Bracket Standings, 6/15

Okay guys, sorry about slacking off a bit on the blog, I've been following really closely but haven't written a whole lot about the last few days. Here are the standings. They include the final Group A games, as well as the 3 pts for each quarterfinal team correctly predicted. Only 1 of 13 had Turkey through to the last eight...

J. Chiang-16 pts (Germany over Spain)
N. Joshi-14 pts (Spain over Germany)
A. Magee-14 pts (Germany over Italy)
A. Dhir-13 pts (Netherlands over Germany)
S. Coan-12 pts (Spain over Germany)
A. Zuerndorfer- 12 pts (Netherlands over Portugal)
A. Levy-11 pts (France over Portugal)
J. Schildecker-11 pts (Germany over Spain)
S. Kumar-10 pts (Portugal over Spain)
M. Choi-9 pts (Italy over Germany)
Sa. Abramson-8 pts (Portugal over France)
Sh. Abramson-8 pts (Italy over Czech Republic)
E. Teasdale-8 pts (Spain over Czech Republic)

Normal updates will resume tomorrow--I'll have thoughts on Turkey's crazy comeback, the last set of Group C games, and Sweden vs. Russia.

Croatia 2-1 Germany

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. I need to tally the scores for the blog's bracket challenge, but I'd say no more than one person had Croatia prevailing in Klagenfurt on Thursday. ESPN announcers Derek Rae and Tommy Smyth (who are great to listen to, and I love the effects that blend the crowd noise with their commentary so that it sounds like they're actually at the game when in reality they're in a studio in the middle of Connecticut) noted that the Germans looked flat-footed and very different from the team who took the field against Poland last weekend. I have to disagree with them on this point. I think that a smaller Croatian midfield surprised a lot of people by outplaying Michael Ballack and friends, but I don't think the Germans necessarily had a bad game in the midfield. They had their defensive lapses for sure, but so did Croatia; the real problem was that the Germans just didn't create a lot of good opportunities in this game. They did possess the ball well and show patience in advancing when the Croats buckled down in their own half. I state the obvious here, but soccer comes down to who finishes and who doesn't a lot of times; it was no different here. But to say the Germans were dominated, or played a terrible game, is inaccurate. They didn't play their best, or create the chances in the offensive third, but they had enough skill keeping possession to give themselves some opportunities all game. I think they're okay and still expect them to advance out of this group. Lukas Podolski netted his third goal of the tourney with a sizzling volley in the box, but it was too little too late for the Germans. Their game with Austria is huge all of a sudden, and a silly red card by Schweinsteiger in injury time leaves one of their greatest offensive weapons stranded on the bench for the next one.

Of course there's also the matter of giving Croatia a ton of credit for this upset. They demonstrated an awesome team possession on the first goal, which ended on the foot of Darijo Srna at the six-yard box after 15 passes that saw every player for Croatia touch the ball. Grant Wahl was right; watching it on DVR is beautiful, a testament to how patience, switching fields and staying in the play can reward a team. They could've had one and possibly two more in the first half, but couldn't convert point blank gifts in the penalty box. The second goal was more of an unlucky break and slight error by German keeper Jens Lehmann than anything (watching the replay convinces me that a goalie should never let himself get beat near post like that, deflection or otherwise), but the Croatians were there to take advantage, and we can't say that about every team who has had similar opportunities afforded them in this tournament so far. The Germans showed speed and power in both the last World Cup and their opening game against Poland in Euro 08, but the Croatian side didn't seem to be afraid. They were just as physical and played virtually mistake-free soccer after their defense was a bit shaky against Austria. Croatia will head to the quarters with confidence, an extremely animated coach, and a lot of very, very talented players whose last names end with the letter C. Let's just keep crossing our fingers for those checkerboard unis before their run/the tourney itself ends.

Switzerland 1-2 Turkey

So much for that Swiss quarterfinal pick. The poor, poor co-hosts had to leave the locker room at halftime feeling good, with a 1-0 lead on a swamp of a field in Basel. But Turkey came out firing in the second half, creating more chances and earning a lot of respect with two gritty goals. Because something about the Turks irritates me, I will choose to focus on the Swiss being the better team for long stretches on both of the matches they've lost. One particularly good chance late in the second half, which would've put them up 2-1, came on a 3-on-1 counterattack that saw the ball stop dead in a puddle at the six-yard box, fooling striker Hakan Yakin. An unlucky deflected goal in injury time doomed Switzerland, a team who will be remembered in this tournament as being long on chances and short on luck. The bottom line is they probably didn't deserve to win this one, and I'm not clinging on to my pick/sentimental pick, but I really think that in a five or seven-game series the Swiss could beat the Czechs, the Turks, or maybe both. Oh well, they'll have to prove themselves in WC 2010 qualifying. Turkey, who was soundly beaten in their first outing, now finds themselves with a chance to advance with Group A silver if they can beat the Czechs on Sunday. I'm inclined to pick against them, but I've done it already, and they've proven me wrong. Czech Republic and Turkey are tied on goal differential, so if they're tied after full-time on Sunday, it's PK time. Advantage: team with goalie who plays for Chelsea (the Czechs).

