Euro 2008: Matchday 11 (Group C)
Three teams. One spot. We all knew Group C of the European Championships would be the most competitive, but I'm not sure many of us could have imagined just how the group would play out.
The Netherlands have torched Italy and France on its way to a berth in the quarterfinals. That leaves Romania, France and Italy to vie for the second quarterfinal berth in the group. This brings us to France-Italy, a rematch of the 2006 World Cup final. The winner will reach the quarters if Romania loses to the Netherlands. If Romania ties the Netherlands and Italy and France tie then we are in a dizzying series of tie-breakers to determine the second qualifier.
France and Italy will be facing off today on ESPN at 2:30pm. Whether it's Italy-France or Netherlands-Romania, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on today's action in the comments section below. I will post my own commentary in the comments section as well.
Enjoy the matches.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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Bah, keeping Touloun, and benching Malouda. Bad decision by Domenech.
Posted by: dano | June 17, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Lets get ready for some legal match fixing everyone!!! Holland and Romania will have the 2 dumbest coaches in the tournament if they allow the French or Italians to make it to the Qtrs.
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:47 PM
There is not a single ounce of creativity in the center of the French midfield.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 02:47 PM
gotta keep Toulalon in there becuase he's quicker and faster than his partner Makelele. I wouldve preferred to see Makelele dropped in favor of Sami Nasri
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:49 PM
great point messiah, everything from the French will come from the wings with Ribery and Govou
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:50 PM
Well, the Dutch have the JV lineup in. Even Dirk Kuyt didn't get the call, so that tells you how far down the bench Van Basten is going. No word on the veracity of the rumor that he was hanging out at the Dutch fans' hotels looking for scrubs to throw in against Team Vampire.
Truth be told, Van Basten is in an enviable position. He can eliminate two of the most obnoxious teams in recent memory by exerting as little effort as possible. It's not really a bad position to be in.
(Cue Geico Gecko: "It's the Queen wanting to know if you want to have dinner at the Palace, or the Castle. Either way, you've having' filet mignon."
Posted by: Brant | June 17, 2008 at 02:52 PM
I still say van Persie or Robben nick at least something from Romania.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 02:53 PM
Ribery is being carted off the field. Surely Domenech must have seen this, so the sub should be in rather promptly.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 02:54 PM
Nasri time. Domenech is a moron. Nasri shouldve been on from the start
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:55 PM
Where does he play? Nasri is a natural "tres-quartista" and Ribery was on the left wing
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:56 PM
Nasri should've been starting, but not for RIbery. Should've been starting up front.
Posted by: Brant | June 17, 2008 at 02:58 PM
Yeah Benzema hasnt shown anything this tournament to justify the huge price tag
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Looks like Nasri has been given a free role to roam and playmake. Now with Ribery out and Nasri drifting central, look for TH14 to take his usual position, cutting in from the left wing
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:01 PM
22nd minute- Italy has the French on the back-foot. Losing Ribery is huge for the French and I'm not sure if Nasri can pick up the slack.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:07 PM
well, that looks like the end of the french
Posted by: nad | June 17, 2008 at 03:10 PM
As long as Italy do not make it out of the first round, I will be happy. That said, I don't really want to see France make it out of the first round either.
Go Romania!
Posted by: HomeyBoehme | June 17, 2008 at 03:10 PM
Was that really a penalty and a red card?
Posted by: Dominghosa | June 17, 2008 at 03:10 PM
Bad play by Abidal, he gets sent off, Italy go up 1-0, and the game is over.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Italy penalty, Abidal sent off, France a player down coupled with the loss of creative Ribery and fighting back from 1-0 against an Italian team. I'd say France are as good as out
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:11 PM
25th minute- GOAL ITALY. Pirlo converts the penalty and now France must come from behind a man down after Eric Abidal was sent off for taking down Luca Toni in the area.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:11 PM
Nasri comes off for Boumsong.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:12 PM
27th minute- Boumsong on for Nasri to make up for the loss of Abidal. That's a tough one for Nasri, who barely had a chance to do anything. Raymond Domenench looks lost.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Abidal receives a well deserved Red for a horrible attempt to stop Toni from behind (no where near getting the ball) and instead brings him down.
Italy 1-0 France
Posted by: DCM | June 17, 2008 at 03:13 PM
C'mon Team Vampire! Pressure's really on now that a draw won't cut it. Maybe they'll announce the score and the Oranje can just sit down on the pitch for a while.
Posted by: Brant | June 17, 2008 at 03:13 PM
FIRE DOMENECH NOW!
