Football Soccer – Germany v France – EURO 2016 – Semi Final – Stade Velodrome, Marseille, France – 7/7/16 Germany’s Manuel Neuer attempts to claim the ball leading to France’s Antoine Griezmann scoring their second goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Livepic
Stade Velodrome Marseille, France 7th July 2016: Two-goal Antoine Griezmann fired France into the Euro 2016 final on Thursday when a smash and grab 2-0 victory over a territorially dominant Germany ended 58 years of tournament suffering at the hands of their neighbours.
Griezmann drove in a penalty at the end of the first half after a needless handball by German captain Bastian Schweinsteiger and poked home in the 72nd minute following a blunder by goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to set up a final against Portugal in Paris on Sunday.
“We are as happy as kids, the whole country is behind us,” Griezmann said.
“This is the result of a group and of a lot of hard work from the staff. Now we’re in the final and we want to lift that trophy. Playing a final is great but it’s winning it that counts.”
World champions Germany dominated the match in terms of possession but their lack of a deadly finisher cost them and razor-sharp Griezmann, whose double took his tournament-leading tally to six, was the difference.
It was the first time France had beaten Germany in a competitive match since the 1958 World Cup, including defeats in the semi-finals of the 1982 and 1986 World Cups and the quarter-finals two years ago.
The hosts will go into the final as strong favourites to emulate the teams of 1984 and 1998, who won the European and world titles on home soil.
Germany will wonder how they failed to score but, after Jerome Boateng’s handball gaveItaly a lifeline in the quarter-finals, their captain’s similarly inexplicable high hand swung the game France’s way when they most needed it.
France, roared on in a fantastic atmosphere, had torn forward in the opening exchanges.
LYON, France 6th July 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo upstaged Gareth Bale to propel Portugal into its second European Championship final, scoring a thumping header and then setting up Nani’s goal in a 2-0 win over Wales on Wednesday.
The goals came in the space of three minutes early in the second half in Lyon, helping end Wales’ unlikely run to the semifinals in only its second ever major tournament.
Ronaldo equaled France great Michel Platini’s record of nine goals in European Championship football when he timed a prodigious leap to perfection and planted home a header in the 50th.
The Real Madrid star then sent in a long-range shot that a sliding Nani diverted into the net from 10 meters.
Ronaldo- a serial winner in individual and team prizes in club football – will get another chance to win his first trophy on the international stage against either France or Germany in Sunday’s final at the Stade de France.
“It’s what we have dreamt of since the beginning,” Ronaldo said. “We knew it would be a long road and we’re still in the tournament.”
Portugal last competed in a final at Euro 2004, when the team surprisingly lost on home soil to Greece. A 19-year-old Ronaldo shed tears after that match, but he has managed to lead a much weaker side to another international showpiece.
Ronaldo shared a long conversation with Bale after the final whistle and the Madrid teammates embraced. This could have been the match where Bale emerged from Ronaldo’s shadow, but that will have to wait.
“It’s very disappointing to be so close to the final,” Bale said, “but we have to be proud. This is a proud moment for us, we have achieved a lot.”
Competing in its first tournament since the 1958 World Cup, Wales – a rugby-mad nation of 3 million people – has been one of the most popular stories of Euro 2016, topping its group and then beating highly fancied Belgium in the quarterfinals.
But the Welsh had no response to the successive blows dealt by Ronaldo after a turgid first half that had been illuminated by a couple of surging runs from Bale.
Portugal hadn’t previously won a match in regulation 90 minutes in France, but there would be no late drama here thanks to Ronaldo.
The owner of the best leap in world football, Ronaldo timed his jump perfectly and headed home left back Raphael Guerreiro’s cross off a short-corner routine. Wales defender James Chester was blindsided by Ronaldo, who scored his third goal of the tournament – one less than France forward Antoine Griezmann.
It was telling that when they needed to chase the game, the Welsh could only throw on a striker from the third tier of English football – Simon Church. The absence of attacking midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who was suspended on Wednesday, was keenly felt.
There were a couple of half-chances for Wales late on, but Portugal could have doubled the margin of victory by the end, with Joao Mario hitting the post with one of the chances on the breakaway.
Portugal had lost five of its previous six semifinal matches in major tournaments.
After the final whistle, Wales headed over to applaud their fans, who didn’t stop singing in the corner of the Stade de Lyon.
“We have no regrets,” Bale said. “We’re a proud nation and proud of what we achieved.”
Meanwhile, Portugal – defying pre-tournament expectations – is heading to Saint-Denis as Ronaldo chases that elusive international title.
“We had difficult moments,” Ronaldo said, “but it’s like I always say, it’s better to start poorly and have a positive ending, The dream is still alive.”
Bordeaux, France 2nd July 2016: There are slow-burning, tactical battles, and there is Germany versus Italy in the quarterfinals of EURO 2016 on Saturday in Bordeaux, France.
With Germany boss Joachim Loew throwing out a tactical surprise of his own prior to kickoff — the Germans elected to match Antonio Conte’s five-man backline with a five-man defensive unit of their own, complete with lots of high, aggressive pressing — the game played out just as you might have expected: disjointed play featuring lots of fouls and few genuine scoring chances in the opening 60 minutes.
