Euro Finals: A Look Back

After some nervous pre-game moments when ABC's broadcast was freezing up on us, the game was presented smoothly to it's viewers (a number that ESPN/ABC had to be impressed with throughout the tournament, but I'll get into that more in a later post). Spain started the first few minutes strong, followed by a 10 minute stretch of better possession for the the Germans. After that, Spain took control for the remainder of the half. Fernando Torres came close on a header that had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann beaten, but the ball struck the post and was cleared from danger. The Spanish fans would not be forced to wait long, however, as Torres outhustled Philip Lahm and lifted the ball over an onrushing Lehmann to find the side netting just inside the far post in the 33rd minute. The 1 goal advantage would be all Spain would need to wrap up it's first European title in 44 years. Germany had a stretch where they looked dangerous in the second half, and came close when Casillas just beat Kuranyi to a high ball, but the final 20 minutes or so belonged to Spain as they killed the game comfortably. I think it would be fair to say Spain missed David Villa a bit, and Michael Ballack did not appear to be functioning at warp speed for Germany. After such an exciting tournament I'd venture to say the final was a bit of a letdown, however the excite was upheld by the fact that the score remained close and the trophy was on hand. I think Spain looked better and had a great tournament, so congratulations to a deserved champion. Germany too should be proud of their efforts, far surpassing the low expectations many had for them at the conclusion of the group stage.

Euro Final

We now stand just one DC United vs LA Galaxy game away from the big showdown. I must say it was an intelligent decision by Garber and the MLS to showcase the league to fans that may watch soccer, but not so much MLS. A handful of people will at least catch the end when they are getting settled in for the Euro final and others will watch the whole game because of Donovan and Beckham. I'll pick a 2-2 draw in the MLS game.

As we near the Germany-Spain showdown, it is being rumored that Michael Ballack will in fact give it a go despite the calf injury. How effective will he be? On can only guess, but perhaps being in the starting 11 even at 90 percent would be enough to stabilize the midfield and maintain the confidence of his teammates. Everyone seems to like Spain to win this but I'm not so sure. I have been picking Spain 2-1, but Germany will be difficult to break down. Spain tends to be patient on offense to find the holes in a defense, but Germany's defense prevents many holes from opening up, and will defend with just as much patience. As I type this DC United has gone on top of the Galaxy 1-0 on a Jaime Moreno spot kick. So let's have it, who do you think will win either of today's games? Who will you be rooting for, and where will you be watching? For me I'll be watching in the comfort of my home today, and I'll be wearing a Germany jersey!

Rhinos vs Battery Running Commentary

Final: The Rhinos fall 3-1 and remain winless on the road. After giving up 2 quick goals, the red card to Loera made the rest of this match a bit of a foregone conclusion as asking for a multi-goal comeback a man down is quite a lofty task. The Battery have swept the season series with the Rhinos. The Rhinos must now hope to get more players fit to play and look forward to their US Open Cup match against DC United.

90th: GOAL: Rhinos get a late consolation goal to cut the lead to 3-1. Ze Roberto puts it in and the assist is from Kreamalmeyer.

84th: Sembaluk also in for Salles, and Lester More (the famous Cuban defection that was the star of their team) is on for Randi Patterson for the Battery.

83rd: Vallow with a save to prevent further damage. JP Reyes and Rey Martinez are ready to come into the game. Menyongar and Earls are coming out.

80th: GOAL: 3-0 Battery, King with a chip under the crossbar.

77th: The Rhinos have calmed down again on attack, and look like they may be finished for the night. It is a very hot night in Charleston to be playing a man down.

72nd: Salles with a nice side volley on frame, but the shot is saved.

70th: Rhinos show a little life as Salles gets behind the defense, but his ball across to Delicate is just out of reach and harmlessly rolls out for a goal kick.

68th: In MLS action right now, the New England Revs lead Toronto FC 2-0 on a pair of Steve Ralston goals 62 minutes in, Colombus and Colorado are tied at 1-1 60 minutes in, and Kansas City and Real Salt Lake are tied 0-0 at halftime.

65th: Corner to the Battery as Vallow knocks a dangerous ball out of play. Vallow punches the corner clear.

61st: Alright, I admit it, I'm losing interest rapidly here. Battery is withstanding the Rhinos light attack to this point, and seems content with their current advantage. They aren't taking many chances at this point, and the Rhinos aren't creative enough themselves. This all combines for very little excitement so far.

51st: Rhinos substitution, Delicate on for Milward. Definitely a sub made with trying to get a goal in mind.

46th: The second half has begun, let's see what tactical adjustments the Rhinos will make.

Halftime: Just when I thought things were bad enough when the Battery scored twice in quick succession, Loera took Patterson down on a breakaway and the Rhinos were reduced to 10 men. Charleston is certainly in control up 2-0, and can play patiently and make the Rhinos chase in the second half. Can the Rhinos rally from behind with a man down like the Railhawks did at Paetec? Count me as one vote for "I doubt it".

42nd: Dangerous free kick now just outside the box. A nice shot goes just wide and spares the Rhinos further frustrations.

41st: Red Card: Loera takes down Patterson from behind and gets a straight red. The Rhinos now must fight from behind with a man less on the field.

39th: This may go without saying after giving up 2 quick goals, but this recent 10 minute stretch or so has really been bad for the Rhinos, the few times they do have the ball they seem panicked and they try to force. They need to hold the ball better even if they aren't scoring just to alleviate the pressure.

34th: GOAL: 2-0... wow! A free kick is sent to the far post and Patterson gets enough on it to score.

32nd: GOAL: 1-0 Battery. Armstrong fires just inside the post, beating Scott Vallow.

30th: Vallow turns a shot over the crossbar, corner for the Battery. The Rhinos clear easily.

26th: Can't say there has been a great deal of excitement in the early going here, but I will say I've been impressed with the Rhinos in transition. They've shown they can go from defending the attacking very quickly with quick passing, and may be able to take advantage with the counterattack.

20th: Still 0-0, Guppy setting up another 35 yarder. The big defenders are up, Millward shoots on goal but a great save keeps the Rhinos off the board.

15th: Vallow missed on a punch attempt from a corner kick, but the Battery head the ball wide.

10th: Battery on the attack, but Patterson is offsides.

7th: Neither team has settled in much, possession has been very back and forth. Free kick from about 35 yards out for the Rhinos now. Guppy is setting it up. The ball to the back post is headed out for a Rhinos corner. Salles connects but fires wide.

1st: The have kicked off, here we go! Don't forget about Randi Patterson for the Battery, who can be dangerous. He was a Red Bull reserve last year.

Pre-game: Rhino starters are Vallow, Kreamalmeyer, Loera, Palguta, Earls, Guppy, Menyongar, Ze Roberto, Salles and Milward.

Pre-game: John Ball is still suspended so he won't see action today, and Nate Craft picked up a knock against Pittsburgh and will not start today. He may see limited action later in the match. Bonseu is also out as he is still with the Uganda national team.

Ballack in Doubt for Final

We already know that Spain will not have the services of David Villa when they take the field tomorrow against Germany. What German fans will not like to hear, however, is that Michael Ballack is being called doubtful for the final after sustaining a calf injury that has kept him out of training. What kind of impact should we expect this to have on the game? Well it takes a very skilled player out of the midfield for Germany as they face a skilled Spanish midfield that utilizes 5 midfielders. I would expect the possession balance to be tilted towards Spain if Ballack cannot go. Additionally it will force lineup adjustments including possibly sliding Bastian Schweinstieger into Ballack's spot, which takes away his freedom on the sidelines. This is really a nightmare for Germany who will have to be considered the underdogs for sure now. I'll have my Germany jersey on and I'll be pulling for them, but unless they can defend comfortably and score against the run of play it might be a disappointing final for the Deutschland. Be prepared in case when you see Ballack tomorrow he is dressed as shown above and not in uniform.

Rhinos in Charleston Tonight

The Rochester Rhinos will be at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston tonight to take on the Battery. The 2nd place Battery have been difficult to beat at home with only one loss at Blackbaud on the year (5-1-2 home, 6-3-3 overall) while the Rhinos who currently sit in the cellar with 11 points have yet to win on the road (0-3-3 road, 2-4-5 overall). They will look to continue their strong form in the attack to try to change their fortunes in the league standings. An offense that really had struggled to produce in the early going has now scored 3 goals in 3 straight matches (counting US Open Cup play) and may be ready to help provide a move up the standings. The game is scheduled for a 7:35 EST kickoff, and you can follow along with the running commentary here.

