Soccer News
Croatia coach slams referee
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| French defender Mikael Silvestre (2nd L) jubilates with teammate Patrick Vieira after Croatian player Igor Tudor scored against his team, 17 June 2004 during their European Nations football championships match at the Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa stadium in Leiria. France and Croatia are competing in Group B with Switzerland and England. AFP PHOTO ADRIAN DENNIS |
Croatian coach Otto Baric praised his side's showing in holding France to a 2-2 draw and said his side would have won had it not been for two refereeing errors.
"I am very satisfied with how we played against one of the strongest teams in Europe," said Baric, who criticised Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen for an apparent handball by French striker David Trezeguet in scoring the final goal.
"It is hard to talk about the referee, especially as the coach of one of the 'outsider' teams," said Baric.
"I think the referees give a little something to the stronger teams. I think both (French) goals came from mistakes which went unpunished."
Croatia scare France in 2-2 draw
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| Croatia's forward Milan Rapaic (R) scores from the penalty spot past French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, 17 June 2004 during their match at the European Nations football championships at the DR. Magalhaes Pessoa Stadium in Leiria. France and Croatia are competing in Group B with England and Switzerland. |
Croatia pushed France to the limit on Thursday as the two sides finished level at 2-2 in an entertaining Group B tie in Leiria.
France took early control when a free-kick from Zinedine Zidane was inadvertantly deflected into his own goal by Croatia defender Igor Tudor.
However the Croatians refused to throw in the towell and struck twice in four minutes, Milan Rapaic firing home from the penalty spot and then Dado Prso hammering in a volley.
France bounced back to equalise but David Trezeguet's goal had more than a hint of handball as the Juve star charged down a clearance from the keeper and tucked the ball inside the far post.
Eriksson relieved after England win
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| England's forward Wayne Rooney (L) reacts after his goal in front of Switzerland's midfielder Christoph Spycher, 17 June 2004 at Coimbra's stadium, during their Euro 2004 group B football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Paul BARKER |
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was a relieved man after his side beat Switzerland 3-0 to give the team a realistic chance of reaching the last eight.
"With the way we lost the last game you never know what the reaction will be like mentally."
"We started slowly - the Swiss played better than us in the first half. We lost badly on Sunday and we weren't as relaxed as we should have been here. We weren't keeping hold of the ball well, the players weren't moving well.
"But in the second half we got better and better with every minute and the second goal of Wayne's (Rooney) killed the game off.
England stars hail Rooney
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| Switzerland's goalkeeper and captain Jorg Stiel misses the second goal of England's forward Wayne Rooney, 17 June 2004 at Coimbra stadium, during their Euro 2004 group B football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal.AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
Wayne Rooney's England team-mates lined up him after his brilliant two-goal display resurrected their dreams of glory at Euro 2004.
"He's unbelievable. He's not affected by anything," said Chelsea centre-back John Terry.
"He looks forward to coming into games and the bigger the game the better the player he can be. He rises to the occasion.
"It is unbelievable some of the things he does and he is a nightmare to mark."
Frank Lampard added: "Wayne was fantastic today. You can't say enough about him at the moment, the way he is playing. He was great against France, he showed that he can score goals today.
Sweden still wary of Italy
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| Italy's forward Francesco Totti leaves the field after a training session at the Restelo stadium in Lisbon 16 June 2004. Italian player Francesco Totti is facing a possible three-match ban from UEFA after being caught spitting at Danish defender Christian Poulsen in their Euro 2004 goalless draw 14 June. UEFA said in a statement they had opened disciplinary proceedings against the Roma striker for "unsporting conduct". AFP PHOTO/ Vincenzo PINTO |
Sweden's co-coach Lars Lagerback thinks Italy remain formidable opponents even after the three-match ban imposed on their star forward Francesco Totti for spitting.
"Of course losing Totti will have some effect on Italy. But Italy have a lot of good players and another good one will come in to the team.
"That's why we need to keep our concentration. We'll have a good look at the team that might be playing against us. To be honest we have no idea how Italy will play."
"Italy are very strong tactically and they always know what they need to do.
"We will just concentrate on our game and do our best.
