EURO 2012: How Germany lost against Italy

Papers this morning are obsessing over how badly Germany have played at UEFA EURO 2012. I disagree. Sure, they haven't been on top of their game, but as Joachim Löw has said repeatedly, it is small things that decide knock-out matches, and last night in Warsaw, all the small things went against Germany.

Germany react to going 1-0 down

Löw's lineup was a huge surprise but that seems to have little to do with the defeat, nor does the fact that Italy are regarded as Germany's "bogey team" – players are a lot less interested in stats and history than the media are.

 

Germany actually started well against Italy, and could have taken the lead through Mats Hummels after just five minutes, with Andrea Pirlo forced to clear off the line. However, Italy oozed class whenever they had the ball, even though that actually wasn't that often to begin with.
The defeat ultimately comes down to two simple factors.

1) Germany defended incredibly poorly for the two Italian goals
For the opener, Hummels – one of Germany's strongest players at UEFA EURO 2012  – completely missed a challenge with Antonio Cassano, who then turned provider for Mario Balotelli. The second goal then exposed the frailty of Germany's offside trap, without no pressure put on the passing player. UEFA.com's Italian reporter Paolo Menicucci was sat next to me, and couldn't fathom how badly Germany had defended for those goals, and being Italian, he knows a thing or two about defending.

2) Germany did not take their chances
It may sound too simple for some who are looking for deeper meanings, but that's just how it was. After that devastating first half, Germany created great chances for Marco Reus and Philipp Lahm within five minutes of the interval. Had they scored either, they would have been back in the game.

Ultimately, it is basic stuff: If you want to make a final of a major tournament, you cannot afford to defend as miserably as Germany did on those two occasions, and you need to make at least some of your big chances count. Italy did better than Germany in both of those departments, and they deserved to go through.

Maybe it is a small mercy. Germany have played finalists Spain twice in the last four years without getting a result, while Italy shared the points with them just two weeks ago. They can do the same, or better, on Sunday.

Castrol EDGE Index: Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo lines up one of several free-kicks he had against Spain 

He may have been denied a place in Sunday's UEFA EURO 2012 final but Cristiano Ronaldo did enough in Portugal's penalty shoot-out defeat by Spain to retain his status as the top performer in the Castrol EDGE Index.

The Real Madrid CF forward has proved an immovable presence at the head of the standings since assuming pole position after the group stage, and against the holders in Donetsk he showed further flashes of the form which has helped shape his overall ranking of 9.68. Against La Roja, Paulo Bento's captain continued his trend of having at least four shots in a match at these finals – he had six at the Donbass Arena, five of which were off target.

Italy's Mario Balotelli, whose double in the other last-four tie ended the hopes of Germany, is only one on-target effort shy of Ronaldo's total of 15. However, the Azzurri striker, up from 29th to sixth, has the distinction of having generated more value from his shots than anybody else in the tournament. Consequently the Manchester City FC forward could yet threaten the top of the leaderboard with a high-scoring display in Sunday's Kyiv showpiece.

Pepe, who topped the game-by-game Index in Portugal's last-eight victory against the Czech Republic, remains second. Nevertheless, the defender played a key role in the Selecção das Quinas restricting Spain to five shots on target, their lowest total for a game in Poland and Ukraine. His prevention of 28 opposition passes, however, was where the centre-back earned the bulk of his 8.82 match rating.

Following what was a good night for defenders – the Spain back line accounted for four of the top five players in the all-Iberian encounter − Gerard Piqué is up three places to third, climbing above team-mates Xabi Alonso and Andrés Iniesta. Part of a rearguard which has not conceded since the 61st minute of Spain's opening draw with final opponents Italy, like Pepe the FC Barcelona centre-back was adept at breaking up play, doing so on 22 occasions.

Alonso followed up his Index-topping appearance against France in the previous round with another solid showing, completing more passes (90) than anybody else for the second match in succession. Overall the Madrid midfielder has successfully released possession 416 times in Spain's five fixtures, a figure only beaten by Xavi Hernández's 455.

Spain's domination of the Index continues with Sergio Ramos (8th), Álvaro Arbeloa (9th) and Sergio Busquets (10th). All-action Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio, in seventh, completes the top ten.

Key facts so far
1 – Goals conceded by Spain in 480 minutes of UEFA EURO 2012 action.
4 – All four of Mario Balotelli's international goals have been scored on Polish soil (three at this tournament and one in a November 2011 friendly against the co-hosts).
5 – Players who have scored a finals-leading three goals: Alan Dzagoev, Mario Mandžukić, Mario Gomez, Balotelli and Cristiano Ronaldo.
17 – Álvaro Arbeloa is the most fouled player at this EURO.
21 – Number of headed goals at UEFA EURO 2012, accounting for 30% of the overall total (compared to 19% in 2008).

EURO 2012 final: Spain vs Italy match preview

Italy's Thiago Motta and Spain midfielder Cesc Fàbregas during the sides' Group C draw 

If Spain are to make history and stack together three straight continental and world titles with victory in Sunday's UEFA EURO 2012 final, something no side has ever achieved, how appropriate that it should come against Italy. The final hurdle must always be the most daunting, the most testing, so who better than the Azzurri, who Spain have not beaten in 90 minutes of competitive football since 1920?

There would be a neat symmetry to the achievement if Vicente del Bosque's men were to leave Kyiv's Olympic Stadium having become the first team to retain the Henri Delaunay Cup. Four years ago in Vienna, La Roja won their first tournament in 44 years by defeating Germany in the final of UEFA EURO 2008 – but for every Spaniard who has suffered through decades of raised hopes and dashing disappointments it was the quarter-final against Italy which affirmed a coming of age.

Italy were by a distance their bogey team. Marcos Senna, part of Spain's midfield that night, recalled seeing team-mates "starting to wobble" as belief wavered against the Azzurri in extra time. "The Italy effect was something real," he said.

Yet Cesc Fàbregas's winning spot kick past Gianluigi Buffon changed all that. For Spain it served as the breakthrough moment when the result on the scoreboard proves that you were right to believe and four years on, Spain face the Azzurri again as world as well as European champions.

La Roja stand one game away from achieving a footballing first but Cesare Prandelli's Italy will have other ideas as they bid for their second victory in the UEFA European Championship, following a triumph on home soil in 1968.

