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Tuesday June 18, 2008

'Group Of Death' Becomes 'Group Of The Dutch' As Netherlands Lights Up Euro 2008

Croatia 2 Germany 1

Croatia booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 after stunning pre-tournament favorites Germany with a 2-1 victory in Group B. Having already defeated Austria, goals from Darijo Srna and Ivica Olic handed Croatia another three points, while Germany could only pull back a late consolation through Lukas Podolski.

Austria 1 Poland 1

Poland and Austria drew 1-1 in Vienna. Man-of-the-match Celtic keeper Artur Boruc twice denied Martin Harnik and also Christoph Leitgeb to keep his side in the game. Roger Guerreiro then scored in the 30th minute against the run of play to give the Poles the lead. Poland dominated the second-half but conceded an injury-time penalty for shirt-pulling which Ivica Vastic converted to earn a point.

Italy 1 Romania 1

Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon's late penalty save from Adrian Mutu kept his side in Euro 2008 after a draw with Group C rivals Romania. Italy were denied the lead when Luca Toni was wrongly ruled offside before Mutu lifted in a shot after a poor backheader to put Romania ahead. The lead lasted barely a minute with Christian Panucci touching in Giorgio Chiellini's header across goal.

Wesley Sneijder and his Dutch teammates celebrate after he scored their second goal against Italy at Stade de Suisse Wankdorf in Berne last week (INPHO)

Netherlands 4 France 1

Holland reached the last eight of Euro 2008 and topped Group C with a superb win against France. Dirk Kuyt headed the Dutch in front after only 10 minutes. Substitute Robin van Persie turned in Arjen Robben's cross on the hour, before Thierry Henry pulled one back from close range with 19 minutes left. Robben's angled finish seconds later sunk France and Wesley Sneijder added a fourth from 20 yards in injury time.

Sweden 1 Spain 2

Spain booked a Euro 2008 quarter-final spot after David Villa's last-gasp goal sank Sweden. Spain took the lead on 15 minutes with Fernando Torres poking home David Silva's cross. But Sweden responded well and leveled when Zlatan Ibrahimovic met Fredrick Stoor's cross on 34 minutes. Spain were frustrated by Sweden keeper Andreas Isaksson before Villa's neat finish.

Greece 0 Russia 1

Russia beat Greece to send the holders crashing out of Euro 2008. Konstatin Zyryanov scored the winner from close range in the 34th minute after Sergei Semak cashed in on Greek keeper Antonis Nikopolidis's mistake.

Turkey 3 Czech Republic 2

Nihat Kahveci scored twice in a dramatic final four minutes to earn Turkey second spot in Group A and a quarter-final clash with Croatia after a Euro 2008 thriller in Geneva. The Czechs looked home and dry in the 61st minute when Jaroslav Plasil added to Jan Koller's first-half opener to put his team 2-0 ahead. But in an amazing end to the winner-takes-all match, Arda Turan halved the deficit in the 75th minute. Turkey captain Nihat Kahveci drew the sides level in the 86th minute when he took advantage of an error by Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech to poke home into an empty net. And the Villarreal striker sparked delirium among the Turkish fans when he curled home an unstoppable winner with two minutes remaining.

Switzerland 2 Portugal 0

Hakan Yakin's second-half brace gave Switzerland coach Kobi Kuhn a victorious send-off as the co-hosts bowed out of Euro 2008 with three points from their final match against a much-changed Portugal side. The Young Boys midfielder struck 19 minutes from time and then again from the penalty spot 11 minutes later to secure the triumph.

Poland 0 Croatia 1

Ivan Klasnic's second-half goal made it three wins out of three for Group B winners Croatia and in the process ensured an early tournament exit for Poland. Klasnic struck in the 52nd minute to earn a much-changed Croatia a deserved victory.

Austria 0 Germany 1

Michael Ballack booked Germany's place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 after his free-kick earned victory against co-hosts Austria. The Chelsea midfielder lashed the ball into the top corner just after the break. It sets up a last-eight clash against his new club boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, who will fulfil his Portugal duties before being unveiled at Stamford Bridge later this summer.