Disappointing English Performance

English football has a ton of money, and even more prestige.

But what it doesn't have is good young talent.

Their best young prospect 10 years ago, Wayne Rooney, has proven in this match to have matured to be a forward who cannot hit the target from 10 metres out, with an open, gaping net. (Yes, I am referring to his chance to make it 2-2 in the 62nd minute.)

And their new young prospects, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge, look very crude and uneven.

Even though Sturridge scored, it was surely because of uncharacteristic Italian bad defending - after just going ahead, too, how unusual for an Italian squad! (- But this is a squad managed by cesare prandelli, so...) - rather than because of English prowess.

Italy played more attacking football than expected, particularly in the sweltering heat of Manaus, in the Amazonian area of Brazil, but England almost matched them. Except for scoring that second goal (- but they came close).

The only ray of sunshine for England after this defeat is the fact that Uruguay failed to get any points from the Costa Rica match, which may mean easy matches to come.

Roma Keeps Crusing

AS Roma kept its perfect record today.

The team from the capital beat second-place Napoli 2-0, at home, to make it eight wins out of eight. So far, they look unstoppable.

But maybe it would have been different if the team from Naples had been able to finalize their huge breakaway chance in minute 35.
Failing to do that, they got punished before the break, by Bosnian player Miralem Pjanic, who waited until the 4th minute of stoppage time, in the first half, to put the leaders ahead.

A converted penalty, roughly midway into the second half, saw the same player get the brace and seal the victory for the Roman team.

Juventus with the opportunity to bypass Napoli now, into second.

Highlights:

2013.10.18 - The Results

ITALY: Serie A

20:45 -- Roma - Napoli 2-0     highlights
45' + 4' Miralem Pjanic
71' Miralem Pjanic (pen.)

Current standings:
1 Roma  8 8 0 0 22-1 +21  24p
2 Napoli  8 6 1 1 18-6 +12  19p
3 Juventus  7 6 1 0 14-6 +8  19p
4 Inter  7 4 2 1 16-6 +10  14p
5 Verona  7 4 1 2 13-10 +3  13p



FRANCE: Ligue 1

20:30 -- Nice - Marseille 1-0     highlights
40' Dario Cvitanich
20:30 -- Reims - Toulouse 1-2 (0-1)

Current standings:
1 Monaco  9 6 3 0 16-5 +11  21p
2 PSG  9 6 3 0 14-5 +9  21p
3 Lille  9 5 2 2 11-4 +7  17p
4 Marseille  10 5 2 3 13-8 +5  17p
5 Nice  10 5 2 3 12-10 +2  17p



UKRAINE: Premier League

16:00 -- Volyn - Hoverla 0-1 (0-0)

Current standings:
1 Metalist Kharkiv  11 9 2 0 26-7 +19  29p
2 Shakhtar Donetsk  12 8 2 2 31-11 +20  26p
3 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk  11 8 2 1 21-9 +12  26p

Italy - UEFA Club Competitions Participants - 2013-2014

Juventus Turin --> Champions League Group Stage
SSC Napoli --> Champions League Group Stage
AC Milan --> Champions League Play-off Round
AC Fiorentina --> Europa League Play-off Round
Udinese Calcio--> Europa League Third Qualifying Round
SS Lazio Roma --> Europa League Group Stage

WTF Was That?!?

Spain - Italy -- The Euro 2012 Final...

But nobody expected what happened in this final, in Kyiv.

Del Bosque's team made the Italians look like complete amateurs.
And the Squadra Azzura played like shit, too, to help make the humiliation too easy for the Spanish to inflict.

Moreover, everything came perfectly into place for Spain. From the lucky sequence of events leading to Silva' goal, the first of the four, to the missed so-so chances for the Italians (at least one of which might have gone in on another, more lucky, night).

Some analysts would say "Oh, the Spanish neutralized Pirlo quite well", or "The Italians could not find each other as in previous matches, due to the Spanish passing machine".
All I can say is: Shame on the Italian team for being such a disgrace in this match!

Prandelli should have the decency to step down after such a pathetic performance!

Spain makes it three consecutive wins in the biggest tournaments: Euro, World Cup, Euro again.

How will they fare in Brazil, in 2014?
(If there ever was one European national team with a huge chance to win the World Cup on South American ground, it is Spain, now.)

Highlights:

Italy Surprises Germany

What is wrong with Germany?

They were better off when they were West Germany, honestly.
All but one lucky European title (in 1996), in their trophy case, were won before the re-unification of the two Germanies.
I can't explain it, but they lost some of their strength, some of the spirit of football combat that made Lineker say "Football is a game for 22 people that run around, play the ball, and one referee who makes a slew of mistakes, and in the end Germany always wins", after there was no longer an East Germany.
Go figure...

