france vs italy...
France vs Italy: 0-2
(Pirlo 25' pen., de Rossi 62')
France: Coupet - Clerc, Gallas,
Abidal,
Evra -
Govou (Anelka 66'), Toulalan, Makélélé, Ribéry (Nasri 10'/
Boumsong 26') - Benzema,
Henry
Italy: Buffon - Zambrotta, Panucci,
Chiellini, Grosso -
Pirlo (Ambrosini 55'), de Rossi,
Gattuso (Aquilani 81'), Perrotta (Camoranesi 64') - Cassano, Toni
I was incredibly excited about this game. Even before it started, I juggled numbers in my head to figure out the consequences of various results. And everything could have been so awesome. The joy I would have felt if both World Cup 2006 finalists had dropped out of the Euro before the quarterfinals! All it would have taken was one goal for Romania. Just one. (And none for the Netherlands.) In this case, Italy could have beaten France 100:0 or something and it wouldn't have mattered because Romania would have advanced instead. TEH IRONY!
Of course, it happened very differently, and Fate wasn't even inclined to accept my compromise (which was France advancing instead of Italy). *pouts*
Actually, the outcome was pretty clear after 10 minutes already, when Ribéry injured himself in a challenge against Zambrotta. I cringed every time they showed the scene, and horrible scenarios entered my head as I remembered what happened to Ismaël and Hargreaves a couple of years ago. Nobody could tell what exactly happened to Ribéry, suspicions varying from a twisted knee to a shin or calf bone fracture, and I was incredibly relieved when I read today that he just sprained his ankle. The Euro might be over for the French team, but Bayern need their little French genius when the season starts! Anyway, the moment Ribéry was out of the game, I knew Italy would win this. I just wouldn't have expected France to help them so eagerly. Abidal mowed down Toni within France's box, the referee sent him off, and Italy got a penalty which Pirlo coolly sent in the upper left corner of the goal, giving Coupet no chance to catch the ball. Now France were one player down, one goal down, and without their best player on top of it. Not even the best of luck would have helped them turn this match. Therefore, Italy's second goal wasn't even that big a blow anymore. Clerc fouled Cassano, de Rossi took the free kick, and whereas Henry seemed utterly incapable of scoring against Buffon, he was the last man to touch de Rossi's free kick and to deflect it in such a way that it had to hit the back of the net. Exasperating.
During the last 10 minutes of the game, all my hopes lay with Romania, but instead of turning the game after Huntelaar's 1-0, they allowed van Persie to score the 2-0 near the end of the game and thus destroyed my beautiful dream.
Netherlands vs Romania: 2-0
(Huntelaar 54', van Persie 87')
Netherlands: Stekelenburg - Boulahrouz (Melchiot 58'), Heitinga, Bouma, de Cler - de Zeeuw, Engelaar - Afellay, van Persie, Robben (Kuyt 62') - Huntelaar (Vennegoor of Hesselink 83')
Romania: Lobonţ - Contra, Tamaş, Ghionea, Raţ - Cociş,
Chivu, Codrea (Dică 70') - Nicoliţă (Petre 83'), M. Niculae (D. Niculae 60'), Mutu
Of course I'm happy the Dutch won this, even with a B-team, because that means they're dedicated and eager to win even when they don't have to anymore. Still, I'm sorry for the Romanians, especially Mutu, who must be utterly dejected because he didn't score with his penalty against Italy. *pets him*
And now Spain have to play against Italy in the quarterfinals. GAH. DO NOT WANT. :(
(Pirlo 25' pen., de Rossi 62')
France: Coupet - Clerc, Gallas,
Abidal,
Evra -
Govou (Anelka 66'), Toulalan, Makélélé, Ribéry (Nasri 10'/
Boumsong 26') - Benzema,
Henry
Italy: Buffon - Zambrotta, Panucci,
Chiellini, Grosso -
Pirlo (Ambrosini 55'), de Rossi,
Gattuso (Aquilani 81'), Perrotta (Camoranesi 64') - Cassano, Toni
I was incredibly excited about this game. Even before it started, I juggled numbers in my head to figure out the consequences of various results. And everything could have been so awesome. The joy I would have felt if both World Cup 2006 finalists had dropped out of the Euro before the quarterfinals! All it would have taken was one goal for Romania. Just one. (And none for the Netherlands.) In this case, Italy could have beaten France 100:0 or something and it wouldn't have mattered because Romania would have advanced instead. TEH IRONY!
Of course, it happened very differently, and Fate wasn't even inclined to accept my compromise (which was France advancing instead of Italy). *pouts*
Actually, the outcome was pretty clear after 10 minutes already, when Ribéry injured himself in a challenge against Zambrotta. I cringed every time they showed the scene, and horrible scenarios entered my head as I remembered what happened to Ismaël and Hargreaves a couple of years ago. Nobody could tell what exactly happened to Ribéry, suspicions varying from a twisted knee to a shin or calf bone fracture, and I was incredibly relieved when I read today that he just sprained his ankle. The Euro might be over for the French team, but Bayern need their little French genius when the season starts! Anyway, the moment Ribéry was out of the game, I knew Italy would win this. I just wouldn't have expected France to help them so eagerly. Abidal mowed down Toni within France's box, the referee sent him off, and Italy got a penalty which Pirlo coolly sent in the upper left corner of the goal, giving Coupet no chance to catch the ball. Now France were one player down, one goal down, and without their best player on top of it. Not even the best of luck would have helped them turn this match. Therefore, Italy's second goal wasn't even that big a blow anymore. Clerc fouled Cassano, de Rossi took the free kick, and whereas Henry seemed utterly incapable of scoring against Buffon, he was the last man to touch de Rossi's free kick and to deflect it in such a way that it had to hit the back of the net. Exasperating.
During the last 10 minutes of the game, all my hopes lay with Romania, but instead of turning the game after Huntelaar's 1-0, they allowed van Persie to score the 2-0 near the end of the game and thus destroyed my beautiful dream.
Netherlands vs Romania: 2-0
(Huntelaar 54', van Persie 87')
Netherlands: Stekelenburg - Boulahrouz (Melchiot 58'), Heitinga, Bouma, de Cler - de Zeeuw, Engelaar - Afellay, van Persie, Robben (Kuyt 62') - Huntelaar (Vennegoor of Hesselink 83')
Romania: Lobonţ - Contra, Tamaş, Ghionea, Raţ - Cociş,
Chivu, Codrea (Dică 70') - Nicoliţă (Petre 83'), M. Niculae (D. Niculae 60'), Mutu
Of course I'm happy the Dutch won this, even with a B-team, because that means they're dedicated and eager to win even when they don't have to anymore. Still, I'm sorry for the Romanians, especially Mutu, who must be utterly dejected because he didn't score with his penalty against Italy. *pets him*
And now Spain have to play against Italy in the quarterfinals. GAH. DO NOT WANT. :(