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...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...
...Expect Emotions" goes the slogan to Euro 2008. We've certainly experienced some. First there was the realization that having ourselves arrived in Europe on Friday, our tickets for a Sunday match would be delivered promptly the following Tuesday. A visceral, sinking feeling, that - something Sweden must have endured in the waning seconds of its last gasp loss to Spain. Then we nearly got trampled by Russian fans swarming on to a stadium shuttle bus-a frightening feeling. That could well describe Italy's experience when the Dutch ran riot over them in their opening match, 3-0. We also...
...Euro 2008 headed into the knockout phase, the biggest question is whether anyone, least of all Russia, could stop Holland? Marco van Basten's team has swept passed Italy, France and Romania without stopping, which is pretty much the way its midfield plays. Van Basten has a red-hot Wesley Sneijder leading the attack, and the prospect of Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie coming off the bench has to frighten any opposing defenders. And Ruud van Nistelrooy at his goal poaching best. That may be too much for its next foe, Russia. The Russians were another...