Italy came within seconds of lifting the trophy in 2000, only to see France wrest it from their grasp, but now opportunity knocks again. Like Spain, they have reached the final unbeaten, surviving a penalty shoot-out along the way; moreover they have done so with a commitment to positive, attacking football.

That was apparent when these teams drew 1-1 in their opening group match in Gdansk and there was evidence not only that Italy are dangerous but that Spain remain wary of them. With good reason: they may have slayed a ghost four years ago but there remains a talented rival to defeat on the pitch. Sit back and savour the spectacle.

EURO pedigree
Spain
Winners: 1964, 2008
Runners-up: 1984
Italy
Winners: 1968
Runners-up: 2000
Semi-finalists: 1988

EURO 2012 semi-finals fixtures

Semi-finals
Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: POR v ESP, 20.45CET, Donetsk

Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: GER v ITA, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Final
Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

EURO 2012 semi-finals: Portugal team profile

Cristiano Ronaldo has been in inspirational form for Portugal 

When Portugal arrived at their Poland training camp three weeks ago, expectation was relatively low. Without a win in three games in 2012, scoring just once in the process, they faced a tough group stage against fancied Germany, not to mention the Netherlands and Denmark. Now in a third UEFA European Championship semi-final in four attempts, there is growing belief that Paulo Bento's side can go one better than their 2004 showpiece defeat on home soil and snare a first major international trophy.

Tactics: Bento has taken stability to a new level, selecting the same starting XI in all four games – incidentally, an identical XI to the one which played both legs of the qualifying play-off with Bosnia and Herzegovina back in November. Though there will be no seventh successive game unchanged due to Hélder Postiga's thigh injury, the 4-3-3 will remain, with a central striker – most probably Hugo Almeida – flanked by Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo. "We won't change for anyone," said Bento last week.

Key man: Ronaldo has met his reputation as the tournament's highest profile player with gusto, making the difference with both goals against the Dutch and the decisive strike in the quarter-final against the Czech Republic. "He's a very complete player," said team-mate João Moutinho. "I don't think I could highlight any weak points. He's great with his head, his feet, and he's very fast." Ronaldo's partnership on the left with Real Madrid CF colleague Fábio Coentrão has been hugely important for Portugal.

EURO semi-final record/pedigree:
23/06/1984 France 3-2 Portugal (aet) (Marseille)
28/06/2000 France 2-1 Portugal (gg) (Brussels)
30/06/2004 Portugal 2-1 Netherlands (Lisbon)

Basecamp: The squad appears to revel in each other's company, and their unity, happiness and dedication has shown on the training pitch at their Opalenica base. Defender Ricardo Costa, yet to play at UEFA EURO 2012, said this week that everybody has their own role. "Ronaldo-dependent?" he said. "We're Ricardo-dependent, Eduardo-dependent and [Raul] Meireles-dependent too. Cristiano's our standard-bearer, he's the best player in the world and he helps us immensely, but we don't depend just on him."

Record in Donetsk: This is a first trip to Donetsk for Portugal, but their coach has cause for confidence having led Sporting Clube de Portugal to a 1-0 win at FC Shakhtar Donetsk in his only previous game in the mining stronghold. Furthermore, his side for that 2008/09 UEFA Champions League group stage fixture featured current internationals Rui Patrício, Miguel Veloso and (as a late substitute) Postiga.

João Moutinho, Rolando and Silvestre Varela have also played at the Donbass Arena before, winning 2-0 with FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League group stage earlier this season. The six UEFA games played by Portuguese sides in Donetsk have ended W3 D2 L1, with Hugo Viana appearing in that lone defeat, a 2-0 reverse with SC Braga in the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League group stage.

Room for improvement: One area that could be addressed is Portugal's slow start to matches. In each of their four UEFA EURO 2012 games so far, Bento's team have begun on the back foot. They have been good at responding to adversity, at least, recovering from a goal down against the Netherlands, but reacted too late to rescue a point in their opening fixture with Germany.

A team of Portugal's attacking nature have the ability to be more proactive than reactive, and Bento will be keen to avoid ceding early ground to Spain.

The view from home: Optimism continues to build the further the team go. Portuguese newspaper Record insists that "Portugal aren't scared of Spain", while O Jogo focuses on the growing influence of Bento's captain and talisman, Ronaldo: "Better than [Lionel] Messi and all the rest."

Mission statement: "We have a lot of respect for them, but we have respect for ourselves too; we have a great squad and great players, and we're confident in our way of playing." João Pereira is not cowed by the prospect of playing the defending champions.

Euro 2012 semi-finals: Germany vs Italy preview

Mesut Özil is quietly confident of Germany success 

Mesut Özil is a man of few words. What he says never touches on anger, never raises the decibels, never rocks the boat. He speaks of respect for opponents, of gratitude for team-mates. Yet beneath the courteousness lies a steely determination: Germany, he whispers, are here to claim the Henri Delaunay Cup.

"We knew before the tournament that we have a strong team," said the 23-year-old. "We believe in ourselves and the goal is to return to Germany with the title. That's why we are here and I am convinced we can do it." Not that he is daydreaming about a flight home from Kyiv on 2 July just yet – he remains focused on the present, dismissing talk of a Spain final in favour of a more immediate task: Italy on Thursday.

"We are concentrating on the here and now. We are looking forward to the semi, which will be very difficult. But we are confident we can beat anybody. Italy are surprisingly strong. You could also see that in the very good match they had against world champions Spain. I think they deserve to be in the semi-finals. They are compact, very strong, but in general we look only at ourselves. If we play as we can, I am convinced we will beat Italy."

Andrea Pirlo has been irresistible at times in Poland/Ukraine, never more so than against England on Sunday. The way in which the veteran dictates the pace and shape of Italy's game, as drawn comparisons with Özil; the youngster moves swiftly on: "He is a world-class player. The way he converted that penalty characterises him. For years he has been playing on the highest level but I am not really focusing on [any likenesses with him]. I am looking at team performance and Italy have shown what they are made of."

Germany have been impressive so far, but will Özil have to raise his game to make it five wins from five? "I am pleased with my performances so far, but there is room for improvement. I will show that against Italy." If Germany want to overcome the Azzurri for the first time in eight attempts at a major tournament, Özil will have to make good on that promise.

