Tiki-taka finishes off The Italian Job !!!

Their economy is tumbling. Their debt is soaring. Their banks are in a sorrowful state. The confidence of bond investors continues to dip. The country is in tethers.

But all that did not prevent Spain from playing exemplary football of the highest level. All those worries were locked in a tight box and forgotten about on a day of footballing mania. A much-awaited Euro 2012 final between Spain and Italy beckoned - a final that held promise for both the economically bruised nations.

After a lot of speculation and deliberation, it was Cesc Fabregas who started up front for La Roja in the 'False No. 9' role. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque definitely had taken a risk, not putting up a full-fledged striker, but as it turned out, the risk paid sweet dividends.

Italy, treading on similar paths as Spain on the economic front, went with their usual formation putting up "Super Mario" and Antonio Cassano up front.

Spain began their play as was expected of them, getting into their passing rhythm quickly and dominating possession. A flurry of attacks early in the game from both sides saw the game balanced. But Spain had clearly driven home the point that they were not ready to be countered the way they were by Portugal. At times, when the tiki-taka of Spain was in full flow, it seemed as if Spain were playing a local U-14 team, who were getting introduced to the concept of football.

A sensational through-ball in the 14th minute unleashed Fabregas into the penalty box, and a tidy cross to David Silva, who headed home, put Spain ahead early on.

From then on, Italy never really recovered. Spain's runs into the penalty box became all too common. The finishing perhaps lacked the finesse that the injured David Villa could have provided, but Italy were being pushed back further. Attempts to counter La Roja on the break did not reap benefits, with the Spanish defence holding ground and the midfield intercepting many attempted passes.

A 1-0 lead seemed too insignificant for La Roja. A sensational through-ball by Xavi and a phenomenal run from behind the half-line by Jordi Alba set the platform to stretch the lead.  The latest addition to the Barcelona squad, Alba netted home sweetly in the 41st minute to end the first half with Spain very much in control.

Antonio Di Natale, who scored against Spain in their first match of Euro 2012, was brought on for the Azzurri in the second half. He made his presence felt almost immediately with a couple of shots either just scraping the net or testing Casillas. When an apparent handball by Leonardo Bonucci was waived off by referee Pedro Proenca, luck favoured the Azzurri.

On the other side, to provide further impetus to the Spanish attack, Pedro was brought in for score-opener David Silva. Short Silva perhaps lacked the physique to break through the Italian defence, when a couple of passes headed his way did have the potential to be at least shots on target, if not goals.

When Thiago Motta, who had come on as a substitute, had to be stretchered off close to the hour mark, 10-men Italy would have felt a chill run down their spine. With no substitutions left for Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli, facing a fully energized squad that manipulates opposition defence and controls play using the famous tiki-taka football was undoubtedly a Herculean task. Prandelli, who had made trips to pilgrimages after Italy's progression in the competition, needed some divine intervention to break the midfield stronghold of La Roja.

Except win free kicks, some of which were undeserved, Mario Balotelli provided no valuable contribution to the Azzurri attack. "Super Mario" was just a puppet dancing to La Roja's tune.

In the final few minutes of the game, as Italy kept chasing shadows, substitutes Fernando Torres and Juan Mata put their names as well on the score-sheet, with late goals in the 84th and 88th minute respectively.

Torres, who also scored the winner against Germany in the Euro 2008 final, became the only player in the world to score in two finals of the European Championships.

Xavi, who provided the assist to Torres, also became the first player to provide two assists in a final.

Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas became the first player ever in international football to win 100 matches for his country. He also set a new record of going 511 minutes without conceding a goal. Interestingly, Casillas conceded just 1 goal for La Roja in Euro 2012 in their first match against Italy.

Spain created history by becoming the first team to win 3 consecutive major international tournaments. They are also the first team to defend their Euro title, and have now equaled Germany's record of possessing 3 European titles. Spain's 4-0 victory is also the largest margin of victory in a Euro or World Cup final.

With so many records broken in 90 minutes, Spain's majesty on football now remains unquestionable. The supposedly "boring" or "lackadaisical" passing has proven effective. The critics have been silenced. Despite the economic problem back home, the country rejoiced heartily. No matter what happens to the Euro currency, whether it breaks or stays afloat, the European Champions are here to stay. Spanish football and tiki-taka are here to stay...

Fancied Team Bites the Dust

Poland hosted their last match of the Euro 2012 in the capital city of Warsaw where the Germans, who had won all of their previous matches in the competition, took on the fearless Italians, who had just come off the back of a gripping win in penalties over the English, for a place in the final against Spain on Sunday.

