The Swiss are out

It should've rained more, the match was way more fun while it was raining.

 

Oh, and Portugal played ok, but not as impressive as the previous game.

hahhahaaha... woot.

 

Holland again.

Holland is doing too well in the group stages, to stand any real chance of passing the quarters. They'll be eliminated by a lackluster Russia or Sweden.

They are the favorites now, but anything can happen in the KO phase.

Compared to the last game, France really wanted to win this time. But Holland is simply on a roll, and only Portugal or Croatia might stop them. Might.

Holland is doing too well in the group stages, to stand any real chance of passing the quarters. They'll be eliminated by a lackluster Russia or Sweden.

 

As if Russia could knock the Dutch out. Then again now that I've said it...

 

I agree, Holland's probably going to turn out to be to Euro 2008 what Argentina was to the 2006 World Cup, not that Peckerman's substitution choices helped the matter...

I'm beginning to get the nagging suspicion that Holland is a - if not the - major contender to win the Euro2008.

Just a little something I made in celebration.

Sweden 1 - 1 Spain, going into half-time.

 

Haha, I love this game! The Spaniards are quick, they are technical and they are so individually skilled it's scary. But they're so weak! It's like watching a pitbull play with a ragdoll! And the Dutch referee just won't play into their diving game, it's driving the Spaniards mad

 

We will probably lose (Spain are much better on paper) but at least it's fun to watch.

I guess the Spanish deserved to win, defensive football rubs me the wrong way and the swedes were afraid to take chances.

Oh wow, that was harsh. We lose the ball on what could have been a free-kick situation (not sure), Sapin counters quickly and scores.. with 1.5 minutes left of the game.

 

Anyhow, it was a great game, even though Spain totally dominated us in the entire the second half. We can't afford to lose Ibrahimovic for 45 minutes..

I think the Swedes were adversely affected by Ibrahimovic's absence.

Pretty disappointing for me, Spain was pretty but with no penetration and everything Villa did failed (until he scored). Aragones failed to start Fabregas again, and benching your best passer in a passing team doesn't make sense. Xavi and Iniesta couldn't create enough to get past a very determined Swedish defence, which was pretty unlucky to lose.

So Portugal, Croatia, Netherlands and Spain are through.

And none of those teams will win it in the end.

And none of those teams will win it in the end.

 

 

What makes you think so?

It's a law.

I believe Pidesco's talking about how, in these kinds of competitions, it's not unusual for extremely well prepared teams will often lose to an underdeveloped team that just manages to strike gold in the most beffudling ways.

yep, the Dutch will lose to Russia 1-0 in the Semis, and Italy will hobble through to the final.

 

Anybody else think it ironic that Greece were eliminated by a cagey 1-0 affair?

See Portugal in Euro 96 and 2000 and the 1966 World Cup, or Holland in Euro 2000, and in the 1998, 1978 and 1974 World Cups, or especially Hungary in 1954.

Ah, the mythical Euro 2000. We were destined to win. Portugal was near perfection. I mean, out B team wiped out Germany's A team. We just kept going higher and higher. That penalty during the match against France was absolute bullocks.

Yeah, I've been fearing this for a while now. The standouts are often fated to be taken out by an unremarkable team by simple accident.

oly fug!

And this is, of course, what will happen to Portugal in the later stages of the tournament.

 

The referee is a joke, by the way.