Wrap-up: Euro 2012 quarterfinals

Christoph Sutter

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This year, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and Italy are the top national teams in Europe.

NYALA, Sudan — The quarterfinals of the most competitive and spectacular soccer tournament in the world just finished in Ukraine and Poland, the two co-hosting nations of the 2012 European Soccer Championship organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

The UEFA Euro 2012 has gathered since June 8, with the 16 best European football nations competing for the European continental title, a tournament that has taken place every 4 years since 1960.

The top football teams of the world are present at Euro 2012, except the two South American giants Brazil and Argentina.

This year, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and Italy are the 4 best European football national teams — or so the game results say.

It is a logical conclusion.

The 4 teams have demonstrated the most potential since the beginning of Euro 2012. They have shown great control of the ball, ability to change strategy and team setup, and capacity to alternate the rythm during their game.

No other team has been able to show such flexibility and technique during the tournament like these 4 teams. 

Portugal

Portugal logically won against the Czech Republic who could never match the offensive potential of the powerful Portuguese.

Once Cristiano Ronaldo woke up (after the match had already started for 30 minutes) there was only one team on the pitch. Portugal dominated the game with numerous occasions and many saves by Petr Cech.

The inevitable came 11 minutes before the end of the second half with a brilliant run by Ronaldo putting out of position his Czech opponent and scoring with a dive header unreachable for the goalkeeper.

Cristiano Ronaldo is now in full gear and is confirming his superstar status, hoping to lift his country team. We will see if he can lead his country to the title the same way another superstar, Maradona, lifted Argentina to the World Cup title in Mexico in 1986.

Germany

Germany won its quarter final against Greece 4-2 in presence of Chancellor Angela Merkel who seemed to genuinely enjoy herself during the game, especially when her national team scored.

Except for the first 6 minutes of the second half of the game, there was never any doubt about Germany’s victory, even when Greece equalized to 1-1.

German supremacy was quickly re-established and they cruised to the semi-finals of Euro 2012. To show you how confident Germany was, their manager even replaced the entire offensive line with 3 new players, including Mario Gomez who was on the bench, replaced by the old fox Miroslav Klose who scored Germany’s third goal.

Germany will play Italy in its semi-final.

Spain

Spain had a quiet night, beating 2-0 a desolate France, incapable to bring danger into the Spanish half.

France, already rattled by its defeat against Sweden and torn again by internal dissent within the team, started with an overly defensive team, fearful of Spanish ball possession.

The French defensive tactic showed its limits after 19 minutes when Real Madrid’s player Xavi Alonso scored with a header concluding a move which had totally outplayed the French defense.

Except two timid French offensive moves, Spain controlled the match calmly, playing in first gear and giving the impression it was saving its energy for the semi-final against Portugal.

Spain concluded its victory with a penalty scored again by Xavi Alonso who had a wonderful evening for his 100th cap for Spain.

For France, images of their disastrous campaign in South Africa surfaced again with some of their players showing appalling behavior in public. The country is again in a crisis mode, disgusted by some of its players.

Italy

The fourth quarter final opposed Italy against England. Although scoreless until the end of extra-time, it was a fantastic game with an energetic Italy in control of the game and with numerous scoring opportunities under the guidance of their magnificent playmaker Andrea Pirlo.

No one else can pass the ball like the Italian genius.

England spent most of its time defending its goal under the strong command of its defense leader John Terry. The match was settled in the penalty shooting session where it is mainly an issue of character rather than technique: one man, usually exhausted by a 120 minutes game, has to beat another man defending a goal in front 60,000 shouting people and TV cameras.

England took the early lead but Italy came back thanks to two men. Pirlo concluded his match with an extraordinary penalty, just pinching lightly the ball which curved and dived above England’s goalkeeper Joe Hart who had already plunged to his right corner.

Pirlo’s brillance killed Hart’s confidence on that sublime shot and the look he gave him afterwards.

Then Italy’s goal keeper, Gianluigi Buffon, showed everyone why he is still among the top 5 goalkeepers in the world.

Buffon finished off England by stopping Ashley Cole’s penalty kick. – Rappler.com

Christoph Sutter is a big fan of sports and the Philippines, where he has lived and worked for several years. Posted now in another country, he has continued to keep regular ties with the Philippines and its people. His passion for football is one way to keep in touch and share moments of emotion with friends and Filipinos.

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