Czech Republic 1-3 Portugal

The Portuguese showed again why they're the class of their group yesterday, coming out on top in a well-paced affair with the Czechs. Cristiano Ronaldo had a hand in all three goals, reinforcing the belief that he's the best player in the world every time he touched the ball. At some points their were five red-clad Czechs chasing no. 7, and the fact that he was able to do so much damage is a testament to his skill. I don't like the guy, but he's amazing to watch. The first goal came via deflection from a Ronaldo run that carved through the Czech penalty box. The second came off Ronaldo's own foot, a perfectly placed rope into the lower left corner from about 18 yards out. It was another example of what this guy can do to a team when he gets even a little space. The third and final goal for the Portuguese saw Ronaldo seize a chance after he caught the opponents napping on defense. His simple square pass left to Ricardo Quaresma created one of the easiest goals you'll ever see at any level, a tap into an open net. Future opponents of Portugal should fall into defensive funks at their own risk; they'll make teams pay for lapses in the back.

Despite the loss, the Czechs exit this game with a chance to advance in Group A. They were outplayed, but showed some nice stretches (winger Libor Sionko was especially good, scoring the only goal for his team off a corner in the first half). I've been very disappointed in Koller and Baros up front so far; Koller hasn't created many chances, and Baros hasn't done much with the ones he's had. This is a team that could easily be 0-2 right now, yet I still give them the edge over Turkey to advance to the quarters. Petr Cech and his water polo helmet continue to be great in goal, and I expect him to play huge against Turkey. The Portuguese, meanwhile, can kick back against the co-hosts and wait to see who comes up second in Group B.

Interview with Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl

I had a chance to speak with Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated before today's games on the progress of Euro 2008. This isn't an exact transcript, and I didn't have a recorder, as I was on lunch break from my real job, but here are his thoughts, more or less.

SMA: Let's talk about the Group of Death first, specifically Holland's shocking 3-0 win over Italy, where they never let up, even late in the game when they had a two-goal lead. Will the Dutch continue to play their relentless style if they're up one goal in a must-win game? What are your thoughts on playing that way in a game down the road?

Grant Wahl: Honestly, they may get slightly more conservative in that situation, but not much more. That's just the way the Dutch play the game. Style matters to them. When I covered Euro 2000 (co-hosted by the Netherlands) over there, I remember watching Johann Cruyff comment on Dutch TV about the way the Dutch national team played just as much as the final score. It's not just about winning for them, it's about winning in an entertaining way. I'm not sure that getting defensive with a lead would be the best thing for this team. Packing it in in soccer is like the prevent defense in the NFL, and I'm not a big fan of the prevent defense, either, playing not to lose. We saw the Russians use the same style yesterday from the start of their game against Spain, and it's no coincidence that their coach is Dutch.

SMA: Out of Groups A, B and D, what team who lost their first game is most likely to get through to the quarters?

GW: Russia played good soccer yesterday, they just had some bad screwups. Hiddink called some of it "grade school play" after the game. Until they gave up that second goal, they were in that game, and could have equalized. I think they're one of the better attacking teams in the tournament and can do well in their final game. Austria and Switzerland have been unlucky too. They're playing for pride's sake, and I see at least one of them getting a win in their next game. I'd say one of those three teams has the best chance out of the teams with 0 points thus far.

SMA: Speaking of the co-hosts, who got a worse break: the Austrians with the PK that was (for Croatia) or the Swiss with the PK that wasn't (for them)?

GW: Both were pretty tough. Looking at Austria-Croatia, it wasn't a very hard foul, and there was no threat to score in the corner of the box there. I think refs have to take into account the time and place of the game when they call a PK--that wasn't the right time or place or situation to call that for a few reasons. With the Swiss game, it was a missed call with a guy whose arm was completely upraised. It wasn't by his side, it was up in the air, like he was trying to hail a cab. Both were equally tough, but the handball might have been slightly more egregious.

SMA: Have you seen anything at the top of the bracket that would deter you from your semifinal pick of Portugal-Germany?

GW: Not really. Portugal and Germany are pretty clearly the class of that side of the bracket. It's a really lopsided bracket with so much talent on the other side.

SMA: How would the U.S. do, based on what you've seen in their recent three-game stretch, in this competition?

GW: It would be a rough go. There are so many good teams in Europe, and so much of it would depend on the draw. We've seen them play well on European soil, winning games at Poland and Switzerland, but we've also seen them outclassed by England recently. Could I envision the U.S. getting out of, say, Group B? Maybe. Germany and Croatia are the class of that field, it'd still be very tough. There are very few truly weak groups at any Euro tourney.

SMA: Portuguese coach Luis Felipe Scolari is Gene Hackman's long lost brother, as you've mentioned before. What Hackman character is Scolari most like, and what is your favorite Gene Hackman film?

GW: (Laughs) Coach Norman Dale (Hoosiers) would have to be up there, he's probably most like him. As far as Gene Hackman goes, I'm a big movie guy, not a huge Gene Hackman guy, though. I guess I'd say my favorite film of his is The French Connection.

SMA: You kept Louisville's basketball team in the Magic Eight all year last year, taking a lot of heat for it at one point. With Earl Clark returning, do you see the Cards in your Magic Eight of 2009?

