EPT
Semi Final Round Up & Final Preview
Spain vs Portugal
We had a mix of emotions in this game! It started with another unusual selection by Mr DelBosque, who had again for the 5th time out of 6, gone with a 4-6-0 formation and no recognised striker on the pitch. But not only did DelBosque do the 4-6-0 formation again, he decided to hand a tournament debut to Negredo. A few eye brows being raised, but none the less a good game to follow...right?
1st half began, under some new UEFA speech system, which had both Ronaldo and Casillas giving a speech about fair play and what football meant to them, both of these were done in their respective languages.
After all this the game would start, and what a start it would be, Portugal right from the off would get into the faces of the Spanish, make them rush and hurry and Spain were rattled! Within the first 10 minutes of the game Portugal had already had 3 corners, but could not make any of these count. The half would continue this pattern however, with Spain struggling to keep possession the way they would normally do, the Portuguese in their faces throughout the half. The only thing lacking from Portugal was a proper real chance to score. Ronaldo would be having much joy vs his club mate in Arbeloa.
Arbeloa would foul the Real Madrid time many a time during the first half and the entire game to follow. Ronaldo had a freekick chance in the first half but it was not a good effort. The half would come to an end with Spain looking poor compared to their such high standards, and Paulo Bento's Portugal looking like world beaters with such drilled performances in the first half. Spain rattled, and looking tired, as if the tough domestic season was taking its toll on the players.
The second half would begin, with no changes, surprisingly to the pundits and many a fan of both Spain and Portugal. The half started much the same as the first half did, with Portugal getting into the faces of the Spanish and drawing out a half chance with Ronaldo and Coentrao linking up. There would not be much to shout about in this half with a good 10 minutes of passing from Spain and some counter attacks from Portugal which did not get anywhere. DelBosque thought the time was right for his first chance of the evening now and brought on Cesc Fabregas for Negredo who we would later find out only have 15 touches of the football all game long. A sign of the Portuguese dominance or a sign of a bad player? This would be a slow starter and the game would not change much, 5 minutes later Del Bosque bought Jesus Navas on for David Silva who again had little to offer in the first half and the opening 10 of the second. Finally the second half would produce a half chance, with a Ronaldo freekick. His second of the game and from about 30 yards out you thought he might test the keeper this time. He would not. Spain trying to pass the ball through the Portuguese as the half went on, with DelBosque making his final change of the game by bringing on Pedro for a ball starved Xavi. With the 90 minutes drawing to a close, Spain had won a freekick about 30 yards out, this was a great chance for Spain, with Sergio Ramos stepping over the ball. He hit a fierce freekick hit hard and with curl, he curled it over the wall and it looked destined for the net, but it would just skim the bar and go out for a goal kick, a good chance, gone. One more chance left of the second half would fall to a counter for Ronaldo. A great play started by Moutinho who threaded a ball to Raul Meireles who would run about 30 yards from inside his half to 10 yards from the Spanish box, who then slide the ball to Ronaldo who was in 1 on 1 with Casillas! However it was not the ending you might of thought, Ronaldo would hit it with his left foot and catch it all wrong and it would sail high over the bar. Chance gone, and with that, normal time had come to an end.
Extra time started now. The Portuguese looking tired, very tired indeed. The Spanish however did not, they came out into this 30 minutes of extra looking like champions of the World and Europe. They started off typically Spanish by passing the ball around for 5 minutes, but this time with a bit more pace and urgency. It wouldn't be long until the first chance for Spain, Iniesta would pick up a ball back from Jesus Navas and he was in about 7 yards out from goal, he hit the ball, trademark Iniesta everyone thought. No, what a fantastic save by Rui Patricio, Portugal hanging on already in extra time it seemed. Spain would continue the pressure and be pinning Portugal back, Portugal now not even passing the ball well between each other. The first half of extra time ended, 15 minutes to go, can there be a goal or will it be dreaded penalties?
Second half began, Spain still on top dominating the possession like we all know they can but had not shown throughout the 90 minutes. The game was getting scrappy though as Portugal started to lose their legs and thus fouling the Spanish a lot, there whole back four now on yellow cards. Spain couldn't really get any more clear cut chances and that was it, there had been no goals in the full 120 minutes of play.
PENALTIES!
Penatly 1:
Spain would go first, and up steps the cool and calm Xabi Alonso, who hits a fierce and accurate penalty. SAVED!!! Rui Patricio pulls of another masterclass in goal keeping, a fine save to his right from a drilled penalty from Alonso. Advantage Portugal.
Portugal would send up Joao Moutinho, who has had a fantastic tournament and a good game as well. He didn't have the best of run ups and this would be proven correct, SAVE!! Casillas saves low to his right, was not in the corner and wasn't as hard as Alonso's but a good save none the less 0-0 after 1
Penalty 2:
Iniesta steps up now for Spain, Mr Reliable. GOAL! Sends the keeper to the left and slots the ball in the right hand side, 1-0 Spain
Pepe steps up? Centre back is taking a penalty as no 2, i know he is gifted footballer but surely there is a better penalty taker? GOAL!! Shuts me up. Into the side netting it goes under Casillas who looked like he dived over it, a bit lucky 1-1.
Penatly 3:
Pique's turn now! A defender early on for Spain too! Unusual shoot out this, none the less he is gifted too. GOAL!! Yep another fantastic penalty taking centre back. He puts the keeper the wrong way and it slides home, 2-1 Spain
Nani's turn, finally an attacking penalty player to take one! GOAL!! Oh my word, what a penalty! THUMPS it into the top corner, pressure? What pressure he says, fantastic. 2-2
Penalty 4:
Ramos! Spain continue working the penalties across the back just like there passing! GOAL!! Oh you cheeky man! Much like Pirlo (not as good as we would debate on TL for a while!) he chips it down the centre cool as you like whilst the keeper is catching air on the floor. 3-2 Spain
Bruno Alves this time! Back into the defensive line for a penalty taker the Portuguese go! MISSED!! Oh you have to feel for him, Alves has smashes his penalty against the bar! He had beaten the keeper but couldn't keep it under the bar, 3-2 Spain still lead.
Penalty 5:
Chance to win it here, Fabregas steps up! Pressure is on now. GOAL!! Oh my word, only just, Fabregas strikes it to the right of the keeper, it hits the post, just right of square onto the post though, and it flies back across goal into the side netting, 4-2 Spain. SPAIN WIN!!!
Harsh way to go out, but Portuguesa can feel no shame in pushing the Spanish as far as they did. A great 1st half performance was a beautifully tactical master class, which seemed to come to an end the longer the game went on. Spain worthy winners you would say after their dominance in extra time, making a lot more attacks count. Spain march onto the finals!
Germany vs Italy
Into Poland we go for the second semi final! Italians take on the Germans after knocking England out on penalties in the previous round. Germany have never beaten the Italians in a knock out competition in 7 previous attempts? A nice omen or a superstitious stat?
Joachim Low tried something knew by bringing in Toni Kroos in the lineup, which was one of the things that completely backfired on him. Instead of adding another player that can take care of the ball and help Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil, he exposed the flank with a player who knows nothing about being a winger, losing a chance to try and attack Italy from the wings. Starting with Reus or Muller would have been a better idea.
The 1st half would begin! The Germans started brightly looking to set the pace for the game. But after withstanding the early German pressure, including one save by Buffon and an awkward one from Khederia, Italy took over. The pressure on Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil left Podolski and Mario Gomez useless and helpless. Within 20 minutes of the game the impossible was made possible. Many thought of this game as a warm up for Germany, a way to go into the final to claim a rematch with the Spanish from Euro 2008 and a chance to retake their crown they so desperatly wanted. However, try explaining that to one man, Mario Balotelli, Super Mario Batelotelli perhaps? Pirlo picking up the ball just inside his own half as usual, pinged out a great ball to the CB playing as LB for this game Chiellini who would play in Cassano who looked in trouble but wiggled his way through Hummels and delightfully cross to Mario Balotelli. He would out jump a weak Badstubber with ease and headed home, 1-0 Italy. Germany stunned, and silenced, this is not what they planned! The problem all comes from the same way England had problems. PIRLO! If you don't close him down he will find that pass that will hurt you, and he did through his fabulous 40 yard pass to Chiellini on the left wing. Germany would be trying to push their way back into the game and continued to flow forward with some nice football, also wary of the fact Italy can hurt them. The 36th minute came along quickly as the entertaining game made the game speed up it seemed. Germany had a corner and looking to bring a set peice goal from the big German hit man Mario Gomez. Cross game in and it was punched half clear by the strong Buffon. Ball would bounce to DeRossi who would fire the ball into Cassano's feet who would give it back to Montilivo who would play a fantastic through ball to Balotelli who was one on one with Neuer! Which Balotelli are we going to see here? The misses, the casual slow walk and get tackled? NO we saw the Balotelli who fired the ball past Neuer in the German goal and into the top corner, 2-0 ITALY! Germans are left stunned, shocked and disoriented! That's how it would stay for the first half, and what a first half it would be, 2-0 Italy who would of thought, can the Germans mount a comeback?
