Looked like an easy win for Portugal at half-time, but you can always count on the Portuguese to do something stupid.
I still think Portugal will win this relatively easy group. Either Iceland or Hungary will take second place (and most probably the N°3 of this group will qualify as well)
I’m out, the only way we can win this thing is if everyone else gets DQF because of violence from their supporters and even so.
My favorite team are the Searchoes: center-forward Corbucci (9); left-winger Sollima (11); playmaker Leone (10); midfielders Bergonzelli (7), Grieco (6) and Martino (8); left-back Pastore (3); right-back Merolle (2); center-backs Garrone (4) and Donati (5); goalkeeper D’Offizi (1); coach: Chris Frayling (pleno titulo Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, Kt., “the Man from Middlesex”).
Second-favorite: the team of the Knattspyrnusamband Íslands, better known as Íslenska karlalandsliðið í knattspyrnu, often unjustly accused of sesquipedalianism (having abnormally large feet).
Quite an interesting day on EURO 2016 yesterday (even if the Germany - Poland game was a deception) with wins for England and - of all countries - Northern Ireland.
Few people will have suspected a N. Irish win against Ukraïne - they were already called ‘the ugly duckling team of the tournament’ - but they showed some great heart, like the Albanians did one day earlier against France. But the Albanians weren’t rewarded, the N. irish were. Must have caused some damage in the pubs of Belfast …
England finally seems to do well on a great tournament. They already made a good impression against the Russians. They’re more or less in the same position as the Italians now: no high expectations beforehand, but there will be a lot of pression to confirm. At this point I don’t see either of the two as a serious candidate for the title. but you never know. The usual suspects haven’t been very impressive or consistent either.
And then the Germany - Poland game; I had some work to do that couldn’t wait, so I haven’t seen every minute of it, but unless I took the wrong minutes to watch the game, it was a non-event (the experts in the studio - who saw every minute, I guess, weren’t very enthusiastic either). No real test for Germany. They didn’t play well, but with three points already in the pocket, there seemed to be no reason to give the 110% you always expect from a German Mannschaft. They must have concluded that one point against the strongest opponent in the group wasn’t bad after all.
England were shambolic in the first half, and going into the second half I genuinely feared much of the same (loads of possession taking us absolutely nowhere, Gareth Bale frightening the sh*t out of us). Still, the substitutions Woy made showed the benefits of picking players who are in form. Jamie Vardy can’t seem to miss the goal; he appears to have struck some kind of Crossroads-style deal with the Devil. Sturridge delivered the win we probably deserved by then given Wales’ last 45 tactic appeared to be to cling on desperately to their single goal advantage - neither wise nor entertaining in tournament football - but boy, we left it late. Much like my beloved Frenchies against plucky Albania who deserved something from that game. Still, cometh the hour, cometh West Ham, who for my money are presently winning 2016 with Dimitri’s excellence on the pitch and Slaven Bilic’s superior punditry for ITV (UKs main commercial TV station) off it.
Apparently I was lucky … I came home at four o’clock (beginning of the second half), so I missed the first 45 minutes …
They were clearly the better team in the second half and the victory was well-deserved. The immense joy of the players and the coach tells me that they at least work as a team this time and are willing to work for each other.
Repubblica Italiana 1-0 Konungariket Sverige, and apparently that’s the 11th goal of the tournament scored in the 87th minute or later.
That’s Italy through to the last 16, too.
Slaven Bilic was just explaining on UK TV the problems with Croatia as titoli explained them to us the other day (with far less detail, it must be said) with regard to the disruption at the end of the Croatia match, although without the benefit of titoli’s background information it may have sounded as though he’d boiled it down to as little as beef between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split. He admitted he was simplifying hugely because of time restraints though in fairness; he said it had been going on for years now, he said Croatia had paid millions in fines because of demonstrating fans who have an “ongoing” problem with the Croatian FA, and that they must be UEFA’s biggest sponsors by now.
Spain going through the gears against Turkey. Ay caramba!
3-0, still under the one hour mark. If they go full speed ahead for 90 muntes like this, the Turks will be pulvarized. The poor guys have hardly touched the ball so far
Being a supporter of the Portuguese national teams must be one of the hardest things on the face of this planet …
Dear me, @El_Topo
Yeah, there’s nobody like us when it comes to misfire in front of the goal.
After that first game I’ve lost any expectation about this Euro. No ofense to the other teams but this group was by far the most accessible, not winning at least two games is already a defeat.
So Croatia beat Spain and now have a great chance of making the final. Their side of the draw so far has Switzerland, Poland and Wales. Belgium also have a great chance if they can seal second spot in their group to enter this side of the draw.
Hi hi yes, the usual favourites will all eliminate each other on their way to the final, while the outsiders are amongst themselves.
If Belgium is as good as prognosticated they can reach the final now comparatively easily. And their loss against Italy was the best what could happened to them.
And England will regret that they spoiled unnecessarily the first place in their group.
And of course it was stupid from Germany to make that goal yesterday. But so it is with Gomez, whatever he does, good or bad, it is always wrong … 
Switzerland - Poland
15.00 Saint-Etienne
Wales - Northern Ireland
18.00 Paris (Parc des Princes)
Croatia - Portugal
21.00 Lens
We’ve entered the knock-out stage, which often means that the games will become more suspenseful (who remains, who exits - to stay in the right mood) and less exciting, with more defensive, all but adventurous football.
I guess Wales will beat Northern Ireland, even if it’s a kind of derby, but it seems difficult to appoint a favorite in the other two games. I would’ve given Poland the edge because they have two men up-front who can score at any minute (Lewandowsli and Milik), but Lewandowski seems to lack any confidence at the moment.
Most people will say Croatia is favorite to beat Portugal. Croatia has been impressive so far while the Portuguese … well, they qualified in true Portuguese style, in the last minute (metaphorically speaking), scoring only three points out of nine while most people would’ve guessed they’d score at least seven. But that’s exactly what makes them dangerous: so far they were hot favorites in every game and didn’t look comfortable, but now they’re the outsider, or even more: a wounded animal, almost written off by many. They still have Ronaldo, the tournament’s best forward, but then again the Croats probably have the best midfield with Modric, Rakitic and Perisic (I know him from his Club Brugge days, a very underrated player).
EUREXIT:
Switzerland
N. Ireland
Croatia
EUREMAIN:
Poland
Wales
Portugal
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
GIPSY KING QUARESMA
SOU CIGANOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Djobi djoba
Cada día que te quiero mas
Djobi djobi djobi djoba
Cada día que te quiero mas
Djobi djobi djobi djoba
Cada día que te quiero mas
Djobi djoba
Cada día que te quiero mas
Djobi djoba
cada día que te quiero mas
Djobi djoba
cada día que te quiero mas
Here’s the English language version:
Pleased for you Topo.
Although I must admit I watched most of the game and it was something of a snorefest with very few real chances in the first 90 minutes. I couldn’t watch the extra time as I was on duty with youngest daughter’s 18th birthday party so missed the interesting bit it seems.
Well apart from the goal you didn’t much in the extra time Phill, but at this stage is going through is what matters, and both teams just cancel themselfs mutually.
Give mine and Sandra regards to the youngest one, here at that age you can take a drivers licence.
I gave up after hundred minutes and went to bed. Congratulations anyway, El_Topo!