Today as from 6.15pm CEST (kick-off 6.30): Switzerland-Spain Euro qualifier live on Schweizer Sportfernsehen (usually not geoblocked).
Phewwwwww...... Switzerland beat Spain 4-3! (1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3 penalty, 3-3, 4-3...) Great match, it seems that Voss-Tecklenburg has really managed to inoculate the Swiss with a dose of self-confidence they were previously lacking. So... if Switzerland now win all their remaining matches, and if Spain lose one of theirs, then Switzerland go to the Euros! Let's ignore for a moment the fact that Spain's remaining two matches are against Turkey and Romania, respectively. Also, great co-commentary from ex-Switzerland and ex-Freiburg goalie Marisa Brunner. Hope we get to hear her more often. Very competent, intelligent, eloquent, some well chosen "insider" info. I missed some of the action on the field in the first couple of minutes though because I had to tune in to her variety of Swiss German first. Oh, and speaking of languages, I find it fascinating how the Swiss stand in line during the anthem and each sings in her language - French, German, French, German. Shame that there is no Ticinese player on the squad, or we would have Italian too. And the announcer at the stadium had a hard job today: he made all his announcements to the 750 "strong" crowd in German AND Spanish AND English.
Also, Germany won the 1st European Police Championship in Football for women today. Semifinal 1: Austria-France 0-5 Semifinal 2: Germany-Norway 1-0 (MVP Germany: Frankfurt's Meike Weber!) Final: Germany-France 1-0
So hold on a minute, does this mean that Spain are unlikely to qualify for the Euro's? I was sure Switzerland were long past possible playoff contention, and then.... . Sounds like today's big result was a highly entertaining, and a evenly matched contest too, so hopefully they put the full highlights up on their site, as I'm sure a few more people out there wouldn't mind seeing what good Ramona Bachmann performance can actually look like again . Hey, she's found her level, but I'm scared to ask what the standard of play was like though
Oh, that's so mean. Not sure you deserve a serious question to the rest of your post... See UEFA page for details. Switzerland seemed to be beyond all hope since no one could really imagine they'd win against Spain. But the way things stand Spain now have to win their matches against Turkey and Romania. If they draw or lose either of them, Switzerland are through if they win their remaining three matches (against Romania, Turkey and Kazakhstan). Is it likely that Spain are going to do anything less than win against Turkey (1st leg: 10-1) and Romania (1st leg: 4-0) by a comfortable margin? Not so much. Not sure about highlights, but apparently a couple of full match replays in the next few days (times: CEST): Sunday: 2:30, 12:30 Monday: 20:00 Tuesday: 6:00, 9:45, 16:00
England-Netherlands live here now (started 30 mins ago): http://www.sportlemon.tv/v-4/0/186/v-418640.html Featuring Duisburg's new hope Lieke Martens (Dutch no. 11) - quite impressive.
1-0 at full time, not so good anymore. England played much better in the second half than in the first. But did anyone see Sue Smith's hairdo at half time? Also, BBC seemed to have borrowed Eurosport's commentators. I hadn't heard them in such a long time, I couldn't even remember the name of Ms (The Other) Eurosport. But what fun to listen to, compared to the German version of Eurosport.
If only Hope Powell wasn't the lazy option for British coach........ How many years has it been since England reached the Euro final, and yet they are still a very ordinary team, within a very predictable system. Holland on the other hand have made significant improvements to the defensive zzzz fest they used to employ, but oh well, the playoff's should be interesting. Sorry, but whenever I see Weber scuttling around the field, it looks like it's a result of a weird clerical error . Right now, somewhere in FC Frankfurt's food service department, there's an athletic international level foreign left back, roaming around all confused and angry, wondering what the hell happened to that little women who said she would be right back with the correct paper work, and decent directions to FFC Frankfurt .
An extremely boring game to be honest, I now regret going across the country for that knind of display. I was expecting a bit more from Holland really. England as usual...
Switzerland managed to lose 2-4 against Romania yesterday. How on earth did that happen? Spain, welcome to the play-offs.
The topic of the day is illustrated in this picture, which I took a few weeks ago: "Football in Nyon". In today's U17 Euros semifinals at Colovray stadium just opposite the UEFA headquarters, in the pretty Lake Geneva town of Nyon, France beat Switzerland 5-1, and Germany beat Denmark 2-0. Spain, last year's winners, were already eliminated in the qualification round. So France and Germany will be playing the final on Friday. Through their wins today, both teams are qualified for the U17 WWC in Azerbaijan in September.
Transfer news from OL: Coming: Laëtitia Tonazzi (Juvisy), Elise Bussaglia (Paris Saint-Germain), Laura Agard (young central defender from Rodez AF). Going: Aurélie Kaci, Sandrine Dusang, Sandrine Bretigny, Céline Deville, Rosana.
LOL, talk about not standing still . I'm thinking OL were desperate to get Thiney too, but does the arrival of even more established mid-field talent like Bussaglia, eventually see a major OL mid-fielder go in the opposite direction?
they were playing rough with shirley cruz in renegotiation but patrice lair seems adamant that she must be re-signed. i never imagined OL were after thiney; might you be confusing with tonazzi who has been on lair's wish list like, forever?
So is any major name leaving OL? I can't see Bussaglia wanting to join just to ride the bench , but I'm sure I heard something about one or two major OL names heading to PSG.... Sour grapes from both parties, but will Tonazzi remain a Henry like outcast with the national team, or can the move to OL give her a better chance of generating Bini buzz?
Rumours said that one between Necib or Cruz could join PSG, plus laura Georges (she has lost her starter place and OL recruited laura Agard a promising CB.....) . Apparently celine devile is back at Montpellier, which will mean laetitia phillipe psg?......I am prety sure laetitia will move, because i don't see her being the number 2 again , as i don't see deville being...and Paris is seeking a GK i believe. I think now that she is at Lyon tonazzi chance to join the national team are over......i mean she is officially a bench warmer now, she can only play center forward and i don't see her taking schelin's place.....however, if she is happy like that good for her.
tonazzi is completely different in style and the odd girl out looks to be otaki. OL plays long seasons and PL makes a habit of rotating his strikers very freely so there's plenty of pitch time for all of lotta, ELS and laëtitia. bussaglia raises shirley's expendability factor from a vehement "for the love of god and man don't even think of it!" to a simple "are you off your rocker?" but nécib is still the most likely suspect to move to PSG: her star appeal outweighs her real value on the roster. deville will never start over laëtitia philippe who was already the second best keeper in france after bouhaddi when... sapowicz and deville went to the WWC! PSG looking for a keeper i can't deny but am a bit surprised since véro pons looked great in the matches i saw. PL said laura george "ne donne pas satisfaction": pretty harsh words, it's clear he doesn't think she can cut it anymore. the big difference is that thiney isn't really a crying need for a team that has abily, dickenmann (or nécib) whereas the qualities and workrate amandine would bring to the EdF ... we won't go there, OK?
Henry, Tonazzi, Lattaf they won't be selected while Bini is around...unless somenthigndramatic happens. Well Bouhadii came back after a couple of years out..