GW: Potentially. I really like Terrence Williams, having him is just as big a deal as having Earl Clark back. If those guys can play well, Edgar Sosa gets his head screwed on straight, they can be very good.

Thanks for the interview, Grant! We'll speak with him again on Saturday, let me know if you have a question for him.

Bracket Standings, 6/10

After the first wave of games, the bracket competition looks like this. Sorry, Holland and Sweden, for picking against you at the last second. We still have a perfect bracket, in case you were wondering. Each man's predicted final result is in parentheses.

J. Chiang-8 pts (Germany over Spain)
N. Joshi-7 pts (Spain over Germany)
M. Choi-6 pts (Italy over Germany)
A. Levy-6 pts (France over Portugal)
J. Schildecker-6 pts (Germany over Spain)
Sh. Abramson-5 pts (Italy over Czech Republic)
A. Dhir-5 pts (Netherlands over Germany)
S. Kumar-5 pts (Portugal over Spain)
Sa. Abramson-4 pts (Portugal over France)
S. Coan-4 pts (Spain over Germany)
A. Magee-4 pts (Germany over Italy)
E. Teasdale-2 pts (Spain over Czech Republic)
A. Zuerndorfer-?

Next update: 6/14, after the Greece-Russia game

Greece 0-2 Sweden

I didn't see much of this one live on the DVR, but was advised but both friends and journalists to avoid the first half like the plague. This was due to the fact that Greece implemented their no-fun style that led them to the Euro 2004 title, which involves basically acting like there is no goal, and the object is to play keep-away in the defensive third. Grant Wahl observed it as a victory for any neutral fan who likes seeing good soccer, and I trust his opinion (and not just because I'll be interviewing him tomorrow). This isn't to say Greece didn't have several good chances, they just didn't play particularly aggressively on the offensive end. I don't know if I've ever seen a greater disparity between two goals from one team in the same game. The first, from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, was maybe the best goal of the tournament so far. The tall Swede (redundant?) was on the receiving end of a one-two and fired an awesome shot, across his body, that rang in the top left corner of the net. They don't come much better than that one. The second one, on the other hand, was a complete disaster. I won't even try to describe it, I'll only say that there were bodies everywhere, guys taking swings at the ball, and it somehow ended up trickling into the Greek net. Disgusting. I feel foolish now for picking against Sweden when I originally liked them. That's the last time I'm talked out of a pick, especially one that makes me switch to a team who didn't qualify for the World Cup. Oh well, not much else to say about this one from this end. Spain-Sweden should be sensational on Saturday. In the meantime, Swedish meatballs and IKEA furniture for all.

Spain 4-1 Russia

Spain got off to a great start on Tuesday, living up to their billing as Group D favorites. Long lamented as underachievers on the international stage (think Phil Mickelson and the Red Sox before 2004, Peyton Manning before last year's Super Bowl), the Spanish got out of the gate quickly on a rainy Austrian night. They launched attacking runs that allowed star striker Fernando Torres to roam free up top, where he beat overmatched Russian defenders in the first half and either distributed to guys running on at the top of the box or got clean looks at the goal. Spain possessed the ball well, able to play quick square balls just as easily as they were able to pinpoint the long ones to Torres. David Villa put La Roja on the board in the 20th minute, making a smart run from the left midfield toward the top of the box, where he received a pass from Torres, who had beaten his man off the dribble and charged in toward the Russian keeper, and put it into an open net. The second of Villa's scoring troika came just before the halftime whistle, in the 44th minute; it was another example of the power of a counterattack, just like we saw in the Holland-Italy game from yesterday. A botched short corner from the Russians turned into a Spanish counterattack, and the Russians never touched the ball again until they were fetching it from the back of their own net. Villa took the last of several stringed passes in the box and went five-hole on the keeper to give a 2-0 edge going into the locker room. Spain was content to play a possession game in the beginning of the second half; they didn't pack it in, but they weren't attacking with the same ferocity from the first half, either. Villa's third goal was a great display of his individual skill, one where he took another through ball inside the box, beat a Russian defender (sensing a theme from this game?) with a stepover, and beat the keeper for his hat-trick. A sloppy header in injury time from Cesc Fabregas was the icing on the cake, or the garnish on the tapas, or whatever you'd like to call it, a product of the Russians pushing their squad up for a final surge.

It should be noted, however, that the score in this game was misleading. The Russians had plenty of chances in this game, from a shot that hit the left post in the first 10 minutes that would've given the Russians the lead to a poor attempt to finish in injury time (the Russian forward had time to settle it in the box, onsides, had the entire goal to pick his spot, and shot it right at the Spanish keeper, Iker Casillas). Their fans should be encouraged by their ability to string passes together in the offensive half throughout this game; neither team played very good defense, and both could be very entertaining in their final two games. Roman Pavlyuchenko's sizzling header off a corner in the 86th minute was too little too late, but wonder-coach Guus Hiddink's boys should be able to get past Greece and set up a do-or-die third match with Sweden next week. The defense definitely needs to be more sound and not turn the ball over so much, but they won't be against an offense that is anywhere close to as talented as Spain's when they take on Greece on Saturday. It should come as no surprise that a national team essentially made up of all stars from the Spanish league gives its opponents problems.

