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European Under-21 Championships
Topic Started: Jun 19 2009, 09:07 AM (723 Views)
Simon
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No talk on this yet, but the story so far is:

GROUP A:
Sweden 5-1 Belarus
Italy 0-0 Serbia

Sweden 1-2 Italy
Serbia - Belarus

Group A Pld W D L Pts
Italy 2 1 1 0 4
Sweden 2 1 0 1 3
Serbia 1 0 1 0 1
Belarus 1 0 0 1 0

GROUP B:
England 2-1 Finland
Spain 0-0 Germany

England 2-0 Spain
Germany 2-0 Finland

Group B Pld W D L Pts
England 2 2 0 0 6
Germany 2 1 1 0 4
Spain 2 0 1 1 1
Finland 2 0 0 2 0

England are the only team in the semis so far, but Italy took a step nearer with this afternoon's victory over the hosts. Balotelli showed the good and bad in his game by putting Italy ahead only to be sent off for kicking someone. Robert Acquafresca doubled the Italian advantage before Toivonen got a late consolation.

There are plenty of highly-rated players with top league experience on view. Theo Walcott was actually on the bench for an hour of the England - Spain game, perhaps because Wenger wasn't too happy at him not having the summer off but more likely because he was quiet in the win over Finland. Anyway, he made a very positive contribution when he came on, outpacing Javi Garcia and setting James Milner up for England's second. England had earlier had the luxury of a Milner missed penalty. It will be interesting to see if Walcott starts against Germany or if Stuart Pearce views him as an impact substitute.

Gojko Kacar or Serbia and Mesut Ozil of Germany have attracted plenty of attention over the last year and both are playing well here also, as is Sweden's Marcus Berg who scored a hat-trick in the first match. Serbia are about to kick-off against Belarus.
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libero
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I am glad you opened this thread as I was consideirng starting one myself. It is an interesting tournament and if you go through the squads list you will see many familiar names from Italy, England, Spain, Germany and Serbia, the five expected contenders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_UEFA_Eur...pionship_squads

Big wins as Simon wrote for England over Spain yesterday and for Italy over home team Sweden today. After drawing with Germany and losing to England, Spain are in a very difficult situation to qualify out of their group. Looks like they'll have to rely on England betaing Germany by more goals than they defeated Spain, an already qualified England at that.

Italy's win all but puts them trough to the semis too with a game against minnows Belarus remaining. Serbia-Sweden will eb the clash to decide who goes through with them. Sweden may be the hoem team but Serbia were quite good against Italy in a 0-0 draw, twice hitting the post in the second half.
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raconteur
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Serbia and Belarus ended up playing a 0-0 draw so Serbia have two 0-0 games so far in the competition. Next up for them is host country Sweden and a third draw will put the Serbs out of the tournament.

There really are a lot of name players in this competition and I know Italy for instance is taking it quite seriously as U21 coach Casiraghi and national team coach Lippi got into a bit of a tug of war over some players. Ultimately they stayed with the U21 team as Lippi has taken a more veteran team to the Confederations Cup.

Simon, how can Arsene Wenger complain about Theo Walcott needing a rest this summer when he missed about half of last season with injury?
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Simon
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Because he's Arsene Wenger!
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raconteur
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Simon,Jun 21 2009
07:08 AM
Because he's Arsene Wenger!

:D Well said!

England and germany drew 1-1 yesterday while Spain beat Finland but it was not enough for Spain to catch either the English or Germans who go through from their group. Today Italy plays Belarus and Sweden faces Serbia to decide the other two semifinalists.
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Yogi
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Italy and Swden finished 1-2 in their group so the semifinals are set for Friday: Italy-Germany and England-Sweden. On paper they look quite good, should be fun to see what these four countries have coming up in terms of talent.
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Merengue
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A disappointing tournament for Spain who lacked punch up top. Bojan was there but he is more of a support striker, the center forward Xisco is a player I have never really rated highly. Watch out though for Pedro Leon the Valladolid winger, he is one to watch for the future. Of course Spain could have had Pique, Mata and Busquets at this tournament but Vicente del Bosque decided it is better to have them with the senior team at the Confederations Cup gaining experience with the big boys rather than competing in a youth champonship. Contrast that with Italy who left some players off their Confederations Cup roster so they could compete in this U-21 tournament.
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Simon
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Is that the same Xisco that went to Newcastle United? If so then I agree, he's never looked like much whenever I've seen him either.

The semi-final line-up does look very strong. It will be interesting to see how big a help home advantage will be for Sweden. I think it's probably more of a factor in full international tournaments than in youth competitions.
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libero
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I agree with Simon, the home advantage in a youth tournament is not as much of a factor as it is at the senior level as the crowds are just not as passionate. Mostly they are there like us here watching this tournament to see which young players look like they can become stars at the senior level.