EURO 2012 semi-finals: Portugal vs Spain match preview

Spain celebrate their second goal in the win against France

After another clinical performance sealed a UEFA EURO 2012 semi-final spot, Spain's players were happy to have got past a strong France side. Xabi Alonso celebrated his 100th appearance for La Roja with both goals and said his opener made Spain's job much easier. Sergio Ramos felt his side had taken a measure of revenge for their 2006 FIFA World Cup loss to the same opponents, while Cesc Fàbregas and Jordi Alba looked forward to a tough tie with Portugal next up.


Xabi Alonso, Spain midfielder
It's been a good day. We're through to the semi-finals which was the main thing. We're pleased about that, the 100 caps is just an extra – what's really important is that we're in the semis. It's in these matches that that we have to show what we're about. We controlled it from start to finish.

The team makes things easy.
I'm happy about my 100th game and the goals. We know every game is difficult now but we're in the semi-finals and we're going to give it everything. We controlled the match though we knew it wouldn't be easy against opponents that were defending deep. It became easier after the goal. This was a big quarter-final game and you have to know how to play them.

Cesc Fàbregas, Spain forward
We played really well in the first half, actually one of the best first halves in the tournament. I played a bit better, but we were playing against France, who played very well. We are very happy now. I tried hard, and I ran a lot. I feel good. No matter what happens, the most important thing is that Spain won.

Portugal will be very difficult. They have strong individuals strong players. Apart from their good open play, they are very good on the counterattack, and we’ll have to work hard in that game. They have Ronaldo, Nani, Raul Meireles, João Moutinho. They have very good players.

Sergio Ramos, Spain defender
The good thing about football is you've always got a chance for revenge and today was our moment [against France]. This Spain team have taken a step forward – we showed what we're about in this victory and we're in the semi-finals now. We have to carry this on all the way to the final. We can't rest on our laurels because every game is a final and Portugal have done really well to get to the semi-finals, so it will be difficult.

Jordi Alba, Spain defender
I am very happy about how it went. They were difficult opponents who were good at defending and they also used the ball well. But I think we were excellent and I'm very satisfied. It's always nice to get an assist in a game like this. I am satisfied with the game from both a personal and team point of view. We were playing against strong opponents.

It's gone well from the first day [of being in the Spain set-up] and I have found myself at ease in the national team. I think that the existing good relationships in the squad make it easier to adapt and make you feel comfortable. I feel like a part of the team and it's going fantastically well. Portugal will be difficult opponents and are strong all over the park. They are a top-class side.

EURO 2012 quarter-finals results: Portugal through to the semis

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his winning goal 

Player rater

Cristiano Ronaldo finally ended the Czech Republic's stubborn resistance as he headed the only goal of the first UEFA EURO 2012 quarter-final to take Portugal into the last four.

It had promised to be a trying night for Portugal, who found the Czechs in resolute mood at the National Stadium Warsaw. Profoundly but not quite soundly defensive throughout, Michal Bílek's men rarely threatened, but looked as if they might prolong the encounter into at least extra time before Ronaldo headed in João Moutinho's fine cross with 11 minutes left, a third goal in two games for the captain and his second match-winning contribution in succession.

Bílek had sounded his intentions to rein in his side's attacking ambitions, all the while hoping to counter smartly. The plan very nearly came to fruition just after the quarter-hour when Vladimír Darida was sent scampering down the right. The delicious arcing cross the 21-year-old produced belied the fact this was his competitive debut; the lunging Milan Baroš came within a whisker of turning it goalwards.
The Czechs' preoccupation, however, was not to be caught out themselves.

The main focus of their attention fell, unsurprisingly, on Ronaldo, who – when he burst forward for the first time – was chaperoned by five Czech players. The Portugal forward did escape his escorts in the closing minute of the first half, but after turning away from Michal Kadlec with a slickness matched only by his sleek new hairstyle, his shot came back off Petr Čech's left-hand post. Up in the stands , Eusébio and Luís Figo, wearing the Portugal No7 shirt Ronaldo inherited from him, must have glowed with approval.

Right Here, Right Now had boomed around the stadium before the teams re-emerged after the interval, and Portugal took their cue from Fatboy Slim. Raul Meireles immediately skipped down the left, providing a pinpoint cross which Hugo Almeida, on for the injured Hélder Postiga, should have used to at least test Čech, but he headed wastefully over. The Czech goalkeeper was equally unemployed soon after, although purely because a Ronaldo free-kick zipped beyond him and glanced off the outside of a post.

Fortune might have kept the scoreline level, but Čech had still not had to make a save of note. Nani changed that when he drove goalwards but found the goalkeeper more than equal to the task, as did Moutinho soon after when he powered a shot on target. Their intricate attempts to undo the Czechs thwarted, Paulo Bento's men had clearly decided more direct action was required.

A ball flighted to Ronaldo was exactly that, but Meireles's subsequent wild finish left everyone in a white shirt holding their heads. Nani, too, threw up his arms in despair when Kadlec's outstretched leg deflected a shot over. It was a gripping contest, the question: when – if – would the Czechs fold?

They were eventually undone when Nani found Moutinho on the right, and his cross was met sweetly by Ronaldo. For the first time in the evening, joy broke across those familiar features. It was a winning smile, as Portugal saw out the last few minutes to set up a semi-final against Spain or France in Donetsk next Wednesday.

England vs Italy match preview

After all the futile talk of permutations, England needn't have worried. Last night's 1-0 victory over co-hosts Ukraine, coupled with France's 2-0 loss at the hands of already-eliminated Sweden, meant Roy Hodgson's side topped Group D with seven points.

Wayne Rooney seals progress

For the first time in a long time, it seemed luck was on England's side. By winning the section they managed to avoid reigning world and European champions Spain in the quarter-finals and now take on Group C runners-up Italy, a more agreeable prospect by most accounts. The squad will also get an extra day's rest, with the match taking place in Kyiv on Sunday.

Of course in reality it wasn't quite as plain sailing. England survived a number of scares in the first half, not least when Joe Hart had to get down well to stop Andriy Yarmolenko's low shot. The return of Wayne Rooney was also shaping up to be an anti-climax. The man upon whom all English hopes were pinned spurned a glorious headed opportunity and his touch let him down on several occasions; there was an understandable lack of match sharpness.

However, all was forgotten within three minutes of the restart as Rooney nodded in what proved to be the winner. Unsurprisingly it is the Manchester United FC forward who dominates the headlines this morning as his country's saviour, but really England should be thanking another player, not only for the victory over Ukraine, but for hauling his side through the entire group stage.

England's captain marvel: Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard has been superb at UEFA EURO 2012. Since taking over the captaincy, the Liverpool FC midfielder has been in inspired form on the field and level-headed off it. Gerrard has provided the assists for the opening goals in each of England's three matches – an impressive contribution in itself, augmented by his governance of the midfield battle and imposing presence generally.

The 32-year-old has maintained a quiet determination at all times, fuelled by a desire to prove wrong those who wrote off England's chances before a ball had been kicked. Of course the tournament is only going to get tougher from here, but after various brushes with the captaincy in the past, England's deserving new skipper may well be starting to believe his time has come.

Italy ready for quarter-finals

There was a sense of relief in the Italy squad as they qualified for the quarter-finals, but also a sense of a job well done after Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli struck unanswered goals against the Republic of Ireland. Three Azzurri players spoke to UEFA.com at the Municipal Stadium Poznan.

Daniele De Rossi, Italy midfielder
Everything worked out well. We said many times that we had to focus on our own game and if we did we would qualify, as we knew that Spain would play like they did and beat Croatia. We've seen that it was also difficult for them. However, we struggled in this game, perhaps more than the previous two. We couldn't find any space as they closed it down well.

The Irish are a good team, very physical. They definitely made it a very difficult game so they deserve credit for that. As for their fans, I've never seen anything like it. They play a good long-ball game and all you need is one mistake, one good moment for them. It's not easy when all their side are so physical.

Claudio Marchisio, Italy midfielder
It was tough, especially the last minute when we were waiting for the result from the other match, but then it finished very well for us. Now a new tournament begins for us, after an up-and-down round which was half very good and half so-so.

But we got through this round, which wasn't easy, with Spain, Croatia, and even Ireland, who even though they were already out of the tournament gave everything they could today as well. So great credit to this team, who showed big character in a crucial game.

Maybe today with the change of tactics there was more balance in the team in comparison to the other matches. This is the way we are going to play in the next matches, no matter who we face in the quarter-finals. After an even game against Spain, who are European and world champions, we are happy to take on anyone.

Antonio Cassano, Italy forward
The tough victories are the best ones. The most important thing was to get through the group stages. I couldn't wait for the final whistle in the other match, but then the match finally ended, and I'm very happy. We don't fear anybody. The important thing was to qualify, and now the knockout stage starts and we will face anybody.

France vs Spain match preview

A 2-0 defeat by eliminated Sweden is not the best preparation for a quarter-final against Spain but, says Matthew Spiro, it may be just the wake-up call France need.

 "I hope this result makes us ask some questions," Olivier Giroud said. "Maybe we were too relaxed," mused Alou Diarra. "We'll try to find the reasons for this performance." Karim Benzema was simple and to the point: "If we want to do anything in this competition, we can't play like that again."

France react during their loss in Kyiv

There is no great shame in losing to Sweden – especially when Zlatan Ibrahimović is in the kind of mood he was in on Tuesday – and the setback has not prevented Les Bleus from achieving their goal of reaching the quarter-finals. Yet the manner in which their 23-match unbeaten run ended has got alarm bells ringing.

Laurent Blanc's team were generally second best to Erik Hamrén's hungry charges, losing too many 50-50 balls and lacking assurance both in defence and attack. Had it not been for Hugo Lloris – the only player who performed to his usual level, according to Benzema – the already-eliminated Swedes would have won by more.

Blanc seemed shell-shocked at the final whistle, as though he had not recognised his team. "It's hard to imagine us beating Spain after seeing that," he admitted. Yet this defeat could still turn out to be a blessing if it serves as a wake-up call. Blanc's side are capable of playing an awful lot better than they did in Kyiv – that is obvious – and they will need to against defending champions Spain on Saturday.

Laurent Koscielny may start on Saturday

At least one new face is guaranteed. Laurent Koscielny will likely come in for the suspended Philippe Mexès, while Yohan Cabaye should return assuming he is not still troubled by his thigh. I'd also expect Jérémy Ménez to be recalled. So direct, quick and dangerous against Ukraine, the Paris Saint-Germain FC winger gives the attack a cutting edge that was clearly lacking against both England and Sweden.

Blanc is not short of options. Mathieu Valbuena, Patrice Evra, Anthony Réveillère and Giroud may also be considered. Yet it is the collective performance that will need to improve, not necessarily the make-up of the team. France are capable of competing with, and possibly even beating, the world champions if the team plays to its very best. They have shown their potential by remaining unbeaten for nearly two years and defeating Germany, England and Brazil along the way.

Tuesday was a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted. But while players are feeling disappointed, events in Kyiv may well have given them a timely jolt.

Euro 2012 latest results: England 1-0 Ukraine

Who else? In a tale of two strikers, Wayne Rooney headed England into a quarter-final meeting with Italy on Sunday as his winning goal spelled the end for Ukraine.

Rooney's return to England's lineup following a two-game suspension was no surprise, but the absence of Andriy Shevchenko due to a knee injury caught the eye before kick-off. While the co-hosts showed that they could cope without their missing talisman in a strong first half, England were left indebted to theirs as Rooney nodded them ahead on 48 minutes. Shevchenko came on with 20 minutes to go, but Roy Hodgson's side resisted to finish top of Group D.

Knowing anything other than victory meant the end of their campaign, Ukraine made a point of laying down the early tempo. Denys Garmash sent a shot spiralling over from long range and John Terry did well to prevent Andriy Yarmolenko bounding free before both Marko Dević and Yevhen Konoplyanka had efforts blocked.

Hodgson's side were struggling to see much of the ball, though they finally began to rouse after Ukraine went their closest yet, right-back Oleh Gusev fizzing a vicious effort over the crossbar. Invariably, Rooney was involved in the response, flinging himself at a Steven Gerrard free-kick but falling short and then heading Ashley Young's excellent left-wing cross off target from a great position in front of goal.

If those moments reassured the 'home' fans – Ukraine being the designated visitors for this game – they did not herald the end of Ukraine as an attacking force. Far from it, and Joe Hart had to plunge low to his right to deny Yarmolenko after the No11 had been fed by Artem Milevskiy. The same player whipped the crowd up into a frenzy close to half-time as his dancing feet brought a spinning Scott Parker to his knees.

