04/25/24
June 16, 2012
Greece, Czech Republic Advance in Group A: Greece knocked off Russia 1-0 and the Czech Republic beat Poland by the same score in Euro 2012 group A's final games Saturday, putting the Greeks and Czechs in the quarterfinals. Giorgos Karagounis scored for Greece on a defensive miscue right before the first half ended. Petr Jiracek scored for the Czechs in the 72nd minute. Russia went into its game only needing a draw to advance.
I was thinking Russia could be a dark horse to win the whole thing. Never mind.
posted by sbacharach at 06:45 PM on June 16, 2012
I thought so too. And now they have to lug that enormous banner back home in shame.
posted by rcade at 07:12 PM on June 16, 2012
If you buy a banner measured in hectares, I'm guessing you don't do the whole "shame" thing.
posted by yerfatma at 07:25 PM on June 16, 2012
Or subtlety thing, or good taste thing...
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:47 PM on June 16, 2012
If Germany win or draw tomorrow, they will win Group B and face the runners-up of Group A in the quarterfinals. Said runners-up just so happen to be Greece.
I would enjoy seeing the discussions around that match.
posted by boredom_08 at 09:19 PM on June 16, 2012
The big one I'm looking forward to is Spain-Croatia. If those two draw 2-2 then even if Italy win their last game they'll be out without losing.
Eight years ago Italy had drawn their first two games and then scored a winner against Bulgaria in the 94th minute. The Italians were still celebrating when news came through that Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen had fumbled a cross allowing Swede Mattias Jonson to equalise for a 2-2 draw that sent Italy home without losing.
If it happens again I'm sure we'll have to go through the irony of the Italians complaining about match fixing.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:51 PM on June 16, 2012
Russia's play yesterday reminded me of that Star Trek: TNG episode where Geordie is somehow just slightly out of phase with the rest of the Universe. Otherwise I have no explanation for the lack of connections in their play, although they were very narrow and that played into the Greece defensive structure quite nicely.
I do wonder where Dzagoev will end up. At just 22 he could be a big star with a Western European club quite soon, would not mind at all if he ended up at Liverpool.
posted by billsaysthis at 11:35 AM on June 17, 2012
The Czechs were beaten for a goal in the last 11 seconds but one of their defenders headed it out near the line. Great finish.
I wonder what the odds were this morning on Russia not advancing.