Off the pitch
Odds shorten on England
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| Switzerland's goalkeeper and captain Jorg Stiel (L) misses the goal of England's midfielder Steven Gerrard (R), 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 |
England saw their odds for winning Euro 2004 shorten on Thursday after they beat Switzerland 3-0.
The English are second favourites according to leading bookmaker Ladbrokes at 11/2 with champions France the 2/1 favourites.
The Swiss - had just 2,000 pounds (3,000 dollars) bet on them worldwide for winning the match. England meanwhile are a long way from convincing bookmakers that they merit being made outright favourites.
England's two-goal hero Wayne Rooney is 7/1 to finish the top scorer at the championships, Sweden's Henrik Larsson is favourite at 7/2.
England fans dubious
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| England's forward Wayne Rooney jubilates after his goal, 17 June 2004 at Coimbra stadium, during their Euro 2004 group B football match against Switzerland at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
Relief was the dominant emotion among England supporters in one central London pub as they watched their side's 3-0 Euro 2004 victory against Switzerland on Thursday.
But afterwards concern gave way to satisfaction.
"It was a good result," said one fan.
"I was a bit dubious about Rooney but he played well. I'm not sure though if England can win." she added.
"I definitely think they'll go through to the next phase. I can't see Croatia scoring against them. But, as for winning it, I think there are teams with more quality than us," summed up one dubious supporter.
Two Britons in court for scalping
Two British men were to appear in court in Portugal on Thursday to face charges that they operated a business that illegally resold tickets for Euro 2004 matches, police said.
Police arrested the two men, aged 36 and 38, on Wednesday and seized 105 tournament tickets, several computers, five mobile telephones, 11,000 euros and 1,000 British pounds from the office which they rented in Lisbon.
Those convicted of reselling match tickets for profit face a jail sentence of up to three years under Portuguese law.
Journalist or hooligan?
A Russian journalist who invaded the pitch during Russia's defeat by Portugal is to appear in court Thursday on public order charges.
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| A Russian fan (C) is arrested after he tries to hit the 4th referee, 16 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship football match at the Da Luz stadium in Lisbon. Portugal and Russia are competing in Group A with Spain and Greece. |
The man raced across the pitch at Lisbon's Stadium of Light after Russian goalkeeper Sergei Ovchinnikov was controversially red carded for handling the ball outside his penalty, tv pictures later showing no contact however.
The Russian said it was common in his homeland to run onto the pitch at the end of matches, police spokeswoman Isabel Canelas said.
"He seems to have forgotten that he was not in his country and it was not the end of the game," she added.
Beer necessities
A Portuguese brewery is working overtime to keep up with thirsty fans at the Euro after a record 2.5 million litres of their beer were downed on Tuesday alone, the Central de cervejas company were delighted to announce this week.
One suspects some of the breweries in Britain, Denmark or Germany will be laughing into their beers at those figures.
Rehhagel net fury
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| Greece's goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis (R) dives to catch the opening goal's kick by Spain's striker Fernando Morientes (2nd L)16 June 2004 at Bessa stadium in Porto, for their Euro 2004 group A football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Javier SORIANO |
After Greece's 1-1 draw with Spain on Wednesday their German coach Otto Rehhagel expressed his anger at the colour of nets hung in goal at the Euro.
"You no doubt noticed that the nets were black rather than white. That's a great shame as you cannot tell if a ball has gone in or not because you don't see the net move. They should use white nets," insisted Rehhagel.
Prolific Pickpockets arrested
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| Two Italian supporters pose, 14 June 2004 at Henriques stadium in Guimaraes,as they are waiting for the beginning of the Euro 2004 group C football match between Denmark and Italy at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Sven NACKSTRAND |
A band of pickpockets disguised as football fans, wearing replica shirts and face paint, stole around 300 wallets during the Italy-Denmark clash on Monday.
Police arrested three of them, two men and a woman who were all Romanian nationals. The two men's papers were in order and have been invited to quit Portugal while the woman, who had no papers was deported.
Off-course plane alert
Portguese air force planes escorted a British commercial airliner to Porto airport on Wednesday after it had deviated, for unknown reasons, from its flight path.
Air force radars spotted that the plane was flying outside its flight plan, and Air force jets were immediately sent to escort the Britannia charter airline plane.
A military spokesman said the plane, apparently full of British football fans, landed without problems at Porto international airport at around 5:30 p.m Wednesday.
Portugal forgiven
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| Portuguese players celebrate after beating Russia 2-0, 16 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship football match at the Da Luz stadium in Lisbon. Portugal and Russia are competing in Group A with Spain and Greece. |
Fans and media shared a sense Portugal had turned the corner after beating Russia 2-0 Wednesday following their opening day defeat to Greece.
"New course: Scolari made repairs in time." said top-selling Correio da Manha.
"Reconciliation," daily newspaper Publico said above a photo of teen star Cristiano Ronaldo hugging Rui Costa.
"I never gave up on the team. They're back on track," said 26-year-old Andre Silva, one of about 8,000 fans who watched the game on two large-screen televisions in a riverside "Fan Park".Cars honked their horns in celebration throughout the night in Lisbon.
Hooligans led by fireman
A man described by Portuguese police as a ringleader of the English football hooligans who was jailed for two years Wednesday is a fireman from a quiet English southcoast town.
Garry Mann, 47, a tattooed Birmingham City fan, was facing deportation and a two-year jail sentence after a fast-track court hearing in Portugal on Wednesday.
He proclaimed his innocence before being handcuffed and led away by military police armed with pistols and truncheons in court in Portugal.
"I wasn't even there. It's a stitch-up," he yelled.