Semi Final Time In Euro 2012

Gregoire Michonze

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%A9goire_Michonze 

We watched the first semi-final of the Euro football tournament 2012; it was between Spain and Portugal.

Portugal was seen by many as having a good chance of winning against Spain.

This prediction looked like as if it would happen, Portugal took immediate control of the game, they were very dominant.

Spain looked as if they were being sidelined, Portugal would not let them have possession of the ball so this prevented them from controlling the game.

They always control the game by getting the ball and passing it from one to another.

Portugal prevented them from doing this by controlling the ball themselves they also made Spain play differently.

Neither side managed to get a goal in the first half, all of Renaldo’s attempts on goal failed, they went over the goal.

In the second half of the game the Spanish team were back in the game and getting more control of the ball.

Again all of Ronald many attempts to score a goal came to nothing, it was quite frustrating watching and knowing that if they didn't score it meant extra time.

Indeed at the end of the game neither side has managed to score a goal, and now extra time began.

The first 15 minutes started and ended without a result, the second 15 minutes began and it also ended with no goals.

Both teams now had to prepare to take penalties, all of the players were extremely tired and now they would have to focus on getting their shots into the goal.

Portugal took the first penalty and missed then Spain stepped forward to take their first penalty and they also missed.

Both Spain and Portugal got their second penalties, and then Portugal stepped forward to take their third which they missed.

Consternation among the Portuguese players, then Spain also came forward

to take their third penalty which they achieved.

Spain came for their fourth penalty which was taken by Ces Fabregas and he got that without a problem, this meant that Spain had beaten Portugal.

Ronaldo was devastated as he was going to take the fifth penalty for Portugal but never got the chance because his team had lost.

So now Spain will be in the final yet again, tomorrow Germany will play against Italy and the winner will play against Spain on Sunday.

What a shame for Portugal, Cristiana Ronaldo should have taken the first penalty and then they might have had a better chance of winning.

That's football always full of surprises.

Still Hoping For A Surprise

 
Conroy Maddox
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conroy_Maddox

Last night we were switching occasionally between two games, one channel was showing Italy versus Republic of Ireland.

While the other side had the game between Croatia versus Spain, I so wanted Croatia to beat Spain.

Croatia had many chances, as well as many shots on goal sadly they did not manage to get one.

Spain on the other hand got two goals; one was scored by Fernando Torres while the other one was scored by Ces Fabregas, both good goals.

It was very frustrating watching Croatia's wonderful Luka Moderic trying everything to get a goal, and then we took a brief look at the other game.

Italy had got one goal while Ireland had not managed one, then we went back to watch the Spain versus Croatia game.

It was in the second half that it was announced that Italy had got another goal; it was scored by Mario Ballotelli.

It was in the second half that Spain also got their second goal; Croatia had quite a few chances again and sadly missed them all.

Right at the end they had two good last chances that they should have nailed, both times the ball sailed past the goal.

Then they ran out of time and at the end of both games the scores were,

Italy 2-Republic of Ireland 0.     

In the other game it was Spain 2- Croatia 0, which meant that both Croatia as well as the Republic of Ireland were leaving the tournament and going home.

What a shame that teams like Poland and Croatia have left the competition, we are now left with all the usual suspects.

I'm still hoping for a surprise, it would be absolutely wonderful if Greece were to go all the way to the final and maybe even win again.

Well they have nothing to lose and everything to win, nobody thought that Chelsea would win the Champions League but they did.

Come on Greece surprise everybody and win the Euro Football Tournament 2012.

A Good Attitude

Bienvenido Bones  Banez Jr. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bienvenido_%E2%80%9CBones%E2%80%9D_Banez,_Jr.

Yet another exciting football battle between Italy and Croatia, in Poznan, Poland, both sides were not prepared to give an inch.

The Italian team had many more attempts on goal than the Croatian team; the Italians were doing everything to prevent the Croatians being able to play.

It seemed as if would go to half time without a goal being scored, but it was such a tussle for control of the ball between both sides.

Finally after 38 minutes of the game Italy scored a tremendous goal, then Croatia put on quite a fight but failed to get an equaliser before the whistle blew.

When they returned for the second half they resumed the play great vigour and determination.

Despite the Croatians best effort, they still had not managed to get a goal and it was 65 minutes into the game, in the 71^st minute that Croatia scored.

It was now 1-1 which well-deserved, they resumed their battle but neither side got another goal so it was a draw.

The next game was between Spain against the Republic of Ireland, it became obvious quickly that Spain were miles better than Ireland.

Spain had the most possession of the ball and they spent the majority of the first half passing the ball to each other much to the frustration of the Irish team.

Every time an Irish player managed to get the ball it was taken off him again sometimes within seconds.

Spain seemed to be in total control of the game sidelining the Ireland for a large part of the game.

Even Robbie Keane who has a great reputation as a footballer could not manage to play well because he was being marked so well by his Spanish counterpart.

Fernando Torres scored the first goal in the first half, then they went off at half-time and when they returned David Silva scored another goal.

The Irish team was still doing everything they could to get a goal but again every time they got the ball immediately lost it to Spanish player.

Suddenly 60 minutes into the game the Irish players were trying to build up momentum in order to achieve a goal.

For awhile it seemed that maybe they could possibly get a couple of goals, especially as suddenly they didn't seem to have a wall of red around them.

It didn't last for long as the Spanish players were soon all around them again and worse was to follow, Torres scored another goal his second.

Then he was replaced by Ces Fabregas, who used to play for Arsenal and has now moved to Barcelona, he came on and scored a goal.

There was now no way that the Irish team come back from that and score four goals in the short time left before the game ended.

The game ended with Spain 4- the Republic of Ireland 0; Spain will almost certainly be going through to the next round.

The Irish Republic on the other hand we have to win against Portugal when they play them in order that the chance of remaining in the competition.

Despite everything the Irish fans showed their support all the way through the game singing for their team, I'm sure they will enjoy themselves after the game, they will probably join in singing with the Spanish supporters. 

For the Irish supporters the glass is always half full, a good attitude.