Vikings QB Brett Favre leads teammates in rendition of ‘Pants on the Ground’ after beating Cowboys
January 18, 2010 at 2:07 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: Brett, Brett Favre, Cowboys, Favre, Pants on the Ground
Notching six sacks in a 34-3 blowout win Sunday, the Vikings defense had Dallas quarterback Tony Romo on the ground all day long.
And, if you believe Brett Favre, they had the Cowboys’ pants on the ground, too.
The 40-year-old quarterback was caught by Fox TV cameras leading his Minnesota teammates in a raucous rendition of “Pants on the Ground” – a song that became a viral hit after a memorable American Idol audition last week by General Larry Platt.
Favre and Co. sing part of the lyrics to the song, chanting “Pants on the ground! Pants on the ground!” as Favre turns his hat sideways in reference to one of the lyrics in the 62-year-old’s song, which mocks youngsters for “looking like fools” by wearing low-riding jeans and off-kilter baseball caps.
Favre’s song likely didn’t sit well with the Cowboys, who were already less than thrilled with the Vikings QB after he enthusiastically celebrated yet another touchdown late in the game.
“I thought it was totally classless and disrespectful,” said Cowboys linebacker Keith Brooking, who went looking for Vikings coach Brad Childress on the sidelines after the fourth-down score with 1:55 remaining. “This is the NFL. That’s not what this is about.”
via Vikings QB Brett Favre leads teammates in rendition of ‘Pants on the Ground’ after beating Cowboys.
U.S. beat Spain to win Games basketball gold
August 25, 2008 at 1:07 am | Posted in Sport News | 3 CommentsTags: America, basketball, bejing game, Born, boxing, Bryant, champions, Championship, Dwayne Wade, gold medal, Japan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, men's basketball, Mike Krzyzewski, NBA, NBA All-Star, News, Olympic, Olympic 2008, Olympic men's basketball, Olympics, rowdy, Rudy Fernandez, Spain, Spanish, Sport News, Sydney, U.S., United States, USA Basketball, winners, winners America, Zou Shiming
(CNN) — The United States struck gold in Olympic men’s basketball with a 118-107 victory over Spain in the championship game on Sunday.
Dwayne Wade top scored for gold medal winners America in the men’s basketball final against Spain.
Dwyane Wade scored 27 points and Kobe Bryant added 20 as the Americans grabbed their first gold medal in the event since the 2000 Olympics.
Afterward, the entire U.S. team appeared at the postgame news conference, many of the players draped in American flags.
“If it wasn’t for the determination and the willpower that we have in each other, we wouldn’t have pulled through and gotten this win,” said LeBron James, who emerged as the leader of the team. “Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again.”
They were made to fight all the way by the world champions who had been humiliated by 37 points by the U.S. in pool play.
“It is more important and more special than any championship that any of us will ever win,” Bryant said.
In a game so void of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch.
Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket.
Wade added another 3-pointer that made it 111-104 with just over two minutes left, and American could finally relax after some technical fouls on Spain with 26 seconds left.
They celebrated at midcourt when it was over with “Born in the USA” blaring over the arena’s speakers.
“I’m proud of our guys. We played with great character in one of the great games in international basketball history, I think,” U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
The American team’s last gold came in Sydney eight years ago.
Since then, they lost at the world championships at home in Indianapolis in 2002; only managed bronze and had two losses at the Athens Olympics in 2004, and lost in the semifinals at the 2006 world championships in Japan.
Rudy Fernandez scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 21 for the Spanish who were hoping to win their first Olympic gold.
“It wasn’t so much individual stuff and individual talent,” said Gasol, who is Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers teammate. “It was more teamwork, probably well-directed by their coaching staff.
“I’ve seen the guys hungry and want to get back to the top. That’s what they’ve done. They were able to get to the top again and show that they should be in first place, but they had to work for it.”
The Americans had to pull together as the resilient Spaniards whittled a 14-point deficit to four with 2:22 to play.
“I think this is a testament to the system that (USA Basketball managing director) Mr. (Jerry) Colangelo put in place,” Bryant said.
“What you saw today was a team. Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish, being arrogant, being individuals. Well, what you saw today was a team bonding together, facing adversity and coming out of here with a big win.”
Argentina won the bronze with an 87-75 victory against Lithuania.
Zou Shiming won China’s first gold medal in boxing after Mongolian light flyweight Serdamba Purevdorj retired early in the second round of their title bout with an apparent shoulder injury.
It was also China’s leading 50th gold medal of the games.
Badar-Ugan Enkhbat of Mongolia won the bantamweight gold medal, beating Yankiel Leon of Cuba 16-5, while Alexey Tishchenko of Russia secured his second Olympic gold, surviving a tight bout against Daouda Sow of France for an 11-9 victory.
Bakhyt Sarsekbayev of Kazakhstan won the welterweight title, upsetting Cuban favorite Carlos Banteaux 18-9. Light heavyweight Zhang Xiaoping added China’s second gold, beating Kenny Egan of Ireland 11-7.
Roberto Cammarelle of Italy won the super heavyweight gold, stopping Zhang Zhilei of China in the final round for his second Olympic medal. Cammarelle is the defending world champion and a bronze winner in Athens.
Peter Biros scored three goals to lead Hungary to a 14-10 win over the United States and a third consecutive gold medal in Olympic men’s water polo.
Hungary became the first country to win three straight gold medals in the sport since Britain in 1920.
The Hungarians stretched their Olympic unbeaten streak to 17 games, with the latest victim being an American team that surprised just about everyone by getting to the final.
The Americans kept it close early and had it tied at 9 in the third quarter. But the Hungarians pulled away down the stretch, scoring five unanswered goals and turning a close match into a blowout.
U.S. goalkeeper Merrill Moses even got benched during the spurt. But it wasn’t all his fault. Hungary scored on three counter attacks, essentially beating the Americans across the pool and getting one-one-one shots against Moses.
“They are well-coached, they’ve got good athletes and they beat us,” U.S. coach Terry Schroeder said. “They beat us good.”
The Americans (5-2) were content with returning to the medal stand for the first time since 1988.
Russia won their third straight Olympic gold in rhythmic gymnastics all-around group competition.
France defeated Iceland 28-23 to win the men’s handball gold — the last medal of the Beijing Olympics.
Nikola Karabatic scored eight goals Sunday for the French, who led 15-10 after the first half and never let Iceland come close in the second. Goalie Thierry Omeyer made nine saves in the first half to help France build their lead.
Iceland settled for the silver medal, still the nation’s best showing in any event since 1956. Iceland have won four medals at Olympics over the years, two silver and two bronze.
Spain beat Croatia 35-29 to take the bronze.
Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/08/24/olympics.basketball/index.html
Spain hails Nadal as sporting ‘giant’
July 8, 2008 at 1:57 am | Posted in Sport News | 3 CommentsTags: Augusta, Champion, CNN, EURO 2008, Federer, Georgia, Madrid, Nadal, News, News Update, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Spain, Sport News, tennis, Wimbledon, Wimbledon tennis
MADRID, Spain (CNN) — Spaniards are celebrating their country’s second sporting triumph in a week after Rafael Nadal won his first Wimbledon tennis men’s singles title.
Nadal gives his customary “bite” of the trophy after being crowned men’s singles champion.
Spanish newspapers said Monday the “epic” match had turned Nadal “into a giant” as he became the first Spanish man to win Wimbledon since 1966.
Spain’s largest-circulation newspaper, El Pais, said in an editorial that the first decade of the new century was shaping up to be another stellar period for Spanish sports. As well as victories for Nadal and the Spanish football team, Spaniards have also won the Tour de France in the past two years (after other cyclists were disqualified or sent home) and have a good start in this year’s Tour.
El Pais compared this to another golden era, the 1990s, when Spaniard Miguel Indurain was a five-time Tour de France winner, Spaniards won 22 medals at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and there was winning play at the Roland Garros tennis tournament in France and the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
Various newspapers predicted this would be only the first of many Wimbledon victories for Nadal, who has become a dominant force on clay at Roland Garros but until Sunday could not beat Federer on the grass at Wimbledon.
“The hero of Wimbledon,” headlined El Mundo, noting that he’s the Spanish tennis player with the most Grand Slam victories. “King of the Grass,” wrote newspaper ABC.
