Minute by Minute: Germany - Spain
June 30, 2008
VIENNA, Jun 29 (SW) - Euro 2008 culminates with today’s final between Germany and Spain. SoccerWay keeps you up to date with the latest.
Final score: 0-1
More match information: Here. Match Video Highlight
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FULL-TIME: It’s all over! Spain win their first major tournament in 44 years and were the better side in doing it. Valiant effort from Germany, but Torres was the difference and Spain are the kings of Europe in 2008!
Minute 90+2: Spain still going for goal. The ball is played in for Xabi Alonso, but Lehmann thwarts him at the last second.
Minute 90+1: Cross comes in from the right, but it’s too long for Gomez. Throw to Spain.
Minute 90: Germany finally manage to get in the area, but Gomez goes into the back of Capdevila. Three minutes added on by Rosetti.
Minute 88: Kuranyi again slides in on Senna, this time earning the striker a booking.
Minute 87: Germany caught offside, but they are playing more side to side, rather than ahead.
Minute 86: Xavi takes it, but it’s well over the top. Germany need to launch an attack quickly.
Minute 85: Kuranyi concedes a free kick in the center of the pitch 25 yards out against Senna.
Minute 84: Spain are on the attack. Needing an equalizer, Germany are spending a lot of time in their own half.
Minute 81: Senna nearly puts the game away! Cazorla’s cross is played back to center by a Güiza header, but the holding midfielder couldn’t quite reach to it.
Minute 80: Capdevila tries a tough shot from a tight angle, but Lehmann has it.
Minute 79: Also a third change for Germany as Mario Gómez comes for Klose. Two identical switches for Germany and Spain.
Minute 78: It’s the third and final switch for Spain, the goalscorer Torres replaced by Dani Güiza.
Minute 77: Torres tries to cross it to the center, but it’s blocked out for a corner, which amounts to a Cazorla cross going untouched across goal.
Minute 76: Torres puts a good move to put Mertesacker on his backside, but the touch is heavy and Lehmann takes it.
Minute 74: Torres is booked by Rosetti for an aerial challenge on Mertesacker.
Minute 74: Germany trying to push forward, but Ballack is offside and Spain can clear their lines.
Minute 71: Frings takes it, but a powerful punch for Casillas clears the threat.
Minute 70: Free kick won by Jansen as Ramos impeded his run.
Minute 69: Iniesta again gets a shot off in the area, but it’s right at Lehmann.
Minute 68: The corner kick is played short to Iniesta, but his laser shot is cleared off the line by Frings.
Minute 67: Poor German defending almost lets Ramos in! Free kick comes in to the far post and Ramos’ header is a free one getting in behind Jansen, but it’s right at Lehmann.
Minute 66: Silva now comes off with Santi Cazorla replacing him. Another defensive-minded switch by Aragonés.
Minute 64: Some players are steaming as David Silva and Podolski looked to try to be headbutting each other. In any event, the referee didn’t see it, and Schweinsteiger’s free kick again sails over the top.
Minute 63: First switch for Spain as Fabregas comes off to be replaced by Xabi Alonso.
Minute 62: Schweinsteiger puts in a good ball that only narrowly misses finding Klose on the doorstep. Better spell from Germany and their best period of sustained pressure in the match.
Minute 61: Great cross from the left by Ballack almost finds the head of a charging Kuranyi, but Casillas just gets to it.
Minute 60: More good play for Germany as Schweinsteiger flicks forward in the center for Kuranyi, but the flag went up on the Schalke forward.
Minute 60: Jansen recovers from losing the ball and crosses in for Schweinsteiger. The midfielder plays it back for Ballack, but his half-volley goes just wide. That’s the closest Germany have been for awhile.
Minute 59: Great service in from Ramos on the right side of the area, but it goes out for a goal kick with Lehmann diving at it.
Minute 58: Kevin Kuranyi replaces Hitzlsperger, giving Germany two strikers up front. This will also likely bring Frings forward a bit more into a tradition 4-4-2.
