France vs Spain Euro 2012: 2nd preview

It is going to be a very important match and both teams seem to be geared up to give their best and win the match. Spain is on a high after playing exceptionally well during the whole tournament and France wants to erase the ignominy of the last match’s defeat.

There are all the signs that suggest that the match is going to be an epic battle between two sworn on-field enemies. If you thought that due to their last match’s loss against Sweden, France may be psychologically down, you are certainly off the mark. It is another day, another match and against another team and the defeat is several days behind them. So they are not going to give up and will fight till the last minute.

If this is not the toughest match of the series for the two teams, and whoever wins today  will have to face Portugal where Cristiano Ronaldo is all fired up to beat the opponents singlehandedly. In the last two matches he has played exceptionally well and has won the two matches on his own.

For France, their next stop –if they win today – may look a lot easier on paper and history. They have several major successes against Portugal in crucial matches of different series. They beat Portuguese team not just in euro 2000 but also in euro 1984 semifinals. They also beat the same team at the same stage during a more important tournament Soccer World Cup 2006.

They will be mistaken to think about Portugal as the same old team that they played against in 2006.2006 was a very long time ago and during the last six years, the Portuguese team has become a soccer powerhouse.

France and Spain may be playing the same sort of game today. French coach has tried to raise the French team on the same mantras that have helped Spanish team do wonders on the world stage in the soccer tournaments. He has tried to teach the French team the passing game, that he believes is of paramount importance in winning games.

Alonso sends Spain past France, into Euro 2012 semis

Donetsk, (IANS/RIA Novosti) Two goals from Xabi Alonso handed reigning champions Spain a 2-0 Euro 2012 quarterfinal victory over France Saturday, setting up a semifinal against Portugal.

Alonso celebrated his 100th appearance for Spain with a goal on 18 minutes, popping up unmarked at the back post to head Jordi Alba’s cross into the corner.

He sealed in with an injury-time penalty after substitute Pedro Rodriguez was felled in the box late on by Anthony Reveillere.

For a game packed with stars neither side produced much flair, the French coming closest with a Mathieu Debuchy header in the second half.

The Spaniards, retaining their tag as favourites to take a third-successive Euro title, remain in Donetsk for Wednesday’s semifinal.

France, the three-time champions, are eliminated from a competition in which they had hopes of far greater success.

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Posted by admin on June 24, 2012. Filed under Life & Style. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry