Earning the (re) cap: The Croatian surge

Photo: Croatia's Ivica Olic (right) celebrates with teammate Luka Modric after scoring his team's second goal against Germany Thursday. (Photo from The Daily Mail).

Breaking down Day Six of the European Championships...

Match XI: Croatia 2, Germany 1

A reasonably shocking defeat for the Germans, given their marvelous form against Poland and Croatia's struggles against Austria. Still, Croatia is a strong side, and one many thought could cause an upset or two coming in. Fortunately for the Germans, the draw between Austria and Poland means they're still in prime position to advance: they only require a draw against the Austrians to advance. Unfortunately for them, Croatia's already clinched Group B (the first tie-breaker is head-to-head results), so it looks like they're slotted in to face Portugal in the quarter-finals. That will certainly be an interesting match.

Related:
- "Germany does some soul-searching" (The Associated Press, via The Globe and Mail).

Match XII: Poland 1, Austria 1

This turned out to be a pretty decent clash, with both sides going for it. Austria had most of the early chances, but Poland's Brazilian import Roger Guerreiro then scored on a counterattack that may have been offside, and it looked like the hosts would be doomed to play well without a result again. Fortunately for them, things changed in extra time when Poland's Mariusz Lewandowski dragged down Sebastian Proedl in the box and English referee Howard Webb pointed to the spot. 38-year-old Ivica Vastic stepped up and converted the penalty, making him the oldest player ever to score in the European championships. It will likely mean everything and nothing at the same time: yes, Austria will probably bow out against the Germans in their next match, but they proved that they deserve to be on the same pitch as these other teams, something even their fans doubted before the tournament. Their country has much to be proud of, even if their team doesn't advance further.

Related:
- John Doyle's column on the game [The Globe and Mail]
- UEFA supports Webb's decision to award the penalty [Reuters via The Globe and Mail]
- Duane's thoughts on the match [Out of Left Field]

On tap today:

Match XIII: Italy vs. Romania (Kick-off: 12:00 p.m. ET)

This should be another good one. Italy will be looking to rebound after their 3-0 loss to the Netherlands, while the Romanians will try to shut them down defensively the way they neutralized France. Interestingly, according to Gerry Dobson on the pre-game show, Italy have the oldest team in the tournament (average age: 31 years, 52 days). It could be close, but my prediction is for offence to beat defence.

Prediction: Italy 2, Romania 1

Match XIV: France vs. the Netherlands (Kick-off: 2:45 p.m. ET)
Can the Dutch maintain their winning brand of offensive football against the tough French defence? Does France have more left in the tank than they've shown so far? These, and other burning questions, will be answered on the pitch.

Prediction: The Netherlands 2, France 1

Related tournament pieces:
- Mike's thoughts on the diving going on [The view from the Woods]
- Amrit's take on the tournament so far. [There Is No Original Name For This Sports Blog]
- A preview of today's matches [Soccer By Ives].
- All the usual greatness over at On Soccer [The Globe and Mail]
- Stephen Brunt [The Globe and Mail], Cathal Kelly [The Toronto Star] and Morris Dalla Costa [SLAM! Sports] weigh in on the Italian press conference yesterday.
- David Hirshey and Roger Bennett with their always-interesting take over at ESPN's Page 2 [Two-Footed Tackle]
- Cathal Kelly's usual hilarious tales over on his blog [Star Sports Blog]
- Vastic's goal for Austria won him a lifetime supply of free beer [ESPN Soccernet]. If you can't win the whole tournament, that's a pretty sweet consolation prize!

Earning the (re) cap: Ronaldo shines again

Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates with teammate Deco after the two combined for one of Portugal's three goals against the Czech Republic Wednesday (Photo from CristianoRonaldos)

Breaking down Day Five of the European Championships...

Match IX: Portugal 3, Czech Republic 1

So much of the talk about Portugal so far has been about moves taking place beyond the pitch, with the endless transfer speculation about Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid and the just-confirmed appointment of Portugal manager Luis Felipe Scolari to take over Chelsea after the championships conclude [Ben Knight has some good analysis of that move at On Soccer: Stephen Brunt also weighs in]. Their performance Wednesday against a very solid Czech team showed that they deserve lots of credit for their play on the pitch, though: they dominated the entire match, scored three brilliant goals, and ensured their qualification for the next round after Switzerland lost to Turkey in the late game. It wasn't just the Ronaldo show, either: he was great, but so was Deco and the rest of the Portuguese attack, and their defence was also reasonably solid.