This Weekend's Soccer on TV

This weekend will obviously be highlighted by the Euro 2008 Final at 2:45 Sunday afternoon, however there will be other games to catch to help get into soccer mode leading up to Sunday.
This weekend's action includes:

MLS- Colorado at Colombus, Saturday @ 7:30 EST (Fox Soccer Channel). The Crew at 2nd in the East look to win at home following a 3 goal performance in LA after a bit of a dry spell. Colorado lists Pablo Mastroeni, Christian Gomez and Jose Burciaga Jr. all as questionable for this match. I love Colombus at home here, and I'll go with 3-1.

NY Red Bulls at Chivas USA, Saturday @ 10:30 EST (MSG). The Red Bulls look to continue their good form from recent matches despite their lack of stars. Angel will still be missing, and Reyna is unlikely to return for this match, but a team that has put forth the total team effort in their past 3 matches (counting a friendly against Chivas Guadalajara) will look to continue their inspired play. Chivas USA will also be missing key players, including Alecko Eskandarian and Maykel Galindo. I like a 1-1 draw in this match.

LA Galaxy at DC United, Sunday @ noon EST (ABC). The match that leads you into the Euro finals should feature plenty of offense. David Beckham and a red hot Landon Donovan (and do I dare say a red hot Edson Buddle?) go into DC to take on a United team that is really on a role with Luciano Emilio suddenly playing like an MVP again. I'll choose a 2-2 draw here.

Euro 2008:

Germany vs. Spain, Sunday @ 2:45 EST (ABC). We now know Germany will face Spain in the final after Germany knocked off Turkey with the last goal in a series of late goals to win 3-2, and Spain dominated Russia 3-0. We also know that David Villa will not be available for Spain. Spain has several skill players in the attack, and we can expect Cesc Fabregas to get the start now. They feature a patient build-up with many options, but Germany features a disciplined enough side to stick with Spain. Spain has looked great, but I like Germany in big time games like this. This is a very difficult one to call, and my brain says Spain but my heart says Germany (yes, I'm Irish and German). Germany 2, Spain 1.

Share your thoughts below on these matches or any of the non-televised MLS matches.

Rhinos Down Pittsburgh, Advance in US Open Cup

The Rhinos won in convincing fashion tonight in front of the home crowd by a score of 3-0. The final scoreline makes for encouraging viewing, combining a multi goal game with a shutout from the defense. More to come later.

Rhinos Host Pittsburgh Tonight, 7:30

After managing to get by RWB Adria in the first round of the US Open Cup, the Rhinos earned the right to host their second round game against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds tonight. Pittsburgh is in the cellar of the USL-2 division, winless so far with 7 losses and 4 draws. Averaging less than a goal a game, scoring has been a problem, so look for the Rhinos to try to limit their opportunities and in doing so make a one or two goal effort for themselves stand up for a win tonight. US Open Cup is getting into full swing with the big boys of the MLS joining the competition and the smaller clubs being eliminated. The Rhinos will not survive long with efforts like the previous nailbiter against RWB Adria, so they will have to elevate their play. I will be interested if they advance to see them play an MLS side and discover if they play to the level of competition (like they played down to Adria). Kick-off is set for 7:30 PM EST at Paetec Park. Are you going to the game? Care less about US Open Cup than league play? Share your thoughts

McBride back to Chicago?

In what has been one of the most widely speculated moves for the MLS, Brian McBride appears set to rejoin the MLS and it is no secret that he would love to play in his hometown and that Chicago would of course love a player of his caliber to pair with the playmaking skills of Blanco. Standing in the way is Toronto, who stands to inherit the rights to McBride if he signs with MLS. The ensuing trade talks has of course led to Toronto wanting multiple players and Chicago offering a ham sandwich and telling Toronto to be nice guys and let McBride play in his hometown. In what seemed like a stalemate, the most recent development reported is that a deal has been struck between the two sides, awaiting only a final approval from the league office. The supposed deal would said disgruntled defender Wilman Conde, a conditional draft pick and a partial allocation to Toronto in exchange for Chicago gaining the right to sign McBride. The deal makes sense and I think would be reasonable for both sides. Chicago gets a major impact forward that would immediately push them to my favorite to win the championship this year, where Toronto gets the younger talent in Conde, also filling a position of need for Toronto, as well as the draft pick and allocation for future players. I think this could well be true because it sounds to me like a Mo Johnson type of trade. Think this is the real deal this time an McBride will be wearing Fire red in the near future? Too afraid to bite just? Personally I this makes too much sense to me for it to be just another rumor, and I expect McBride will in fact be heading to Chicago, which as a Red Bull fan makes me cringe... Share your thoughts below... Happy for McBride, happy for the league, angry fan from another team in the East? Let us know

This Weekend's Soccer

After a long list of soccer action, I am left feeling smarter than usual. I told many people I thought Russia would have a good chance against the Netherlands side, and they proved me right. I'll admit I didn't see that kind of domination coming, but I didn't think the Dutch would run away with it. While I know the scoreline doesn't reflect that it was an overtime game that obviously remained close until the end, what impressed my most was the quality of chances Russia generated. Nearly all the opportunies from the run of play belonged to Russia, with the Dutch typically only presenting danger on set pieces. I wish these teams hadn't played until semis as they both play a fun style to watch, and I think either could have knocked off some other teams (see Italy). In any event, after today's Italy vs Spain we'll know what the semis will look like. Spain does not have history on their side, but I like them to win today. They just have too good of a team to be knocked out today I feel. Cassano is said to be pairing with Luca Toni again (that sound you hear is a groan from Italian fans), but that said even with the typically boring Cassano, Luca Toni will face a rather small back four against Spain and may take advantage in the air.

On Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls scored early and held on for a 1-0 win over FC Dallas. Kevin Goldthwaite got a backpost header, then had to leave almost right away with BOTH hamstrings strained. New York defended well, Jon Conway had 1 nice save, and the one goal proved to be enough. Impressive for New York was their ability to possess the ball and make Dallas chase in the late stages of the game. Without JPA we knew goals would be scarce, but the Red Bulls controlled most of the game and limited the FC Dallas opportunities.

In other MLS action Toronto tied Kansas City 0-0, Colorado tied Houston 0-0, Real Salt Lake knocked off New England 2-1 and LA Galaxy and Colombus tied at 3. The on fire Landon Donovan added 2 more goals to his season tally. DC United hosts San Jose at 3 PM EST today.

For those of you thinking perhaps Belize would pull the shocker and eliminate Mexico following Mexico's rather meak 2-0 win in the first leg, Mexico finally flexed their muscles in a 7-0 drubbing to advance with the 9-0 aggregate advantage. The United States are in Barbados for their second leg today at 2:55 PM EST on ESPN Classic. They will sport a greatly adjusted roster so they can get a look at other players. They must stay within 7 goals of Barbados to hang on...

Rhinos and Railhawks Draw

The Rhinos played to a draw at home tonight to move to 2-4-5 in league play. They struck first almost immediately, when Menyongar played Mauricio Salles in and he was taken down in the box. Salles stepped up and converted the penalty in the 4th minute for the 1-0 lead. The Railhawk defender (former Rhino Sanfilippo) was shown a straight red for the challenge, and the Rhinos knew they would have a man advantage for the length of the game. It also set the stage for a very physical game. The Railhawks tied the game in the 17th minute when a clearing attempt was blocked and Carolina's Santiago Fusilier calmly slotted the ball home. Matthew Watson added a 2nd goal for the Railhawks later in the first half on a ball played in behind the defense. Despite the early goal and the man advantage, the Rhinos stared at a 2-1 defecit heading toward halftime. Shortly before the half, however, Delicate headed a cross down for Scott Palguta who hammered in home to draw even at 2 for halftime. The Rhinos took the lead on an own goal in the 2nd half when Danny Earls corner kick was deflected just over the goal line. In the 90th minute Jamil Walker, formerly of DC United, and back even further formerly of McQuaid High School, nearly tied the game at 3 for Carolina, but he fired just high. Caleb Norkus headed home a cross in stoppage time to manage a draw for the Carolina club. For a team that started so slowly, a point is acceptable in most circumstances for the Rhinos, but to falter when given an early lead and a man advantage is not commendable. The additions of new players probably plays a role in the team organization as they get more used to playing together, but based on tonight's match alone, I would say the 3-3 draw at home qualifies as the glass being half empty.

Turkey to Meet Germany in Semis

Wow! I can't think of another word here. 118 minutes without a goal scored, then Croatia seems to seal the win with a last minute goal, only to see Turkey score in about the last second of overtime to send it to penalties, where Croatia chokes big time. What an awful way to lose, if you are a Croatian fan, well... sorry! I would like to say Germany should look good to win that semifinal, but I can't say anything against Turkey just yet, they play with a ton of heart and never fold, at least to this point. Their diminutive captain Nihat seems to embody the spirit of the entire team with his drive and desire.

