Half Time: Russia did an impressive-amazing-spectacular first half!! The oranje are defending....they scored 9 goals so far...and they are defending against Russia!!! Guus Hidding is really good, I'm amazed by the Russia players: they play fast, have some nice plays, and almost scored 3 times...but Van deer Saar is...van der Saar.

Before Kick Off:

line-up

Russia:

Akinfeev - Anyukov, Ignashevish, Kolodin, Zhirkov - Semak - Zyryanov, Semshov, Saenko - Arsahvin, Pavlyuchenko

Before Kick Off:

line-up:

Netherlands:

van der Sar - Boulahrouz, Ooijer, Mayhijsen, van Bronckhorst - de Jong, Engelaar - Kuyt, van der Vaart, Sneijder - van Nistelrooy

Before Kick Off: the last time - and the only time - Netherlands won a competition was 20 years ago (Netherlands and Spain are underachievers). But the teammates of Van der Saar are playing a wonderful football, a football that disappeared 30 years ago with Johan Cruijff - TOTAL FOOTBALL!!!

Before Kick Off: Guus Hidding is the coach of Russia.....I mean the Dutch coach of Russia!!!!

Before Kick Off: 20 years later, Russia are playing their first final stage of an international competition since....the fall of communism

Before Kick Off: Netherlands won their first European Championship, Van Basten was the top scorer of the tournament with 5 goals.

Before Kick Off: Gullit scored for the Oranje in the 34th minute. 20 minutes later, Van Basten scored the second goal of the game.

Before Kick Off:

EURO 1988, final match.

Netherlands against Russia....Van Basten was a player back then 

Before Kick Off:

first. let's go back in time......

End Of Match: well, that was a rip off.....

Penalties: what a horrible game and a horrible ref

120' (+3): goal for Turkey

120' (+2): omg..........

120': what a goal from Croatia!!!!

106':

What can I say about this game?....oh, I know: it's

B           O                    R              I                   N              G 

91': c'mon..can it be more boring?

Extra Time: extra time

90': nice save by Rustu

89': free-kick for Croatia

88': injury time now....

84': before the extra-time.....

84': 5 more minutes....

78': sorry, I'm not blogging anymore..too boring...and I'm eating lunch :)

62': what a boring game...I think I said that earlier...I'm so bored

54': nice save by Rustu

51': Turkey are struggling, but the score is still the same...

51': wow....that was close

50': nice defense by the Turks...corner for Croatia

49': what was that....

47': back to the boring game

40': it's like both teams are at a practice session...

40': boring.....

37': oh...I just found out that the ref is Italian...it explains everything.....

36':

and the ref doesn't even call the penalty for Turkey...go back to ref's school

25': yellow card for Sanli....another bad call from the ref!!!!

24': and Croatia is attacking again

24': good save by Rustu

22': nice kick from Kranjcar in the head of Asik

20': Croatia is accelerating...and Turkey is far, far, far behind

13': omg....the crossbar...what a nice play from Croatia!!!!

11': omg....that was a perfect defense from Kovac, but the ref gave a free-kick to Turkey - another mistake from a ref in the EURO

9': Sanli shoots...easy for Pletikosa

4': nice play on the side by the Turks...but the shot goes wide

2': Turkey just gave away the ball to Croatia....

1': if only Edouardo was playing....

Before Kick Off: all right, this is it for Bilic...come on Croatia

I love Croatia.  I remember when Bilic was playing for the national team at the Euro 96, and also in the 98 WC. And now, he is trying to make it as a coach, and I think he is doing an amazing job. 

First of all, Croatia has realized the perfect run so far: 3 games, 3 wins - specially the 2-1 win against the Mannschaft!!!  And they are playing without Edouardo da Silva, their big star, who broke his leg 3 months ago! So maybe they don't score a lot of goals (1-0, 2-1 and 1-0), but the defense is really strong and compact. 

On the other hand, Turkey came back twice in the group stage - against Switzerland and against Czech Republic (they were 2 goals down with only 15 minutes to play). Turkey's key player, Nihat, is amazing, but he will be alone today, on the pitch. Turkey has to deal with 2 suspended players and 4 injured. Rustu - the "new" Dino Zoff (only 'cause of his age....) is even coming back for the game. In spite of those problems, Terim is still confident and wants to "finish everything in 90 minutes or before that". 

Both teams deserve to play the quarter-final, but Croatia has a big advantage - at least on paper! Again, it would be more interested to see a Croatia-Germany than a Turkey-Germany....

End Of Match: YEAH!!!!GERMANY

90' (+1): injury time now.....