As an aside: Ronaldo is showing that he's certainly a good candidate for that "best player in the world" tag, and I doubt many would argue that he's the best player in this tournament. He also seems to be adjusting to the officiating and diving less, which will undoubtedly help his appreciation worldwide. Brunt has a great column on him in today's Globe: here's the highlights.

"But the truth is, this is his moment, this is his tournament and this is his chance to add his name to the short list of players who have single-handedly stolen the show at a World Cup or European soccer championship.
Anyone doubting that possibility needed only to watch yesterday's match against the Czech Republic at the Stade de Geneve, a 3-1 win for Portugal that all but assured it a place in the Euro 2008 quarter-finals, and all but assured Ronaldo's name would again be in lights.
...
Ronaldo, like so many others, will take what he's given and will employ his considerable thespian talents to his team's advantage when it makes sense. They're not handing out acting awards here, though, at least not so far. So after that little tantrum on the sideline, he got up and decided to play.
Running at an opponent, there is no more dangerous player in the world. Nobody can match his footwork and speed – which, watching him live, you understand is combined with considerable strength. He'll run around and past and through just about anyone one-on-one if given the chance. And given like-minded playing partners, he'll set up as many goals as he scores."


Well said. As a diehard Manchester United fan, I certainly hope Ronaldo hangs around Old Trafford for a few more seasons, but if any player could possibly be worth a hundred million Euro transfer fee [FanHouse] and 300,000 pounds a week in salary, he's the one.

Related: Cathal Kelly also has some great lines on Ronaldo in his column [The Toronto Star]. The best one: "Portugal's bluff coach Luiz Felipe Scolari plays on both sides of the spiritual touchline.
The outspoken Brazilian is reportedly in regular contact with a sports psychologist and his parish priest from back home. He receives blessings from both via the phone.
But when he needs miracles, he goes to Cristiano Ronaldo."

Match X: Switzerland 1, Turkey 2

What bad luck for the Swiss. First, they lose a very close match that they dominated to the Czechs, and then they fall in injury time to the Turks, eliminating their chances of moving on from the group stage. There will certainly be a lot of soul-searching in the Alps, but for my money, it isn't all that necessary: with a couple of different bounces, they easily could have moved on already instead of being knocked out. A tough tournament for them, but they should hold their heads high: they put in a great fight, and things just didn't go their way. The Turks played well, but they'll have to beat the Czechs in order to move on, which may prove difficult. The real story of this one, though, was the torrential downpour it was played in, as it's always difficult to adjust to a soaking pitch.

Related: Bradley Klapper's Associated Press game story [The Toronto Star]

On tap today:

Match XI: Germany vs. Croatia (Kick-off: 12:00 ET)

This will be a key test for the Germans: can they keep up the spectacular form they displayed against Poland when they take on a stronger side in Croatia? For the Croatians, the question is if they can rebound from a lackluster performance in their opener where they only edged out Austria on an early penalty and were outplayed for much of the match. My hunch is that Croatia is a better side than they've shown so far, and the experience they've had against Germany's key players will help (a large number of the Croatians play in the German Bundesliga). However, Germany is 5-1-1 against Croatia all time, and I think they've got the talent to keep that streak of form alive.

Prediction: Germany 2, Croatia 0.


Match XII: Austria versus Poland

This one will also be interesting to watch. Austria looked much better than expected against Croatia, while Poland played well, but not particularly impressively against Germany. Both sides will really have to go for the win if they want to keep their hopes of advancing alive: a draw would put them both behind the eight-ball going into the final matches, as Germany and Croatia already both have three points and these sides would only have one apiece. The Austrians will give it a good go, but I think Poland takes this one.

Prediction: Poland 2, Austria 1.

Earning the (re) cap: Germans and Croats triumph

Photo: Lukas Podolski, who scored twice for Germany against Poland (Photo from soccerati.net)

Breaking down Day 2 of the Euro 2008 Championships...