Group C and D "Re-Previews" will be coming before the second match.

Netherlands 3-0 Italy

Amsterdam vs. Florence. Van Gogh vs. da Vinci. Chocolate-covered waffles vs. lemon gelato. There are a lot of sources for international comparison between the Netherlands and Italy, and soccer is no exception. The Oranje and Azzurri have long been powerhouses on both the European and international stages; their meeting in Group C of Euro 08 on Tuesday marked the first marquee match of this young tournament, as well as the first I've been able to watch whistle-to-whistle. Boy, did I pick the right time to watch an entire game.

The result was shocking on both ends, as a team that many had dismissed as overrated and lacking a decent defense was relentless even with a two-goal lead, while a team crowned World Cup champions less than two years ago was humbly reminded that it's not 2006 anymore. A 3-0 victory for the Dutch puts them in a better position than they ever could have imagined with two to play; alone atop the hardest group, with a +3 goal differential. How they pulled it off was stunning, from the goals themselves to the way they played with a lead.

The Dutch offense knifed through Italian backs all night. There were square balls that allowed them to switch the field and advance effectively. There were were long balls to the corner flag that connected. There were through balls timed perfectly that gave Ruud van Nistelrooy and co. many chances. It all seemed to click for Marco van Basten's troops after the first 20 minutes, when both teams settled down. I should point out that Van Nistelrooy's first goal shouldn't have counted; he was several feet offsides, and the questionable call was the first of many by the center ref on this night. He did an excellent job of redirecting a Wesley Sneijder ball in from the six-yard box, but he was obviously the last orange jersey before the keeper, and was clearly in an illegal position when he scored. The official explanation was that an injured Italian player past the end line counted as the last line of defense, but the guy was injured and off the field; if someone can show me in a rule book where an injured guy three feet off the goal line counts as the last line of defense, then I'll be quiet. Until then, it's worth noting repeatedly that this was a terrible break for the Italians that they didn't deserve.

Ruud's goal knocked Italy back on their heels, but they had a chance for rebuttal off a corner. An inswinger into the Dutch goal mouth was cleared on the line. What followed was an awesome counterattack goal, the kind you usually only see in a Tuesday night indoor league. No officiating to blame for this one. Dutch defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst sped up field, unchecked after clearing, receiving the ball and switching fields perfectly to Dirk Kuyt at the right edge of the penalty box. Kuyt's setup header to Sneijder produced a sick near-post half-volley that beat Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon. In only five minutes, the Dutch were up 2-0 on the defending world champs, a mere two-thirds into the first half. It would've been very easy for them to sit on their lead, packing their defense in, playing a possession game, and sucking all the fun out of the game. Instead, the Netherlands continued to attack. It was a very entertaining, end-to-end style, one where you might not necessarily have known who had the lead if you hadn't seen the scoreboard. The final goal also came on a counterattack, one where Edwin van der Sar's diving save led to a go-for-broke counter by the Dutch, completely unneeded at that point in the game, that resulted in an odd ten-yard header goal for Van Bronckhorst. I don't think two more exciting goals could be played out on the latest FIFA video game. It'll be interesting to see if this strategy is used if the Dutch are in a must-win game and protecting a one-goal lead; it's definitely exciting from a fan's perspective, but might not be the best choice if you're a native who prefers a win over some drama.

As for Italy, they were put in a situation where they were not at all comfortable: playing from behind. While this might seem obvious, one of the things that made the Italians so good on their championship run was their ability to get a 1-0 lead and sit on it like a plump mother hen. They definitely missed defensive leader Fabio Cannavaro. By the time their offensive playmakers (Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Luca Toni) got on track in the second half, they were in a hole and pushing their entire formation up, which made them susceptible to transition play. Van der Sar made amazing saves on Toni, Pirlo, and Alessandro Del Piero in the final 20 minutes, showing why even at age 37 he's one of the best goalies in the world. The Italians finished strong and still have a chance t make it out of this group, but they cannot be slow out of the gate against Romania. They started the game lethargic and off, and it made a normally unflappable group desperate after a bam-bam five minutes that hit right between the eyes.

The last thing worth mentioning before I hit the sack is that the officiating in this game was truly horrendous. It wasn't just the offsides call. There was at least one corner that careened off a charging Italian player's chest across the goal line, but was still called a corner for Italy. There was a lazy and dangerous challenge from famous culprit Marco Materazzi on Van Nistelrooy that should've been a free kick just outside the box. I'm sure I could find more examples of poor officiating in this one on both sides; the point of course is that if UEFA set out to find a diverse group of refs from the continent for Euro 08, they should've made sure they were qualified; this guy looked in way over his head, even seeming unsure after some fouls whether he wanted to draw his book or give a slap on the wrist. Hopefully this is one of the last times we have to talk about the refs.