In the end, it took nine rounds of hilariously bad penalty kicks for Germany to come out on top and book their place in the semifinals, where they’ll face the winner of Sunday’s fourth and final quarterfinal, between the tournament hosts, France, and the tournament darlings, Iceland.
Mario Gomez, somewhat surprisingly, proved himself Germany’s best player on the day, with the majority of Germany’s success in the final third coming via the Fiorentina striker. It was the much-maligned Gomez who did yeoman’s work during the build-up to Mesut Ozil’s opening goal in the 65th minute.
After a quick one-two at midfield, Gomez broke down the left flank and held the ball up exceptionally, which allowed everyone else to join in on the attack. Gomez played a simple through ball fro Jonas Hector into the penalty area, and though Hector’s cross was deflected, it fell to Ozil at the top of the six-yard box, and the Arsenal playmaker made no mistake with his first-time finish.
Italy equalized 13 minutes later, though, when Jerome Boateng handled the ball inside the penalty area, and did so with his arms and hands raised above his head in an attempt to show the referee he wasn’t committing a foul with his body, only to commit a shocking handball violation. Leonardo Bonucci stepped up and converted the ensuing penalty with ease.
Back on level terms, the remainder of regular time and all of extra time played out predictably once again. The penalty shootout was a comedy of horrifically taken spot-kicks, from Simone Zaza’s twinkle-toes run-up; to Thomas Mueller’s weakly hit, center-third strike; to Ozil’s clanger off the post; to Graziano Pelle‘s slow-roller wide of the post; to Bastian Schweinsteiger‘s space-bound rocket ship. Hector hit the clinching spot kick, following the failure of Matteo Darmiam, to seal Germany’s place in the semis.
Football Soccer – Wales v Belgium – EURO 2016 – Quarter Final – Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France – 1/7/16 Wales’ Wayne Hennessey celebrates at the end of the game REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol Livepic
Lille, France 1st July 2016: Wales produced a stunning upset to reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals after Hal Robson-Kanu’s superbly fashioned goal and Sam Vokes’s late header secured a 3-1 comeback win over Belgium on Friday to set up a clash with Portugal.
Robson-Kanu left three Belgium players for dead with a ‘Cruyff’ turn and calmly stroked the ball home to put Wales ahead in the second half, while substitute Vokes’s header ensured they reached their first major tournament semi-final.
It was a crushing blow for heavy favourites Belgium, who had taken the lead in the 13th minute when Radja Nainggolan rifled a shot into the top corner from distance only for Wales captain Ashley Williams to level with a header from a corner.
“I said before we kicked the ball today, we’re not here to enjoy it, we are here to compete,” Wales manager Chris Coleman said. “Don’t be afraid to have dreams. Four years ago I was as far away from this as you could imagine. I’ve had more failures than successes but I’m not afraid to fail. We deserve this.”
Wales, playing in their first quarter-final since losing to Brazil in the 1958 World Cup, next have a match that sees the world’s two most expensive players face each other in Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and his Real Madrid team mate Gareth Bale.
Coleman’s side, however, will have to do without their inspirational midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who picked up a booking that has ruled him out of the semi-final in Lyon on Wednesday.
Football Soccer – Poland v Portugal – EURO 2016 – Quarter Final – Stade Velodrome, Marseille, France – 30/6/16 Portugal’s Renato Sanches scores their first goal REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Stade Velodrome, France 30th June 2016: Portugal reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 by beating Poland 5-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 1-1 after extra time on Thursday.
Jakub Blaszczykowski failed to convert Poland’s fourth penalty, which was saved by Rui Patricio, as Portugal earned a semi-final against either Wales or Belgium in Lyon on Wednesday.
Poland raced into the lead in the second minute when Kamil Grosicki burst down the left and crossed into the middle where Robert Lewandowski sidefooted the ball into the net for his first goal of the competition.
Renato Sanches, 18, and starting an international for the first time, leveled for Portugal after 33 minutes, collecting Nani’s backheeled pass and firing past Lukasz Fabianski from the edge of the penalty area.
Football Soccer – Germany v Slovakia – EURO 2016 – Round of 16 – Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille, France – 26/6/16 Germany’s Bastian Schweinsteiger in action REUTERS/
France, 28th June 2016: Hosts France, world champions Germany,Portugal and Italy.Belgium are beginning to meet expectations.
Then there are the surprise stories. Cristiano Ronaldo claimed Iceland were “not going to do anything in the competition.” Well, they sure showed him. Poland have reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history as well. So have Wales. Who would have thought they would be the last Brits standing?
Poland v Portugal – Thursday June 30,
It makes for an exciting week ahead and it kicks off with Poland taking on Portugal inMarseille on Thursday night. Both needed extra-time to get this far. Both then have had the same time to recover. Even though Portugal have still yet to win in 90 minutes, they look in better nick.
