

[Jagartrott]

Two goal attempts by Wales. Yeah.

 

[Amsterhammer]

The Shaqiri wonder-goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8VlvWXU7ko

 

[Red Rick]

I'm sad that Will Griggs didn't get any playing time in the end

 

[CheckMyPecs]

Re:

Not watching it live but stats suggest a very dull game between Wales and Northern Ireland. Wales leads 1-0 with an own goal by Gareth McAuley. Match about to end.

I watched part of it live and you're 100% right. The most exciting moment of the match was when I went away for a few minutes to sweep the floor.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So Croatia vs Portugal .... Going with the table cloths.

 

[Pricey_sky]

What an uninspiring 3 matches we've had today, Switzerland v Poland was average, then I didn't think it could get worse than the Wales v N Ireland game. I was wrong, Croatia v Portugal beats it by a mile!

 

[BigMac]

What an awful match.

 

[Flamin]

Portugal should bring Ronaldo imo.

Very disappointing game indeed.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Terrible match. And now a terrible result too.

 

[Brullnux]

Wow what a bad match. I switched off at half time to watch Straight Outta Compton to wake myself up a bit. Feel bad for Bilic, really like him, but you can't help but feel Croatia blew a once in a generation opportunity to reach the final.

 

[BigMac]

Both teams deserved to go home. I've never seen Portugal play this uninspiringly.

Again, Quaresma and Renato Sanches enter to give the team new vigor and galvanize, where possible, our attack. I'm usually not the one to have a go at coaches, but I simply cannot understand why Fernando Santos insists in fielding André Gomes. He's been Portugal's worst player since the competition started. At least Moutinho never looked like entering.

Meanwhile Sanches was considered MOTM.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Very poor game, a little cruel on Croatia who blew 2 chances in the final minutes of extra time while Portugal took thier chance. Somehow Portugal are in the Quarter finals despite not winning any of their 4 games after 90 minutes.

 

[jsem94]

Gutted for Croatia. Pleased for Wales. Gutted for Switzerland.

Shaqiri's overhead was unreal.