I do expect to be with you tomorrow during the Netherlands vs Russia match, at least to do occasional updates. I expect a better game there than many think, as Russia with Arshavin is a different team as we have recently witnessed, and while I like the Netherlands to win tomorrow, I think their defense will be vulnerable. Don't forget the match tomorrow will be on ABC.

Soccer Roundup

Good morning everyone, this will be my only post of the day at least until later tonight, as I will be away much of the day. I just wanted to post a few updates to the soccer world.

In last night's MLS action, first of all I lied, no players were away for international duty yet. Blame MLS.com's information as that is where I got it from. In any event Chivas USA scored a pair of first half goals before Nagamura was sent off for a foolish second yellow right before the half. They managed to hold on for the 2-0 win as the Chicago Fire, and in particular Chad Barett, were a nightmare when it came to finishing. Sacha Kljestan opened of the scoring and Justin Braun added the second. Ante Razov received an assist on both goals.

The United States women, following a 1-0 win over Brazil, knocked off Italy 2-0 on a pair of Wambach goals to advance to the finals of the Peace Cup where they will face Canada late tonight/early tomorrow starting at 1 AM EST.

The Manchester United/Real Madrid battle continues as Cristiano Ronaldo admitted it is a dream of his to play for Real Madrid. Manchester United made it clear they are not entertaining offers. Will they eventually give in to his wishes?

The Rhinos play at Paetec Park tonight, where they face the Carolina Railhawks. Can they build on their most recent 3-0 win over the Whitecaps?

Lastly, todays Euro quarterfinal pits Croatia against Turkey. The Turkish team may be riding an emotional high after reaching the quarterfinals against all odds. Or they may plain be tired, today we will see. Remember the Turks will be playing without their starting keeper who was sent off previously. What do I expect? I think the Croatian team has the better players and is playing confidently right now. I like Croatia to win 2-1 (I'll give Turkey a goal in a come from behind bid) and set up a great rematch against Germany in the semis.

Germany vs Portugal

The Euro 2008 quarterfinals get underway today when Germany and Portugal square off on ESPN. Coverage starts at 2:30 EST, with a 2:45 kick-off expected. As in all the matchups from now on, this should be a great one. It features the dynamic attack of Portugal against the disciplined, patient approach of Germany. Many like Portugal in this game, but I like Germany to win, but this could go beyond regular time easily. I will not be doing a running commentary on this but will post halftime and postgame thoughts on here. Anyone following along feel free to post game events in the comments section. If you have no outlet to follow along, try ESPN360.com. Today I'll throw the ladies a bone with a shirtless picture of Cristiano.

Final: It's Germany who has held on and will advance to the semi-finals. They added a goal from Ballack, then Postiga came on and drew a goal back for Portugal late, but Germany weathered the storm to get the win. They now will get their rematch with Croatia if they can take care of business tomorrow against Turkey.

Half: Through the first 45 Germany leads Portugal 2-1. Each team has shown moments, but Portugal didn't use theirs well enough early on. Germany got off to a 2-0 lead by succeeding in quickly transitioning from defending to attacking, and Schweinsteiger got them on the board then Klose added the second. Nuno Gomes finished the rebound of a Ronaldo shot to get Portugal back in it. There is plenty of action, and either team could still very well take the result here and move forward.

Greece Athlete of the Year: TBA Tonight

At tonight's banquet at the Greece Town Hall, Brad Shelofsky and Jessica Shufelt will be announced the male and female Athlete of the Year, respectively. This honor is awarded after a vote by coaches in the district. Each high school (Arcadia, Athena, Odyssey and Olympia) nominate their best, and this year there were plenty of great choices. Brad and Jessica made themselves stand out from the pack for a variety of reasons.

Brad Shelofsky will be graduating from Greece Athena this year after representing his school in all three sport seasons this year. Brad was the team captain and MVP for the soccer team in the fall season, and the senior defender helped lead Athena to the sectional semi-finals with a record of 10-3-5. From the backline Brad still led the team in assists on the season. His efforts were recognized by the league as he was a First Team AGR selection and was selected to the Sectional Tournament Team for his continued success in the post-season. In the winter Brad moved on to the basketball court, where he again displayed his positive leadership in the role of team captain. Again the team MVP, Brad helped his team in a playmaker role, leading them in assists and sending them to a league title and sectional semi-final birth. For his efforts he was recognized as Second Team All-County. In the spring season Brad was a doubles player for the tennis team and helped them to their deepest sectional run in 11 years. With all his athletic commitments Mr. Shelofsky has still managed to shine in the classroom, earning a 4.2 GPA. Brad will graduate with Valedictory honors.

Jessica Shufelt will soon be a graduate of Arcadia but she is not likely to be forgotten by the school in the near future. Jessica was a starter on the varsity basketball team and earned Second Team All-County honors. Basketball is a great sport... but now, soccer! The 2007 New York State Player of the Year has led her team to two sectional titles and a state championship which was in her senior year. Oh yeah, she scored the winning goal. After leading Monroe County in scoring for three straight seasons, she holds the Greece Arcadia record for goals scored. She has also been on the high honor roll all through high school. Jessica has been named a top 75 college recruit for women's soccer by Soccer Buzz Magazine, and has represented her country against the likes of Brazil and Holland. Don't forget her name as you will be likely to hear more from this young woman in the near future!

Congratulations to Brad and Jessica, and best of luck to them as they continue on past their high school careers. Brad will attend RPI and continue his soccer career, as will Jessica at UCONN, where they will no doubt both be successful.

Thursday Night MLS

Tonight's MLS action gets kicked off at 10:30 PM EST on ESPN 2 when Chivas USA play host to the Chicago Fire, who have embarrassed some a team or two on their home field this season. At the Home Depot Center don't be shocked to see a Blanco fan or two, particularly sporting his Mexico jersey. Both teams will be seeking to end 2 game skids so the motivation should be high in each camp. Chivas will be without Eskandarian and Galindo in the offense due to injury, and will be missing Brad Guzan, their regular in the nets, due to his national team duty. Gonzalo Segares will also be away from the Fire as he is with Costa Rica. I would pick the Fire for an away win here, but wonder if any players are effected knowing at least one starter is likely to be heading to Toronto shortly to open the door for acquiring Brian McBride. I'll go with a 1-1 draw.

Red Bulls vs Revolution

For the MLS fans out there, don't forget the New York Red Bulls are in New England tonight at 7:30. The game will be on MSG Plus. Hard to know what to make of this game being that each team is missing key players. For New York, we of course know that Jozy is gone. Out of action tonight will be Claudio Reyna (to the surprise of few), Juan Pablo Angel and Jeff Parke. Osorio hopes to give Parke some well deserved rest and shake up a lineup that was miserable against DC. Look for Magee and Ubiparipovic to start as well as Oscar Echeverry up top. Chris Megaloudis may also see his first MLS minutes tonight as he is back from his national team with Puerto Rico. New England on the other hand, is without Twellman due to injury as well as Shalrie Joseph and Khano Smith who are away for World Cup qualifying. Ralston and Dube still put fear in my heart as a Red Bull fan, and I don't think we'll see a sudden turnaround without a healthy team and hopefully reinforcements in the trade window. 3-0 New England. Your thoughts/predictions?

UPDATE: The Red Bulls earned a point on the road by scoring first off a nice Seth Stammler volley from a Dave Van den Berg cross. They looked the better team for much of the game, but Steve Ralston equalized in the 79th, then New York scrambled the final minutes to hold onto the draw. In the other MLS game of the night, Real Salt Lake and San Jose tied 0-0 with Real Salt Lake unable to take advantage of an extended man advantage after Jason Hernandez of the Earthquakes was sent off just before halftime for a second yellow. San Jose was outshot an incredible 24-7, but RSL mostly failed to shoot on frame.

Final Day of the Group Stage

We will learn very shortly that last of the 8 teams that will compete in the quarterfinals at Euro 2008. Today is the last day of play for Group D, and it features one meaningless game and one that means everything to the teams involved. Spain takes on Greece as Greece plays for pride, but this match features the formally eliminated Greeks and the confirmed group winners. The other match, which I will be following intently, features Russia and Sweden. The winner of this match will move on the the quarterfinals. Sweden may also advance with a draw. Sweden has looked good and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is always dangerous. Look out for Russia however, who will be getting back their star player, Andrei Arshavin. Post your thoughts if you are following along.


Running Commentary (Sweden vs Russia):

Final: Russia has won 2-0 and will be the final team to move on to the quarterfinals. Sweden will be disappointed, but the scoreline may well have been worse. Russia was very dangerous looking all day, and may manage an upset if they continue this form now that Arshavin is back. Spain has scored late to beat Greece 2-1 and go a perfect 3-0 so far. Check back later as I post the quarterfinal matchups and see if you can pick the winners.

90th: We have 3 minutes of stoppage left.

87th: Russia on the attack again, they are certain to go through now. Guus Hiddink has once again waved his magic wand and brought success to a national team.

