EURO 2008 - Austria & Switzerland June 07-29th

[RoosterMarty]

Lahm may have scored the winner and won the man of the match award but he ruined it with this comment!

'To go 2-2 down just before the end and then produce the winner, and all in a European Championship semi-final, I can certainly say it's the most important goal I've ever scored.

'I couldn't tell you what went through my head. There was just too much emotion.'

[Mic]

I'm currently travelling through Switzerland and Austria. This tournament is MASSIVE over here. Last night in Zurich, Switzerland, I joined tens of thousands of fans watching the game in the city's fan zone, with giant video screens (and tonnes of beer and food tents) everywhere (one video screen was even floating in the lake!). Was a very enjoyable game between Turkey and Germany. Huge noise when goals were scored (will upload some vids I took on my phone will I get back to Oz). The celebrations went through to about 6am around the city.

[RoosterMarty]

You are a lucky man Mic!!

[johntheclaret]

Spain through to the finals in a canter. Looked pretty good too. But what has happened to Torres. His form has been off throughout and was substituted again last night. Fabregas was sensational when he came on.

[Wedgie]

Im very suprised that Spain are the odds on favourites considering their big time tourney record as opposed to Germanys, was consiering covering my bet ($4.75 on the Germans at the beggining of the tourney) but don't think its worth it now so will let it ride.

[devilsadvocate]

Torres must have read your comments JTC, he's turning it on in the final. Scored a great goal and has been involved in everything up to the 42nd minute.

Good game of football to watch so far. Spaniards have the upper hand by far at the moment, dominating the midfield.

[johntheclaret]

Can't argue with that DA. Torres special, Spain special, Germany, just didn't stand up tonight. My bad, but Germany have done it so many times and Spain have bottled so many times, but not tonight.

that was the biggest 1 - 0 thrashing I have seen at that level. spain won every department and thoroughly deserved to win. torres was outstanding tonight.


Hey DA, what about coming up. What game do you think. I have a box so you don't need tickets and don't worry, we can sit outside with the fans. We have Blackpool and Preston in consec home games, before the Watford game. Let me know so I don't let out the seats.

JTC

[devilsadvocate]

Well done to the Spaniards. Would be so good to be in Madrid or Seville or Valencia tonight.

JTC, I'd love to come up for the Preston game as long as it doesn't put you out. I've been sorting out my plans for the last 6 months of my time in the UK and that weekend would be great. And don't worry, no chance of Port being in the AFL GF this year, so no need at all to get up early!!!!!

[JK]

Didn't get to see the game, but glad my tip came good ... Pity I didn't put any hard earned on them, but we're all aware of the concerns over the Spanish in the big tournaments.

Surprisingly, the bigger concern with them is getting past the group or quarter final stages ... Once they did that I thought they'd give it every shake.

[Dirko]

Espanol !!

Well done the Spaniards !! About time you didn't choke. If I recall they have not lost in 60 odd games now..
They are on a streak for sure....

At last they gelled as a unit, and put regional differences aside...

Just glad the Krauts didn't win !!

[devilsadvocate]

Espanol !!

Well done the Spaniards !! About time you didn't choke. If I recall they have not lost in 60 odd games now..
They are on a streak for sure....

Last night they said they lost a friendly to Romania last year and their unbeaten streak was something like 20 odd. I'm not sure what it is in competitive games though. Still very impressive.

[Mic]

Thought Germany were pretty ordinary, Spain had too much pace and flair, Germany barely looked like scoring.

Joined thousands of fans in Salzburg's Fan Zone to watch the game last night. Majority were German supporters (and were pretty quiet).

[devilsadvocate]

The Fan Zone in Vienna looked amazing. No doubt Salzburg would have gone nuts too.

Seems like a well hosted event all round, but with the Swiss hosting it, that doesn't surprise me at all - that lot have got their shit sorted out!!

[johntheclaret]

Well done to the Spaniards. Would be so good to be in Madrid or Seville or Valencia tonight.

JTC, I'd love to come up for the Preston game as long as it doesn't put you out. I've been sorting out my plans for the last 6 months of my time in the UK and that weekend would be great. And don't worry, no chance of Port being in the AFL GF this year, so no need at all to get up early!!!!!

No probs. consider it done

[smithy]

The UEFA select squad in full is:

Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands).

Defenders: Bosingwa (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Carlos Marchena (Spain), Pepe (Portugal), Carles Puyol (Spain), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia).

Midfielders: Hamit Altıntop (Turkey), Luka Modric (Croatia), Marcos Senna (Spain), Xavi Hernández (Spain), Konstantin Zyryanov (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Cesc Fàbregas (Spain), Andrés Iniesta (Spain), Lukas Podolski (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands).

Forwards: Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Roman Pavlyuchenko (Russia), Fernando Torres (Spain), David Villa (Spain).

[devilsadvocate]

Here you go JTC, England now have a far greater chance of EURO qualification from 2016!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7636495.stm

No more boring Euro summers watching tennis!