Match III: Croatia 1, Austria 0

I didn't get the chance to watch this one live, as I was watching the Jays finally snap their losing skid. Still, I caught up with the details afterwards, and according to reputable authorities such as the Globe's John Doyle, the Austrians surprisingly gave the Croats all they could handle. In the end, the only difference between the sides was a fourth-minute penalty kick. Croatia did well for the first half, but the Austrians rallied and were the dominant side for much of the rest of the contest. Really, the only reason this finished 1-0 was Croatian keeper Stipe Pletikosa, who was recognized for his superb play with the award of Man of the Match. As Doyle points out, this not only shows that the Austrians (ranked 92nd in the world going in, beneath Iceland, Qatar, Mozambique and Armenia and a whopping 77 places behind the Croats) are much better than expected, it also suggests that the Croats may not be the giant-killer everyone had predicted. It will be interesting to see how both sides do in their next match: Austria may be able to achieve a decent result against a demoralized Poland, while the Croats will have their plate full against the in-form Germans.

Related: John Doyle's column on the game [The Globe and Mail]

Match IV: Germany 2, Poland 0

I saw most of this one live, and I'm quite glad I did. The Poles put in a valiant effort and created several good chances, but they really weren't a match for an impressive German side that looked quite capable of living up to the hype surrounding it. Michael Ballack was his ever-dangerous self in midfield, Miroslav Klose and Mario Gomez constantly threatened in attack, Bastian Schweinsteiger made some crucial runs and even Jens Lehmann looked to be in fine form. Oh, and how about that Lukas Podolski? Many thought he'd been going downhill since his FIFA Young Player award at the 2006 World Cup, and he wasn't even in his natural position, shifted from striker to the left wing. He silenced the critics with a brace of goals against the country of his birth (his family moved to Germany shortly after he was born), both particularly well-struck. The second one was a real cracker: a cross from Schweinsteiger found Klose in the box, but he mishit it and the ball looped its way over to Podolski, who smashed a thunderous left-footed volley into the netting and secured his Man of the Match title as a result. All in all, a great performance from the Germans, and a debut that should strike fear into the hearts of the other teams in the competition. Yes, there's a long way to go, and Germany will eventually draw tougher sides, but they looked absolutely capable of lifting the trophy with this win.

Related:
- The Associated Press game recap [The Globe and Mail]
- Another take on the game [ESPN Soccernet]
- Stephen Brunt was very impressed with the Germans [On Soccer]. As he writes, "But they just keep on running, they have a remarkable work-rate, they know what they're going to do with the ball before they get it, they're beautifully organized, and in this tournament, it's going to take an awfully good team to beat the Germans." My pick of them to win it all is looking good so far.
- Cathal Kelly is accepting all bets against Germany [Star Sports Blog].
- John Doyle describes the German side as "awesome".
- Graham Wood has an interesting story on the Euro 2008 website about Podolski's conflicting feelings over scoring against Poland.

Today's matches:

Match V: Romania vs. France (Group C, kick-off at 12:00 p.m. ET)
Well, the Group of Death gets underway with what should be a very interesting match. Romania's currently the dangerous outsider in that group, whereas France has a solid team with plenty of experience: the question for them is if their older players still have enough gas in the tank. This game should be pretty crucial: France will be eager to take full points, given that they still have to play the Netherlands and Italy, while Romania will be eager to prove that they belong in the group. If they pull off the upset, it will make Group C even more interesting. France should be able to take this, though.

Prediction: France 2, Romania 1

Match VI: Italy vs. the Netherlands (Group C, kick-off at 2:45 p.m. ET)
This is the first match of the tournament between two sides that most consider true contenders, and as such, it should be fantastic. Both sides are missing key players, though: for Italy, it's 2006 World Cup MVP Fabio Cannavaro (out for the tournament with a) and defender Cr, while the Dutch will be without star wingers Arjen Robben (groin) and Ryan Babel. The Dutch will also likely miss Robin Van Persie and Mario Melchiot due to their own injuries. They apparently plan to use Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt instead of Robben, which Bergkamp of Drunk Jays Fans compared to using David Eckstein as a "replacement" for Scott Rolen (for the non-Jays fans, think not-so-good for good: Georges Laraque replacing Sid the Kid, Curtis Sanford in for Roberto Luongo or Brian Scalabrine in for Paul Pierce). It will be interesting to see how both sides react to such key losses.

Prediction: Italy 1, Netherlands 0

Record so far: 2-0 (results), no scores exact

Other tournament pieces of interest:
- Stephen Brunt's column on the detached nature of Swiss fans [The Globe and Mail]
- Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press has an interesting piece on the on-pitch rivalry between Germany and Poland
- Cathal Kelly's column on how international matches are less violent these days [Toronto Star]
- Kelly has quite the story on his Star blog about an Eastern European journalist and his bag [Star Sports Blog]
- Duane Rollins on how Canadian media are now taking the tournament seriously [Out of Left Field].

Earning the (re) cap: Portuguese, Czechs win openers

For the three people who didn't hear about it yet, the 2008 European Championships got underway yesterday in Switzerland (the matches in Austria will start later today). In honour of this fabulous tournament, I've decided to present a new feature: a daily recap of past games with a look ahead to the next day's action and predictions for the upcoming matches. The plan is to call it "Earning the (re) cap".

Aside: For the non-soccerphiles, a player is said to have earned a cap when he appears for his country in international matches: thus, the player's number of matches played for his country is referred to as his caps. This comes from the old tradition of wearing caps in soccer, which Colin Jose suggests originated in the English public schools. When international matches began, all players were issued with a cap for representing their country, and the term stuck even after that practice stopped.

So, without further ado (and certainly without further Adu or Edu, as the U.S. isn't in the tournament), here's the first edition of Earning the (re) cap.

Match I: Czech Republic vs. Switzerland
The Czechs were somewhat outplayed in this one, and the Swiss had some glorious chances. Their best probably came after a Czech handball that wasn't called due to advantage rules, when Tranquillo Barnetta was able to force Czech keeper Petr Cech into a great diving save and Johan Vonlanthen drilled the rebound off the post with a wide-open net to shoot at. For the Czechs, it was substitute forward Vaclav Sverkos who proved the difference, firing the ball home off a quick counterattack. Not a great game from the Czechs, but they got the three points, which is all that matters. The Swiss will surely be disappointed to come away empty-handed, though, and the loss of captain Alex Frei for the rest of the tournament due to torn ligaments will hurt their chances of going through.

Related:
- Stephen Brunt's game story [Globe and Mail]
- Cathal Kelly's column on the game [Toronto Star]

Match II: Portugal vs. Turkey

A superb display of attacking football by this incredibly talented Portuguese team saw them pick up a 2-0 victory over the Turks in their opener. It was Brazilian-born central defender Pepe who recorded the first strike after a brilliant give-and-go with Nuno Gomes. Pepe certainly got off to a good start: it was his first game for Portugal in a major competition. Raul Meireles added a second off a setup from Cristiano Ronaldo and Joao Moutinho. The result wasn't unexpected, as the Turks are one of the weaker teams here, but the quality of play Portugal acheived it with bodes well for their tournament hopes.

Related:
- Associated Press game recap [The Globe and Mail]
- A different AP story on the match [Toronto Star]

General tournament pieces:
- Ben Knight has a good piece on how the officials got all the tough calls right so far, which is always nice to see [Globe on Soccer].
- Some great stuff over at Cathal Kelly's Euro 2008 blog [Toronto Star].
- Bob Lenarduzzi, the Vancouver Whitecaps' president and former star Canadian defender, has his predictions in his regular Vancouver Province column [Vancouver Province].

Today's matches:

Match III: Austria vs. Croatia (12:00 ET)
I'm not expecting anything great from this one. Croatia is a very dangerous team, and should easily win over the hapless Austrians. Still, you've got to play the games, and there's always the chance of an upset. What will be more intriguing to watch is how Croatia performs without their Brazilian star Eduardo, who's been so important for their team.

Prediction: Austria 0, Croatia 2

Match IV: Germany vs. Poland
Hoo boy, this should be a good one. Poland has never beaten Germany, and you can bet they want to end that streak. Meanwhile, the Germans will have to adjust to the pressure of being the favorites, a new experience for them in recent tournaments. The history between these countries makes this much more than a mere football match, as well: I wouldn't be surprised if some fans do something stupid. The Polish newspapers have already reached the "do something stupid to inflame people and sell papers" stage, and the resulting increased tensions could lead fans on both sides into conflict. Getting back to the action on the pitch, Germany should prevail in the end, but it's not going to be easy for them. It will be interesting to see how Jens Lehmann does in goal after his recent struggles in their tune-ups and his lack of playing time this year at Arsenal.