82nd: Time is running out on Sweden here. They are spending time defending when they need to get goals. Russia is close again as Sweden's marking has become awful.

80th: Russia comes close again hitting the post and chaos ensures in front of the goal. Eventually an offsides call ends the action.

76th: Dangerous free kick coming up for Sweden, looks like it may be Ibrahimovic. Around 30 yards out. His shot is well off target.

71st: Spain has tied their game 1-1 with a goal from De La Red.

67th: Arshavin held up, not a huge foul but it was the last defender which could have been trouble. The ref lets it go.

62nd: Corner for Sweden, they come close but the header goes high. That was a good chance to get back in this game.

52nd: I must say these goals today have been absolutely fabulous, anyone wanting to learn attacking soccer should study the buildup for the two goals Russia has to this point.

50th: GOAL: 2-0 Russia!!! What a goal! Fabulous sequence leads to an Arshavin goal, and Sweden is in trouble.

46th: The second half has begun. Russia with some early possession.

Halftime: Russia leads 1-0, but Sweden ends the half more positively and will look to build on that in the second half. If things stay this way Russia moves on, but remember, Sweden will only need to come away with a draw to send themselves into the final 8.

44th: Corner to Sweden after Ljungberg's shot is saved, suddenly Sweden is looking much better. Greece has just taken a 1-0 lead on Spain courtesy of a goal from Charisteas.

36th: Some more great stuff and Pavlyuchenko hits the crossbar/post at the upper corner.

35th: Corner for Russia, their 5th so far. They've certainly looked strong today.

27th: Sweden comes close to getting it back as Old Man Henrik makes himself dangerous.

24th: GOAL: Russia gets the first goal and leads 1-0. A nice passing sequence shreds Swedens defense and Pavlyuchenko one times it in from around the penalty spot.

15th: Russia is slowing things down and putting together a nice buildup. Not much from it, but Russia looks good here.

7th: If the first few moments belonged to the Sweden side, Russia has owned the last few minutes. That said there have been no scoring chances for either team in the early going.

1st: And we're underway, look for Russia to force the tempo early as they know they must win, anything less will see Sweden through

Pre-game: We're nearing kickoff, Arshavin of course is in the starting 11 for Russia. Russia is lining up in a 3-5-2, while Sweden will go 3 up top in a 4-3-3. Off the topic of this game, Greece gets to play Spain's backups today... those backups include Cesc Fabregas, Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso.

Sorting Out Group C

So here we sit, about an hour and a half from the final group stage matches in Group C. All we know is that the Netherlands will be moving on. Who would have thought we could see France and Italy eliminated today? And Romania, the team most overlooked in this group, is in decent position to indeed advance and knock out France and Italy. My opinion is that the way France and Italy have played to date merits their elimination. They are both great teams, but neither has truly shown it to this point. That is why today they will each have one more chance, this time against each other, to show why they deserve to move on. Romania will face a Dutch team that knows it is has secured their place, and will rest several key players. A Romania win will get them in, as would a draw if the France/Italy game also ends in a draw. With a Romania loss and a France/Italy draw, goal differential would come into play. As for France and Italy, either of them are eliminated with a loss, and a win or draw would have them checking the scoreboard to see what Romania does. Who do you think will wind up advancing? I will do my best to maintain updates on both games the best I can. I will be watching the France/Italy game and will offer a running commentary, and will insert updates on the other game as much as I can.

France vs Italy, Running Commentary:


Final: Italy has defeated France 2-0 behind goals from Pirlo and De Rossi to seal their place in the quarterfinals, combined with Romania's 2-0 loss. Italy finally gets a win and can look to build as the competition goes on, and the Netherlands continue to roll even without some starters, going 3-0 in the group stage with an impressive 9 goals for and only 1 against. Share your thoughts on these matches below. We have one day left to finish our quarterfinal brackets.

90th: 3 minutes of stoppage time to seperate us from the inevitable.

88th: GOAL: It's almost a certainty now, the Italians will be joining the Dutch as the top two in the "Group of Death" to move on. Netherlands has now gone ahead 2-0 on a Van Persie goal.

87th: Petre on for Nicolida as Romania makes one last hopeful push.

78th: Chivu has collected a yellow for Romania, the first card of that game.

74th: Buffon's fingertips keep Benzema from scoring.

72nd: Yellow card to Boumsong. Netherlands and Romania have not altered there scoreline, as Romania still stares at a 1-0 defecit. Dica on for Codrea to give Romania some fresh legs.

66th: Wow, Toni appeared to be in on goal and Evra ran him down with ease. Anelka on for Govou to try to spark France. Kuyt on for Arjen Robben in the other match.

62nd: GOAL: Italy goes ahead 2-0. De Rossi's free kick goes off Henry's foot and past Coupet. This may have closed the door on France, I think at this point there is a better chance of Romania scoring twice on the Dutch than France has of scoring two down a man here.

61st: Daniel Niculae in for Marius Niculae for Romania over in that game.

55th: Ambrosini on for Pirlo.

55th: The Netherlands have just scored a goal to take a 1-0 lead on Romania. Huntelaar is the goalscorer, and now things will be difficult for Romania, needing to score a goal and have France score a goal, or score 2 themselves.

54th: Yellow to Gattuso, who also will now have to sit alongside Pirlo if Italy does move on.

50th: We're back underway and Benzema just came close, firing a bit wide on a volley. Moments ago Govou picked up a yellow card.

Halftime: Netherlands and Romania are already into the halftime break, and the game is tied at 0-0. There have been no substitutions or yellow card so there is little to report there. The second may be more interesting as Romania will see Italy leading with a man advantage and realize a goal may be necessary. And we're at halftime for France and Italy as well, and France has managed to get through down only the one goal. Chiellini picked up a yellow in stoppage time as well. It will be interesting to see how their tactics will change for the second half. If the scores stand up through another 45, it would be Italy who advance.

44th: De Rossi with some nice work to earn Italy a dangerous set piece. Looks like Pirlo, maybe Grosso also. Wow, Grosso hits the far post, and France clears the ball. Now Pirlo gives a foul that earns him a yellow and a suspension for the next game if Italy does advance.

38th: Here's a dangerous free kick for France, good angle about 26 yards out. Benzema and Henry over it. It's Benzema but he hits the wall then fires wide on the rebound.

34th: Henry comes close dribbling in on the right and firing just wide of the far post.

30th: Toni is looking very dangerous now, can France make it to the half without conceding again? At this point Netherlands and Romania are still at 0-0.

26th: Inserted just 16 minutes ago, Nasri will come off before I get much of a look at him. With the red card to Abidal they needed another defender, and Boumsong is in.

25th: Pirlo to take it. GOAL: 1-0 Italy. Pirlo's spot kick is well taken to the upper left corner giving Coupet no chance. Can France recover or is this just what Italy needed to take control?

24th: Wow!!! Penalty!!! Abidal is sent off with a red card for being the last man back and taking down Luca Toni in the box. A light foul but definitely a foul, no choice for the ref there.

22nd: My apologies, forgot to mention it was Nasri who came on for the injured Ribery. I love the sub although I didn't expect it. Nasri is a great young player with some quality on the ball.

18th: Some back and forth play with neither team managing any real chances, through 18 minutes Romania and Netherlands remain deadlocked at zero as well. Patrice Evra being booked for a tackle on Cassano now.

12th: Interesting that we have a rematch of the World Cup Final without Zidane or Materazzi.

11th: Corner to Italy. Panucci with a nice hearder saved by Coupet.

10th: It doesn't look good, he's off on a stretcher and I wouldn't expect him back, look for Malouda to come on as Ribery appears to be in serious pain and may be out awhile. Through 10 minutes both matches stand at 0-0.

8th: Ribery has a problem, looks like the calf. Not a good sign at all for France.

4th: Luca Toni comes close on a misplayed long ball, but he hits it first time and fires wide. It seemed he had time for something better there.

4th: France looks the more dangerous in the first few minutes, earning two corners so far but producing nothing off of them. I doubt I have to even say this at this point, but again... the field is quite wet.

1st: We're underway in Zurich, what a great crowd for both sides today.

Pre-game: As expected, Netherlands will have major changes in the other match. Dirk Kuyt, van Nistlerooy, Van der Vaart, Van Bronckhortst, Van der Saar, and Wesley Sneijder will all be on the bench. With Huntelaar and Van Persie up front with Arjen Robben in behind them the Dutch still will have some strength to their offense. Romania will of course be anchored in the back by Cristian Chivu, and Mutu will be looking to erase the bad memory of his penalty that wasn't to be.

