Quarters complete, on to the semis

Quarters complete, on to the semis

Guess what? England lost on penalties! Wow, what a surprise. However, a vastly improved England squad can only grow under new manager Roy Hodgson who has done far more for the national side than anyone else since 1966, except (yet) Sir Bobby Robson. Full marks to Italy for a solid attacking game of football, and once more a good-natured one.

England: Hart, Johnson, Cole, Terry, Lescott, Gerrard, Young, Parker, Rooney, Welbeck SUBS: Green, Butland, Kelly, Baines, Jones, Jagielka, Walcott, Henderson, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Carroll, Defoe.

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

England 0 Italy 0 (aet)

Penalties Italy win 4-2

The second half may well prove me totally wrong, but I am going to say it anyway. Roy Hodgson has done more for the England football team in a few weeks than anyone else since 1966, when Sir Alf Ramsey won the World Cup. The England team is passing the ball, the sectors are inter-acting...The only thing I am thinking is whether England will lose again on penalties.

 

The first half was entertaining, with both teams having great chances to score. Italy pressed more in the opening minutes and arrived in the England area twice between two minutes, After 3', Rossi sent the ball crashing against the post. However, England reacted and on 5', Buffon saved from Johnson, in front of goal. England pressed more until 20 minutes, after which Italy came back more into the game.

 

25' John Terry blocked Balotelli in front of goal; 31' Balotelli sent an acrobatic kick against Hart.

 

32' Rooney send a splendid back heel to Welbeck in front of goal...after which it was all Italy, Hart saving from Cassano on 37' and on 41', Lescott cleared the ball from Balotelli two metres out.

 

The second half did not prove me wrong, but Italy had far more of it. The first quarter of an hour belonged to Italy, England replied in the second quarter, Carroll and Rooney having chances, and the last quarter, Italy again although Rooney tried a spectacular overhead kick on 90+2'.

 

Extra time. Two moments for Italy, both for Diamanti, on 101 and 112.

Penalties. Guess what?

 

England lost on penalties! 

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

 

Semi-finals

 

Wednesday June 27 PORTUGAL v. SPAIN

Thursday June 28 GERMANY v. ITALY

 

Final

  

Sunday July 1

 

 

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

Pravda.Ru