Italy's DeCeglie is injured and will miss the rest of the competition. Both semifinals do look intriguing, I would say that of the four teams left it has been England who have looked the most impressive and that has been while they have been rotating players.

I believe Balotelli should be back from suspension for the semifinal but he is getting a reputation and opposing players will be trying to wind him up knowing that he is combustible. Like Cassano and Rooney before him though he should eventually learn to control his temper.
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Simon
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You say that like either Cassano or Rooney have managed it! :P
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Mr. Pither
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This is when the tournament should get interesting and with the increased pressure on these semifinal games it should also provide a better way to determine how these young players handle pressure. Italy-Germany should be a very intriguing game. Marko Marin who has already played for the senior German team is one to watch as is goalkeeper Manuel Neuer of Schalke. With the number 1 keeper spot still open Neuer has an opportunity in this competition to earn a chance with the senior squad. And I really enjoy watching Sebastian Giovinco of Italy.
P-I-T-H-E-R ...as in Brotherhood, but with PI instead of the BRO and no HOOD
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raconteur
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Two contrasting semifinal games, in the opener England scored after 1 minute through Martin Crainie and did not let up, going to lead 3-0 at the end of the first half over Sweden and were looking like sure finalists but Sweden rebounded led by the scoring of forward Markus Berg, with two goals, and the wing play of sub Guillermo Molins and tied the game up at 3-3 and sent it into extra time. Engalnd went down to 10 when Frazer Campbell was sent off but neither team were able to score thereafter and they went to penalties. England's Milner began with an embarassing miss as he slipped and shanked his shot but Berg of all people then missed his penalty and England eventually pulled it out after 6 rounds when Molins shot hit the post. So England advanced to the final.

In the other game Italy began well and with Giovinco running the midfield and Balotelli looking dangerous as he switched from one wing to the other so it looked like a matter of time before they'd score but the goalie Mr. Pither cautioned about, Manuel Neuer was in excellent form making some very big saves to keep the game scoreless. A few minutes into the 2nd half Hoffenheim's right back Andreas Beck let loose with a long shot which I thought Andrea Consigli in Italy's goal should have done better with but it went in and the goal lifted the Germans who had the better of the play for most of the rest of the half as Italy's attack withered away. A late Italian push was not enough to get through Germany's disciplined defense so Germany wins 1-0 and advances to a rematch with England in the final. Their first game ended 1-1 in the group stage.
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libero
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"The Atomic Ant" Sebastian Giovinco started off well and was looking very dangerous but he faded as the game went on and Germany marked him well with quick, physical players. This is the big mark against Giovinco, for all his talent he does float in and out of games and can be taken out of them with physical play. Disappointing for Italy, Acquafresca in particular was really wasteful in front of goal. If you can't score, makes it hard to win and Germany took their chance well with that long distance shot by Beck. I agree with raconteur that Consigli probably could have done better, he was looking to cover the near post and gave the far post away which is where Beck aimed.

I only saw highlighst of the first semifinal but it sounded like a wild one. England suffered a few casualties for the final, not only was Campbell sent off but the starting striker Gabriel Agbonhalor also is suspended as is keeper Joe Hart.
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Mr. Pither
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A highly entertaining game between England and Sweden, raconteur has already written what happened but this game showed how Stuart Pearce's obsession with penalty kicks paid off. Milner slipped but other than that England's penalty kicks were all well taken. Tough luck for Molins who really did pick Sweden up when he came on as a sub but England did well when down to 10 men in holding Sweden off. Momentum was in Sweden's favour and once Campbell got himself sent off, it looked inevitable that Sweden would score a 4th goal but England resolutely held out. Now it will be tough in the final after Agbonlahor, his substitute Campbell and starting keeper Hart will all be suspended for the final. Hart's suspension was foolish too. He was trying to intimidate the Swedish penalty takers, the official warned him but Hart continued and got his yellow card and suspension.

Neuer was excellent for Germany, athough late in the game he did bizarely clear a shot by kicking it away. Rumours are that Bayern are interested in signing him from Schalke. With the way he is playing you can understand their interest and Germany should come calling soon too. Remember Horst Hrubesch, the giant striker from hamburg and the German national team? He is this U23 team's coach and he had Germany well prepared, they allowed Giovinco to have the ball but 2 defenders would converge on him anytime he got near goal and prevented him from dribbling through or sending through balls forward. A good game plan from Germany who were efficient as could be expected.
P-I-T-H-E-R ...as in Brotherhood, but with PI instead of the BRO and no HOOD
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libero
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Germany did do a good job on Giovinco but the little guy was active and came looking for the ball. Italy had plenty of chances to tie or even win this game but lack of finishing killed them. I'm also wondering what others think of Balotelli? Casiraghi had him playing as a winger more than a forward, I think he is more effective closer to goal.
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