Romania 0-0 France

Did they set up goals on the field in Zurich? All I know after checking the stats and following the game at work is that there was one shot on target between both teams. One. I'll let Grant Wahl tell you about it, it didn't sound like the most entertaining hour-and-a-half in the beautiful game's history. I agree with Grant in wondering why Thierry Henry was riding the pine for the full 90; he is one of the premier players in the world, right? Maybe he's not the absolute best as he was in 2004 or 2005, but dude can still play and finish. That might have been just what Les Bleus needed in this game, one that has to be seen as a Romanian moral victory after coming out a scoreless tie. Both teams have very, very interesting games coming up in this Group o' Death; hopefully they can actually, you know, shoot on goal, and try and push the ball forward when they suit up again on Friday.

Germany 2-0 Poland

Poland couldn't have been happy at the Euro draw when they saw Germany was in their group. Trying to beat the Germans for them has proven impossible over the years; they've never done it. Poland's last loss to Germany came in the 06 World Cup, in a closely contested Group A game. What had to make Sunday's result frustrating, yet again, is that the Poles really were competitive throughout a good deal of this game. They outshot the Germans and were able to string passes together and control the tempo through the first half and in the early portion of the second half. But Germany never looked completely off guard, and weathered the storm even as Poland got some quality looks on goal. Germany really is great to watch for any offensive-minded fan; they aren't afraid to send their wingers on long balls and let their speed do the rest in open space. Lukas Podolski's two goals were the difference; an important lunch and some spotty cable in Houston prevented me from watching all of this one, but I was able to see a lot of the second half. I only saw Podolski's second goal on a replay (thanks, cable box), a nasty volley buried into the top left corner that came thanks to a whiff by Miroslav Klose, which caused the ball to spin awkwardly in Podolski's direction. The Polish-born forward turned a forgettable play into the goal of the tournament after two days. The final score didn't seem to indicate how competitive Poland was in this one, but that seems to be how it's gone for years against the Germans. These Group B favorites got off on the right foot and have put themselves in a good position to advance; if Croatia doesn't play up to their potential later this week, we could be looking at 9 points for Germany in the first round.

And while we're discussing Germany, is there any name more ridiculous than Bastian Schweinsteiger? The winger was sporting a bleach-blonde 'do to match his uber-name, and created some nice chances when he subbed in; this wouldn't necessarily be worth mentioning if his name weren't Bastian Schweinsteiger, of course. That's the kind of name that can probably get you a free stein of the darkest brew at Hofbrauhaus, if I had to guess.

Austria 0-1 Croatia

I'd like to hear all of the naysayers now, the ones who wanted Austria to duck out of the party they're hosting. They looked far from overmatched in this one, gaining more and more momentum as things progressed. No, they didn't get any points from it, and realistically these were points they sorely needed if they harbored any illusions about actually advancing, but the home crowd in Vienna rallied behind them and they earned a lot of respect with this result. Again, this was a game only saw bits and pieces of, but the Austrians were a questionable penalty kick away from a scoreless draw. Luka Modric converted the PK in the 4th minute, which proved to be the game-winner; I'm not sure if it was a PK or not, I probably wouldn't have called it that early on in the corner of the box, where the guy didn't appear to be in a serious position to actually score, but I don't think it's a terrible call, either (I know, I know, posting cursory reviews of the games, not taking a position on a controversial call--what kind of blog is this? trust me, it'll get better). If Austria can win or draw against a reeling Poland squad on Thursday, it could make the match against neighboring Germany awfully interesting next week. They didn't look like the 92nd-ranked team in the world yesterday, forcing Croatian keeper Stipe Pletikosa to make some nice saves late and generally holding their own. Croatia did control the tempo more in the first half, but they managed just one shot on target and have to improve if they want to make a run in this tournament. Croatia takes on Germany on Thursday, while the co-hosts entertain Poland. Both games will be played in Austria.

Portugal 2-0 Turkey

Unfortunately I only caught a small portion of the first half of this game, but it's clear from watching highlights and reading reviews that Portuguese class prevailed. They dominated from the beginning, controlling possession and the midfield and producing scoring chances at the outset. Turkey's defense was scrappy and didn't concede a goal until the 61st minute, when Pepe's give-and-go finally put Portugal on the board, but this was a game the Group A favorites had in hand the entire time. An additional goal from Raul Meireles in injury time sealed the deal. Portugal moves on to face the Czech Republic, while Turkey will take on co-host Switzerland on Wednesday. It certainly looks like the winners are in good shape, with Switzerland probably needing to beat Turkey and Portugal to have a chance at advancing and the Turks looking like they might be no factor at all in Euro 08. If there's going to be a Cinderella squad to emerge in this tournament, I don't think it's going to come from this group.

Switzerland 0-1 Czech Republic

What a start to the tournament. I missed most of what seemed to be a fairly sloppy, ho-hum first half, but the second half provided plenty of drama, especially considering there was only one goal scored.
The Swiss came out of the locker room with a lot of energy and offense, and basically dominated the Czechs from the opening whistle. A Hakan Yakin free kick sailed over the left part of the crossbar several minutes in; a Johan Vonlanthen screamer hit the bar later in the half. The Swiss showed some nice offensive creativity, stringing together one-two passes and overlapping runs in the offensive half to knock the Czechs back on their heels. This was even more impressive considering the fact that star striker Alex Frei left the game late in the first half with an injured knee; they could've easily folded and began playing for a draw, but they didn't.

Yet despite their play, the Swiss failed to captialize on their opportunities. When the Czechs countered and got a corner, a bad clearance by Philippe Senderos led to a header back toward the Swiss goal, where Czech sub Vaclav Sverkos (who replaced veteran star Jan Koller) narrowly avoided an offsides penalty and buried the ball into the lower right corner of the net in the 71st minute. The Swiss didn't stop attacking, and had several more opportunities to draw even, including a controversial no-call (looked like a PK to me, a Czech defender chicken-winged the ball in the box and got away with one) late which would have given them an easy chance. Despite controlling possession and outshooting the Czechs 13-8, the Swiss came away with no points, and now face a must-win against Turkey during the week. As for the Czechs, they are fortunate to have left their first game with 3 points; they were sloppy and just plain bad at times in the second half, and were lucky to score on a counterattack/Swiss miscue. That they could win a game where they were outplayed so blatantly is impressive on one hand, but they're going to have to bring their proverbial "A game" in Group A next time out against Portugal. Group A games resume on Wednesday in Switzerland.

Group B Preview

Playing from behind after a weekend out of town, which may or may not have included some atrocious dance moves at a wedding reception. Let's continue with Group B, then get to some match reviews.

Germany
World Ranking: 5
Euro 04: Group play
WC 06: 3rd place (L-Italy/W-Portugal)
Three to Watch: Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Bayern Munich)
The undisputed group favorite and one of the favorites to win the whole thing, the Germans come into Euro 2008 off a bronze performance as hosts of the last World Cup. They haven't fared too well in this competition the last two times, having failed to win a match since 1996 (that's a shocking stat, isn it?), but they return a core of high profile players who are capable of taking them deep into June. While the Germans don't usually come to mind when speaking of fast-paced, high-flying soccer, they are a very aggressive team with a lot of young, offensive talent that should be entertaining to watch. They may not be truly tested until the semis, when they could potentially face Portugal.

Croatia
World Ranking: 15
Euro 04: Group play
WC 06: Group play
Three to Watch: Luka Modric (Tottenham Hotspur), Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Dario Simic (AC Milan)
After a string of recent disappointments on the international stage, Croatia looks poised to make it out of group play in this tournament. A late goal by Australia prevented them from advancing in the World Cup, but they were impressive in that campaign and have the benefit of drawing a group with one challenging game (Germany) and two very winnable games. This is another squad with world class talent and players from the best leagues across Europe. If you're angry at England's absence from this tournament, blame these guys; they eliminated them in a game where they basically had nothing to gain. I expect the Croats to make it out of this group as the runners up; it's just too bad we won't be seeing their trademark red and white checkerboard jerseys due to a color clash with all the teams in their group.

Poland
World Ranking: 28
Euro 04: Did not qualify
WC 06: Group play
Three to Watch: The names of these guys don't exactly roll off the tongue; let's wait for some stars to emerge before I do this to my keyboard.
Most of the players on the Polish team appear to be a cut below in terms of this level of play, but they had a very respectable run in 2006 in defeat and hope to continue that streak in their first ever appearance in the European Championships. They have never beaten Germany, and I don't expect them to break the streak in this tournament, but they should handle Austria, leaving their pivotal game to be the one versus the Croats. My money is on the Croatian team, but some have picked the Poles as a dark horse from this group.

Austria
World Ranking: 92
Euro 04: Did not qualify
WC 06: Did not qualify
Three to Watch: Roland Linz (Sporting Braga), Andreas Ivanschitz (Panathinaikos), Sebastian Prodl (Werder Bremen)
Widely considered one of the worst teams to ever participate in this competition, the Austrians qualifed automatically as co-hosts of Euro 08. FIFA's rankings show they're ranked below some pretty soft teams (Libya, Iceland, Georgia--and I don't mean the Bulldogs), and there was even a movement in Austria earlier this year to prevent the national team from playing in this competition so that the proud citizens wouldn't be humiliated. I happen to think they're probably exaggerating just a bit, as the home crowd will inspire them to make things interesting at the very least, but asking them to get out of this group or perhaps even just win a game might be asking too much. The Austrians will be done after three games, but it won't be as bad as some people have claimed.

Group A Preview

Hoping to catch the first game tomorrow morning, have a wedding in the afternoon that will cause me to miss the Portugal-Turkey game. Without further ado:

Portugal
World Ranking: 11
Euro 04: Finalist (L-Greece)
WC 06: 4th Place (L-France/Germany)
Three to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Deco (Barcelona), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea)
If you prefer attacking soccer with some flair, this might be the team for you. The Portuguese butter their bread in the offensive third and have the best player in the world in Cristiano Ronaldo. Returning their core group from the 04 and 06 international campaigns leaves this team as the clear favorites in Group A and one of the favorites to hoist the trophy in three weeks. Also, just so you know, their coach, Luis Felipe Scolari, is a dead ringer for Gene Hackman. Expect to see some Hackman movie quotes in Portuguese in the coming days, courtesy of IMDB and Babelfish. If these guys don't get to the semis and see Germany, I'll be shocked.

Switzerland
World Ranking: 44
Euro 04: Group play
WC o6: Round of 16 (L-Ukraine)
Three to Watch: Alexander Frei (Borussia Dortmund), Johan Djourou (Arsenal), Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen)
The co-hosts from the land of chocolate and pocket knives open against Czech Republic tomorrow, coming off a surprise performance in the World Cup where they didn't surrender a single goal in 390 minutes of play (they lost in a shootout to Ukraine after a scoreless draw). They're a bit different from Portugal, playing a more conservative style that emphasizes defense and seeks to capitalize on counters, but don't underestimate them. We've seen the power of a home crowd in international tourneys over the last decade, and despite some injuries and a dearth of marquee names on the roster, the Swiss could build off their run in Germany and make it out of this group with some luck. They're probably battling the Czechs for second banana.

Czech Republic
World Ranking: 6
Euro 04: Semifinalists (L-Greece)
WC 06: Group play
Three to Watch: Petr Cech (Chelsea), Milan Baros (Portsmouth), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan)
Last seen dismantling the U.S. in the World Cup then crashing out against Ghana and Italy, the Czechs enter Euro 08 with a veteran squad. An injury to Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky, the team captain and one of the side's best players, presents a big void the Czechs may not be able to fill. Critics denounce these guys as old and kind of clunky, but anyone who watched their opening game against the Americans nearly two years ago to the day might beg to differ. They're ranked so well by FIFA for a reason, and will contend in Group A barring something unforeseen.

Turkey
World Ranking: 20
Euro 04: Did not qualify
WC 06: Did not qualify.
Three to Watch: Tuncay Sanli (Middlesbrough), Nihat Kahveci (Villareal), Servet Cetin (Galatasaray)
Group A's mystery team hasn't been seen on the international scene since a Cinderella run in the 02 World Cup that saw them reach the semifinals and challenge eventual champion Brazil. It's probably better if you judge these guys by the links provided, because I really know very little about them, other than a.) they probably won't advance, b.) they supposedly have crazy, Oakland Raider-type fans, and c.) all their guys play in Turkey. Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm going to say Turkey gets smoked, three and out.

Enjoy the games, Group B preview coming soon! Graphics for this article will also be posted tomorrow.

Random Thoughts 1.0

• Good news, loyal readers. I am pleased to announce that we will have the opportunity to interview Grant Wahl, a senior writer/soccer authority at Sports Illustrated, about this tournament. Anyone who talks sports with me regularly knows that I think Wahl is one of the best sports writers around, so the fact that he will be contributing his insights to this blog is pretty sweet. Stay tuned for more details.

• Speaking of Grant Wahl, he says in a recent article on SI.com that the European Championship is the best soccer tournament in the world. I've heard this declared by other writers as well; the thinking here is that while you don't see South American powerhouses Argentina and Brazil, you also don't have nearly as many easy matches in group play against the weaker squads from other continents (remember Togo and Saudi Arabia in the 06 World Cup?). I don't think anything beats the World Cup, but a glance at June's FIFA world rankings shows you that there aren't going to be many pushover matches in the coming weeks. The World Cup might be the best tournament to follow and watch, but the European Championship may very well have the best competition. With 10 of the top 12 ranked squads in the world, the level of play figures to be outstanding.

• In every international competition, there seems to be an impossibly difficult group; this is usually known as the "Group of Death." In this tournament that honor undoubtedly goes to Group C, which boasts France, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania as its members. They are ranked 3rd, 7th, 10th and 12th in the world. While this makes for some dynamite matchups (see: World Cup Final rematch on June 17th), it definitely calls into question how the groups are chosen. Surely there is a way to seed teams so that we don't have a loaded Group C and a mediocre Group B (Germany got a great draw with Austria, Croatia and Poland). If you want to figure out a way to reward teams for how well they perform in Euro qualifying, that's fine; but there has to be some consideration for world ranking and recent form in international tournaments. If they did this, we'd get groups that were more even and later rounds with juicier matchups.

• As you familiarize yourself with the groups and teams in Austria and Switzerland this summer, you may notice the glaring absence of England. Their failure to qualify for Euro 08 was both shocking and embarassing for their soccer-obsessed fans, and it's also a disappointment for many Americans following. Not only does England present the most logical team to root for, as one of the only English-speaking nations in Europe, they also have a roster loaded with stars whose skills draw attention wherever they play. No Frank Lampard or Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard is a big loss for this tournament. There's no getting around it.

• I realize that nearly all of the links lead you to ESPN content, and I swear I'm not pimping their stuff for any personal gain, but isn't it awesome that every game is going to be on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, or ESPN Classic? This is just what this tournament needs: more exposure stateside.

• One of the reasons international soccer is so difficult to follow is the lack of fluidity in terms of teams and individual stars. In the time between World Cups, a guy can go from being a world class player to irrelevant (looking at you, Rivaldo). If you don't follow club soccer closely, as I suspect most reading this blog do not, you're basically looking at following teams for one month every two or four years. Can you imagine how skewed your perception of the NBA or NFL would be if you only saw them play at that clip? If you'd picked up the NFL for a month in 2006 for the first time since 2002, you'd be wondering what the heck happened to Rich Gannon. It'd be hard to follow the stars, let alone the role players. While there are plenty of stars in Euro 08 who were prominent in the World Cup, guys like Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Thierry Henry and Michael Ballack, there has also been a decent amount of roster turnover on some squads. Others, like Russia, Romania and Turkey, weren't even in the World Cup, so we're being introduced to completely new peeps. It'll be interesting to see the stars and names that emerge over the coming weeks, but rest assured that this competition certainly won't be lacking in names in the beginning, middle or end.

• All the group previews will be up before their first day of competition. (Group A before Saturday, Group B before Sunday, etc.) Anybody have any initial thoughts as they're perusing the schedule? Favorites? Sleepers? Teams who are going to gag? Feedback is encouraged.

Three Quick Non-Euro Thoughts

Many in the sports world may expect the next few days to showcase three dominant performances: the Lakers in the NBA Finals, Rafael Nadal at the French Open and Big Brown in the Belmont Stakes.

I expect the Lakers to win the title in six games, though I will be rooting, begrudgingly, for the Celtics. I like KG too much to let my feelings for Boston sports fans turn me against this team, and I genuinely feel that Kobe Bryant is one of the most unlikeable athletes in all of sports. This notion that he has changed in the last year from a brat to a team player is laughable. I'll leave it at that. Unfortunately, I still expect L.A. to close the deal at home in less than two weeks. Hope I'm wrong.

As for Nadal, the man is a beast on the red stuff. Not only do people not beat him at Roland Garros, it's usually not even close. I think he beats Federer on Sunday for his third consecutive title in Paris. Again, I hope I'm wrong.

Finally we come to the anticipated dominance that I think will not happen. As much as I would like to see Big Brown the horse (not the connections, I don't care much for them) win the first Triple Crown in 30 years, I think that the rail and the bad hoof and the karma are going against him. It does surprise me that everyone is talking about this race in such absolutes. Do I think he has a shot? Of course, I won't be shocked if he wins. But I think that he's going to be forced into a bad position early on the rail, and that the hoof problem and running a grueling race against fresher, better horses than he saw in the Preakness are going to catch up with him. He's still an outstanding horse, but I just don't think it's in the stars on Saturday. 1. Casino Drive 2. Denis of Cork 3. Big Brown

Back to the topic at hand soon....

Euro Pool

Here's how this is gonna work. Take a look at the points system below, from ESPN:

Group Stage (24 matches): 1 point = 24 total points
Quarter-finals (4 matches): 3 points = 12 total points
Semi-finals (2 matches): 5 points = 10 total points
Final (1 match): 7 points = 7 total points

Let's follow this--sort of. What we'll do is pick each match in the first round, pick either W L or T. For each match you pick correctly in group play, you get one point. For every team you pick correctly into the quarters, you get 3 points. For the semis, 6 points. For finals, 9 points. If you pick the champ, you get 12 points. Does this make sense to everyone? I don't think we'll be able to wager on this for several reasons, but this seems like a fun thing to do. You've got about 60 hours from this posting to research and get your results back to me. Good luck!

Then and Now

My last delving into international soccer came two summers ago, in a stuffy hostel room in San Sebastian, Spain. It was here that I watched the Italy-France final, the culmination of a month-long privilege I had to follow the World Cup as I backpacked across Europe. I remember where I was when Maxi Rodriguez scored this goal (in a friend's friend's cousin's Berlin apartment, with a guy who was nursing a glass of red wine and didn't seem to really care about the game), Joe Cole scored this one (didn't actually see it, the one time they decided to switch over to coverage of the meaningless Paraguay-Trinidad and Tobago game in the Vienna ice cream shop where I watched, Cole hit his 40-yard beauty), and Marco Materazzi managed to put a bulls-eye on his sternum by saying something about Zinedine Zidane's sis.

But that was two summers ago, and now it is time for the next major international tournament (no disrespect to the African Cup of Nations, but it ain't quadrennial and it ain't televised). Maxi Rodriguez won't be there (not from a European country), Joe Cole won't be there (not from a nation who qualified...more on this later), and Zinedine Zidane has hung up his international boots. Yes, friends, it is Euro 2008, and it is upon us. Three weeks and sixteen teams to determine the champion of Europe. Every game on an ESPN channel. Every kickoff at a time of day when the sun is actually shining in the western hemisphere. There's a lot to like about this one, boys and girls. Don't like baseball? Sick of Lakers-Celtics even though the series has yet to begin? Bored with stories about NFL players beating burglars with bedposts? Well then, Euro 08 just might be the tonic you need to get through the long, sweltering summer.

Since I don't follow club soccer with anything resembling regularity, I'm not going to react to the Euro matches on this blog as if I'm an expert. I watched the Champions League Final, I watched a few other times, but for the most part, I have been on sabbatical since my summer in Europe. This blog will be for random thoughts, analysis of the game, and perhaps the occasional entertaining tidbit. It's not going to be like the Final Four, where I know (or think I know) every tendency of every player on every roster. I will familiarize myself as best I can, and hope to provide some insight along the way. Before we get to the games on Saturday, I'll provide some random thoughts, an invitation to join me in a March Madness-style pool, and a prediction or two. Bring friends, bring opinions, and bring the heat. Join me, please.

And it begins...

Stay tuned for random thoughts and a preview of Groups A-D before the Swiss and Czechs kickoff on Saturday.