The second half started and if there’s one team you don’t want to go chasing, it’s Italy. Still, the Italian saw what they were dealing with – Not a team, but a group of talented individuals who got picked apart by a more intelligent and committed team. The German spirit was gone, and despite all the praises this ‘new’ Germany gets all the time – for their style, their goals and what not, it seems they lack something on the biggest of stages, time and time again. Loew made two changes at half time taking of Gomez and Podolski who had nothing to work on and looked poor, he bought on Klose and Reus for some attacking outlets. Germany would start strong and produce the first real effort on goal, with Lahm linking up well with Reus on the edge of the area, and he was in about 16 yards from goal, but he failed to hit the target with his shot! Chance gone. Italy were much closer to make it 3 and 4-0, with Claudio Marchisio, Antonio Di Natale and Alessandro Diamanti missing comfortable chances. Germany completely no existent in their defending. Germany continuing to throw more and more players forwards whilst the Italians were just looking comfortable handling the pressure and shutting up shop like they have done so well through the years. However in the 90th minute, a cross came in and a goal mouth scramble would occur which resulted in the ball striking the arm of Balzaretti and a penalty was given. The correct decision from my point of view, a bit harsh in others. Up steps Ozil. Can he score and give us a grandstand finish for the remaining 3 minutes of added time or will he bring yet more disappointment to a poor German performance. GOAL! Great penalty, hit hard and with decent height into the side netting, 2-1. 3 minutes to find an equaliser? Surely not. And yes surely not was the right assumption. Game would finish from a quite unusual spot, a German freekick just 5 yards into the Italian half, but Schweinsteiger, instead of launching the ball into the box decided to play it along the floor and out wide to Khederia to whip it in instead of himself, strange decision and the referee blew his whilst after the pass.
2-1 it finished. Another masterpiece from Andrea Pirlo while Mario Balotelli showed levels of clinical finishing no one knew he had. Germany completely fell apart, throwing away one streak out the window while continuing their lack of success against Italy on the biggest stages. Italy vs Spain await in the final this year, who would of thought it?
Final Preview
Two wonderful sides, Spain a lacklustre campaign so far considering their high class standards but I'm sure DelBosque would agree they have not been at their magical best, for one reason or another. Italy, coming into this tournament on the back of another betting scandal which has smeared another domestic season, have again flourished under crazy circumstances at a major tournament. Two teams with two great magicians in Iniesta and Pirlo will go head to head on Sunday evening in Kiev and only one man will be able to be victorious! Spain and Italy went head to head in the knockout stages of EURO 2006 in the previous meeting between these two sides at a major tournament. With Spain coming out on top 4-2 in a penalty shoot out! However, on the opening day of Group C these two giants also clashed with the Italians asking many a question of the Spanish that day and taking a deserved lead, only for Cesc to cancel it out a minute later. Torres missing a few good chances as the half went on, but no one could argue that a draw was a fair result, considering all the circumstances. It was a 3-5-2 that faced Spain that day and not the 4-1-3-2 that they have played since so who knows what Cesare Prandelli will spring tactically this time round. DelBosque on the other hand has only a few simpler choices to make, shall he play a striker, or continue with a 4-6-0 and try and pass his way to the European cup for the second time in two attempts, who knows? What we do know however is, that both Pirlo and Iniesta will start, considering both players don't get injured, and they will be at the heart of each team's chances on Sunday evening we can be pretty sure of that.
Iniesta:
Player to watch for Spain is Iniesta, none other really. He finally turned on his game in the 30 minutes of extra time for Spain vs Portugal in the semi final, and could of won it for them then if it wasn't for a fine save. He will be needed to play as well as that for the regular 90 minutes if Spain want to get their hands on 3 championships back to back.
Pirlo:
Well, Mr Pirlo, what can we say about him, from destroying England, to now breaking the hearts of the Germans, this man is beginning to make the owner of AC Milan look quite foolish in letting him go as a free agent to the Italian Lady (Juventus). He will be at the heart again of everything good Italy produce and it will be down to Spain to keep the ball away from him and pressure him as quick as they can to stop this. We all know Spain won't put a player tight on him for the whole game but will press him as much as they can with their defensive attributes.
Prediction:
1-1 FT
Extra time 2-1 Spain.
1-1 FT
Extra time 2-1 Spain.
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