But Italy played masterfully in this semifinal, too.
Except at the end, when they conceded a stupid penalty, that is.

Balotelli played the game of his career, probably.

There's not much more to say, except that Germany could not break down the Italian defensive force, and made a bunch of errors of their own, after Italy scored a first goal that came almost out of nothing.

And, after this match, and also considering how close Spain was to elimination at the hands of Portugal, I'm sure most people would say that Italy is now the favourite to win the trophy.

Highlights:

When England Played Like Italy

This was the only quarter-final match-up that pitted against each other two unbeaten sides. England had two wins and a draw, and Italy had one win and two draws.

That, plus Hodgson's style of coaching his England squad, made the experts declare that, if there was a match that could get to penalties, this would be it.

And it was!

It was also the first match to end 0-0 at this Euro tournament.

But it did not happen because of a lack of scoring chances.
The first half, especially, was full of them.
Only 3 minutes in, for example, Daniele De Rossi had a great shot from about 25-30 metres out, which hit the post to Joe Hart's right.
Then Glen Johnson could not beat Buffon with a sitter from eight meters away, ten minutes into the game.
I should also mention Balotelli's weak run, after Pirlo's great pass allowed the striker a tremendous opportunity to advance through on goal, only to be blocked at the last moment. (Again!... Remember the Spain-Italy match, if you will.)
In the second half, there was another excellent opportunity missed by De Rossi, alone with the goalkeeper, but he probably hurried to kick the ball (and it did not even hit the target), because he thought he was offside.

There were many other scoring chances by the Italians, all squandered. (Italian efficiency was at its worst on this day, and many former Italian coaches were probably stupefied to see all these misses from Squadra Azzurra.)

England, on the other hand, played very much like Italy, defending very effectively and trying to hit on the break. But they also could not finish, as Rooney was not at his goal-scoring best, either. His attempt at a scissor kick proved that beyond any doubt.

Italy, on the other hand, did score once, with five minutes left in the second half of extra time, but it was offside.

So, the two teams remained unbeaten, and had to play penalties to determine who would advance to face Germany in the semifinals. The score, of course, stayed the same, 0-0, after 120+ minutes of game play.

The penalty shootout also seemed to have two different halves to it. There was the pre-Pirlo part, which contained the Italian miss and confident English penalty takers, and the post-Pirlo part, where the English completely lost their concentration. Andrea Pirlo scored a very gutsy, cheeky penalty, a la Panenka (from the Euro '76 final), which apparently suddenly made the Italians feel very confident, and had the opposite effect on the English. If Pirlo had missed, Italy very probably would have had to hope for a miracle to get the win, then.ww
And Pirlo's strike, of course, could have backfired on him, and it could have made him look really silly if Joe Hart hadn't dived too early. But it went in because the goalkeeper never anticipated something like that.

Here's how the shootout went:
-- Italy - Balotelli - goal - 1-0
-- England - Gerrard - goal - 1-1
-- Italy - Montolivo - miss - 1-1
-- England - Rooney - goal - 1-2
-- Italy - Pirlo - goal - 2-2
-- England - Young - miss - 2-2
-- Italy - Nocerino - goal - 3-2
-- England - Cole - miss - 3-2
-- Italy - Diamanti - goal - 4-2 (and England's last penalty kick becomes irrelevant)

Highlights:

Honour, Luck and Costly Misses

2-2. That was the score that would have qualified both Croatia and Spain, had they reached it in their direct match, and that would have taken Italy out of contention.

... Again, that is.
In 2004, Italy had drawn against Denmark, 0-0, and Sweden, 1-1, and the two nordic countries made it such that their direct match ended 2-2. ("2-2 = nordic victory" was a famous slogan used by Scandinavian fans, at that time, in Portugal.)
And I'm sure so many Italians feared an arrangement like that one very, very much.

But history did not repeat itself.
Spanish coach Vicente del Bosque clearly said that Spain will play to win. And they did just that.

As a matter of fact, Spain could lose, too, because they made some errors in defense in the second half, but they were somewhat lucky, first, because the Croatians were not able to score from some great opportunities, and secondly because they scored after an attack which was very close to being offside (on two counts).

At 0-0 in Gdansk, if Italy was to win against Ireland, which was the most probable outcome in Poznan, the Italians would have won the group (even with the weakest victory, 1-0).
Yes, the direct-encounter tie-breaking criteria can be quite unfair sometimes on teams that play the better football overall.

But Italy needed to win, to have any chances of advancing. A draw would not do. And, unlike in their first two matches, Ireland did not concede any goals in the first 3-4 minutes. Italy had to work for it hard. Trapattoni was not handing the Italian team any gifts.