Rooney leads England win
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| England's midfielder and captain David Beckham (R) congratulates his teammate forward Wayne Rooney after his goal, 17 June 2004 at Coimbra's stadium, during their Euro 2004 group B football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Paul BARKER |
England overcame some early nerves to beat Switzerland 3-0 in a game marked by Wayne Rooney becoming the competition's youngest ever scorer and the Coimbra heat, which visibly wilted players on both sides.
Rooney, at 18 years and 237 days, headed home a Micheal Owen cross after 23 minutes.
The Swiss had Bernt Hass sent off on the hour, their second red in two Group B games.
Rooney's second goal in the 76th minute was a fierce shot that came off the post only to rebound off Swiss 'keeper Jorg Stiel's head and into his goal before Steven Gerrard bagged a third in the 82nd minute.
Advocaat on the defensive
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| Dutch coach Dick Advocaat talks to defender Jaap Stam during a training session in Albufeira on the Algarve coast of Portugal 16 June 2004 during the European Nations championship. German and the Netherlands drew 1-1 in their opening Group D match at Euro 2004 15 June with Ruud van Nistelrooy's goal cancelling out Torsten Frings' free kick which had put Germany ahead. AFP PHOTO - SVEN NACKSTRAND |
Holland's performance in the 1-1 draw with Germany in their Euro opener did not deserve the criticism it received declared their coach Dick Advocaat.
"After our draw with Germany I do not understand why people think we were judged to have played badly," said Advocaat.
"It was the Germans best performance in two years. I think it was a good result," he added.
"It is normal to have to defend oneself. I hope that the nervousness will lessen as the tournament progresses,"
Holland now take on the Czech Republic who beat Latvia in their opener in what will be crucial to who reaches the knockout phase.
Kahn has Latvian roots
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| German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn stretches during a training session 10 June 2004 in Almancil near Faro during the European Nations Championships 2004. Germany will play its first match at the EURO 2004 against Netherlands 15 June 2004 in Porto. AFP PHOTO / DDP MARCUS BRANDT |
Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has insisted he will not have divided loyalties in the match against Latvia on Saturday despite having Latvian roots.
Kahn's grandfather Rolf, now 86, worked for the German navy in the Baltic coast town of Liepaja where he married a local girl, Erika Alksnis.
Their son, also called Rolf, was born there in 1943 before the family moved to the southern German city of Karlsruhe. Kahn has never been to Latvia, but said: "I do have a certain rapport with Latvia, but I feel German so I'm sorry, but there will be no gifts on Saturday."
Spanish worried about ref
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| Swidish referee Anders Frisk (R) make a sign next to Netherlands' midfielder and captain Phillip Cocu,15 June 2004 at Dragao stadium in Porto, during the Euro 2004 group D football match against Germany at the European Nations championship in Portugal. |
UEFA's decision to appoint Swedish referee Anders Frisk for the do-or-die Group A clash between hosts Portugal and Spain on Sunday will have raised a few eyebrows in the latter's camp.
Frisk was the subject of massive criticism from the Spanish after their 2002 World Cup second round clash with Ireland after he awarded the Irish two penalties in normal time - the second in the last minute after Fernando Hierro pulled Niall Quinn's shirt.
Ireland equalised at 1-1 from that spot kick but ended up losing ironically on penalties after the match ended at 1-1 after extra-time.
Three match spit ban for Totti
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| Denmark's midfielder Christian Poulsen (R) argue with Italy's forward Francesco Totti, 14 June 2004 at Henriques stadium in Guimaraes, for their Euro 2004 group C football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Aris MESSINIS |
Italy's star player Francesco Totti was banned for three games by UEFA on Thursday for repeatedly spitting at Denmark's Christain Poulsen during their opening match Monday.
The 27-year-old Roma striker will miss his side's next two Group C qualifiers against Sweden and Bulgaria as well as the quarter-finals should the Italians qualify.
"I ask the public to forgive me. I would like you to know this was not the true Francesco Totti, it was another," said Totti, who was sent off for diving in the 2002 World Cup when Italy were beaten by South Korea in the last 16.