England were perhaps not similarly prone as the whistle blew, but, lying deep and looking static, they needed the chance for a rethink. Oleh Blokhin's men must have been wondering how to make their pressure count, meanwhile, yet just three minutes into the second half they were trailing. For the third time this tournament, Gerrard delivered a telling ball, his cross from the right taking a deflection, squirming through Andriy Pyatov's hands and allowing Rooney to nod in from point-blank range.

Not long after, Rooney was sent scampering clear by Gerrard, only for the chance to fizzle out as Yarmolenko raced back. Ukraine's right winger was putting in an impressive shift, and he then curled in a fine ball that Milevskiy headed over. The Synyo-Zhovti were mounting another surge and they almost had their equaliser when Hart could only take the sting out of a Dević shot. The ball looped towards goal, destined for the net until Terry cleared in extremis.

Pyatov saved from Glen Johnson at the other end as both sides kept their quarter-final dream in focus. Chances were now arriving at a regular rate in a frenetic game – Hart clawing away a Konoplyanka shot; Pyatov seizing a Rooney header – but none, crucially, fell to 'Sheva'. In the tale of two strikers, Rooney sealed the points. For England, it was the best of results. For Ukraine, the worst.

EURO 2012 latest results: Sweden 2-0 France

A moment of brilliance from Zlatan Ibrahimović was the key to ensuring Sweden bowed out of UEFA EURO 2012 with a victory that sent France into a quarter-final with Spain as Group D runners-up.
Top of the section before the game but not quite through, France knew even a one-goal defeat would book their progress.

The final margin was double that, Ibrahimović's acrobatic goal and a late Sebastian Larsson clincher ending Les Bleus' 23-match unbeaten run and ensuring that, at the third time of asking in Kyiv, Sweden did not see a lead turn into a defeat. England's 1-0 win against Ukraine therefore meant they overtook France, who meet the holders on Saturday in Donetsk, where they are based for these finals and played their previous two matches.

Sweden could not improve on fourth place but with the majority of the support in the stands, they raced out of the blocks, Ola Toivonen – in for Johan Elmander up front – heading just wide and after some great Kim Källström skill, Larsson making Hugo Lloris save. At the other end Andreas Isaksson did even better to deny Franck Ribéry from close range.

Lloris was a relieved man soon after when Toivonen shook off Philippe Mexès, raced into the box, rounded the goalkeeper, but found the angle too acute and hit the outside of the post. Karim Benzema then smashed a shot over but that early hectic pace was not maintained in the stifling evening heat and gradually the openings dried up. On his major tournament bow Emir Bajrami on the Sweden flanks kept France on their toes, however, taking his chance in Rasmus Elm's enforced absence.

There was some excitement later in the half when Benzema led a jinking break with Ribéry, whose effort was deflected wide. Perhaps that dropping of tempo was the reason Christian Wilhelmsson was sent on for Bajrami at the break, the substitute immediately menacing the France defence.

Benzema had the first clear chance of the second period, curling the ball wide, but Lloris needed to produce a great save to deny Larsson on 53 minutes. Barely 60 seconds later the France goalkeeper had no chance, Larsson crossing and Ibrahimović superbly twisting his body for a flying volley from the edge of the area.
Not long after the Sweden captain set up Wilhelmsson, so influential so quickly, but Lloris stood firm and then tipped over from Olof Mellberg. Florent Malouda replaced Hatem Ben Arfa and France rallied; Yann M'Vila, starting in place of injury doubt Yohan Cabaye, sent in a powerful strike that was well saved by Isaksson.

A Nasri cross so nearly found its way to Mexès but Mellberg slid in with perfect timing. Jérémy Ménez came on and a slight mis-hit allowed Isaksson to block his first effort; from the resulting corner another substitute, Olivier Giroud, headed wide when unmarked. However Sweden and their celebrating fans had the last word, substitute Samuel Holmén hitting the crossbar and Larssson smashing in the rebound. France's advance was still never in doubt but Mexès will miss their encounter with Spain after receiving his second booking of these finals.

Wayne Rooney wins England manager Roy Hodgson's praise

England manager Roy Hodgson was full of praise for Wayne Rooney's qualities and "disciplined performance" after the returning striker scored the winning goal against Ukraine to send his side through to the last eight. The co-hosts' coach Oleh Blokhin thanked "the whole of Ukraine and all our supporters", meanwhile, as he blamed a lack of luck for his team's elimination in Donetsk.

Roy Hodgson, England manager
All we seem to do is talk about expectations. It's more important to talk about how the team has conducted itself in the tournament. It's been a really good tournament for us and we've enjoyed every minute of it. The fans who've followed us around have always found themselves in a big minority. They've made a fantastic effort to support us, as have the people back home. So, for us, it's not really a question of expectations. We just want to keep going, enjoy this tournament as long as we can, play as well as we can and who knows where it will take us?

We're very pleased to have won the group. I don't think it was an easy group to win because, as you saw tonight, the host nation, Ukraine, have a lot of good players and they did what they needed to do to put us under pressure. France lost for the first time in [24] matches and Sweden are the team that actually ended France's run.

[Rooney's] got character, hasn't he? You know what Rooney is, you know what Rooney can do. You know his qualities, and once again tonight he showed them in abundance. He put in an extremely disciplined performance. I thought he and [Danny] Welbeck worked extremely hard and, of course, although I've played this down to some extent, it is a while since he played a competitive match, so he's got to be happy with how it went. We think every day helps him and helps us. And the fact he's had 80 minutes in this game will help him feel he can go into the next game with more confidence.

Oleh Blokhin, Ukraine coach
I want to thank my team as we played a very good game. Even the coach of England said they were luckier than us. I want to thank the whole of Ukraine and all our supporters. We couldn't do what we expected, but I don't feel ashamed of this team.

First we conceded a lucky goal, and then we played a very good game. England only went forward from counterattacks. In the second half, they had no chances. We had a big advantage. England only had a few set pieces. We had lots of shots on target, but we weren't lucky. Maybe I'm not lucky for our team.