Posted by: HomeyBoehme | June 17, 2008 at 03:14 PM
A goal down, and you sub off an offensive player for a defensive one? I understand you just lost a central defender, but you need a goal. I would have let them play til halftime, and then made a change.
Posted by: dano | June 17, 2008 at 03:14 PM
Nasri off for Boumsong? WOW!!! Domenech is not even pretending to try this game. In a game that needs French goals, Domenech takes of the most creative player on the roster and replaces him with the worst defender France has ever known. I suspect Domenech will be sacked at halftime. How is that for karma Michel Platini?
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:14 PM
28th minute- Luca Toni almost backheels a shot on goal.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:14 PM
30th minute- Italy looks energized now and doesn't look like it is trying to sit on 1-0. They are attacking and France doesn't look close to responding.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Mutu is going to regret his horrible penalty attempt vs Italy at the end of this day.
Posted by: HomeyBoehme | June 17, 2008 at 03:15 PM
Is it possible to fire a coach *during* the game?! France soooooo need to pitch Domenech off the nearest Alp.
Pull Nasri after 17 minutes?!
Put in Boumsong?!
What's he doing, protecting the loss?!
Posted by: Brant | June 17, 2008 at 03:15 PM
I don't even want to watch the rest of this match. I'm not sure Domenech has made a positive decision once this entire tournament, and there's no reason why the team as constituted, and down a man, should have any hope of coming back.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:16 PM
The one certainty in this match is that Makelele and Toulalan will finish the game. Can't sacrifice a defensive midfielder when goals need to be scored after all.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:18 PM
You have to feel for Nasri. He got a raw deal in terms of his playing time the entire tournament. France needed his creativity in every game and ends up playing a total of 25 minutes in 3 games. And we thought Bob Bradley doesnt know how to use his squad. Domenech makes BB look like Capello
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Toni, making Eddie Johnson look good since Euro 2008
Posted by: Shoshana | June 17, 2008 at 03:18 PM
If France tie this game, Luca Toni will have a LOT to answer for
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:19 PM
That kind of finish is the only way France will score. Too bad Henry wasn't up to the task.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:20 PM
36th minute- France showing more life, but still can't finish.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:22 PM
France needs to go balls out starting now. Forget being down a man, the Italians are going to bunker down. If Domenech had an ounce of tactical acumen, he would pull Toulalon and throw on another striker
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:22 PM
37th minute- Dangerous France free kick after Gattuso fouls Henry from behind.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:23 PM
What shockingly abysmal displays from France and Italy this first round. OMG just awful.
Posted by: HomeyBoehme | June 17, 2008 at 03:23 PM
38th minute- Benzema takes the free kick and puts it into the wall. The kick got about a yard off the ground.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:24 PM
that sound you here is Benzema's transfer price dropping like the stock market
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:24 PM
I agree with the sentiment Doug, but I think you have to take out Makelele in that scenario, if for no other reason than Makelele is a bit old to be doing the running that would be required on his own.
Posted by: ManicMessiah | June 17, 2008 at 03:24 PM
out of all the youngsters expected to star in Euro 2008 (Benzema, Mario Gomez, Modric) the one who is looking best is Arda from Turkey. Ives who are the top youngsters in your opinion this tourney?
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:26 PM
Just letting you know at least one person is following this to keep track the game. I appreciate your updates guys!
Posted by: Dave | June 17, 2008 at 03:26 PM
I'd leave Makelele becuase you dont have to worry about him going forward. Toulalon is more of a Vieira-type box to box midfielder
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:26 PM
42nd minute- You wouldn't know France was a man down based on how the game is going. Italy isn't taking advantage.
Posted by: Ives | June 17, 2008 at 03:27 PM
Andy Gray mentions "belief" for the French team. The last time he did it was the monumental comeback with the Turks. A sign maybe?
Posted by: doug | June 17, 2008 at 03:28 PM
I cannot even fathom why Boumsong is in there for his defense, rather than his comedic talents while pretending to defend. They guy got cut by Newcastle... NEWCASTLE! If you can't play defense for Newcastle, you can't play for anyone*
France has no midfield linkage from attack to defense. They look like The Crew in 2006. Or just about any French team since Zindane retired.
* And Galaxy fans, take note: Babayaro was cut by Newcastle, signed with LA, and then was cut by LA. So if you can't play in the back for Newcastle, you really *can't* play in the back for anyone.
And as I type this, I'm wearing my Newcastle jersey at work. Don't laugh; it's clean :)
Posted by: Brant | June 17, 2008 at 03:28 PM