87': yellow card for Postiga

86': Klose out, Jansen in

85': goal for Portugal.....nice header from postiga...3-2, 5 minutes to play

84': hahaha...ROnaldo is such a bitch...he went to talk shit to Lehmann while he was having medical treatment!!

81': Schweinsteiger is out - Fritz is in

78': another corner for Germany...Portugal is not playing anymore - did they even start???

76': what a shot from Podolski!! just a little bit more to the left next time!!!

76': corner kick for Germany

72': Nani takes his chance.....shot goes wide

71': corner kick for Portugal

66': Ronaldo shoots...and misses the box...

65': Nuno Gomes out, Nani in

61': Nani is about to come in....

61': Ronaldo starts to complain to the ref.....hahaha...he is getting frustrated

60': Ricardo is so bad

60': a wonderful header from Ballack

59': GOAL!!!!!!!!!!BALLACK

58': yellow card for Pepe after he fouled Klose

57': corner kick again for Portugal......Lahm is having trouble on his side

55': what a run from Ballack.

55': the 5th one

54': corner kick for Portugal

49': nice play by Germany..but the shot goes wide

47': Ronaldo's first dive....

47': back in business

Half Time: half-time....time for Ronaldo to go to his make-up trailer

45' (+1): Ronaldo shoots....but misses the box

45': Balack shot....corner-kick for Germany

41': Nuno Gomes scored for portugal...2-1

39': ....Portugal....just scored...a really really lame goal

38': Ballack is a pretty good actor.... :)

38': wow...is Potrugal even trying?

36': the 4th corner-kick for Portugal....but again too easy for Lehmann

33': but good defense by Germany, and a counter-attack

32': corner kick for Portugal

31': Joao Moutinho is coming off and he is replaced by Raul Meireles

31': cleared by the German defense

28': Podolski commit a foul on Simao..free-kick for Portugal

27': here is the question now: when is Ronaldo ganna cry??

27': Klose and his magical headers!!!!!!

26': GOAL!!!!!!!GERMANY

26': Schweinsteiger to take it

26': and yellow card for Petit

25': and another free-kick for Germany

23': perfect goal

22': Schweinsteiger scored after a cross from Podolski!!

22': OH YEAH

22': GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GERMANY

20': Ronaldo is off-side.....how long do you think he spends in his bathroom crying before the game?? :)

20': what a cross from Simao, and what a chance for Portugal

19': corner kick for Portugal

14': Simao takes a shot...too easy for Lehmann

12': great acting abilities from Metzelder....

11': Simao puts in a cross...throw-ins for Potugal

8': free-kick for Germany....directly into the wall....

3': Podolski committed a foul on Simao

2': Scolari is watching Ballack carefully...he will be his coach in a few!!!

1': Lahm lost the ball on the left wing and commited the first foul of the game

1': and here we go for the first quarter-final!!!

Before Kick Off: al right...time for the national anthems

Before Kick Off: the German coach, Joachim Loew, was ban from the touchline after his altercation with the 4th referee during the game against Austria. One of the lamest decision the UEFA has ever taken!!

Before Kick Off:

starting line-up:

Portugal:

Ricardo - Bosingwa, Pepe, Riacrdo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira - Petit, Joao Moutinho - Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Simao - Nuno Gomes

Before Kick Off:

Germany:

Lehmann-Friedrich-Mertesacker-Metzelder-Lahm-Ballack-Hitzlsperger-Fritz-Schweinsteiger-Klose-Podolski 

Before Kick Off: hey everybody, here we go for the first quarter-final of the 2008 EURO.

Both coaches - Scolari and Low - have plan to "neutralize" C.Ronaldo and Ballack. Scolari warned his players about the German captain, who has realized an amazing start in the tournament. On the other side, Low has also a plan to neutralize C.Ronaldo...

It's the first time since 1996 that Germany qualifies for the final stage of the EURO, and the German players know their chances of reaching the semi-finals depend on whether they can stop the Manchester United winger. Ronaldo - 23 years old - won the Champions League and the Premiership, and was named European Golden Shoe - he is actually considered as the best player in the world! - omg....I hate this guy....-

M.Ballack - 31 years old - had a tough season. He was injured for a while, and came back at the end of the season with his club, Chelsea, stronger than ever. He lead his national team to the quarter-finals by scoring a great free-kick against Austria! Here is what Scolari said about him: 'Ballack is excellent, one of the athletes who has been a highlight of the tournament so far along with four or five others. He deserves special attention.'

Now that France is out, I'm going for Germany and Netherlands! I just don't want Ronaldo to win another title!!!!! :)