Die Mannschaft made 3 changes to the team that beat Greece in the quarter-finals, with Bavarian forwards Mario Gomez and Toni Kroos replacing Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus, both of whom had scored in their previous fixture against Greece. New Arsenal man Lukas Podolski was picked ahead of Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle. The Azzurri made just 1 change to the team that beat England, as fit-again Giorgio Chiellini replaced Ignazio Abate.

A sense of excitement had developed as the Germans wanted to seek revenge for their 2006 World Cup semi-final loss, whereas The Italians were looking to continue their dominance over the Germans.

The Azzuri coped with early scares from the Germans but then settled faster in the match linking their play well and establishing a rhythm in their midfield. Ricardo Montolivo and Antonio Cassano had their long distance shots saved by German number 1 Manuel Neuer.

It was just matter of time before Italy scored as the inexperienced German defence was sliced open in the 20^th minute. Chiellini fed Cassano on the left, who found the gap between two German defenders with a quick turn to put in a mesmerizing cross which was met by Mario Balotteli’s head. The Azzurri had drawn first blood.

Die Mannschaft were stunned by the goal and it did them no good in their style of play, which lacked the panache that we have seen in the tournament so far.  The Germans found it hard to link their play against a defence that gave nothing away.

In the 36th minute, new Milan man Riccardo Montolivo played a searching ball over the German defence, but found Mario Balotelli in acres of space. While the German backline was caught napping, "Super Mario", as he is called, flounced petulantly towards goal and thumped a thunderous shot past Neuer to send the Azzuri into a comfortable lead. Germany were left dumbfounded as Baloteli had just shocked die Mannschaft, Joachim Low, German fans all around the globe and even German Chancelor Angela Merkel, supposedly a staunch supporter of the national team. The Italian forward was booked for dissent as he cleaved off his shirt in celebration, a typical gesture by a player who, until now, was known more for his antics than his play. On the other hand, Germany never looked like the side to make a strong comeback like they did in their previous match against Greece.

At half-time, with the Italians comfortably ahead, the Germans faced a rather daunting task of overcoming an Italian defence known for its stringent and physical play. Germany, despite apparently having more depth in the squad, were never formidable in this match and trailed the Azzurri who counted on their defence. Things certainly had not worked out the way they were supposed to for Germany. Wonderful saves by Italian captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon kept the Germans at bay.

The German crowd began to get behind their national team, but crowd support could do little to strengthen the German attack and convert opportunities into goals. Despite improving their play in the second half and pressing more on the Azzurri defence, Germany could not put the ball in the Italian net. Instead, they became vulnerable to swift counter-attacks from the Italians.

Germany kept pushing forward, but the pressure exerted did not break the Italians as the Azzurri hit them back on the break. Substitute Antonio Di Natale squandered a brilliant chance in the 82nd minute to put the game beyond all doubt, when he was on a run with only Neuer to beat, but only managed to hit the side-netting despite having all the time in the world to seal off the game.

A consolation sprang up for the Germans when Khedira's shot hit Balzaretti's hand in the penalty box. Creative playmaker Mesut Ozil converted the penalty calmly, but it was just too late for a comeback.

The final whistle sent Italy to battle with Spain for the European Championship, and sent Germany packing from Poland, in much the same way as happened in 1945. This loss ends die Mannschaft's impeccable record of 15 consecutive victories in a major international tournament. Not quite the workmanlike Germans we know of. It is rather difficult to believe that this exact team was branded as a "favourite" to win the title. Their performance against Italy surely defied the meaning of the word. A not-upto-the-mark performance by the Germans, both in defence and attack, saw them knocked out of Euro 2012 by a team that definitely deserved a place in the final.

Forza Azzurri?

Portugal vs Spain Euro 2012 Review

Much had been said about the Euro 2012 semi-final between Portugal and Spain. It was time to act, time to decide the first finalist, time to manifest dominance in football and time to show to the world why so much had been said about this fixture.

Due to the absence of striker Helder Postiga, who is suffering an injury picked up in the quarter-final, Portugal started with Hugo Almeida up front, assisted by Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo, with the rest of the squad remaining the same. Spain, on the other hand, opted to go for a conventional fixed-role risk-averse strategy by putting Alvaro Negredo in charge of the onslaught, dropping Cesc Fabregas and Fernando Torres, both of whom have scored twice for La Roja in the competition.

