Word: euros
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...worked according to plan for Spain in its 1-0 defeat of Germany to claim the title of Euro 2008 champions - that is, if you are on a 44-year plan. Europe's oldest bridesmaids finally found true football love in Euro2008. "This is going to be good," said Fernando Torres, whose 33rd minute strike put Spain in the driver's seat and left Germany grasping for the rest of the match. "I hope not just for Spain, but for football, because the team that played the best won. Not always is that...
...Euro 2008 was made unforgettable, though, by the fun bunch of the tournament - Turkey. Not much had been expected from this side, most of whose members play in Turkey's domestic league. But once turned loose on the pitch, the Turks' brand of firehouse football was enthralling. When the alarm bells rang, the Turks answered the way firemen do, with a well-thought plan executed urgently, midfielder Tuncay Sanli leading the charge and Nihat Kahveci providing the rescuing goals. Perhaps too urgent, as the Turks had four players suspended for their semi-final with Germany. But that is a lesson...
...that Spain and Germany made compelling cases for their appearances this Sunday in the Euro 2008 finals. You just have to give them credit for overcoming the obstacles that stood in their way. For Germany, a 3-2 winner over an undermanned, overachieving Turkish side, the road to the final has been studded with mediocrity. "There's no consistency in this tournament but we've reached the final," admitted German coach Joachim Löw. The Mannschaft starting brightly in beating Poland, looked dreadful in losing to Croatia, barely adequate in dismissing co-host Austria and strategically sound in mauling...
...Russia would stage a drag race up and down the pitch in Vienna. Russia had run roughshod over Holland - the odds-on favorite and tournament glamour boys - in the quarters, pouring into the Dutch end like the relentless rains that seemed to show up at every kickoff of Euro 2008. We learned to pronounce the names of strikers Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andre Arshavin (I'm still working on Diniyar Bilyaletdinov). The Russians had gotten progressively better, and their swarming attacks, their pure athleticism, were too much for Sweden and Greece. Plus, the Russians had two pure finishers who had their...
...into the hearts of most neutral observers: Good God, this match is not going to end. It didn't need a goal, it needed a mercy killing. But as Spain discovered in its difficult - and difficult to watch - 4-2 penalty kick shootout win in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008, trying to get past an Italian team committed to a defensive scheme is like playing in ski boots filled with linguini carbonara. The pace slows. Every passing lane seems clogged, and there are more defenders in the penalty area than pawns on a chess board...