Italy was not playing great, but the goal did come. Somewhat like Shevchenko's second goal against Sweden, and Pepe's goal against Denmark, Cassano's effort sneaked past the goalkeeper, too.
Duff tried to clear it, but the ball had already crossed the goal line, and the referees got a good view of it.
Italy was up 1-0.

It was what the Croatians feared. At this point, they were still tied on points with the Spanish, but had a worse goal difference. So, Croatia would have been out, while Italy would have won the group.
Assuming Italy would not lose points against Ireland, especially as they were already leading, Croatia desperately needed a goal to advance.

Bilic's team really did play for that, against the world and European champion, much to their credit.

15 minutes before the end, Rakitic could, and maybe should, have scored after being left alone with Casillas, in a position to head the ball on goal.
But the Spanish goalkeeper made himself big that time, and the Croatians were to regret that big opportunity.

Meanwhile, Italy was living dangerously, too, as the Irish players were beginning to try powerful strikes from distance. Buffon had to save a dangerous-looking strike from Andrews.

The game in Gdansk was nearing completion, and it was still 0-0. Croatia was looking more dangerous.
But then the Croatian back line decided (or perhaps was instructed, and stupidly so) to play the offside trap against the Spanish midfield. It was the 88th minute.
Fabregas chipped the ball over the Croatians, to find Iniesta on-side, alone with Pletikosa. And having Jesus Navas right to his right, too. A perfect pass sideways, and the Croatian goalkeeper had absolutely no chance. Navas walked the ball into the net, practically.

This did not change much for Croatia, because they still needed to score, anyway. (Italy was still leading.)
But it did not help their morale. Why would you play the offside trap against Spain???

In the other match, as if knowing that Italy was still not yet assured of a spot in the quarter-finals (- and, as a matter of fact, the Spanish goal meant Italy was only one Croatian or Irish goal away from elimination, whereas at 0-0 in Gdansk the situation was looking better for the Italians -) Balotelli scored a spectacular goal with his back towards the goalkeeper, which helped ensure the Italian victory.

Italy, though, could have been eliminated if Croatia had tied the match against Spain. (They would have gone out because of scoring fewer goals than Croatia in their three matches.)

Luckily for Italy, Spain hung on, and Croatia had to admit defeat.
Well, Bilic was furious, but what could he do?

At 2-0, in injury time, Italy was going for the third goal. (That would have ensured their progress, even with a 1-1 draw in the Croatia-Spain match.) They did not want to leave anything to chance.
The Italians could not score that third goal, but they did not need to. One minute after their match was over, so was the game between Spain and Croatia.

It was very bad luck for Croatia, a team that posed a lot of problems to both Spain and Italy, and would not have advanced undeservingly if they had taken their chances better.

Ireland had the best fans, and Croatia perhaps the best coach, considering what he had to work with and the results he achieved, and they deserve to be praised for this. But, in the end, most people will feel that the best teams advanced from this group.

Highlights from Croatia - Spain 0-1:


See highlights from Italy - Ireland 2-0 here.

Group C - Possible Scenarios

Here's what could happen on the final matchday of Group C:

1) Croatia wins & Italy wins:
Croatia 7p, Italy 5p, Spain 4p, Ireland 0p

2) Croatia wins & draw in the other match:
Croatia 7p, Spain 4p, Italy 3p, Ireland 1p

3) Croatia wins & Ireland wins:
Croatia 7p, Spain 4p, Ireland 3p, Italy 2p

4) draw in the first match & Italy wins
4-1. Croatia-Spain finishes 0-0:
Italy 5p, Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Ireland 0p
(Italy would win the group because of having the most goals scored in the head-to-head records against Spain and Croatia, while Spain would advance because of having a better goal difference than Croatia.)
4-2. Croatia-Spain finishes 1-1 and Italy wins by one goal or 2-0:
Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Italy 5p, Ireland 0p
(Spain would win the group because of having the best goal difference, while Croatia would advance because of having a better goal difference and/or more goals scored than Italy.)
4-3. Croatia-Spain finishes 1-1 and Italy wins by two goals but not 2-0 or by three goals or 4-0:
Spain 5p, Italy 5p, Croatia 5p, Ireland 0p
(Spain would win the group because of having the best goal difference or a higher UEFA national team coefficient than Italy, while Italy would advance because of having a better goal difference than Croatia and/or more goals scored than Croatia and/or having a higher UEFA national team coefficient than Croatia.)
4-4. Croatia-Spain finishes 1-1 and Italy wins by four goals but not 4-0 or by more goals:
Italy 5p, Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Ireland 0p
(Italy would win the group because of having the best goal difference or more goals scored than Spain, while Spain would advance because of having a better goal difference than Croatia.)
4-5. Croatia-Spain finishes in a higher-scoring draw:
Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Italy 5p, Ireland 0p
(Spain would win the group because of having a better goal difference than Croatia, while Croatia would advance because of having, just like Spain, more goals scored than Italy in the head-to-head records between the three teams.)

