Third round of EURO 2012 has ended, and Great Dane Football Blog provides you with an update of what happened.








Group A
 


Played
Win
Draw
Lost
For
Against
+/-
Points
Czech Rep.
3
2
0
1
4
5
-1
6
Greece
3
1
1
1
3
3
0
4
Russia
3
1
1
1
5
3
2
4
Poland
3
0
2
1
2
3
-1
2

Czech Republic - Poland 1-0

Both teams had the possibility of playing themselves in the Quarter finals with this match. It was Poland who started best and had their first chance after just one minute. Ten minutes into the match, Jakub Blaszczykowski found Robert Lewandowski in a free position. However, unusually for the striker, he missed the target. While the Poland missed one chance after the other, the Czechs were close to bring themselves in front, but Milan Baros missed the pass. The first half ended in a draw.

After the break, both teams were careful not to give away any chances. However, the Czech Republic became more and more controlling in the match, and twenty minutes before time, they scored the winning goal. Milan Baros found a forward rushing Petr Jiráček who sent the ball behind Tyton in the Polish goal. After this, Poland put more pressure on the opponent, but they were not able to come back in the match and are thereby out of the EURO 2012.


Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Petr Jiráček, Czech Republic


Greece - Russia 1-0

Greece went into this match with all odds against them. However, the Greeks surprised everyone. Greece started in control of the match and Salpingidis was close to bringing them in front after eight minutes. After this, Russia took over the match and Kerzhakov was only millimeters from bringing his nation in front. It looked more and more as Russia would score, and they even felt cheated out of two penalties. However, minutes before the break Giorgios Karagounis smashed the ball behind Malafeev in the Russian goal and sent Greece in front by 1-0 at the break.

After the break, Russia was chasing the equalizing goal but missed some luck in their shots. Instead, Greece had their chances, and as Russia, they felt cheated out of a penalty. Instead, Karagounis was shown a yellow card. Twenty minutes before the final whistle, Georgios Tzavellas sent a free kick on the cross bar. This started the Russians again, but they were not able to break down the Greek defensive and are also out of the EURO.

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Giorgos Karagounis, Greece

Group B



Played
Win
Draw
Lost
For
Against
+/-
Points
Germany
3
3
0
0
5
2
+3
9
Portugal
3
2
0
1
5
4
+1
6
Denmark
3
1
0
2
4
5
-1
3
Holland
3
0
0
3
2
5
-3
0

Portugal - Holland 2-1

Both Portugal and Holland has the chance of going through to the Quarter finals, if they could win this match. After just eleven minutes, Holland was in front when Van der Vaart scored with a great shot. Minutes after, Portugal was close to equalizing, when Ronaldo hit the post. The Portugal star turned out to be a vital part of the match. After a major chance, the winger came through alone against Stekelenburg and sent the ball in the goal.

After the break, Portugal was controlling the match, and with thirty minutes left Ronaldo found Postiga who scored – but was offside. Fifteen minutes later Ronaldo was playing with the Holland defends before sending the ball in the back of the net. 2-1 was the final score, which sent Portugal in to the next round.

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal


Denmark - Germany 1-2

Denmark needed a victory – not an easy task against a strong German team. The Germans started the match best, and Thomas Müller had a great chance after just five minutes. However, the Danish keeper Stephan Andersen was safe in the goal. Germany continued to put pressure on the Danish defends, and after twenty minutes came the first goal. A loose ball ended in the feet of Lukas Podolski who easily kicked the ball in an empty net. However, five minutes later the Danes equalized by Michael Krohn-Dehli. Lars Jacobsen sent a corner kick in to the box. Here, Bendtner headed the ball in front of the goal, where Krohn-Dehli could score to 1-1. This was also the result of the first half.

Early in the second half, Denmark was close to bring themselves in front when Jakob Poulsens longshot went just outside the post. Germany dominated the second half and had their share of chances, but Denmark had a few contras. One of them resulted in an incident that looked as a penalty. Bendtner was alone in the box when he was pulled down by a German defender. However, the referee saw nothing. Five minutes later Lars Bender sent Denmark out of the EURO when he scored to the final result 2-1. At this time, Denmark seemed too tired to try anything, and Germany won the match.