Against France, we suffered from a lack of passion, but the game today was much better; there was music in our dressing room before the game. [Andriy] Voronin chose the music – a great song about the EURO. I think that was a really good decision, but I am sorry how everything went. That's football, though: somebody loses, someone wins. This team has lots of potential. Against a team like England, to play pressing football in the 93rd minute is great. We have lots of young players, who will stay in this team.

Castrol EDGE Index: England v Ukraine

With England heading into the lion's den, taking on co-hosts Ukraine on their own turf at the Donbass Arena, a strong defensive performance was a necessity and it was their most experienced man at the back, Ashley Cole, who shone bright to claim his place at the top of the Castrol EDGE Index.

The Chelsea FC left-back, awarded a rating of 9.51, was a calming influence in the England back line as they came under pressure for long periods against a side who had to win to progress. Cole's excellent rating was a result of regular possession recovery, the defender winning back the ball on four occasions and blocking a series of Ukrainian efforts.

Facing up to the dangerous duo of winger Andriy Yarmolenko and attacking right-back Yevhen Selin, the 31-year-old covered 10.4km to restrict the threat down the England left which was a key contributor to the clean sheet which secured the 1-0 win and progress as Group D leaders.

As well as excelling in his defensive duties, the full-back made an impact at the other end. After winning the ball in the Ukraine area, his low second-half effort was sneaking in only for Andriy Pyatov to turn it around the post. Without Pyatov's intervention, that might have been the end of his record goal drought, Cole having now gone 97 outfield appearances without an England strike.

Gary Neville set the previous high mark of 85.
Wayne Rooney was second on the Index as his goal, and three further efforts, earned him a score of 9.18, edging into third England defender John Terry who earned his rating of 9.07 thanks mainly to a goal-saving clearance off the line which kept his side in front.

Castrol EDGE Index: England v Ukraine
1. Ashley Cole (ENG) 9.51
2. Wayne Rooney (ENG) 9.18
3. John Terry (ENG) 9.07
4. Yarolsav Rakitiskiy (UKR) 8.60
5. Joe Hart (ENG) 8.32
Key facts
0 – Ukraine are still to win an international match in Donetsk. The run now stretches to seven games, of which they have lost five, scoring in only two of them.
6 – England have now scored with their first effort on target in six of their last eight UEFA European Championship finals matches.

6 – England have won six matches by a 1-0 scoreline in 2011/12, more than any previous season in their history.
673 – Wayne Rooney's goal ended a run of 673 minutes without finding the net at a major championship.
Player view
Steven Gerrard: "We came into this group, a difficult group, and the idea was to try and win it. No one believed in us at the start, but we’re gaining momentum as we go along. The performance wasn’t fantastic but we worked hard and got the result."

Euro 2012 Quarter-finals fixtures

Quarter-finals
Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: CZE v POR, 20.45CET, Warsaw
Friday 22 June 2012
#26: GER v GRE, 20.45CET, Gdansk
Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: ESP v FRA, 20.45CET, Donetsk
Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: ENG v ITA, 20.45CET, Kyiv
Semi-finals
Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: CZE/POR v ESP/FRA, 20.45CET, Donetsk
Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: GER/GRE v ENG/ITA, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Final
Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Euro 2012 gears for the quarter-finals

After 12 days and 24 matches, we are down to the nitty-gritty of the knockout stage at UEFA EURO 2012, and for the remaining eight teams, the prospect of lifting the Henri Delaunay Cup on 1 July has edged that little bit closer.

Defending champions Spain are among six former winners still in the frame along with Italy, Germany, France, Greece and the Czech Republic, who won the 1976 tournament as part of the former
Czechoslovakia. Portugal, the 2004 runners-up, and England are also still alive in a competition that will resume on Thursday when the Portuguese kick off the quarter-finals against the Czech Republic in Warsaw.
Poland's National Stadium Warsaw will host two teams who bounced back impressively from opening losses to win their remaining group fixtures.

The Czechs, who topped Group A, will start as underdogs against a Portugal team playing their fifth consecutive quarter-final; however, that was also the case when these nations met 16 years ago and the central Europeans prevailed through a famous Karel Poborský lob at EURO '96.
Gdansk stages Friday's second quarter-final between Germany and Greece when Joachim Löw's Mannschaft will took to continue their so far flawless progress at this EURO.

Germany are the only team with a 100% winning record in Poland and Ukraine – indeed they have won every game since qualifying began – but Greece know a thing or two about springing a surprise. Few expected them to earn the victory over Russia that got them into the last eight – a 1-0 success that rekindled memories of the last time they got this far, and duly went all the way in 2004.

When Spain and France last met in a major tournament, Les Bleus came from behind to eliminate the Spaniards in the last 16 of the 2006 FIFA World Cup. That was the last time La Roja suffered a knockout blow on the big stage and the Spain that France will meet in Donetsk on Saturday are a different proposition following their world and European conquests. France advanced as Group D runners-up despite defeat against Sweden, but the manner of Spain's own nervy qualification against Croatia may give Laurent Blanc's side a glimmer of hope.

The last quarter-final in Kyiv on Sunday pits Group D winners England against Italy. England have never reached a EURO semi-final on foreign soil, but after starting amid untypically low expectations they now find themselves just one step away from doing just that following successive victories against Sweden and Ukraine. That said, Italy came through a tough Group C unbeaten and are masters of timing their runs in major competitions, so a close contest appears on the cards.
Quarter-finals
Thursday 21 June 2012
#25: CZE v POR, 20.45CET, Warsaw
Friday 22 June 2012
#26: GER v GRE, 20.45CET, Gdansk
Saturday 23 June 2012
#27: ESP v FRA, 20.45CET, Donetsk
Sunday 24 June 2012
#28: ENG v ITA, 20.45CET, Kyiv
Semi-finals
Wednesday 27 June 2012
#29: CZE/POR v ESP/FRA, 20.45CET, Donetsk
Thursday 28 June 2012
#30: GER/GRE v ENG/ITA, 20.45CET, Warsaw

Final
Sunday 1 July 2012
#31: W#29 v W#30, 20.45CET, Kyiv

Greece ready for Germany in EURO 2012 quarter-finals

The Greece national team have gained a reputation for thriving in adversity at UEFA EURO 2012, but on close expectation, battling against the odds has become second nature for so many of their players.
Take, for instance, goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis.