5) draws in both matches:
Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Italy 3p, Ireland 1p
(Spain would win the group because of having a better goal difference than Croatia.)

6) draw in the first match & Ireland wins:
Spain 5p, Croatia 5p, Ireland 3p, Italy 2p
(Spain would win the group because of having a better goal difference than Croatia.)

7) Spain wins & Italy wins:
Spain 7p, Italy 5p, Croatia 4p, Ireland 0p

8) Spain wins & draw in the other match:
Spain 7p, Croatia 4p, Italy 3p, Ireland 1p

9) Spain wins & Ireland wins:
Spain 7p, Croatia 4p, Ireland 3p, Italy 2p

The Croatian Curse

Italy cannot beat Croatia. This is the sixth game since the separation of the former Yugoslav country, and the Italians have still to register a win in these encounters.

Prandelli's team was clearly the best team in the first half, and they were 1-0 up at half-time.
After a few good chances were missed, Pirlo finally scored from a free kick just outside of the penalty box. It was the first goal from a free kick, in this tournament.
And Italy, apparently, became content with defending and only trying to counter-attack, after that goal.

But, just like in the Spain game, their defense let the Italians down, just enough for them to surrender the lead again.
Chiellini, who still does not seem like a world-class player (just like a few other Italian players in Prandelli's starting formation), totally misjudged the trajectory of a menacing cross, in minute 72. The ball passed him and went straight to the foot of Mandzukic, who cannot do anything wrong at the moment.
Probably Buffon was kind of ball-watching, too, instead of trying to capture the ball. The ball was certainly in the air for a long time, enough for an experienced goalkeeper to try to get it. But I guess maybe he thought Chiellini had it. (Juventus collaboration gone bad, there...)

Croatia did very well, but they still have probably the toughest test still to come. If they end up tying the match with Spain, too, most people are going to be drawing parallels to Italy's Euro 2004 group (when Sweden and Denmark very probably had an understanding to eliminate Italy with that 2-2 draw).

As for Italy, they lack good strikers. Balotelli, Di Natale and Cassano, who are the best-known strikers on the team, seem more like second-class strikers than first-class. (Also, where the hell is Matri? Why wasn't he picked for the squad?) And they lack really solid defenders, too. Giaccherini, especially, and Chiellini cannot really be praised for much so far in the tournament. Italy really is lacking a lot of things. In my opinion, Prandelli has done really well with what he has. But, if they don't beat Ireland, next, all his work will mean nothing.

Highlights:

Italy v Croatia by verduno45

4-6-0???

Spain had basically no strikers when they started the game against Italy.
Coach Vicente Del Bosque opted for an extremely crowded offensive midfield, with Xavi and Alonso supporting the more offensive Iniesta, Silva and Fabregas, to try and keep Italy always defending.

It didn't pay off as well as expected.

Italy had a very industrious game plan, and never were the Italians totally outplayed by the best-ranked team in the country-level rankings.

The most interesting moments came in the first twenty minutes of the second half.
Roughly 10 minutes after the break, Balotelli, the Manchester City striker, found himself in a very good position, almost alone on goal, but his pathetically slow run forward allowed Sergio Ramos to block his shot at the last moment.
Italian coach Cesare Prandelli replaced Balotelli, very soon after that, with Antonio Di Natale.
And, wouldn't you know it, two minutes after coming on, in the 60th minute, to be more exact, Di Natale scored. A perfect pass from Pirlo allowed Di Natale to get the better of Pique, and the Udinese striker beat Casillas with a nice shot around the keeper.
But Spain is the number one footballing country in the world for a reason.
Four minutes after the Italian goal, Fabregas made a very good run in behind the Italian defense, Chiellini could not track his move well enough, and the confusion resulted in a goal that was quite similar to the Italian one, in my opinion.

Very soon after this, Del Bosque decided to take off Fabregas and actually bring in a legitimate striker. But that striker was Fernando Torres, and, as most of us know, Torres hasn't really played at the highest level since 2008.
He had a few good chances after coming on, but his finishing touches left a lot to be desired.

Final score: 1-1. And an honourable mention should go to Italian goalkeeper Buffon, who had some very inspired interventions, especially towards the end of the match.

Highlights:

Spain v Italy by shmooot

Italy - UEFA Club Competitions Participants - 2012-2013

Juventus Turin --> Champions League Group Stage
AC Milan --> Champions League Group Stage
Udinese Calcio --> Champions League Play-off Round
SS Lazio Roma --> Europa League Play-off Round
SSC Napoli --> Europa League Group Stage
Internazionale Milano --> Europa League Third Qualifying Round