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Lukas Podolski, Germany

Group C



Played
Win
Draw
Lost
For
Against
+/-
Points
Spain
3
2
1
0
6
1
+5
7
Italy
3
1
2
0
4
2
+2
5
Croatia
3
1
1
1
4
3
+1
4
Ireland
3
0
0
3
1
9
-8
0

Croatia - Spain 0-1

Spain lived up to their status as favorites, even though they did not play at their best. Spain was most dominating in a match where Croatia was focusing on defending. However, there should go twelve minutes before Spain had their first chance when Iniesta took a shot on target. Croatia allowed the Spaniards to play as the like, which resulted in a number of chances, but they were unable to score on any of them.

In the second half, Croatia had to be more offensive as Italy was in front against Ireland. This gave the Croats a great chance, which Casillas saved in a superb way. Croatia was making ready for an attacking end of the match, which gave room for the Spanish attackers. Just three minutes before time, Spain could finally celebrate a goal when a great set up left Jesus Navas with the ball. The wing only needed to run the ball into the goal.

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Andrés Iniesta, Spain


Italy - Republic of Ireland 2-0

Ireland’s EURO had already ended before this match, but the players fighted as where they in the semifinals. Meanwhile, the Italians had everything to play for, as a victory was needed to qualify for the quarter finals. The match started in a high tempo, and the Irish showed a lust to attack, while the Italians had problems making their own play. However, after thirty-five minutes Cassano brought Italy in front on a corner kick. Nothing more happened in the first half, where Ireland was best.

Italy was more offensive in the second half and had a couple of chances right from the start. The match also became more violent, and a few hard tackles were given from both teams. In the last minutes of the match, Keith Andrews was shown his second red card and sent off. Shortly after Italy ended the match, with Barlotelli as goal scorer. The striker scored a magnificent goal sending the Irish home with a 2-0 loss.


Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Antonio Cassano, Italy

Group D



Played
Win
Draw
Lost
For
Against
+/-
Points
England
3
2
1
0
5
3
+2
7
France
3
1
1
1
3
3
0
4
Ukraine
3
1
0
2
2
4
-2
3
Sweden
3
1
0
2
5
5
0
3

England - Ukraine 1-0

Wayne Rooney was back for England, in a match where they could settle with a draw while Ukraine needed a win. This was easy to see in the first forty-five minutes where Ukraine was dominating while England had trouble defending. Especially the two wings Yevheni Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko were creating chances for the Ukrainians. However, the score at the break was 0-0.

England started better in the second half and scored the match only goal. A corner kick from Steven Gerrand was struck by another player and goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov misjudged the ball completely allowing Rooney to score. This started a Ukrainian offensive while England started playing defensive once again. In the middle of the second half, Marko Devic scored a goal that was cancelled by the referee as it seemed it had not crossed the line. However, television pictures show that the ball clearly was behind the white line. The Ukrainians needed two goals and sent Shevchenko on to his last match for the national team. However, this did not help, and England can celebrate their position as the number one in the group.

Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Steven Gerrard, England


Sweden - France 2-0

France had the chance of taking the top position in Group D, but missed it against a strong Sweden. Les Bleus tried to control the match and had a lot of shots during the first half of the match. However, only one of them was on target. Instead, Sweden and Ola Toivonen had a shot on the post.

Ten minutes into the second half, Sweden came in front by Zlatan Ibrahimovich. The Swedish striker scored a stunning goal, which really started the team. Meanwhile, France turned out to be anything else than dangerous in front of the goal. Instead, Sweden scored once again when Holmen hit the crossbar, but Sebastian Larsson sent the return in the net. 2-0 was the final result of Swedens last match in the EURO.
 
Carlsberg Man of the Match Award: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sweden

Top scorer list

Rank
Goals

1
3
Mario Gomez, Germany
-
3
Alan Dzagoev, Russia
-
3
Mario Mandžukić, Croatia
2
2
Cesc Fabregas, Spain
-
2
Fernando Torres, Spain
-
2
Andriy Shevchenko, Ukraine
-
2
Petr Jiráček, Czech Republic
-
2
Václav Pilař, Czech Republic
-
2
Nicklas Bendtner, Denmark
-
2
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal