I wonder what odds one could have recieved with the Czechs winning the group and the Greeks getting out after day 1
I love the fine margins of tournament football. Russia go from looking like they'd cruise the group to being out of the tournament in the space of 90 minutes. Edit: Any Greek lurkers around? I'd love to know how Karagounis is viewed by Greek fans, over a decade of service with the national team during its most successful period, and a couple of hugely important goals to boot. He must be an absolute legend.
That's why it's the greatest game in the world mate... it's ONLY about what you do on the pitch. You don't perform... bye-bye.
Man..if that Dzagoev header were only a couple inches to the right! Congrats to the Czechs and Greeks. Really happy for Petr.
Blatant dive in my eyes. He was really looking for contact while the defender did nothing wrong. Anyways nobody would have guessed the Russians crashing out in the group stages. Dzagoev close to tie the game with his header going inches past the post.
They will be unless the Danes and Germans collude for a 3-2 Danish win, which would automatically put both of them through.
If I was reffing I'd have given the penner for the shin to boot trip but also the yellow for going down in such an elaborate fashion. Ultimately justice was done, but if this can stop players overreacting every time contact is made, maybe some good will come of it. NB there's a reason UEFA won't give me a refs license and a whistle
Good for the Greeks. Good for Cech's team. I wouldn't have given a plug nickle for their chances a few days ago.
Well there's my 'dark horse' £5 bet gone! I feel bad for Russia - I've never liked separating teams in a league format by using head-to-head results because then why even make it a league? In the format used for years and years and years gone by, Russia would be through on goal difference, but alas...
Looked to me as if Karagounis was looking for contact in the box and he went down right after. He's well known for simulating and play acting.
I saw it a few times when it happened and it looked to me like it was a bad call. Having said that they only showed it from two angles so maybe it he did flick his leg out as he went past the fella but, from the angles I saw it didn't look much like it. It looked like the guy just hung his leg out and he went over it. A similar thing happened with Totti and something similar in WC 2002 against the South Koreans. On that occasion he quite CLEARLY flicked his leg out and dragged it into the guy, initiating contact and was, (rightly in my view), yellow carded. I suppose it's quite hard for refs to make the right calls but, IMO, unless they're absolutely sure, they shouldn't be carding people and, in this case, I can't see how he could be that sure as, regardless of the reason, there quite clearly was contact.
Gonna watch Portugal vs. Holland on the TV and Germany vs. Denmark on the PC. Need the big TV screen to see all the diving, whining and hacking from the Portuguese and Dutch