The Poles faded after half-time against Switzerland. Maybe their nerves got to them as well. Adam Nawalka didn’t help by resisting the temptation to go to his bench until 10 minutes into extra-time. That said, the Poles have been solid – the only goal they have conceded at the tournament so far was Xherdan Shaqiri’s entry into the Goal of the Tournament competition. Without the ball, Poland should keep it close.
With it, Robert Lewandowski has gone 643 minutes without a goal and is carrying a metatarsal injury. Alek Milik, his strike partner, has missed some glaring opportunities and has an ankle knock. A lot will depend on their fitness – if they are healthy then Poland still have another level to go to. This team has created a lot of chances and quality chances as well. It should only be a matter of time before they take them.
Portugal looked better after the introductions of the dynamic and anarchic Renato Sanchesagainst Croatia. Fernando Santos must start him in my opinion. Generally their play has been pretty, but also ponderous and predictable. Cristiano Ronaldo was quiet until Ricardo Quaresma followed up his rebound and scored to knock Croatia out. I’m still picking Poland to qualify
Wales v Belgium – Friday July 1
Next up is Wales’ reunion with Belgium in Lille. These two nations know each other well – they were in the same qualifying group for Euro 2016 and while Belgium came out top of the pile, Wales went undefeated against their higher ranked opponents. Gareth Bale won the game for them in Cardiff following a stalemate in Brussels, and Wales have had a day longer to prepare for this encounter and are under no pressure whatsoever. They are in the quarter-finals of a major tournament for the first time since 1958 and, as such, are have exceeded expectations. There is nothing to lose.
The same cannot be said for Belgium and their golden generation, however. They have impressed since their curtain-raiser defeat to Italy, bouncing back with three wins in a row, scoring eight goals without reply. Eden Hazard looked fantastic against Hungary. But I still think there is justification for taking Wales on the Double Chance market Renaissance man Thomas Vermaelen is suspended and Belgium are less of a team than Chris Coleman’s outfit.
Germany v Italy – Saturday July 2
The main event, however, comes on Saturday night in Bordeaux. Germany-Italy is a game worthy of a final. It is a tournament classic. The Germans were at their fluid best against Slovakia, and manager Jogi Löw has also figured out his best XI. One Mario has been swapped for another up front and Germany look more dangerous with Gomez, a proper centre-forward, than Götze, a false nine. His combination play with Thomas Müller is far better.
Strangely Müller has never scored at the Euros. He has missed Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm, but looks better for Gomez’s promotion and that of Bayern Munich teammate Joshua Kimmich at right-back, who has got forward more on the overlap than Benedikt Höwedes.
Italy, meanwhile, continue to astound. They have made those pundits who wrote this squad off as the worst that the Azzurri have sent to a tournament in more than half a century look very foolish indeed. But that assessment still stands and only makes the job Conte has done all the more impressive. We’ll perhaps only appreciate just how much Antonio Conte has got this group of players, particularly those in midfield and attack, to surpass themselves once he is at Chelsea. He has maximised the minimum. Squeezing everything out of his players. It has been a triumph of coaching and team building.
No team other than Italy has put in two outstanding performances at the Euros so far. History is on their side this weekend. Germany have never beaten Italy at a major tournament. They lost the 1982 World Cup final, the 2006 semi-final at home and another semi-final at the Euros four years ago when Löw was out-coached by Cesare Prandelli. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was out-coached again, this time by Conte. At times the Germans have looked satisfied, lacking the intensity they showed at the World Cup in Brazil. The same can’t be said of Italy.Back them to go through.
Iceland v France – Sunday July 3
Last but not least we turn to Iceland-France in Paris. Surely this is where the fairytale ends for Iceland, right? Like Wales – in fact, more so – they are under no pressure. Whatever happens at the Stade de France, Lars Lagerback and his player will be given a heroes welcome in Reykjavik. Apparently they will receive the Icelandic equivalent of a knighthood.
France by contrast have often looked uncomfortable as hosts. They have shown signs of stage-fright. The exchange still has them down as favourites but so far I have not found Didier Deschamps‘ side entirely convincing. They conceded against Romania, only beat Albania in stoppage time and should have perhaps been 2-0 down against Ireland at half-time in the Round of 16.
The defence looks a weak point. Patrice Evra and Paul Pogba have given away silly penalties and Deschamps often hasn’t helped with his team selections. If he plays 4-3-3 on Sunday, it must include a ball-playing midfield player like Yohan Cabaye. If he goes 4-2-3-1Antoine Griezmann must play off Olivier Giroud and not out-wide. Griezmann has played through the middle all season for Atletico.
France must also get their approach right. They can’t already think that they are in the semis. They underestimated Greece in 2004 and went home with their tails between their legs. If they take Iceland lightly, then they will suffer the same humiliation as England. The French should progress but I think the semi-finals is where their tournament will end. Back them to be eliminated in the next round.
Portugal vs Austria, Euro 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo misses penalty as Portuguese stumble to goalless draw
Portugal’s last attack runs aground and Austria run down the last few seconds to seal a point.
Ronaldo tucks his captain’s armband into his shorts, and applauds the fans while looking bereft. Attack after attack, cross after cross, shot after shot…and Austria held firm for 78 minutes until Ronaldo had the chance to bury them.
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