Pre-game: Cassano will start up top for Italy along with Luca Toni. De Rossi, Pirlo, Gattuso and Perrotta make up the midfield while Chiellini, Grosso, Zambrotta, Panucci and of course Buffon make up the back. For France it will be Benzema pairing with Thierry Henry in the attack, a midfield featuring Makelele, Govou, Ribery and Toulalan, with Clerc, Evra, Abidal and Gallas making up the back four. Coupet mans the net.
Pre-game: There has been a good deal of talk that Cassano may well start today for Italy.

Euro Update

With groups A and B completing their play, we now know a good deal about who will be on to the quarterfinals. In Group A Portugal wins the group, and Turkey will also advance with their crazy comeback against the Czech Republic, who along with Switzerland will be all done. In Group B Croatia emphatically claims the group, winning all three matches including todays against Poland 1-0. Germany will also move on courtesy of their 1-0 win over Austria today. This of course leaves Poland and Austria out. In Group C we know the Netherlands have won the group, but tomorrow's play will be worth following with Romania, France and Italy all alive to move on. Romania may have the edge, a point up on France and Italy and also facing a Netherlands side expected to rest some starters. In Group D Spain has clinched the group, and Russia and Sweden will be left to battle it out for the final place in the quarterfinals. So as we stand now the quarterfinals include:
Portugal
Turkey
Croatia
Germany
Netherlands
Spain
Russia/Sweden
Romania/France/Italy

Tomorrow's games will be played simultaneously, with Romania vs the Netherlands on ESPN Classic at 2:30 PM EST, and France vs Italy on ESPN at the same time. Share your thoughts on the matches and vote for who you think will go through.

US Hangs on at Home Depot Center...

The United States opened World Cup Qualifying with an emphatic 8-0 win over Barbados. It was the greatest margin of victory ever for a United States Men's team. Credit has to be given to Barbados before I go into goal summary. They showed pride in playing for their nation, and while many of their players are domestic products, and in Barbados there is no pro league meaning they are mostly amateurs, yet unlike many countries did not resort to nasty fouls and cheap dives when things went bad for them. For many of their players the United States game was the biggest of their lives. They came, they played hard and kept their heads high despite what was by all accounts a beatdown. Now from the US perspective, handling this game so easily was a bit of a statement for them after scheduling such difficult friendlies in advance of qualifyers. Other teams that were heavily favored didn't produce such results (see Mexico 2, Belize 0 including a stoppage time penalty for Mexico). Allowing some players who had been in goal scoring slumps to get on the score sheet should help build confidence for when qualifying games get more difficult. Clint Dempsey opened the scoring less than a minute in and scored later for a brace. Brian Ching's hat trick was reduced to a brace when it became clear one of his was in fact an own goal by Barbados. Eddie Johnson came on as a sub and nearly immediately scored with a well placed header. Landon Donovan scored catching the keeper setting a wall as he sent the free kick in early. Eddie Johnson scored a goal for the United States. Michael Bradley got a goal after a bit of a scrum. Eddie Johnson scored a goal outside the MLS. With such a dominating performance the US will be able to change the lineup significantly in Barbados if Bob Bradley chooses to give other players a look. If you know anything about Barbados, John Parris came on as a late sub and earned his 100th cap for his nation. And no, I'm not making this up or playing a joke, Eddie Johnson scored a goal!

Euro Sunday

What... A... Game! For those of you who watched the Czech Republic take on Turkey today, the game did not disappoint, even for someone like me who has no major interest in either team other than to see good soccer. The Czechs went ahead 2-0 early in the 2nd half, and the Turks stormed back to win 3-2, with 2 goals in the final 10 minutes, including an unlikely "gimme" on a ball spilled by Cech. What heartbreak for the Czech Republic. We now know Portugal and Turkey will advance from this group. Earlier in the day Switzerland earned some consolation by getting a 2-0 victory over a Portuguese team resting some starters. Although it won't be enough to advance, at least the co-host gets to end on a high note. Share your thoughts on either game below.

What I've Missed

I have been away this weekend and will be away much of tomorrow as well, I should be back around kick-off the for the US game and will check back in then. For now:

Friday night at Paetec, the cellar-dwelling Rhinos stunned first place Vancouver with a complete victory, 3-0. Mauricio Salles headed home to open the scoring in the 10th minute. Menyongar added a second almost as soon as the ball was kicked to start the second half, and Salles scored again in the 62nd for his brace. The match wasn't without blemish for the Rhinos, as John Ball saw red in the 65th and was sent off.

On Saturday we saw Spain with a late goal knock off Sweden 2-1, and Russia defeat Greece 1-0, eliminating the Greeks from the quarterfinals. In Saturday's MLS action, the shorthanded Red Bulls delivered a stinker falling 4-1 on the road against DC United, where Emilio scored a hat trick. The July transfer window can't come soon enough for New York. In other action Toronto defeated Colorado 3-1, Colombus got back on track beating Kansas City 3-0, and the Galaxy have a late lead on San Jose on another hat trick from Edson Buddle... you've got to be kidding me!

Tomorrow we'll have Switzerland vs Portugal, Turkey vs Czech Republic in a huge, winner take all game, and USA vs Barbados in qualifiers. I'll check in later Sunday to update, share your thoughts below on any of this weekend's games.

Netherlands vs France

This afternoons match is the highly anticipated showdown between the Netherlands and France. France could really use a win here, and the Netherlands are riding the high of their dominating performance over Italy. With a win the Netherlands would clinch the group.

Running Commentary:

Final: 4-1 to the Dutch, who have looked fabulous against the champions and runner-up from the last World Cup. We now know that the Netherlands have won the group, and now both Italy and France become fans of the Dutch to at least draw Romania.

90th: GOAL: 4-1 Netherlands!!! Sneijder with a nice turn and great strike from 20 yards that goes off the underside of the crossbar.

90th: Robben misses by a narrow margin. We have 2 minutes of stoppage to play before it's in the books.

87th: Another good spot for a set piece for France. Ribery's shot gets over the wall, but also gets over the crossbar.

83rd: van Nistleroy comes close, the keeper backtracks to touch it wide.

77th: Dangerous free kick for France, looks to be Ribery. It is, and it's a chip to Henry who heads over.

75th: Anelka on for Govou.

72nd: GOAL: Arjen Robben slams the door on France's hope! 30 seconds after Henry scores Robben scores from a tight angle, beating Coupet near post.

71st: GOAL: Thierry Henry extends a lifeline to France, it's 2-1.

63rd: Good shot from Robben is saved.

59th: GOAL: Netherlands goes up 2-0 on an immediate goal for van Persie. Robben streaks down the wing, sends a great ball in and van Persie volleys in with his first touch of the ball. The shot was deflected and barely trickled over the line.

56th: The goal scorer is off, van Persie on for Kuyt.

54th: Wow, Henry blows a golden opportunity in alone on van der Saar who was out, but his chip is well high. Should have been better.

53rd: We're early in the second half, and Arjen Robben is on the pitch.

Halftime: The Netherlands will carry a 1-0 lead into the locker room.

43rd: Henry fires a bit high and wide.
34th: Great chances for France, first with a shot by Govou held well by van der Saar, then a 3 on 2 with a nice shot from Ribery met with a nicer save from van der Saar.

32nd: Yellow card to Makalele as his hand catches the face of van der Vaart.
31st: The Dutch are looking very good again today, crisp passing and meaningful possession.
22nd: Sorry for the lack of posts, minor technical difficulties at the office here! We're still at 1-0, and perhaps as a message to the players on the field, France has players off the bench and warming up.
9th: GOAL: Netherlands goes ahead 1-0 as Dirk Kuyt gets his header around Mallouda. Another great start for the Dutch.
1st: France has kicked off, here we go.
Pre-game: Thierry Henry will get the start here, immediately changing things for France. It looks like Ribery will be used a bit higher up than last game, more like a withdrawn forward.

Italy vs Romania

Good morning everyone, and TGIF! We wrap up this work week with Group C action. We'll get started off with Italy squaring off against Romania. Romania has a very solid team that could give the Italians trouble, but they may be facing them at the wrong time. Coming off a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands, expect some changes in the Italy starting 11, as well as a team playing for their lives. I like Italy 2-0 here. Share your thoughs, are you an Italian worried about elimination on Friday the 13th?

Running Commentary:

Final: The game ends 1:1 and everyone remains alive. Italy will have to defeat France in order to advance. I must say there has been a great display of sportsmanship between these two teams after the final whistle.

90th: Free kick for Romania, about 40 yards from goal.

90th: Ick, seems Italian players are going down in the box looking for a call at a rate of one per minute. They don't need to resort to that, no place for it. As I type I see the worst dive yet.

88th: Can either team find a moment of magic here to take the 3 points?

81st: BUFFON SAVES!!! Not the best penalty, up the middle.

80th: PENALTY!!! Nicoli held a bit by Panucci, kind of light penalty here. Mutu steps up, surely he'll score...

79th: Romania barely holding on here with some intense pressure from Italy.