He was Fernando Santos's No1 choice in the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers, but a knee ligament injury in September 2011 sidelined him for six months. He spent the whole winter going back and forth to a rehabilitation centre in Antwerp, and then went through intensive training, all in order to win the race against time and be ready for the tournament.

Vassilis Torossidis has overcome plenty of adversity

The same goes for Sotiris Ninis. He scored a magnificent goal in an away qualifier against Israel last September but suffered a knee ligament injury a few minutes later and had to undergo surgery. He also spent months and months working hard to return to action, hoping to recover in time.

Giorgos Tzavellas spent the season between Germany's Zweiteliga (Eintracht Frankfurt) and France's Ligue 2 (AS Monaco FC). He never complained, worked hard and finally got the nod from Santos, despite playing for second-tier teams.
Captain Giorgos Karagounis came to UEFA EURO 2012 fresh from perhaps the most dispiriting season at club level.

This man who cannot live without playing saw his role with Panathinaikos FC reduced dramatically to just 730 minutes in the Greek Super League, with 21 substitute appearances in 25 matches.

Vassilis Torossidis suffered a rib injury in October (in the qualifying decider against Croatia), broke his hand in the Greek Cup semi-final against OFI Crete and then sustained a knee injury a month ago, in the friendly against Slovenia. However, he managed to overcome everything that was thrown at him, and won a domestic double as Olympiacos FC captain before heading out to Poland.

So many of Greece's players' recent years have been all about struggle and hard-won successes. It has become second nature. These 23 lads (not forgetting the injured Avraam Papadopoulos, who is facing an uphill battle of his own) have known nothing but adversity. The motto on their team bus reads "Born Fighters". It sums them up well.

Spain's habitual late winners

There is a school of thought, one from which I exclude myself, which says that a late goal in a difficult game is somehow lucky. It's as if a goal scored in extremis doesn't count as much as one in the body of the match.
Using evidence from their previous campaigns to argue the contrary, let me put Spain's 88th-minute winner against Croatia on Monday in context. Firstly, they keep on doing it – over and over again. Fifteen of the goals which qualified Spain for the last three major tournaments have been scored in the final ten minutes.

During their victorious UEFA EURO 2008 campaign there were three goals to win the group between the 88th and 92nd minutes – against Russia, Sweden and Greece – and another versus Russia in the semi-final.
In South Africa two years ago David Villa's decisive strike against Paraguay came with seven minutes left and Andrés Iniesta scored Spain's most famous goal, to make them world champions, in the 116th minute of the showpiece encounter with the Netherlands.

Jesús Navas breaks Croatia's resistance in Gdansk

Twice in Group C here in Poland, Spain have scored, through Cesc Fàbregas and Jesús Navas, in the last seven minutes. I don't mean to labour the point, it's simply that it's a vital one if you want to get under the skin of this squad. Against Croatia, Spain, as Vicente del Bosque said himself, "didn't play brilliantly, got bogged down, but won".

Winning in that style, or confirming a victory with a late goal, is such a habitual thing for Spain that I once asked Carles Puyol about it. "Is it the fact that you do so many double sessions that makes you fresher at the end of games?"

"No," he told me. "The fact is that when we keep possession as much as we do and use it in a positive way to attack teams, they end up obliged to chase us and, routinely, we'll be mentally and physically a shade fresher when it's approaching half-time or, even more so, full time."

Analytically this is a key weapon in Spain's armoury. Croatia appeared to be a valiant rival, with Iker Casillas being required to confirm his San Iker (Saint Iker) nickname. But La Roja controlled 64% of the ball, made almost double the on-target number of chances and were still firing on all cylinders (mentally and physically) when the game and group leadership was decided.

They entertain, they are technically brilliant and they are admirable individuals – but this group are remorseless, dedicated winners. They'll take a bit of beating.

Germany vs Greece match preview

For the first time at UEFA EURO 2012, there were a shortage of parking spaces outside the press centre where the Greece team hold their media activities in Legionowo. German journalists, along with other international media, were there to start monitoring the Nationalmannschaft's next opponents.

Giorgos Samaras and Kyriakos Papadopoulos, two of Greece's best players on Saturday against Russia, stepped up to the microphones and made it clear that Friday's quarter-final represents a welcome distraction for those back home. "Football is a game and we play because we enjoy it – we like it," said Samaras. "On Friday we will take to the pitch, enjoy being in the quarter-finals and try to make the most of it.

"We are a team, 23 players," the Celtic FC forward added. "We don't play for ourselves, but for 11 million people who are hoping for us to do something worthwhile, so that they can get out in the streets to celebrate. We managed to do that against Russia and that's what we will try to do again this Friday."

Would he have preferred another opponent, perhaps Portugal? "No, we are among Europe's eight best teams and have no preferences," replied Samaras. "We achieved our initial goal and we are not stressed about what happens next. We are here to enjoy ourselves. If we qualify, it will be a dream come true. But let's not compare this team with the one that won in 2004."

Papadopoulos, the Greece central defender who plies his trade at FC Schalke 04, echoed his team-mate's sentiments. "We have nothing to lose now," he said. "We did what we set out to do, qualifying for the quarter-finals. We will face one of the tournament's best teams, we will do our best and I hope we make it. Whatever we achieve from now on will be a huge success for us."

On a personal note, Papadopoulos said: "It's a special game for me, as I play in the Bundesliga and I will come up against players I know well. The fact that we have several players who play or have played in Germany is an advantage for us, as it will help us deal with our rivals. Mario Gomez? He is a great player, but we have to focus more on our team, not on them. We will do what we have been doing all tournament, and fight until the end.

"I believe that [Germany] won't take us lightly," he concluded. "Maybe in a corner of their minds, they are a little bit scared."

Portugal vs Czech Republic match preview

The Czech players had always said: 'We want to qualify from the group and everything else will be a welcome bonus.' Having finished atop Group A, they hit the jackpot, earning a meeting with a side featuring of one of the best players in world football, Cristiano Ronaldo.

While many of his young team-mates have only been able to watch the Real Madrid CF forward on TV, Petr Čech can offer first-hand experience of Ronaldo's shooting abilities. "The last time I played against him was when he was at Manchester United," said the Chelsea FC goalkeeper. 

"His shots are tremendously powerful, and can shoot with both feet. He hits the target in every situation, and is an excellent header of the ball. He's the perfectly-equipped footballer. We hope he is not going to score against us. None of us want him to succeed."

