Soccer News
Portugal in the final
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| Dutch defender Giovanni Van Bronckhorst fights for the ball with Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo (R) 30 June 2004 at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, during the Euro 2004 semi final match between Portugal and The Netherlands at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Franck FIFE |
Host nation Portugal beat Holland 2-1 in Lisbon book a place in the final, their first ever, at Euro 2004 on Wednesday.
An unmarked Cristiano Ronaldo headed home a corner for Portugal's first after 26 minutes while a stunning Maniche shot from the left after 58 made it 2-0 with Portugal well on top. Luis Figo and Pauleta both going close to adding to the scoreline.
A Jorge Andrade own goal after 63 minutes gave the Dutch hope and they bombarded the Portugal goal in the latter stages but to no avail.
Bitter oranges in Amsterdam
Bars emptied quickly in Amsterdam after Holland's 2-1 semi-final defeat to Portugal in Lisbon, most fans sloping off home after their second successive semi-final defeat at a European Championships.
"I took off my shirt because I am very disappointed, but we did fight," said a gloomy fan who watched the game in a bar in Amsterdam's trendy Westerpark neighbourhood.
"We lost, but we went down fighting. I could cry but what can you do?" his friend Greg said.
"I'm going to drown my sorrows tonight," he added.
Holland lost to Italy at the same stage four years ago.
Record scoring streak for Portugal
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| Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) heads the ball to score the opening goal, 30 June 2004 at the Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, during the Euro 2004 semi final football match between Portugal and The Netherlands at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Lluis GENE |
Euro 2004 hosts Portugal set a European Championship record on Wednesday when Cristiano Ronaldo headed them into the lead in their semi-final with the Netherlands at the Alvalade Stadium.
The goal means Portugal have now scored in ten straight matches - spread over two tournaments - in the competition, moving ahead of France, whose nine-match scoring streak came to an end in their quarter-final loss to Greece.
Cracks appear in Greek kingdom
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| Greek coach Otto Rehhagel celebrates after his team beat France 1-0, 25 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship quarter-final football match between France and Greece at the Estadio Jose de Alvalade in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO Lluis GENE |
Greece's serene if surprising march to the Euro 2004 semi-finals appeared to have hit a few bumps on the eve of the most important match in the country's history on Wednesday.
"I hope we will have enough strength to face the Czechs," said coach Otto Rehhagel.
"We always concentrate on our next goal, but we have lost a lot of energy both physically and psychologically."
"I'm not going to reveal how we intend to deal with them," he said.
"You will have to wait and see."
"We are extremely glad that we have been able to give so much joy and enthusiam to the people back in Greece,"
UEFA hail best 'Euro in history'
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| Portugese fans react as they watch TV in a street restaurant, 24 June 2004 during the Euro 2004 quarter-final match between Portugal and England in Lisbon. The Euro 2004 quarter-final between England and Portugal ended 2-2 after extra time and will be settled by a penalty shootout. |
UEFA have hailed Euro 2004 as their most successful championships in history after it recorded a 26 percent rise in the television audience compared with Euro 2000.
A total of 845 million TV viewers watched the group stages of the tournament in the major European TV markets of Germany, Italy, Spain, England and the Netherlands.
"I have been involved in championships of this nature since 1992. So I am entitled to say that this is the best championship ever, " beamed UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson.
Czech coach wary as trio walk tightrope
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| Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved listens to coach Karel Bruckner during a training session in Sintra 17 June 2004. The Czech Republic will play against The Netherlands 19 June in Aveiro. AFP PHOTO STR |
Czech coach Karel Bruckner expressed his dissatisfaction here Wednesday over the yellow cards hanging over a trio of his players going into Thursday's semi against Greece.
Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved, Tomas Ujfalusi and Marek Jankulovski are all in danger of missing Sunday's final if they are booked by referee Pierluigi Collina at the Dragao Stadium.
"I'm not very pleased we have those three bookings. I've spoken to the players about it and all three are fully aware of the possible dangers.
"I suppose they (the bookings) will form one part of our tactical preparations."
England coach ducks blame
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| Portugal's goalkeeper Ricardo (L) stops England Darius Vassell's penalty kick, 24 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship quarter-final football match between Portugal and England at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. AFP PHOTO Lluis GENE |
England assistant coach Tord Grip claims they did nothing wrong and could have gone on to win the title if Wayne Rooney had not broken a bone in his foot before losing on penalties to Portugal in the quarter-finals.
"The only thing we could have done differently would have been to score more penalties,".
"When it comes to penalties, it's all about luck."
"When Rooney was injured it spread uncertainty in the team. But I still don't see what we should have done different. We lost the match on penalties."
Larsson completes Barca move
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| Sweden's striker Henrik Larsson (R) scores a goal, 14 June 2004 during their opening match of the European Nations football championships at the Jose de Alvalade stadium in Lisbon. Sweden and Bulgaria are competing in Group C with Italy and Denmark. |
Former Celtic striker Henrik Larsson confirmed that he has completed his move to Spanish side Barcelona after passing a medical.
The 32-year-old Swede has agreed a one-year deal, with an option for a second year, and will be unveiled by the club on Wednesday.
"Barcelona has always been one of my favourite clubs. It's good to be here." he said.
Larsson spent seven years at Celtic but quit at the end of last season and has been available on a free transfer.
Barcelona have also bought Monaco captain Ludovic Guily and Villarreal's Brazilian defender Iuliano Belletti.
How to win on penalties
At least one of the semi-finals is likely to come down to a gut-wrenching penalty shootout.
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| Dutch goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar catches the penalty kicked by Swedish defender Olof Mellberg, 26 June 2004 at the Algarve stadium in Faro, during the Euro 2004 quarter final match between Sweden and The Netherlands at the European Nations championships in Portugal. The Netherlands won the match by 5 penalties to 4. AFP PHOTO Francois-Xavier MARIT |
A lottery is the term used by most footballers to describe the dreaded shootout, but scientists reckon they can help.
British sports scientists believe goalkeepers can be taught how to save penalties by watching the body language and nervous tics of the kicker.
Penalty takers often unwittingly give away clues to the direction of their kicks, according to research by the University of Greenwich.
Goalkeepers who learned to interpret the signs stood a nine percent improved chance of predicting which way to dive.
I chose Tigana on quality claims Platini
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| French captain and midfielder Michel Platini (R) tries to dribble by Portuguese Jaime Pacheco (C) as Joao Pinto looks on, during the European Nations soccer championship semi-final match between France and Portugal, 23 June 1984 at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille. France beat Portugal 3-2 in extra time on a last-minute goal by Platini. (BW ONLY) |
Michel Platini claims Jean Tigana could be a good France coach not because of their being great friends and former team-mates but because he was the best man for the job.
"The priority that everyone involved should have is to select the best man for the job. That is all!" he told L'Equipe.
"When I suggested Santini two years ago everyone said it was only because he was my friend.
"But all the candidates were my friends and Santini was not my best friend among them because there was also Jean Francois Domergue and Alain Giresse (two of the heroes of 1984)," added Platini