Prediction: Germany 2, Poland 1

I'll check in with the next round of Earning the (re) cap late tonight or early tomorrow.

Quarter-final previews

The FIFA U-20 World Cup continues to provide quality soccer. Only eight teams remain in the competition, and by Sunday night, they'll be reduced to four. Without further ado (Freddy or other), here's my previews and predictions for the quarter-final clashes.

Saturday:

Austria vs. USA (BMO Field, Toronto, 2:15 P.M. ET)

This should be an interesting tilt. The U.S. has had a strong tournament so far, defeating such South American powers as Brazil and Uruguay. Freddy Adu has shown why everyone rated him so highly several years ago, and has lived up to his tremendous potential. Danny Szetela has also been terrific, producing several goals in addition to his solid play as a defensive midfielder. Austria has also been strong, especially defensively, where they have only conceded two goals. Their attack has been reasonably one-dimensional though, with Erwin (Jimmy) Hoffer producing half of their goals. Surprisingly enough, the pre-match lineups have listed Hoffer as starting on the bench, as he did against Uruguay. The U.S. will need to beware of him coming off the bench late in the match, but if they can produce some goals against a strong Austrian defence, they should be able to take this game. The inclusion of standouts Sal Zizzo and Jozy Altidore in the starting lineup, both who were questionable due to injury, as well as the return of #1 keeper Chris Seitz, make things look very good for the Americans.

Prediction: U.S.


Spain vs. Czech Republic (Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton, 7:45 P.M. ET)

This clash of European sides should provide another interesting matchup of offense and defence. Spain lead all sides thus far with 12 goals for, while the Czechs have 6. However, the Czech team have also only conceded 5 in four games. Unfortunately for the Czechs, their side may be reduced by injury. In a bizzare twist, FIFA.com is reporting that midfielder Tomas Oklestek, who converted the decisive penalty against Japan in the last round, injured his shoulder in the post-goal celebrations. The Czechs have good depth though, as five different players have scored for them thus far. This could be a tough one to call, but I think Spain's performance against Brazil on Wednesday revealed them as one of the best sides in this tournament. Their variety of offensive threats, such as Adrian Lopez, tied for the tournament lead with five goals, and Diego Capel, who dominated on the wing against Brazil, should be enough to break down the Czech defense and carry them through.

Pick: Spain


Sunday:

Chile vs. Nigeria (Olympic Stadium, Montreal, 2:15 P.M. ET)

Another interesting conflict here. Chile have proven surprisingly dominant in the competition thus far, as they entered as the last South American seed. They have not conceded a goal through four matches, and have seven to their account. However, they will be missing Arturo Vidal due to suspension. Vidal, the only man to notch a goal in their Round of 16 match against Portugal, was sent off late in that game for time-wasting. They will need star striker Alexis Sanchez to step up and provide goals, but his fitness is somewhat in question, as he has only played in two matches thus far. Nigeria have looked good as well thus far, but were in one of the easiest groups and only had to face Zambia in the Round of 16. They have five goals for to one against. They may make things difficult for Chile, but I don't feel that their attack will be able to overcome the strong defence of the South Americans.

Pick: Chile


Argentina vs. Mexico (Frank Clair Stadium, Ottawa, 7:45 P.M. ET)

This should be the match of the round. Argentina have been growing in strength throughout the tournament, after a disappointing 0-0 draw in the opener against the Czechs. They displayed magnificent technical skill and tremendous creativity to break down a solid Polish defence in the last round. Sergio Aguero, who notched two beautiful goals against the Poles (including one that made the TSN Honour Roll), is tied for the tournament lead with 5 goals in 5 matches, and has been one of the best players thus far. He's making the 23 million euro transfer fee Athletico Madrid agreed to for him last summer (making him the most expensive acquisition in their history) seem like a bargain. One of his main competitors thus far has been Mexican standout Giovanni Dos Santos, who belongs to Athletico's Spanish rival Barcelona. Dos Santos and his Mexican teammates have dominated thus far, with 10 goals for and only two against. They were the only team to collect a full 9 points from the group stage. However, they did not appear overly impressive against a weak Congo side last round, requiring two late goals to seal a 3-0 victory. Mexico should put up a good fight, but the depth of talent Argentina has, including such standouts as Aguero, Maximiliano Moralez, and Angel Di Maria, should be enough to see them through to the semis.

Pick: Argentina