Russia

Written by Angela Asante

What a pity for Russia! Spain was just too good last night.

Despite the heavy rain, Luis Aragones’ side managed to display a mature and excellent performance. The first half was goalless, which left the Spanish coach anxious about what could happen. Torres struggled to find the net and really wasn’t as his best. As for Villa, he was hit by a foot injury and had to be substituted for Fabregas.

As things went right at the back for Spain with Sergio Ramos who defended outstandingly, they concentrated on breaking the dead lock.

At the 50th minute, Iniesta’s cross found Xavi who fired the ball through the Russian goal keeper’s legs to give his side a deserved lead.

With Silva being creative in midfield and playmaker Fabregas, it seemed like Spain had found the keys to open the doors of the Russian defence.

Substitute D. Guiza doubled the lead with less than 20 minutes to go when he looped the ball into the net after Fabregas had made a clever pass. The Russian keeper thought the goal was offside but he was wrong. Russian fans understood it was certainly all over for them but they kept praying for a miracle. But Spain’s game plan tired their opponents and even Arshavin could not make a revolution.

Russia’s hopes were completely destroyed when Silva, at last, got his first goal of the tournament.

3 – 0 to Spain and they will meet Germany in their first final of a major tournament since 1964.

Angela Asante
Euro2008TV Writer

By Tom Cremins

Inspiring Arshavin - Player of the match

After cruising to three straight wins in the group stages, the Netherlands were given a rude awakening in Basel on Saturday. They simply could not cope with the Russians, who refused to read from the same script as Italy, France and Romania before them. It was a disappointing end to a tournament that had promised so much for the Oranje. They were only a ghost of the team that scored 9 goals and conceded just 1 in the “Group of Death”.

The Russians denied the Dutch space in the middle of the park, and attacked them relentlessly from all angles. If it hadn’t been for some excellent goalkeeping from Edwin van der Saar, the Dutch would have been buried by half time. He saved brilliantly from Andrei Arshavin’s curling shot and Denis Kolodin’s 35 yard piledrivers. Those were clear signals of Russia’s intent. They were taking the game straight to the Dutch in a way no-one else had tried to.

Maybe if Ruud van Nistelrooy had connected with a free kick from Rafael van der Vaart when it seemed easier to score, things would have played out differently. Perhaps if Wesley Sneijder hadn’t tried to take on every shot himself and had passed to team mates more they could have unlocked the Russian back line to greater effect.

As it happened, they did get a late equaliser when van Nistlerooy characteristically got in front of his marker to head in a Sneijder free kick. But it was more than they deserved on the run of play. And maybe if referee Lubos Michel hadn’t rescinded Kolodin’s second yellow card for a foul on Sneijder after the referee’s assistant had advised him, perhaps incorrectly, that the ball had already gone out of play, the Dutch would have had an advantage in injury time.

The fact is the Netherlands were fortunate to bring the game to extra time. Physically, mentally and tactically Russia were by far the better team. The Dutch tactic of launching swift counter attacks worked wonderfully against older, slower teams such as France and Italy. But against a young Russian team whose midfielders move around the pitch dynamically and with great purpose, such a game plan had far less chance of success.

The game was decided just as much on the sidelines as on the field of play. The Dutch-born Russian coach Guus Hiddink anticipated Marco van Basten’s approach exactly and was able to plan the perfect response. He packed the midfield and suffocated the Dutch players. The Dutch were allowed possession in areas where they could do little damage. And the Russians made sure they controlled the flanks, with fullbacks Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov charging down the sides with great determination.

Van Basten’s time as national team manager is now over. He moves back to his old club Ajax Amsterdam to take over the top job there. The search for a new Dutch team manager is on. Based on current evidence, if they want to give the job to another Dutchman they should get Hiddink’s number and talk to him.

by Tom Cremins,
Euro 2008 TV.com writer

The Dutch once again confounded the pundits by convincingly winning a game many thought they might actually prefer to lose. The theory was that if the Dutch eased up in their third group match after already winning the group, then Romania could sneak through at the expense of either France or Italy. Even though neither of those superpowers were convincing in their group matches, they are massively experienced in tournaments. Few teams would relish meeting them again later in the semi-finals.

(read full article…)

(read full article…)

(read full article…)