Euro 2012 Qualifiers

[Keystone Phil]

BTW, Phil, do you have anything in particular (I could understand it with all the Bayern players) against the German national team, or is it more of a "eliminate the viable competition" thing, from an Italian perspective?

Franzl, come on. You know me well enough: I'm an Azzurri fan through and through. I have to be against Germany.   But you also know me well enough to know that I don't really wish to see the "viable competition" eliminated. I'm a traditional powers guy. I want to see Germany do well...and then fall to us in the tournament.   I can cheer losses like this one though since it is meaningless.

[Lief]

Well everyone in the Group of Death is terrible apparently.

[Keystone Phil]

Spain won 2-0 over Serbia.

[Tender Branson]

Awww...I missed a goal fest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MRaQ1wgG2I

[Keystone Phil]

Another chapter of Italy's betting scandal opens hours before the final 23 are selected for the Euros - http://iphone.france24.com/en/20120528-italy-football-mauri-betting-fixing-corruption-serie-a-european-championship

Investigators arrived at the training camp as players were asleep. Before the Italy haters start jumping for joy, remember what happened the last time a betting scandal took place right before an international tournament.

[Keystone Phil]

And now Bonucci is apparently being investigated. He better be able to play under the pressure (a la Juve players in 2006) but that's if Prandelli even gives him the benefit of the doubt and includes him in the final 23.

[Gustaf]

Another chapter of Italy's betting scandal opens hours before the final 23 are selected for the Euros - http://iphone.france24.com/en/20120528-italy-football-mauri-betting-fixing-corruption-serie-a-european-championship

Investigators arrived at the training camp as players were asleep. Before the Italy haters start jumping for joy, remember what happened the last time a betting scandal took place right before an international tournament.

Wasn't there something like that before Italy won in 1982 as well? Can't remember exactly.

[Keystone Phil]

Italy-Luxembourg Friendly called off after another earthquake hits the Parma region, this time killing ten people - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/05/29/2080.ap.soc.italy.luxembourg.cancelled.125/index.html


The Italian team's hotel was evacuated. This has been quite a lead up to the tournament...

[Keystone Phil]

Wow! Amazing goal by South Korea against Spain! 1-1.

[Tender Branson]

Today is the friendly game Germany vs. Israel in Leipzig (Saxony) !!!

Why the f**k are they playing in Saxony of all places, where the NPD once got 10% in the state election ?

[Tender Branson]

For he record:

There have been 3 games of Germany vs. Israel so far (all 3 friendly games) and all were won by Germany. So, let's hope that Israel follows Switzerland tonight and eliminates Germany too.

And Austria then follows on Sept. 11 ...

[Lief]

Germany better score like five goals or I'll be worried and stressed for the next week.

[Tender Branson]

Germany better score like five goals or I'll be worried and stressed for the next week.

Depends if Germany plays with the A-team or the B-team tonight.

But I think I've read somewhere that the Bayern players are now ready for the national team.

[I left.]

I hope they keep the Nazis out of the stadium. Im Ernst, wie kommt man auf die Idee in Sachsen zu spielen?

[Tender Branson]

I hope they keep the Nazis out of the stadium. Im Ernst, wie kommt man auf die Idee in Sachsen zu spielen?

I just saw that they already played in Leipzig during the WC 2006.

So, they probably won't have much problems with the Nazis (but you never know ...)

[Tender Branson]

Side fact:

The US got killed by Brazil 4:1 in Washington DC in their friendly game.

"U.S. Still Learning, With Brazil as Teacher"

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/sports/soccer/us-brazil-match.html

[Tender Branson]

Austria plays the Ukraine tomorrow at home in Innsbruck.

Then on Tuesday, Austria plays Romania also in Innsbruck.

Austria has never lost a game so far when playing in Innsbruck (6 won, 1 draw).

Here's the full schedule of international friendly games for the next week:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/fixtures/_/league/fifa.friendly/international-friendly?cc=5739

[Lief]

Side fact:

The US got killed by Brazil 4:1 in Washington DC in their friendly game.

"U.S. Still Learning, With Brazil as Teacher"

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/sports/soccer/us-brazil-match.html

Having actually watched the game, the USA played a lot better than the score suggested. They still deserved to lose, but by more like 3-2 than 4-1.

[Tender Branson]

Germany vs. Israel starts in 15 minutes.

I want Israel to win, but probably Germany will win this now that they have the Bayern players.

Prediction: 3-1 Germany

[Tender Branson]

A rather boring game so far after 30 minutes.

Germany is technically better than Israel, but the Israel defense is good.

[Tender Branson]

Just when the (German) audience started to boo their team, Gomez scored.

1-0 Germany.

[Keystone Phil]

Lampard out of Euros.

[Tender Branson]

Nice goal by Andre Schürrle now.

2-0 Germany

Still, Germany is not really convincing today (especially Müller, Kroos and Podolski missed many opportunities), but technically still far better than Israel.

[Lief]

It's pretty hard to score that many goals when the opposing team is defending deep like that. I think Schürrle should definitely start ahead of Podolski though, he's fantastic.

[Vasall des Midas]

I hope they keep the Nazis out of the stadium.

Aber dann spielt Deutschland ja nur zu fünft!