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The newspaper Publico wrote, in an allusion to an advertising campaign featuring Nadal, that “being Spanish is no longer an excuse, but a responsibility.”
The marathon finals match at Wimbledon had an 18.4 percent TV audience share in Spain, with more than 2 million viewers.
Very healthy, but not nearly the 80 percent share, and 14.5 million viewers, that the Spanish football team had a week earlier when winning the European Championship.
Nadal triumphed 6-4 6-4 6-7 6-7 9-7 in fading light in the longest men’s final in Wimbledon history, as the French Open champion prevented top seed Federer from becoming the first man in history to win six successive titles.
The second seed’s four hour, 48 minute triumph means he becomes only the third man in the Open era — after Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg — to win at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year.
Spain goes wild after Euro title victory
June 30, 2008 at 8:42 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: 2006 World Cup, AP, Austria, Champion, Championship, CNN, david Villa, Ernst Happel Stadium, Euro, EURO 2008, Europe, European, European Championship, Fernando Torres, football, Football fans, Germany, Jens Lehmann, Luis Aragones, Madrid, major, major football, Michael Ballack, News, News Update, Pedro Pinto, Russia, scored, soccer, Spain, Spanish, Sport News, Switzerland, Torres, tournament, victory, Vienna
VIENNA, Austria (CNN) — Joyous Spanish fans partied hard into the early hours Monday morning after their side defeated Germany 1-0 to claim their first major football title in 44 years.
Fernando Torres celebrates after giving Spain the lead on 33 minutes.
Germany started the second half strongly as they went in search of an equalizer with German captain Michael Ballack firing a shot narrowly wide on 58 minutes, but they could not break Spain’s defense.
Spanish fans in Austria and back home went wild on the final whistle, with fireworks being left off and the sound of car horns filling the air in Madrid. Read the full match report
Firefighters had to douse the celebrating crowds with water as the temperature neared 30 degrees Celsius in Madrid after the final whistle, The Associated Press reported.
Similar jubilant scenes played out across Spain, with King Juan Carlos summing up all Spanish football fans’ patient wait for a major tournament win, AP reported. 
Watch Spain erupt into a huge fiesta »
“We suffered, but in the end, it was worth the pain,” he said.
News agency Efe reported that 25 people were hospitalized in the Spanish capital, with one person in critical condition with head injuries. In all, emergency services treated 120 people.
Striker David Villa, the tournament’s leading scorer with four goals, told the watching crowds to prepare for Monday, when the team will arrive in Madrid to show off the trophy. The team is expected to arrive at Madrid Barajas airport at 7pm local time (1700 GMT), AP reported.
Football fans had been gathering all day in Vienna with around 70,000 watching the eagerly anticipated match on giant screens in the Fanzone area in the center of the city in addition to a 50,000 capacity crowd at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
“The Spanish section of the crowd erupted with joy at the final whistle,” CNN’s Pedro Pinto said. Watch why this win by Spain is significant »
Pinto said Spain had deserved their victory: “Spain are worthy champions — they played better and scored more goals throughout the tournament.”
Large crowds had also gathered in public squares in Berlin, Madrid and other German and Spanish cities to watch the match. CNN’s Al Goodman said scenes of pandemonium had erupted in the Spanish capital at the end of the game.
The three-week Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland had already delivered plenty of drama, excitement and hugely entertaining football, raising expectations that the title showdown would serve up a suitably thrilling finale. Watch CNN’s Pedro Pinto sum up the tournament’s highlights »
The match also offered an intriguing contest between two football-obsessed nations with contrasting records of success.
Germany were chasing a record fourth European Championship title to go with those they won in 1996, 1980 and 1972. With three World Cups to their name as well, the German national side have a reputation as pragmatic and perennial challengers for major honors, most recently reaching the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
The Spanish, by contrast, had long been considered the sport’s biggest underachievers. Home to two of the world’s greatest clubs in Real Madrid and Barcelona and one of Europe’s strongest leagues, it had been 24 years since Spain last reached a major final, losing to France in the 1984 European Championships.
The country’s sole previous international success came in the same competition as hosts in 1964 and the current squad’s run to the final had captured the nation’s imagination, Goodman said.
After winning all three matches impressively in the group stages, Luis Aragones’ side beat world champions Italy on penalties in the quarterfinals and produced a performance of stylish swagger to overcome Russia 3-0 in the semis.
Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/06/30/euro2008.result/index.html
Captain Ballack injury doubt for Germany
June 29, 2008 at 2:26 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: 2002 World Cup, 2006 World Cup, Arsenal, Ballack, Basel, Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea, Chelsea's, CNN, Ernst Happel Stadium, EURO 2008, European Championship, football, football news, Frings, German football federation, Germany, Joachim Loew, Live News Update, Luis Aragones, Michael Ballack, News, News Update, Portugal, Russia, soccer, Spain, Sport News, Switzerland, TURKEY, Vienna, World Cup, www.uefa.com
(CNN) — Germany captain Michael Ballack is a doubt for Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Spain because of a calf injury.
Ballack holds his right calf during the semifinal win over Turkey.
“We have to see how it develops overnight,” Germany coach Joachim Loew told the Associated Press.
“They are working around the clock on him.”
The German football federation said that Ballack also missed the session on Friday, held at their training camp in southern Switzerland.
That session had not been open to the media.
“It was unthinkable that he would have been able to train today,” Loew added.
Ballack, 31, has been a key figure in Germany’s march to the final but has been troubled in the past by calf injury, missing the opening game of the 2006 World Cup with a similar problem.
He also had to sit out the 2002 World Cup final against Brazil because of suspension.
Chelsea’s Ballack has scored two goals in Euro 2008, the highlight a blistering free kick against Austria in a group mach and the third goal in the 3-2 quarterfinal win over Portugal.
Germany had earlier received good news about Ballack’s fellow midfielder Torsten Frings, who said he was fit for the final after a rib injury.
Frings featured in Germany’s opening three matches but he was forced to sit out his side’s quarterfinal victory over Portugal after suffering a broken rib in the last group game against Austria.
The vastly experienced Werder Bremen player returned to action during Wednesday’s semifinal against Turkey, after being sent on at half-time by coach Joachim Loew to counteract the early dominance of their opponents.
The move helped, with Germany much more effective after the break before going on to win the clash in Basel 3-2, although it remains to be seen which team Loew starts with against Spain.
Frings’ battling qualities in the heart of midfield could prove invaluable to the Germans, particularly if Ballack is sidelined, as they look to combat a Spanish side whose confidence is sky high heading into the clash at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
Luis Aragones’ side have been victorious in their last 11 matches and are unbeaten in 21, with their latest triumph being Thursday’s 3-0 defeat of Russia in their semifinal encounter.
Don’t Miss
The absence of tournament leading scorer David Villa through injury is a blow for the Spanish, but his loss could see Aragones further bolster an impressive-looking midfield with the selection of Cesc Fabregas.
With or without the Arsenal midfielder, Frings believes Spain’s midfield is a class apart from most other teams. “They have a strong, technically-gifted team capable of cutting through the midfield like no other side,” said Frings.
“We will have to put them under pressure and prevent them from getting into the game, otherwise it could prove very difficult.”
Spain’s current form, combined with some inconsistent German displays over the last few weeks, means that for many people the Iberian nation are favorites to win their first major title since their European Championship success in 1964 this weekend.
Frings admits his side have not been at their best throughout the tournament, but he was warned his side’s critics to write them off at their peril.
“You can accuse us of a lot of things but this much is clear: we have had an answer to everything that’s been thrown at us so far and that’s why we are in the final,” he said on www.uefa.com.
“During the group phase certain things were not working and, because of that, the coached changed the system, which worked very well against Portugal. It’s important now that we learn from what went on during the Turkey game.
Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/06/28/euro.ballack/index.html
Fabregas steels himself for history
June 27, 2008 at 11:41 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: Cesc Fabregas, david Villa, EURO 2008, Fabregas, football, Germany, Live News Update, News, News Update, Russia, soccer, Spain's, Sport News
Spain’s Cesc Fabregas says that he has no intention of letting Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Germany slip through his hands.
“Listen I know what it’s like to lose a major final, I don’t want to lose another one,” said the Arsenal man who set up Spain’s last two goals in Thursday’s 3-0 semi-final win over Russia after coming on as a sub.
Fabregas also scored the winning penalty in the 4-2 shoot out over Italy in the quarters and with the injury to david Villa the 21-year-old may get to start the final.
Ref :: http://www.bangkokpost.com/euro2008/news.php?p=headlines&f=euro2008-direct-actu-391-en.xml
Classy Spain too good for a faltering Russia
June 27, 2008 at 11:36 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: 2008, AFP, Arsenal, Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Daniel Guiza, David Silva, EURO 2008, Euro 2008 semi-final, European, Fernando Torres, football, Guus Hiddink, Holland, Live News Update, Luis Aragones, News, News Update, Russia, soccer, Spain, Spain's, Sport News, Vienna, World Cup, Xavi
Vienna, June 26, 2008 (AFP) – Spain, one of the pre-tournament title favourites, ensured they made their first final for 24 years when they demolished Russia 3-0 here on Friday (Thailand time) in their Euro 2008 semi-final. (More reports and analysis from Euro 2008 – Click here)
Xavi, Daniel Guiza and David Silva scored the goals as Spain brought Russia quickly back down to earth following their surprise win over Holland in the quarter-finals to give them a chance of a second European crown after the one they won in 1964 – they also made the 1984 final where they lost to hosts France.
Spain’s Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas was a standout player creating two of the goals after coming on for leading scorer David Villa in the first-half, and said that the task was not over.
“We came here to win the title, and the most difficult match is to come,” said the 21-year-old.
“It was kind of strange coming on that early and also as I am not a natural striker a strange position for me to take up.
“Will I play in the final? Well he (Luis Aragones) is the boss and I will be there if he needs me.”
Russia’s wizard like coach Guus Hiddink said that there could have only been one winner.
“We lost to a really good team from Spain,” said the 61-year-old Dutchman, who has now met defeat in three major semi-finals with Holland and South Korea in the 1998 and 2002 World Cup and now with Russia in the European showpiece.
“The Spanish were excellent and deserved their victory. I am obviously disappointed by the result, but despite that I am proud of my team.”
Hiddink’s team failed to spark here with the much-hyped Andrei Arshavin a huge let-down.
Spain were always the more controlled and measured and when they let their passing game flow in the second half they proved too irresistible for their inexperienced opponents.
The result matched the 4-1 Group D drubbing the Spaniards had dealt Russia in their opening game of the competition and they will now meet Germany – who beat Turkey 3-2 in Wednesday’s other semi-final – in the trophy match at 1:45am on Monday (Thailand time).
Russia began with a lot of energy, although their final ball more often than not was poor.
Spain had the first chance as David Villa cleverly played in Fernando Torres in the sixth minute but goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev kicked away his snap-shot.
Villa then tried his luck from distance with a vicious shot that Akinfeev palmed to safety.
Arshavin was largely anonymous throughout although his strike partner Roman Pavlyuchenko proved an occasional menace and lashed a free-kick over the bar on 16min.
Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta was holding his head in shame just before the half hour mark as he swiped at thin air after latching onto a ball over the top and on 31min Pavluychenko forced Iker Casillas to tip a curling shot around the post.
The Iberians suffered a blow on 34 minutes as striker Villa limped out with a leg injury but coach Luis Aragones curiously chose to replace him with midfielder Cesc Fabregas rather than striker Guiza.
Almost immediately Pavlyuchenko should have scored as he took down the ball on his chest only to have his heel clipped as he went to shoot, failing to make good contact and flicking the ball wide.
Spain had the last chance of the half with a piece of great skill from Torres who took down Fabregas’s pass and turned onto his left foot only to scuff his shot straight at Akinfeev.
And they had the first chance after the break, taking the lead on 50 minutes as Xavi, who up until then had had a quiet game, arrived late in the box to convert Iniesta’s driven cross, poking out a foot to prod the ball between Akinfeev’s legs.
The game had needed a goal and that opened it up with Torres curling a shot over the bar moments later.
Hiddink made a double change soon afterwards and his team started to play with more urgency, although at the expense of their accuracy.
With Russia pushing forward Spain started to hit them on the counter-attack with Torres enjoying much more space until he found himself surprisingly replaced by Aragones in favour of Guiza.
However the move bore fruit on 73min as Fabregas flicked the ball over the top and Guiza beat the offside trap of a stretched Russian defence to chip delicately over the onrushing Akinfeev and give Spain a comfortable cushion.
They were flowing and Silva completed the rout on 82min, converting another measured ball from Fabregas on the counter.
Russia almost got a late consolation but Casillas saved Dmitri Sychev’s point blank header.
4:08 AM Friday, 27 June 2008
Ref :: http://www.bangkokpost.com/euro2008/news_highlighted.php?id=128559
German coach Loew warns of Turkish threat
June 25, 2008 at 1:15 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: Ballack, Basle, CROATIA, Euro, EURO 2008, football, German, German coach Loew warns of Turkish threat, Joachim Loew, Live News Update, Loew, Michael Ballack, News, News Update, penalty shootout, Portugal, Russia, soccer, Spain, Sport News, TURKEY, Turkish, Vienna
(CNN) — A full strength Germany will take on a markedly under strength Turkey in the first semifinal of Euro 2008 in Basle on Wednesday but after the upsets of the quarterfinals coach Joachim Loew is urging his men not to take victory for granted.
Loew has been at pains to stress that victory is not guaranteed for his German favorites.
“All teams in the semifinals have a certain class. I know Turkish players and the conditions there from my own experience,” Loew told the Associated Press.
“They become euphoric, especially if things are going their way. They have national pride, very high morale and they play until the end, the very last minute. It will be very hard.
“I’ll warn my players that Turks believe until the end that they can win the game.”
German captain Michael Ballack also warned on Tuesday not to take Turkey lightly, say the would be a “very strong” rival.
“They know how to adjust to opponents and that shows they are very strong mentally,” Ballack said at Germany’s training base before the team’s departure for Basel.
“Their coach knows how to motivate them and they will be a very uncomfortable opponent. Hats off to them for reaching the semifinal, but we shouldn’t overestimate them either.”
Loew, whose team beat Portugal 3-2 in a five-goal thriller to reach the last four, has the luxury of a fully-fit squad with midfielder Torsten Frings recovered from a broken rib.
His Turkish counterpart Fath Terim has selection posers of an unwelcome type with up to nine first team regulars out through injury or suspension, an appeal against the suspension of first choice goalkeeper Volkan Demirel failing on Monday.
Recber Rustu, the hero of the penalty shootout win over Croatia to reach the last four, will deputize again.
At the other end, his fellow veteran keeper Jens Lehmann is promising he will “give his life” to make sure his possible international farewell does not end at the semifinal stage.
“For me this is the most important game. I don’t want to go out again in the semifinals,” the 38-year-old former Arsenal star told the Bild newspaper.
“As a player I can not promise a victory, only that I will push myself and give my life.”
He added: “You know what I mean – my sporting life. My private life belongs to my family.”
Underdogs Turkey have conjured up a series of last-gasp escapes with Semih Senturk scoring the equalizer against Croatia with the final kick of extra time before helping them to victory on penalties.
“Albert Einstein said there were two ways to live. One is to believe in miracles and live that way. The second is to know that nothing is a miracle,” Terim said. “If a team doesn’t give up and pushes to the end, that team will eventually win.”
Senturk, who came on as a substitute against Croatia, is likely to start against the Germans with star striker Nihat Kahveci ruled out through a thigh injury.
“That goal gave the whole team a lot of confidence,” Senturk told the Associated Press.
“But in the end, it’s not important who scores the goals. It only matters that you win matches. We are determined to do that against Germany as well. I think they will be very cautious on Wednesday.
“We are proud of our success so far, but we definitely want to go one step further now.”
Despite Turkish defiance, four-tme champions Germany will start as clear favorites to reach the final where the winners of the Spain — Russia semifinal await in Vienna on Sunday.
Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/06/24/turkey.germany/index.html
Spain beat Italy in Euro penalty shoot out
June 23, 2008 at 1:20 am | Posted in Sport News | 2 CommentsTags: Austria, CNN, Euro, EURO 2008, Euro 2008 photos, football, Italy, Live News Update, mobile, News, News Update, penalty shoot, semifinals of Euro 2008, soccer, Spain, Spain beat Italy, Spain beat Italy in Euro penalty shoot out, sport, Sport News, videos, Vienna, world champions
VIENNA, Austria (CNN) — Spain beat world champions Italy 4-2 on penalties to reach the semifinals of Euro 2008 after Sunday’s match in Vienna had ended scoreless.
Cesc Fabregas raises his arms in triumph after converting the winning penalty in Vienna.
Spanish captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas saved penalties by Daniele de Rossi and Antonio Di Natale to leave Cesc Fabregas to beat Gianluigi Buffon with the deciding kick.
David Villa, Santi Cazorla, Marcos Senna also scored for Spain, but Dani Guiza had his effort saved by Buffon.
Fabio Grosso and Mauro Camoranesi scored their penalties for Italy who won a shoot out to beat France in the final of the 2006 World Cup.
“Clearly losing on penalties after working so hard doesn’t leave us happy,” Italy coach Roberto Donadoni told the Associated Press.
“We all spent a lot of energy. You’ve got to recall those who didn’t play tonight. They’ve got to be the most disappointed, and I’m sorry for them.”
Spain will return to the Ernst Happel stadium on Thursday to play Russia for a place in the final of the tournament. Germany play Turkey in the first semifinal in Basle the previous night.
“I would like to congratulate first of all my players for their remarkable behavior and maintaining their morale during the match,” said 69-year-old Spanish coach Luis Aragones after the penalty drama.
“It was very difficult because the Italians closed down all the spaces, which made it difficult to play our natural game.”
Aragones’ side were bidding to become the first group winners to progress to the semifinals after the upsets of the previous quarterfinals, but were unable to create much momentum in a first half stalemate.
It took over half an hour for David Silva to test Buffon in the Italy goal and after Luca Toni had a dangerous header blocked at the other, Silva shot just wide with a second attempt.
The teams went off the whistles at half-time and the second half was barely a more open spectacle with Italy sitting deep to frustrate the Spaniards,
Just after the hour mark saw the best chance to date with Toni making a nuisance of himself in the Spanish penalty area, the ball falling free to substitute Mauro Camoranesi whose shot was blocked by the legs of Casillas.
Don’t Miss
Spanish substitute Fabregas had an immediate influence on the game and his midfield colleague Marcos Senna twice tested Buffon with long range efforts.
Buffon punched the first, a free kick clear, but in the follow-up attack was nearly embarrassed as the ball squirmed under his body and hit the post.
Toni was the focal point of most of the Italian attacks, but ironically it was his touch that deprived Fabio Grosso of a clear cut chance from a Di Natale cross.
The opening moments of the first half of added time provided rare goalmouth action at both ends with Silva shaving the post with Buffon beaten and Gianluigi Zambrotta crossing for Di Natale to bring a fine save out of Casillas.
But there was an inevitability about penalties where Spain put disappointments of the past firmly behind them to earn a deserved place in the last four.
Ref :: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SPORT/football/06/22/italy.spain/index.html
Russia’s Hiddink wants to betray Dutch
June 21, 2008 at 3:51 am | Posted in Sport News | Leave a commentTags: Dutch, EURO 2008, football, Guus Hiddink, Hiddink, Holland, Netherlands, Russia, Russia's
Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink says he wants to be the traitor of the year in the Netherlands and see Russia knock his countrymen out of Euro 2008 in Saturday’s quarter-final.
“I want to be the traitor of the year in Holland, because if I am the traitor of the year back home, it will have meant we won the game,” joked Hiddink, who coached Holland between 1994-98.
“I don’t know the words to the Russian national anthem, but I like the melody, so I will mime along.
“If I am going to be a traitor, I might as well do it properly.”
 Enlarge image |
Dutch coach of the Russian national football team Guus Hiddink (R) gestures during a training session on June 20, 2008 in Basel, on the eve of the Euro 2008 football championships quarter-final match Russia vs Netherlands . AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI |
Ref :: http://www.bangkokpost.com/euro2008/news.php?p=headlines&f=euro2008-direct-actu-317-en.xml
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