77th: Del Piero off, Quagliarella on.

75th: Toni chests over to De Rossi who is denied by a wonderful save!

73rd: Italy free kick as Goian holds up Toni, and earns a yellow for throwing the ball away. Nothing comes of the set piece.

69th: Just when I thought Italy looked good having tied the game, I spotted an Italian fan with a pom-pom...

61st: Yellow card to Pirlo, he just took Nicoli down with a lazy challenge to save him from having to run back.

60th: Nicoli on for Petre for Romania.

59th: Italy under some pressure again, but they avoid trouble. Cassano is on for Perrotta.

58th: Yellow card to Chivu for a late challenge.

56th: GOAL: Italy scores to tie the game 1-1. The ball gets through to Panucci for the tap in at the back post, and as I was typing "how will Italy respond", they respond in the perfect way, drawing even immediately!

55th: GOAL: Romania takes the lead 1-0. Wow, Friday the 13th indeed. I think a few Italian hearts just sped up. Mutu pounces on a mistake and gets a half-volley past Buffon. Buffon had no chance, great finish by Mutu.

52nd: Foul on Italy and there is a Rat down on the field. Yes, there is a Romanian player named Rat, and I'll guess the pronunciation is nowhere near what I am thinking of. If he ever paired with Neuville of Germany it'd be too good to be true. One named Rat, one that looks like a rat.

51st: Some good ideas from the Italians, Pirlo goes long to Toni who heads back to Del Piero, but Contra gets the touch away. I think Contra has played well today, helping out there and looking good with the ball on the wing.

46th: And the home stretch has begun, hard to imagine 1 goal in this half could eliminate Italy.

Halftime: After a wild an crazy first half we remain at 0-0. While both teams have come close, neither has been able to break the deadlock. It's hard to imagine a scoreless game here, so expect something in the second half.

45th: Toni finds the back of the net, but the flag is up and the goal will not count.

39th: Corner to Italy after Toni heads to Perrotta, but he couldn't quite get it off in time or it would have been a goal for sure. Toni's header off the corner is saved well, and as I type Italy comes close again!

33rd: Great position for a free kick, but Del Piero fires well over the bar.

28th: Another long range strike for Romania goes inches wide.

25th: Dika on for the injured Radoi.

24th: A great cross for Romania, but no targets on the other end of the cross.

21st: This is too bad, Radoi is coming off early due to a collision with a teammate.

20th: Another dangerous free kick coming for Romania. How quickly things change, Panucci's touch on the free kick goes off the inside of the post. Oh so close to 1-0 Romania just when I had thought Italy looked the better of the two sides.

18th: Long range free kick produces another good save from Buffon, diving to his left.
16th: Buffon with a nice save!

13th: Luca Toni was an inch too short for Camoranesi's ball, otherwise it'd be 1-0. Italy is starting to take control here.
12th: Grosso with some nifty stuff, beats two defenders, sliding it through the legs of one. He earns a free kick near the endline.

9th: Del Piero with a great settle in the box, the ball is knocked wide and sent back to Del Piero where he headed wide by the smallest of margins. That was close!

7th: Mutu gets a piece of a long ball and sends it on goal, but Buffon has no trouble.

5th: Corner for Italy but Romania clears.

1st: We're off!

Pre-game: We're nearing first kick, and the Italian fans are going NUTS!!! It also appears I was wrong, Del Piero is being withdrawn a bit, not played in next to Toni.

Pre-game: As expected, the Italians have made changes. Gattuso and Ambrosini are out and Perrotta and Daniele De Rossi are in. Additionally Del Piero will start up top next to Luca Toni, and Marco Materazzi is unable to go. Without Materazzi and Cannavaro it will be interesting to see how the defense performs. Mutu has the abilities to create havoc if given half a chance.

Thursday Night MLS

I'm sure ESPN has been getting reasonable ratings for soccer this week with the Euros, but again, it's time for my weekly reminder to catch the MLS on ESPN 2. Prove that people do like to watch soccer in America! Tonight pits the New England Revolution against the Houston Dynamo, with each team missing key players due to World Cup qualifiers. Who do I see winning? I like Houston at home as I feel they are a deeper team that can deal with international call-ups, but the West had not faired well against the East to date, so I could well be wrong.

Austria vs Poland

Both Austria and Poland are sitting on zero points, and could really use at least a draw here to help their chances of moving on. With a draw here, Austria would still need to beat Germany in their final match, where Poland must rely on a combination of a win and a draw in their final 2 games while having Austria beat Germany in the final day for the group. I like Poland to take this one 2-0. I will not be around to do a running commentary, but will check back for a postgame later. Post your comments or game updates if you are following along.

UPDATE: Well, as you likely know by now, Austria tied Poland with a late penalty kick 1-1, and all teams in the group still have the potential to advance. We also now know that Croatia are the winner of the group.

Croatia vs Germany

Follow the game on ESPN 2, slated for a 11:45 EST kick-off. I will be beginning a running commentary a bit late today but will join you all shortly. I like the Croatian team and thought they could surprise, but Germany have to be considered the favorites here, and I like them to win 2-1 today. Post your thoughts on the game and comment on the game early on to fill in for me!

Running Commentary:

Final: 2-1 Croatia stuns Germany. What a victory for Croatia, they will almost certainly be on to the quarterfinals while Germany will have work left to do. To make matters worse for Germany they will not have Schweinsteiger available as they play their third game in hopes of moving on.

90th: Yellow cards galore, 2 to Croatia, 1 to Lehmann. And there is the final whistle.

90th: Wow, red card to Schweinsteiger, a retaliatory shove. On replay is doesn't look like a red card at all, some acting and grabbing of the face by the Croatian player who was barely touched, what a shame.

90th: Croatia comes close again and will have a corner, time is running out on Germany.

85th: Kranjcar comes off for a defensive minded player whos name I will not attempt.

82nd: Kuranyi on for Fritz. Croatia on the attack but Germany escapes without further harm.

81st: Srna is off for Leko as Croatia attempts to hang on for the 3 points. Kuranyi is set to come on for Germany.

79th: GOAL: Germany gets one back, 2-1 and now it will be interesting. Lahm plays a ball in to Ballack, the ball comes back for Podolski who slams the ball into the back of the net.

75th: Yellow card to Ballack for a late tackle. This has been one to forget for him.

73rd: Schweinsteiger comes close from a bad angle, corner to Germany. The ball is cleared.

70th: Corner to Croatia, Germany does not need to be defending so much down 2-0, but they can't get out of their half.

67th: A dangerous free kick coming for Croatia, about 26 yards out from straight on. No problem for Germany. Schweinsteiger is on for Gomez.

61st: GOAL: Croatia goes up 2-0 and Germany is in trouble! A ball in on goal is missed by a diving Lehmann, the ball hits the post and comes back into the middle while a helpless Lehmann is on the ground. The defenders are caught watching as the ball is tapped in by Olic.

57th: Another corner for Germany, they still look slow to me today though. That said, they have been maintaining some pressure in the Croatian end recently.

48th: Corner kick coming up to Germany, Croatia clears.

46th: The second half has begun and Odonkor is on for Jansen. I think this is a great sub for Germany, those who remember Odonkor from the last World Cup will recall good things!

Halftime: It remains 1-0 with Croatia on top. I missed a few posts here, as Croatia had a nice shot saved by Lehmann, then Germany had a ball find the back of the net but the goal was called off. I didn't hear the explanation, but Pletikosa (Croatian GK) dropped a high ball that was poked in, but apparently a foul was called. Didn't look like much contact with the keeper to me, but Germany didn't argue all that much so who knows. I think we could be in for an entertaining second half as Germany must find a way to score. I think you'll see them go forward with greater enthusiasm, look for the outside backs to get forward even more. Germany should look more potent, while at the same time being more exposed to the counter. Let's hope this leads to more goals!

38th: I didn't fall asleep, just nothing major going on the last few minutes.

30th: Whoops... Kranjcar has a ball hop to an open space in the center of the box but he hits it well high. Pretty good opportunity for Croatia to go up 2-0 there, will that miss matter?

27th: Yellow card to the goalscorer, Srna. Germany wastes the free kick.

24th: GOAL: Wow! Croatia takes a 1-0 lead and shocks Germany. A ball is swung to the far post where Darijo Srna finishes. I must say the marking by Jansen left much to be desired. Let's see how Germany reponds.

15th: Some back and forth action with both teams feeling each other out. Not much between them early. Free kick coming for Croatia, they go short and now draw a corner.

5th: We're scoreless early on and again rain is in the forecast.

Big Phil Scolari to Guide Chelsea?