Minute 55: Xavi’s ball finds Torres who tries to slide in and poke past Lehmann, but the keeper gets there first and is able to avert the threat.
Minute 54: Silva sends in a shot to the far post from the corner, but Ramos fails to re-direct it, and the ball goes out for a goal kick.
Minute 54: Xavi tees one up from outside the area, but Lehmann just touches it out for the corner kick.
Minute 53: Jansen tries to play in Podolski, but he is swarmed by the red shirts of Spain, and there is no danger.
Minute 47: Ball coming over the top finds Klose, but the striker is offside.
Minute 46: One change for Germany as left-back Marcell Jansen has replaced Philipp Lahm, who had a disappointing first half.
HALF-TIME: It’s the midway point of the Euro 2008 final and Spain are in control. They have the goal from Torres, and have looked the more likely to score for most of the opening period. Germany will need to push forward in greater frequency in the second half.
Minute 45: Counter by the Spanish ends with a cross from Iniesta being blocked out for a corner by Mertesacker.
Minute 43: Double booking for Ballack and Casillas. The two captains were jawing back and forth as Ballack committed a foul as Spain broke.
Minute 41: Hitzlsperger’s corner is punched out by Casillas, but Germany get another one.
Minute 40: Ballack is finally back on. Hitzlsperger takes a free kick from the right side, but it’s headed away by Senna. Goes out for a corner, though.
Minute 39: Iniesta slides a pass through into the area for Silva, but he can’t handle it.
Minute 37: Schweinsteiger takes it and uncharacteristically skies it over the top.
Minute 37: Free kick for Germany about 25 yards out in the left channel. No Ballack for it. He’s getting stitched up after a clash in the air with Marcos Senna.
Minute 35: Silva squanders a chance. Iniesta crosses into plenty of open space, but the Valencia man’s volley is ballooned. He could have done much more with it.
Minute 33: GOAL SPAIN (0-1) FERNANDO TORRES looked like he had been bested by the German defense, but he manages to poke it past Lehmann! Xavi’s ball was out in front of him, but the striker brushed Lahm aside and poked past a charging Lehmann.
Minute 31: Fabregas takes a low effort form 25 yards out, but Lehmann is able to trap it after it came through several sets of legs.
Minute 29: Appeals for handball against Marchena, but Rosetti ignores their pleas.
Minute 26: Capdevila, who is playing well so far, crosses low to the near post, but Lehmann confidently snags it.
Minute 25: It comes back into the area for Ballack on the half-volley, but it hits a leaping Ramos in the ribcage.
Minute 25: Podolski tries to cross in from the left for Schweinsteiger, but it deflects for a corner kick. Schweinsteiger’s inswinger is headed down by Puyol.
Minute 23: Torres hits the post! Cross comes in from the right from Ramos, and the striker rises over Mertesacker, but heads onto the upright. Capdevila follows with a blast, but it swerves wide of the target.
Minute 20: The set piece is crossed in, but headed over the top.
Minute 19: Torres’ move for the ball is impeded on the right touchline by Metzelder. Free kick to Spain.
Minute 16: Torres crosses into open space, but to no one in particular and Spain concede possession to the Germans.
Minute 14: Iniesta crosses back to the center, but it goes off an unsuspecting Metzelder, forcing Lehmann into a diving save.
Minute 12: Schweinsteiger’s ball in for Klose is touched out for a corner kick that is taken by Schweini, but punched away by Casillas.
Minute 9: Klose lays it off for Hitzlsperger to crack at from the top of the area, but the midfielder’s shot lacks power and Casillas comfortably gathers.
Minute 8: A nice touch on the left by Ballack slips his marker, but the ensuing cross goes across the face of goal with no one on the end to put it home.
Minute 7: Silva’s throughball finds Capdevila heading for the left corner, but the full-back is a good four yards offside.
Minute 5: Germany build nicely up the left side, but the cross of Lahm is wayward and lands on top of the goal. Goal kick for Casillas.
Minute 4: Xavi plays it over the top for Torres, but the Liverpool striker drifts narrowly offside.