All through the first half, both teams made one point very clear - they had no intention of letting the other go through without giving the other a good run for their money. Spain, as has been and is expected of them, began their usual tiki-taka football whenever they got even the minutest of spaces. One-touch passes abounded the midfield, but were not enough to put the ball in the Portuguese goal. Portugal, on the other hand, had clearly indicated that the passing superiority of La Roja would not perturb them. As a matter of fact, Portugal were the first to get a corner in the first 5 minutes. They pushed Spain behind and did not allow the attacking rhythm to set in, thanks largely to quick passing and swift runs by Moutinho, Nani and Ronaldo. They had also garnered crowd interest every time the ball reached Ronaldo, while cat-calls, boos and whistles echoed through the Donbass Arena when the possession switched sides. This could possibly be the cause of some lackadaisical passing from La Roja, allowing many interceptions by the closing-in Portuguese.

Spain had clearly been put on the back foot and Portugal continued to counter the play and create gaps and opportunities frequently. A booking for Sergio Ramos and Coentrao, a free kick at the end of the half and a header on target by Ramos, all happened in quick succession, but was still not enough to put something on the score-line. Spain seemed to be struggling a bit to find their menacing form and passing rhythm, while the Seleccao ensured that they controlled play as much as they could to dissuade Spain from barging into the Portuguese half. Despite all this, the first half did not really live up to the expectations, but an interesting watch lay ahead. Or so we hoped.

Fans in the stadium, viewers on TV and everywhere around the globe hoped for a second half that would bring out the best in both sides. Jordi Alba and Arbeloa tried to cut inside the Portuguese defence all through the first half and even in the second, but lack of creative play in the centre was not helping the Spanish cause. Alvaro Negredo, who hardly saw the ball in the first half, was quite rightly substituted by Fabregas just 8 minutes into the second half. This was quite justified considering that Bruno Alves, Portugal's central defender, seemed to have a one-point agenda - break Negredo, quite literally. Showing his supposed physical prowess over Negredo and later Fabregas seemed to Alves' priority. It seemed as if Seleccao coach Paulo Bento had placed Bruno Alves there for exactly that purpose !!

Bookings began to flood in the second half, with as many as 10 people on the ground booked. Tempers began to flare, and goal-scoring chances began to be missed with increasing regularity from both sides. Extra time seemed to beckon and it did. But judging by the work-rate of both, penalties seemed the highly likely mode to decide the outcome of the fixture.

A couple of quick passes by La Roja, Iniesta's shot on target deflected by Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, Sergio Ramos' free-kick that just scraped over the crossbar, everything seemed to be pump up the adrenaline. As the final 15 minutes of play began, both teams upped their tempo. Fluid attacking by Spain and swift counter-attack by Portugal engulfed the second half of extra time, but neither side could get the breakthrough.

120 minutes of play had ended, but the first team to qualify for the final was yet to be decided. Penalties needed to be taken. After Xabi Alonso's penalty was saved, Portugal had a chance to take the lead, but Joao Moutinho's penalty had the same outcome. Iniesta and Pique scored for La Roja but Pepe and Nani were no different for the Seleccao. Sergio Ramos then came up with a perfect "Panenka" and found the net comfortably, but Bruno Alves hit the crossbar, thus putting Fabregas in control of scoring the winner for La Roja. Fabregas' penalty, I admit, had a bit of luck favouring him, but it got the job done and put Spain into the finals of Euro 2012.

The best or the worst part of the entire "penalties" episode was that penalty expert Cristiano Ronaldo saved himself for the fifth strike, perhaps because he thought he could handle the pressure, but he never even got a chance to test Casillas. Bruno Alves, the undisputed Flop of the Match (at least for me), denied Ronaldo the opportunity to take his penalty. Ronaldo had just lost the match without kicking !!!

I do feel for the Seleccao though. They played their hearts out. No doubt about that. Ronaldo, Moutinho, Pepe and Coentrao were simply outstanding. They threw everything they had at their Iberian rivals, but at the end of the day, it just wasn't enough. I, personally, am a huge fan of Fabio Coentrao, who has been phenomenal not only for Portugal throughout the European campaign, but also for Real Madrid.

Man of the Match Sergio Ramos was certainly laudable. His tackles proved crucial to thwart a couple of runs by Ronaldo & Co. and his "Panenka" penalty was a calming assurance of his ability to perform under pressure.

It does feel, at times, that football is 'unfair', especially under the backdrop of such performances and results. Nonetheless, it is as it is.

VAMOS ESPANA !!!