Following word that Scolari will not renew his contract to remain with Portugal after Euros, there has been speculation as to what we may read into this announcement. The combination of the awkward timing of this revelation combined with reports out of England that there has been an agreement between Scolari and Chelsea lead me to believe Avram Grant's days are officially over and we will be seeing Scolari in London in the near future. What do you think of the possibility that Scolari will take over Chelsea?

Switzerland vs Turkey

Up next is a relative must win for both of these teams. Anything less than a draw virtually eliminates either team here. Additionally, if Turkey draws of beats Switzerland, Portugal will be guarunteed to move on. I will back Switzerland here with Tranquillo Barnetta, but I do of course expect a game that could go either way. We should expect a physical battle as you may recall these teams went at it a bit after the game in the last World Cup. I will not be doing a running commentary on this game, but will post updates in the action from time to time. If you are watching then pick up the slack for me in the comment section!
Final: Turkey wins 2-1 with the last minute goal. What heartbreak for the Swiss. Turkey will be elated at the 3 points and will have helped their chances greatly, now knowing that a win against the Czech Republic will send them into the final 8. Switzerland now will be playing for pride as the most points they can manage would be 3, and the lowest possible for second place would be 4.

90+: GOAL: Turkey scores at the death of the game and wins 2-1. What a disappointment for Switzerland. Portugal will go on and Switzerland is all but eliminated.

84th: Great counter by Switzerland but the shot is saved and the rebound attempt is covered. Wow that was close!

83rd: With stoppage time each team will have about 10 minutes remaining to break the deadlock.

62nd: Turkey has scored on a header to even the match 1-1. Goal comes from Senturk.

Halftime: We're through to half with Switzerland remaining on top 1-0.

38th: So far we have a 1-0 lead for Switzerland, as Yakin scores an amazingly easy goal. The cross parallel with the goalline that would normally provide an easy finish was made easier yet as the ball stopped dead in a puddle for him. And yes, it is pouring in Basle.

1st: Play has begun, and it seems like a very nice crowd for Switzerland.

Pre-game: Turkey will be without Emre today.

Portugal vs Czech Republic

Wednesday marks the second day of action for Group A, and we'll get things started with Portugal taking on the Czech Republic. After their first game, each side sits on a full 3 points, with Portugal just ahead with a superior goal differential. Portugal is coming off 2-0 victory over Turkey while the Czechs recently knocked off Switzerland 1-0. Will Portugal's attack prove too much for the Czechs, or will another patient game yield a result similar to their 1-0 win? As you follow along today, I pose this questions for you that the ESPN analysts have discussed: To you personally, is Cristiano Ronaldo the best player in the world today?

Running Commentary:

Final: Portugal wins by the score of 3-1, and sits in ideal position to advance, assured of a place in the quarterfinals if Switzerland does anything but win this afternoon. What did you think of the match? With a goal and an assist in the second half I think Ronaldo stepped up big time, and Portugal despite some shaky defending looks a safe bet to make it through if not win the group.

90th: GOAL: Portugal seals it, 3-1. A quick free kick finds Ronaldo in behind the defense, he forces Cech to commit then lays off for Quaresma to slide into the empty net.

88th: Quaresma dances a bit and his shot is deflected out for a... goalkick? I think the ref unit got that one wrong!

83rd: Sionko with a header saved just over by Ricardo. Corner to the Czech Republic.

80th: Sorry for the lack of posts, still 2-1 Portugal, Quaresma is coming on for Simao.

63rd: GOAL: Portugal retakes the lead on a Ronaldo strike! 2-1 Portugal. Deco passes to Ronaldo at the top of the box and he slots it past Cech for his first goal of the competition, and the moment many fans were waiting for.

62nd: Czechs came very close there, the header goes just wide of the post while Baros stands just out of reach.

59th: Great stuff from Deco, splits 2 defenders and slots a ball to Simao whos shot is directly at Cech who makes the save. For Red Bull fans wondering, no, Deco did not learn that one at the Claudio Reyna School for Attacking Midfielders.

55th: Wow, terrible giveaway in the back stolen by Nuno Gomes, but his shot inside the 18 is blocked out for a corner. No danger results at the moment.

46th: The second half is underway, let's hope for more goals in this second stanza.

Halftime: And we're halfway through this match, with the score level at a goal a piece. I believe Portugal has had the better of the play overall, but not by the wide margin I had expected. The Czech Republic has looked good, and certainly had attacking moments of their own. Ronaldo has had his times most certainly, but again he disappears for stretches of the game. For Portugal to come away with the victory they must continue to bring him into the game as it forces the Czech team to either play him straight up or leave space for other very capable players.

45th: Free kick in a good position about 30 yards out for Portugal, Ronaldo hits on goal and Cech gives up no rebound.

42nd: There has been more pressure from Portugal lately, and Ronaldo just unleashed a rip forcing a fantastic save by Cech.

31st: Yellow card to Bosingwa for a late challenge.

25th: Ronaldo with a shot on goal saved with no trouble by Cech.

23rd: Yellow card to Polak for a tackle on Pepe.

17th: GOAL: Czech Republic draws even at 1-1. Sionko with a powerful header to knot the game at 1. Each team has conceded their first goal of the tournament, and we've seen how the Czech Republic has responded. How will Portugal respond?

15th: Long range effort from Petit, easily dealt with by Cech. Milan Baros now heads just over on the other end of the pitch.

10th: The goal should force the Czech Republic's hand as they will have to try to find a goal at some point. This should lower the odds of a boring game. This is a bit unfair after a goal, but I forgot to mention before my prediction for this game was 2-0 Portugal, although there is certainly the potential for more than 2 with the early goal.

8th: GOAL: Portugal goes ahead early 1-0 on a goal by Deco! Strange goal as there is a loose ball in the box Cech can't quite hold on to, and Deco eventually gets it to go into the back of the net.

5th: Early on this has the look of a game that could be pretty open, and hopefully we'll be treated to some good attacking football.

1st: The Czech's kick off, and we're rolling.



Pre-game: The Portuguese are singing their hearts out, and the match is almost underway.


Pre-game: Both teams are expected to line up in a 4-5-1 with the Czechs sporting Milan Baros as the loan striker and Portugal giving that duty to Nuno Gomes. With Simao and Ronaldo manning the wings, expect a good deal of attack up the sidelines. Notables on the bench include Jan Koller for the Czech Republic and Ricardo Quaresma, Nani and Hugo Almeida for Portugal.

Rhinos win, advance in Open Cup

After quite a battle, the Rhinos eventually won 2-1 in extra time to knock off RWB Adria to advance in US Open Cup play. In what was expected to be a game the Rhinos should handle with relative easy, they instead were given all they could handle by a very game amateur squad from Chicago. As I wrote before, RWB Adria featured Demarcus Beasley's brother Jamar, but also recently signed Lenin Steenkamp to fill a void in the midfield. The Rhinos took a 1-0 lead when Fitzpatrick converted a penalty earned by Diallo, but the amateur squad equalized in the 86th minute and the game went to overtime. Hamed Diallo scored early in the first overtime to put the Rhinos on top 2-1 and it was all they would need. The rest of overtime was not uneventful as the Rhinos have more scoring chances they failed to convert, and Scott Vallow was forced to make a one-on-one save to preserve the overtime win. It wasn't pretty, and we may groan at the prospect of barely avoiding elimination at the hands of an amateur team, but right now a win is a win, and the Rhinos are still going in search of another US Open Cup.

It should also be noted that the Rhinos signed Danny Earls, a 19 year old midfielder who has gained experience with the reserve squad for Aston Villa. The native of Ireland is also in his country's u19 national team player pool. Earls did play in tonights match, and my early reaction is that this is a very encouraging signing for the club.

Next Up? The Defending Champs!

The next kickoff is about 45 minutes away, and it will feature reigning European Champions Greece taking on Sweden. Count yourself in the minority if you expect Greece to repeat in this tournament, but they will still be a formidable opponent. Watch for Kotsas Katsouranis and Giorgos Karagounis to carry much of the load for Greece. For Sweden there is no need to look further than Freddy Ljungberg, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Markus Rosenberg. Henrik Larsson is also back in the fold for Sweden, but pay attention to Rosenberg. Ibrahimovic is certainly the most dangerous player on the field, but Rosenberg could benefit from the concerns of marking Ibrahimovic as he was lethal for Werder Bremen in the German Bundesliga this year. I predict 2-1 Sweden wins this one. Share your thoughts as I do my best to update throughout the game. Below are the three biggest fans of Henrik Larsson, Ibrahimovic and Freddy Ljungberg. I always get embarrassed when the girls show up like this to watch me play...
Running Commentary:


Final: Sweden wins 2-0. Greece and Russia will face each other with both teams in dire need of a result.

87th: A bad giveaway leads to a chance for Greece, but it is from the endline and blocked out easily for a corner.

86th: Greece has been unable to respond as this game is dying down.

78th: Rosenberg on for Wilhelmsson who appears to have pulled his hamstring.