Minute 4: Horrible giveaway by Sergio Ramos whose errant pass finds Miroslav Klose, but his touch lets him down and the chance goes begging.
Minute 3: Spain have held it since the beginning but have failed to advance the ball much as of yet.
Kickoff: They’ve shaken hands, the coin’s been flipped and the whistle sounds. Game on in Vienna!
PRE-GAME: It’s anthem time. Spain’s "Marcha Real" will play first, followed by Germany’s "Deutschlandlied".
PRE-GAME: For those of you in support of referees during football matches, time to dig out your Roberto Rosetti kit for today’s final. The Italian will be assisted by Alessandro Griselli and Paolo Calcagno. The man designated with the task of putting up with the constant bickering of Aragonés and Löw is Sweden’s Peter Fröjdfeldt, today’s fourth official.
PRE-GAME: The closing ceremony is taking place right now. Lots of balloons. It’s colorful and entertaining, but it’s football all the people want to see. About 12 minutes from kickoff.
SPAIN TEAM NEWS: A big blow for Luis Aragonés and Spain, as striker and tournament top scorer David Villa is out with a groin injury. Therefore, Spain will revert to their former one-striker system. Cesc Fabregas goes from the start in an advanced midfield role.
GERMANY TEAM NEWS: Germany captain Michael Ballack was a serious doubt leading up to the match with a calf strain, but he has been passed fit and starts for Joachim Löw, who goes with just one change from the side that beat Russia 3-0 on Thursday as Torsten Frings re-enters the starting XI for Simon Rolfes.
History: Despite the long history between these two nations, this will be the first time they have ever contested the final of a major tournament against one another. Their most recent meeting was in February 2003, a 3-1 friendly win for Spain in Mallorca.
History: Spain were beaten by West Germany in the 1982 World Cup, the Germans ousting the hosts at the second group phase before going on to lose the final to Italy. They also previous met in 1966 in England, and 1994 in the USA.
History: This is the 20th all-time meeting between Spain and Germany/West Germany. Germany have won eight times, Spain five times, and six times they have played to a draw. Competitively, they have faced off seven times before: three times in a World Cup finals, twice in European qualifying, and twice in a European finals.
TEAMS
Germany (4-2-3-1): Jens Lehmann; Arne Friedrich, Per Mertesacker, Christoph Metzelder, Philipp Lahm; Torsten Frings, Thomas Hitzlsperger; Bastian Schweinsteiger, Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski; Miroslav Klose.
Spain (4-1-4-1): Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Carlos Marchena, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila; Marcos Senna; Andrés Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva; Fernando Torres.
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Spain striker David Villa has been ruled out of Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Germany
June 28, 2008
Villa, 26, injured a thigh muscle in Thursday’s semi-final win over Russia.
Spain had been hoping the forward would be able to play some part in the final in Vienna, but he was finally ruled out following a hospital scan on Friday.
"Valencia striker David Villa, the top scorer at Euro 2008, is definitely out of Sunday’s final," said a statement.
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who replaced Villa in the semi-final, could come into the team for the final.
Tests revealed Villa has a small tear to the muscle in the back of his right thigh.
The much-coveted Valencia striker said immediately after the semi-final he would not be fit and had resigned himself to watching the game from the stands.
"I’m a little sad that I won’t be there to take part but it’s better that a team-mate who is fit plays instead of me, particularly as my injury has left me limping quite badly," he said.
"Now I have to enjoy the show from outside. To play on Sunday would be a lottery.
"I would do it even if I had to play on one leg but this is a team - there are other players who will do better 100% than one who is injured.
"At the start I was really upset because I knew it was going to be very difficult to play in the final if we got there.
"I just want to enjoy Sunday and celebrate winning the European Championship with everyone else. This is an achievement for the whole squad and we want to take the glory on Sunday."
Spain coach Luis Aragones believes bringing in Fabregas could help his side compete against a strong German midfield.
"I know how well he can perform, he is a great player like others in our squad," he said.