Portugal Spain Euro 2012 Match Preview

The first semi-final of the Euro 2012 between the Iberian rivals Portugal and Spain holds much promise. Defending champions Spain will definitely love to hold on to the their world-reigning status, but a renewed Portugal side can give them a run for their money. Portugal, despite the 1-0 loss to Germany in their first Euro 2012 fixture, clawed their way up the group, the "Group of Death" as it was referred to, to finish second behind Germany, the other semi-finalists who play tomorrow. A second-attempt half-volley by Silvestre Varela in the 87th minute gave the Seleccao their first victory at the Euro and they have not looked back since. A talismanic play by Cristiano Ronaldo sealed off the fate of The Netherlands, guiding the Portuguese to a 2-1 victory over the Oranje. Ronaldo, despite being touted by critics to flop for the national side, proved his critics wrong with a double against the Oranje, and cancelled out the superb strike by Rafael van der Waart. A Czech side without one of their stars Tomas Rosicky did not look formidable against the determined Seleccao and the Portuguese looked totally in control of the match. A sweet header by Ronaldo late in the second half of the match  not only gave the star his 3rd goal in 3 matches, but also ensured that Portugal was the first team to enter the semis.

Spain, on the other hand, have had a decent campaign so far in the Euro, not looking quite at their best, but still managing to do just enough to get over the line and ensure their contention for the title. A 1-1 draw against Italy might not have been the result anticipated by Spain coach Vicente del Bosque, who put Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas in a 'false No. 9' role at the head of the field. Chelsea's prized asset Fernando Torres used his time on the field effectively against Ireland by scoring two, while David Silva and Fabregas completed a 4-0 annihilation of the Irish. Despite 72% of possession and numerous opportunities, La Roja could barely escape a draw in their final group-stage match against Croatia and were aided by substitute Jesus Navas two minutes before full-time. A disappointing performance by Fernando Torres in the match against Croatia resulted in his replacement by Fabregas, who again started up front, but it was Xabi Alonso who gave the Spaniards a lead and marked his 100th cap for La Roja with a brace.

Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of the Seleccao, will have to live up to burden of expectations laid on him and will have to lead from the front, literally. Fortunately for Portugal, he has regained his form at the right time, but he will be pitted against his Real Madrid team-mates Iker Casillas, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso. However, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, his team-mates at Los Blancos, will have to work closely with Ronaldo to create a play that dominates the conventional tiki-taka of Spain.

Portugal boss Paulo Bento, who has put out the same starters for all matches in the Euro, will have to make changes for the semis. Centre-forward Helder Postiga, who is out due to a thigh injury picked up in the match against Czech Republic, will have to be replaced by either Hugo Almeida or youngster Nelson Oliveira. Moutinho, Veloso and Meireles, the most likely men in the middle, will have significant sections of the ground to cover as they assist Pepe and Bruno Alves in the defence, while also providing the impetus to attackers Nani and Ronaldo to break the Spanish stronghold at the back. Spanish boss Vicente del Bosque, on the other hand, will also have to put his thinking cap on, as he will have to take a call on who to put up front. Should he opt for Fabregas, who has been deployed in a 'false No. 9' role and who has scored twice, or should he go in for a conventional full-fledged striker in the form of either Torres, who has scored twice but has not been in sensational form, or Fernando Llorente, who has not yet started for La Roja in this Euro? Quite a decision Mr. del Bosque.

Interestingly, almost half the Barcelona team features in the La Roja squad. This is significant because the Seleccao, with 3 players from the Madrid line-up, will not only face their own team-mates but will also have to battle against Classico rivals. It gets even more interesting considering that Ronaldo scored the winner in the previous El Classico clash. Portugal will be determined to go all the way, but Spain will definitely lift up their game which has been described as "lackadaisical" and "boring" in this Euro. Both teams have reached the semis off the back of three consecutive wins, but who will overpower the other? It will certainly take a lot of patience and determination from the Seleccao to break the tiki-taka style of football that Spain so deftly deploy. Portugal cannot really afford the defensive solidarity and Ronaldo is certainly a better attacker than a defender !!! So, they will have to resist the pressure that Spain will mount and will have to use gaps to counter the play. La Furia Roja, on the other hand, will certainly look to exploit the Portuguese defence.

Will we see Spain lash out at the Seleccao with the Red Fury that has been a trademark of the Spanish side over the last few years? Or will Portugal break the tiki-taka and become the first team to enter the final of Euro 2012?

Any predictions on the scoreline?