72nd: GOAL: 2-0 Sweden. A bizarre goal to say the least. A deflected ball goes to the far post high in the air where a battle ensues, the ball bounces all over and through the keepers legs and in. Goal is credited to Hansson.

67th: GOAL: Sweden breaks through to go up 1-0. Nice give and go leads to a fantastic strike by Ibrahimovic. Sorry for the lack of posts before, the goal woke me up!

Halftime: And we're through to the half with nothing to seperate these two teams. Sweden has looked my enterprising in their attacks, but the Greeks have defended very well. It should be interesting in the second half as a Sweden goal could force the Greek side to open up play.

38th: Humorous sequence here as the Greek defenders pass the ball back and forth several times near midfield, seemingly unwanting to initiate an attack and instead just kill time. The crowd does not approve.

32nd: Ibrahimovic heads just over the bar.

28th: Sweden is pressuring but hasn't found many holes in the Greek defense, and that is almost certainly Greece's plan in attempting to duplicate their success from 2004.

22nd: Apologies in advance if I botch a name, not being multilingual some of the Greek names are difficult for me. If a goal is scored by Karapanathinesopolousagounis I will no longer be posting.

17th: Wow, great chance for Sweden, nice through ball is flicked on but the shot is saved. Apparently the offsides flag was up as well.

10th: Nothing to get excited about so far, Sweden has had a bit more of the play.

4th: Don't try to take a beer away from the Sweden coach, Lars will do anything to get his Lager back. Yes, the mans name is Lars Lagerback, and yes, I promise no more terrible humor the rest of this post!

1st: And we're underway, every team has now seen action.

Spain vs Russia

Time to get ready for the Group D start with Spain and Russia getting us going. If you have access to cable tv, switch on ESPN 2 for the 11:45 EST kickoff. If you are at work check back with me for halftime and postgame reports. Anyone watching feel free to comment with your own updates. Flashscore.com can also be a useful tool to follow along with soccer scores if you are stuck at work.
What do we have to look forward to in this match? Well I think the Russian team has been much improved in recent years and should provide a good test for this Spanish team. The Spanish team will rightly be considered the favorites, but Russia has firepower of its own, with Andrei Arshavin and Pavel Pogrebnyak on display at the UEFA Cup final for eventual champs, Zenit St. Petersburg. The former has been rumored as a transfer target for some major club sides. Spain has a more balanced distribution of talent, with of course Fernando Torres, favorite of teen girls everywhere, up top, with Cesc Fabregas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso sitting behind him in the midfield.

The X-Factor for this game could be the managerial skills of Russian coach Guus Hiddink who has a strong track record for getting the most out of his players. Can he guide them to an upset win to start the competition? My guess is no. While I expect a competitive game that may well see Russia getting on the board, I like Spain's overall class and see them being a contender deep into this tournament. I predict Spain wins 3-1. UPDATE: We're at kickoff and Fabregas will be on the bench for Spain. Arshavin and Pogrebnyak are out with suspension and injury, and now I don't see Spain having any trouble with Russia.

20th: GOAL: Spain gets out to a 1-0 start. Torres gets past a defender and with the keeper challenging lays the ball off for Villa who slots home.

21st: As I type Russia his a post. Shot was taken by Konstantin Zyryanov. This game seems to be opening up now. I wasn't planning a running commentary but I will do my best. I will be back and forth a bit so if I disappear for awhile it may mean nothing is happening but more likely there is a goalfest going on while I am running errands...

24th: Torres with a chance but the shot is saved.

28th: Dear Cesc Fabregas, if you are bored on the bench I propose becoming a US citizen, you could start for us anytime! Too bad he's cap-tied. As I joke, Villa fires and it deflects wide for a corner. Nothing comes of the corner for Spain.

30th: Corner coming here for Russia, they aren't exactly boring themselves, however the corner is not the best taken I've seen.

37th: Yes, I'm still here, but you haven't really missed anything worth posting. Some back and forth play yielding few exciting moments.

39th: Torres just got the ball in a dangerous position near the endline. He laid the ball back and it was deflected out for a corner. A pair of Spanish defenders effectively deny each other a scoring chance on the ensuing corner.

44th: GOAL: Spain goes up 2-0 on a second goal by David Villa. Russia turns the ball over under pressure and Iniesta sets up Villa for his second of the first half.

Halftime: We're through the first half, and Spain leads 2-0. While there are 45 left to play, it is difficult at this point to see any result other than a Spain win.

Halftime: I will be away for a bit of the start of the second half, if anyone is watching and following along here, feel free to post updates in the comments section.

75th: GOAL: I'm back, and lightning has struck 3 times in the same place. David Villa gets the hat trick and Spain leads 3-0.

84th: Iker Casillas is down for Spain. He came out to punch a ball and was hit pretty hard taking a shoulder to the head. He will stay on, though Spanish fans probably weren't as worried as some nations when their top keeper appears hurt. They have a pretty good second option in Jose Reina.

86th: GOAL: Russia gets a consolation goal and ruins Casillas' clean sheet. A corner is flicked on to the back post where Pavlyuchenko heads it into the goal. 3-1 Spain.

90+: GOAL: Spain goes ahead 4-1 in stoppage time! Cesc Fabregas gets the goal as a substitute with a diving header at the back post.

Final: Spain wins 4-1. It must be said they looked strong today with the exception of a few sloppy moments bordering Russia's goal. Otherwise Spain's quality on the ball really has shown through today. Yes, Fabregas' late goal ruined my 3-1 prediction, but I must reinforce that I think this Spain team can do some damage in the tournament.

Italy vs Netherlands

Wow! If you aren't watching this game you'd better kick yourself. Through 45 minutes this game has been as exciting as we had hoped and will set the stage for more entertainment in the final 45. So far we've seen a Netherlands team that looks terrific take a 2-0 lead, at it must be said they have had the better of the play to this point and are the deserved leaders. The first goal was somewhat questionable as a ball came through the masses near the penalty mark and found the foot of a wide open van Nistelrooy. Why was he open? Well he was about 3 yards offsides. The ref unit presumably botched it as there was an injured Italian back there, but he had rolled off the field which would make him irrelevant. The second came on a sublime sequence where a long switch was sent to the far side of the 18 where Kuyt gently headed towards the 6 yard box for Sniejder who volleyed around shoulder height past an onrushing Buffon to the near post, slotting it into an impossibly small opening. Unbelievable! The Italians had moments and van der Saar was forced into action when a shot between his defenders legs surprised him, but he reacted well. Later another shot went just high of the bar. The Netherlands missed a chance to go up 3-0 when van Nistelrooy came through on Buffon but opted for power instead of precision and his low blast up the middle was saved. Don't expect this Italy team to go quietly in the second half, and one goal could make things difficult for the back line of the Netherlands. I picked the Netherlands to win this group and feel a bit smarter right now, but this game is far from over. So far this match has already made up for a lackluster France-Romania game. Let's hope for an equally eventful second half!

UPDATED: Netherlands vieren!

In another entertaining half, the Dutch side extended their margin and earned a 3-0 victory. The Italian team looked more dangerous in the second half, particularly after the inclusion of Del Piero, but could not get in the books. The final goal came on a fantastic counter attack what seemed like mere seconds after a tremendous diving save by van der Saar. The ball was played through and as the defense shifted the ball was played flat across the box where Buffon makes a big save but the rebound is tracked down and sent across to van Bronckhorst where he headed home. The Netherlands were dominant, van der Saar looked great, the backline did what they had to, and in true Dutch form they refused to sit back and kill the game, opting to continue to apply pressure. I great match to watch, and things in Group C have gotten even more interesting!

Romania Holds Off France, Draws 0-0

With the much anticipated Group C action underway, we learned very little after one game and hope for more exciting soccer in second match of the day. France played largely uninspiring football and Romania battled well to manage a draw with favored Les Bleus. Stars such as Benzema and Ribery were not involved enough, and Thierry Henry sat out after failing a fitness test as he is recovering from a bad back. Anelka missed a good chance in the first half, but ultimately the good scoring chances I was looking for were absent. You had the feeling the entire game that someone would have to take advantage of a half-chance to earn the win in this game.

What we learned:

Romania is not to be taken for lightly, they are a better side than they get credit for. They show the grit necessary to stick with superior teams, and players like Mutu can have their dangerous moments that can tip the balance of the game. They may be considered the underdog in every game in this group, but don't be surprised if they upset either Italy or Holland.

France is continuing on is questionable form as of late. While they have not been losing, they have not exhibited the fluid style of play you would like to see with a European power. They must find a way to get Ribery more space as the continue on in this competition. They also can use Henry, I just don't think Anelka is good enough as a starting striker.

Up next is Italy vs Holland, let's hope for a better game here! I'll check back with my thoughts later