"It’s better for numbers and pressure (to have an extra midfielder) and that is how Xavi scored his goal. The point is to make them feel free."
Fabregas is raring to go if called upon and said: "I am here when the manager needs me.
"It is good, we came here to win the tournament and we got to the final, which I think is the most difficult thing.
"In the final anything can happen, a lot of things can influence the game."
Popularity: 1% [?]
Sweden captain Ljungberg retires from internationals
June 28, 2008
STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Sweden captain Fredrik Ljungberg has announced his retirement from international football, the country’s TT agency reported on Friday.
The 31-year-old former Arsenal midfielder said it was becoming physically too difficult to play for both West Ham and the national team. Ljungberg played his first match for his country back in 1998.
"I have decided to concentrate on my football with West Ham. This is where my priority now lies," Ljungberg said.
He competed in three European championships and two World Cups with the Swedes, before being named captain after the 2006 World Cup.
"The moment has come to let some other player take the number 9 jersey. Sweden has a lot of talented players and I am sure my place will be taken by someone who has the same passion for sport as me," he added.
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2008-06-29 - Germany v Spain
June 28, 2008
UEFA Euro 2008 - Final
Ernst Happel Stadion, Vienna
Sunday 29th June 2008 - KO 19:45
After 30 games over 3 weeks, Euro 2008 reaches its climax on Sunday as Germany take on Spain in Vienna at 7:45pm.
Despite being labelled a ‘poor’ German team by many pundits, they have, as they did in 2002 and 2006, overcome these criticisms to show you can never write of the Germans.
As always Spain entered the competition with great expectations, but this time there was also a real belief amongst both the squad and the fans that this side had the resilience needed to win a major tournament.
GERMANY 4-0-1 10:6
Three times champions Germany look to continue their impressive form in this competition as they enter their sixth final, but their first in twelve years.
Although they started the tournament as favourites, due in part to the relative weakness of Group B, many people believed their workman like team would struggle against more skilled outfits once they reached the knockout stages.
Their first real challenge came against a fancied Portuguese team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been impressive in their first two group games.
However, early goals from Bastain Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose gave the Portuguese a shock they could not recover from, despite Nuno Gomes’ reply five minutes from half time. Germany were never truly stretched, and in the 62nd minute Ballack sealed it with a header from a Schweinsteiger free kick, despite Postiga’s consolation goal three minutes from time.
The semi final win over a depleted Turkey was not as comfortable, as first they had to come from behind, and then score in injury time to seal their place in Vienna.
Germany were big favourites to beat the injury ravaged Turks, but were outplayed in the first half, and were fortunate to be level at half time. Ugar Boral had given Turkey a deserved lead after they dominated the opening twenty minutes, but that lead lasted just five minutes as Schweinsteiger flicked in a cross from Podolski.
In a tight second half Klose looked to have won it for the Germans ten minutes from time as he capitalised on a mistake from Rustu to head Germany into the lead.
However the Turks have made scoring late goals their speciality in this tournament, and did it again for the fourth game in a row, thanks to Semih Sentruck, and everyone prepared for extra time.
Everyone except Phillip Lahm that is, as his surging run from full back caught the Turks napping, and he lashed home Hitzlspe rger‘s pass from six yards to seal Germany’s place in the final.
SPAIN 4-1-0 11:3
Spain have been the neutral’s choice due to their open and exciting approach, and are the tournament’s top scorers with 11 goals, one more than the Germans, while David Villa is the top scorer so far with four, three of which came in their opening game, where they swept aside the Russians 4-1.
Consecutive 2-1 wins in their final two group games against Sweden and Greece earned them top spot in Group D, and a quarter final clash with the Italians.
The two sides took very different approaches to the game, resulting in Spain dominating the 90 minutes as their attacking brand of football was restrained by the Italians typical defensive position.
Spain had the best chances in normal time, coming closest to scoring when Buffon spilled Marco Senna’a shot, only to see it hit the post and come back into his arms. The match inevitably went to penalties and looked set to favour the Italians, as it looked as though they had played for that outcome since the start.
