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| Euro 2008- Group B (R); AUT, CRO, GER, POL | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 22 2008, 10:43 AM (677 Views) | |
| historyman | Jun 16 2008, 09:33 PM Post #31 |
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A disappointingly low-key affair between Austria and Germany. The best action was on the touchline when both managers were sent to the stands by the referee. However Ballack's free-kick was a first-class thunderbolt, and am I right in saying that this was the first goal of the tournament to have been scored directly from a free-kick? Austria are such a poor and inadequate international side. They are embarrassingly incompetent to watch at times, and although they didn't disgrace themselves (as many had feared), their presence in this tournament had become something of a joke. So Potugal now face Germany in the first Q/F. A difficult one to call.
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| Don Balon | Jun 17 2008, 12:02 AM Post #32 |
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Leave it to Mejuto Gonzalez to cause a stir as the referee by sending both coaches to the stands. Maybe Mejuto Gonzalez saw Angela Merkel was lonely sitting in the VIP section and decided to send Joachim Low up to keep her company! I believe you are right historyman, Ballack's goal was the first free kick I remember being scored in the tournament. One of the strongest shots I've seen in a long time too. Reminded me of old timers like Eder and Arie Haan who used to just blast the ball. I don't think Austria ended up being a joke. They actually surprised me by being as competitive as they were. I expected a lot worse from them based on their runup to the tournament. |
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| badgerboy | Jun 17 2008, 02:22 AM Post #33 |
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I think Austria did "OK" too. They just "lacked quality in the final third" as the old cliche goes. I agree that they probably wouldn't have qualified if they hadn't been the hosts but then Poland looked at least as bad & they did qualify (ahead of Portugal!) & their best player was a Brazilian who only got his Polish passport a few weeks ago! Strange (& a little frustrating to me) how that works. I mean I know that the qualifying procedure can be a long drawn out process & the form of the teams involved (including the relative minnows who win the odd game that affects the qualification picture) can vary hugely from the beginning to the end. But it seems to me that there are always a few teams (Poland being prime exhibit A - & not just here) that go into every Finals Tournament simply believing they aren't good enough to compete. Their performance on the pitch suggests that to be a realistic view. But then to qualify in the first place the way they did they surely have to be pretty decent - it can't all be "luck". So to me (and I might be totally wrong) it seems as if it's as much "lack of belief" as "lack of ability" that causes these teams to flop. A shame that even a coach as good as Beenhakker couldn't solve the problem this time. |
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| Yogi | Jun 17 2008, 01:25 PM Post #34 |
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Not good news for Germany with both Podolski and Frings possibly missing the quarterfinal due to injuries. Or are the Germans engaging in misinformation? We'll learn on Thursday when they play Portugal. |
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| shelsoccer | Jun 17 2008, 01:39 PM Post #35 |
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I thought the Austrians played with a lot of commitment and want-to. They just flat out aren't very talented. |
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| Johnbuildr | Jun 20 2008, 10:38 AM Post #36 |
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I didn't see this one, but the Austrians are severely outclassed by population numbers alone. I haven't "googled it" , but they have to be badly out numbered compared to most Euro nations, except Switzerland. There's that point, and the Austrians much prefer skiing to soccer too.......
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum | |
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