And the finalists are...Italy v. Spain!

Two giants from Southern Europe. Latins. Italy and Spain are the finalists of the UEFA Euro 2012 and will play in Kiev on Sunday. Italy has beaten R.Ireland, England and Germany and drawn with Croatia and Spain, which in turn beat Ireland and Croatia, France and Portugal. Italy was the only team to take points off Spain so far...

Germany 1       Italy 2

Ozil, (pen) 91   Balotelli 20, 36

Germany: Neuer, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Boateng, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Özil, Kroos, Podolski, Gomez SUBS: Wiese, Zieler, Schmelzer, Höwedes, Mertesacker, Gündoğan, Schürrle, Müller, Bender, Götze, Reus, Klose.

Italy: Buffon, Chiellini, Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo, Pirlo, Balotelli, Cassano SUBS: Sirigu, De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Abate, Motta, Giaccherini, Diamanti, Nocerino, Di Natale, Borini, Giovinco.

Germany had created danger in the Italian area three times by 12'. After 5', Mats Hummels shot the ball goalwards, it bounced off Gianluigi Buffon and onto Andrea Pirlo who narrowly avoided an own goal. On 6', Germany's first corner of five and on 13' a great pass by Boateng to the centre, where Buffon lost the ball, scrambled away for a corner.

!7' Italy was coming back into the game. Montolivo foeced Neuer to dive down low to his right; 18' Cassano had Neuer saving to his left and on 20', 1-0.Cassano got round three defenders on the left and centred to Balotelli who lost his marker and headed into the goal past Neuer.

27' Ozil had a shot but provided an easy save for Buffon. 30' Kroos shot wide. 33' Boateng delivered another dangerous cross to Podolski, who was denied by Federico Balzaretti firing the ball over his net.

36' 2-0. Balotelli received a long pass outside the area, turned, lost his marker and rifled the shot into the net.

Germany came back from the break fast and furious, spending most of the second half camped in Italy's part of the field. 47' Reus shot at Buffon after getting past two defenders. 49' Lahm shot over in front of goal; 56' Bonucci cleared the ball for a corner denying Klose; 60' Bonucci conceded a free kick in front of the area, Reus's shot was saved by Buffon against the bar and for a corner.

Italy then had three chances to increase their lead. 67' Marchisio shot just wide, repeating the exercise on 70' instead of passing the ball; 82' Di Natale scorched the side netting with a rasping shot.

The rest of the half was Germany's. 83', 84' three corners. 85' Balzaretti denied Reus, clearing the ball near goal; 89' Hummels shot at Buffon. 91' Penalty. Ozil 2-1.

Semi-finals

Wednesday June 27 PORTUGAL 0  SPAIN 0 Spain wins 4-2 penalties

Thursday June 28 GERMANY 1 ITALY 2

Final

Sunday July 1

Quarter-final 1: Czech Republic 0 Portugal 1

                                                            Ronaldo, 79'

Quarter-final 2: Germany 4 Greece 2

                            Lahm, 39;     Samaras, 55'

                            Khedira 61;   Salpingidis, 89' (pen.)

                            Klose 68;

                            Reus 74

Quarter-final 3: France 0 Spain 2

                                             Xabi Alonso, 19; 90+1 (pen.)

Quarter-final 4: England 0 Italy 0

Italy wins 4-2 on penalties

Quarter-finals

1. Czech Republic 0 Portugal 1 Thursday June 21 in Warsaw

2. Germany 4 Greece 2 Friday June 22 in Gdansk

3. Spain 2 France 0 Saturday June 23 in Donetsk

4. England 0 Italy 0 Italy wins 4-2 on penalties Sunday June 24 in Kyiv

The Group Phase

Group A (FIFA ranking pre-tournament) After 3 games

 

                                    W            D            L            GF            GA            P

Czech Republic (26)            2            0            1            4            5            6

Greece (14)                        1            1            1            3            3            4

Russia (11)                  1            1            1            5            3            4

Poland (65)                  0             2            1            2            3            2

 

Games

 

Russia 4             Czech Republic 1

Dzagoev (2)       Pilar

Shirokov

Pavlyuchenko

 

Poland 1              Greece 1

Lewandowski      Salpingidis

 

Czech Republic 2 Greece 1

Jiracek                  Gekas

Pilar

 

Poland 1                             Russia 1

Błaszczykowski                  Dzagoev

 

Czech Republic 1 Poland 0

Jiracek

 

Greece 1 Russia 0

Karagounis

 

Group B (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

                                    W            D            L            GF            GA            P

Germany (2)               3            0            0            5            2            9

Portugal (5)                2            0            1            5            4            6

Denmark (10)              1            0            2            4            5            3

Netherlands (3)            0            0            3            2            5            0

  

Games

  

Germany 1 Portugal 0

Gomez

Denmark 1            Netherlands 0

Krohn-Dehli

 

Denmark 2    Portugal 3

Bendtner (2)  Pepe, Postiga, Varela

 

Germany 2 Netherlands 1

Gomez (2)  Van Persie

 

Denmark 1    Germany 2

Krohn-Dehli  Podolski, Bender

 

Netherlands 1 Portugal 2

Van der Vaart Ronaldo (2)

 

Group C (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

 

                                    W            D            L            GF            GA            P

Spain (1)                     2            1            0            6            1            7

Italy (12)                    1            2            0            4            2            5

Croatia (8)                   1            1            1            4            3            4

Rep. Ireland (18)     0            0            3            1            9            0

 

Games

 

Italy 1               Spain 1

Di Natale     Fabregas

 

Croatia 3              Republic of Ireland 1

Mandzukic (2)       St. Ledger

Jelavic

 

Croatia 1      Italy 1

Mandzukic  Pirlo

 

Rep. Ireland 0 Spain 4

                        Torres (2); David Silva; Fabregas

 

Croatia 0 Spain 1

                Navas

 

Italy 2 Rep. Ireland 0

Cassano

Balotelli

 

 Group D (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

                                    W            D            L            GF            GA            P

England (7)                 2            1            0            5            3            7

France (16)                 1            1            1            3            3            4

Ukraine (50)                1            0            2            2            4            3

Sweden (17)                1            0            2            5                5            3

 

Games

 

Ukraine 2                    Sweden 1

Shevchenko (2)            Ibrahimovic

 

England 1        France 1

Lescott         Nasri

´

Ukraine 0   France 2

                   Ménez; Cabaye

  

England 3   Sweden 2

Carroll,       o.g. Johnson

Walcott      Melberg

Welbeck

 

 

England 1 Ukraine 0

Rooney

 

Sweden 2 France 0

Ibrahimovic

Larsson

 

 

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

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