History was also not on Spain’s side, as they had previously lost three quarter finals by penalty shot outs, all on the 22nd June. However, this time they held their nerve to win the shoot out 4-2, Casillas saving two kicks to give Fabregas the chance to shoot the Spanish into the semi-final.
Their semi final pitted them against their opponents from the first round, a Russian team this time with Andrei Arshavin. The opening half was tight, with both teams predictably cancelling each other out following their opening group game.
The second half saw the attacking Spain of the last three weeks emerge, with Fabregas, who had come on for an injured David Villa, and Xavi opening the scoring on 50 minutes. Guiza and Silva then put the game beyond the Russians with strikes in the 73rd and 82nd minute respectively, to seal Spain’s first tournament final place since the Euros of 1984.
HEAD TO HEAD
Germany and Spain have met each other 19 times, and Germany have won eight of these contests, while Spain proved the strongest on five occasions.
At the World Cup and European Championship, the two teams have played each other five times, with Germany winning three times and Spain having the upper hand only once.
The last time these two met was a friendly in February 2003, which Spain won 3-1.
TEAM NEWS
Germany coach Joachim Low must decide whether to recall Torsten Frings for Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Spain.
The midfielder has declared himself fit after recovering from a broken rib and could replace Simon Rolfes (cut eye) in the only change to the side.
Spain striker David Villa will miss Sunday’s Euro 2008 final against Germany, the Spanish football federation have confirmed.
Villa, 26, injured a thigh muscle in Thursday’s semi-final win over Russia.
THE VERDICT
Looking at the tournament as a whole, Spain have produced the better record and against tougher teams - and with the semi-final in mind it’s easy to see why Spain are considered warm favourites.
Taking each round seperately, there would only be one occasion so far when I would give Germany the nod, and that would be in the Quarter-finals when I felt the 3-2 win over Portugal was a better performance than Spain’s 0-0 draw with Italy.
The absence of David Villa is a "headline" blow, but in truth Villa only scored in the group games, and if his absence means that Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas starts then I would argue that it actually makes Spain stronger.
The only concern might be if Aragones takes a cautious approach and decides to revert to a 4-5-1 with Torres upfront as a lone striker - because that’s a plan that might result in a DRAW at 90 minutes.
Given my estimated percentages, I’m looking for prices of 3.30 on Germany or the Draw and a price of 2.50 on Spain - and the bookmakers are also pitching the game around that level.
The Pick :
PERCENTAGE ESTIMATE :
FIXED ODDS BETTING :
I see this game as being much like the 2002 World Cup final - with a hardworking German team up against a more skillful opponent. It was close for a long time but eventually Brazil won 2-0.
So I’m going to oppose my percentages a bit and take SPAIN to win here - assuming that having Fabregas on from the start might actually raise that winning chance a bit and make the prices fair value.
Beware the German experience and craftiness though - you can never write them off - so a correct score saver of 1-1 DRAW might be worth a play.
(or else check out that "cash-back" page - to see which bookmakers are offering an angle to give you a bit of "insurance" if the bet goes wrong)
Good luck - and I hope the previews have been helpful for you this month!
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PSV goalkeeper Gómes joins Tottenham Hotspur
June 27, 2008
Gómes will be making the move from PSV Eindhoven, where he helped the team to win four consecutive Dutch league titles and reached the semi finals of the Champions League in 2005.
But internal conflicts, with chairman Jan Reker to be precise, made the Brazilian decide to try his luck elsewhere.
Tottenham Hotspur reportedly pay nine million Euros to bring the talented keeper to White Hart Lane. This is five million less than what was mentioned in Gómes’s transfer clause.
The now 27 year old Gómes joins PSV Eindhoven from Cruzeiro in 2004 and went on to make 118 appearances for the Dutch side. He also represented Brazil seventeen times.
Most likely candidate to replace Gómes at PSV is Swedish goalie Andreas Isaksson, who is currently second choice at Manchester City.
Popularity: 1% [?]