When speaking to UEFA.com, coach Michal Bílek used very similar words. "He tries to shoot from all positions with very powerful shots, which is why he's one of the best goalscorers in the world. But he is not the only good player in the team. They know how to capitalise on the space he creates for others."

However, while he may be an awesome opponent, plenty of Czech players are looking forward to grappling with a flesh-and-blood Ronaldo for the first time. "We are going to enjoy the match," said Michal Kadlec. "Portugal are favourites as Ronaldo is in an excellent form."

After answering the tweets of UEFA.com users, I asked Václav Pilař how 'The Czech Messi' is looking forward to meeting the real Ronaldo. "I always hoped we'd play Portugal in the quarter-final," Pilař replied. "Everybody is looking forward to playing against such a great player. These matches are a reward that one has to enjoy."

Playing against a world superstar is something of a novelty, then, but it seems the ethos in the Czech squad will be the same: enjoy the occasion, and throw everything they can into it to succeed.

England vs Ukraine: Wayne Rooney fired up

Wayne Rooney says he is "fresh and ready to go" ahead of England's decisive final Group D fixture against Ukraine.

The Manchester United FC forward was forced to watch the Three Lions' first two games of UEFA EURO 2012 from the stands after a red card in England's final qualifier against Montenegro earned him a two-game suspension. However, Rooney remains philosophical about the situation and even thinks the added rest could prove to his and the team's advantage.

"You want to be out there playing of course, but I've had quite a while to get used to the fact that I'd be missing the first two games," the 26-year-old told UEFA.com. "I've done all the training with the team and prepared as if I were playing, so I feel fresh. Hopefully, in some ways missing the first two games will help me in the later games in the tournament."

Despite goalscoring performances from Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck in the 3-2 success against Sweden, there was never any doubt in Roy Hodgson's mind that Rooney would resume duty as soon as he became available. A "world-class player" in the eyes of his manager, the top English goalscorer in this season's Premier League lauded the displays of his fellow frontmen and is now looking forward to linking up with at least one of them against Ukraine.

"It's great for the team that the two lads scored the goals," he explained. "There's competition for places now, which is great because I know if I do get in the team, I'll need to play well to stay in it. I think it'll only be good for the team."

Rooney said the appointment of Hodgson to the England helm had made it easier for the squad to gel under the new manager. With no words "lost in translation", the players have swiftly absorbed Hodgson's ideas, something Rooney believes has already begun to be reflected in the team's performances.

"Obviously, we're not going to pick everything up in such a short space of time. We'll need time to work on it, but in the time we have had to try and take his tactics and way of playing into games, I think we've done pretty well."

Nonetheless, from his vantage point in the stands during Friday's win against Sweden, Rooney was able to identify the areas in England's performance which needed improving. "The way in which we conceded the two goals was disappointing because we normally defend better than that on set pieces."

Still, aside from the three goals scored, the Liverpool-born forward felt there were plenty of positives, not least the character the team showed to come from behind and turn the game. "Going 2-1 down, the team spirit we showed, the desire to get back in the game and win, was great for the whole team. It was a gritty performance at times, but I think a well-deserved win."

Rooney is now looking forward to making his first appearance at a UEFA European Championship since the 2004 edition in Portugal, where he struck four times en route to the quarter-finals, only for his tournament to be cut short by a broken metatarsal in the first half of England's eventual exit against the hosts.

The powerful marksman, who has been capped 74 times, is determined to reaffirm his credentials on the biggest stage by helping England into the latter stages of the tournament. The Three Lions require only a point against Ukraine to secure their place in the last eight, but the returning No10 insists the team will not risk playing for a draw.

"We're capable of winning the game. It will be tough because obviously they've got a lot of fans there and we're playing in Ukraine, so it will be a difficult game. A point will get us through and if we have to take that we will, but we'll be going for the three points."

France vs Sweden match preview

France are a clean sheet away from the quarter-finals. Keep out Zlatan Ibrahimović and friends, and they will be through to the latter stages of a tournament for the first time since 2006, regardless of whether or not they score themselves.

Laurent Blanc's men will not play for a stalemate, but there is a feeling in the camp they could if they had to. Doubts over the form of centre-backs Philippe Mexès and Adil Rami have dissipated after a pair of solid showings from the two rocks of France's qualifying campaign. The media criticism of Rami and, in particular, Mexès after the warm-up games seemed harsh given their outstanding displays together in the first year of Blanc's reign – not to mention the fact Les Bleus won those three friendlies.

Adil Rami's athleticism appeals to Laurent Blanc

The coach admitted he was "keeping an eye" on Mexès' condition, although there never seemed to be any doubt regarding his first-choice duo. When asked if Laurent Koscielny was close to breaking through, Blanc was clear, saying: "He's had a good season, but Laurent's job is to keep Philippe and Adil on their toes."

For more than a decade, France have sought a duo to match the class of Blanc and Marcel Desailly. Lilian Thuram and William Gallas briefly came close. Rami and Mexès are the latest to try, and have so far looked highly promising. Given their ages (Mexès is 30 and Rami 26), they could be there for a few more years to come. Certainly Blanc, who knows a thing or two about defending, believes he has found his duo.

Mexès was described as 'the new Blanc' when he made his international debut in 2002. Like Blanc, he's an elegant, ball-playing centre-back. The qualities of the AC Milan defender – notably his reading of the game – tally perfectly with the Valencia CF man's power and aerial prowess. 

 There have been nervy moments here, yet when it has really mattered – such as late on against England when Mexès brilliantly intercepted a Glen Johnson cross, or when Rami shoulder-charged Ukraine's Andriy Shevchenko off the ball inside the penalty area – the two have been impeccable.

"Because of everything that was written, they didn't feel totally confident," Blanc admitted. "But Philippe's getting back to his best. With his experience, he's been able to help Adil, who, contrary to appearances, needs to be reassured. He's like a big teddy bear." France fans will be happy to give Mexès and his muscular Corsican colleague a big cuddle if they keep Sweden out tomorrow.

Nigeria vs Rwanda post match analysis

Ahmed Musa vs Godfroid Steven of Rwanda in Calabar Saturday

 

Nigeria Saturday qualified for the next round of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations after they defeated Rwanda 2-0 on aggregate.

The Eagles beat Rwanda 2-0 in Calabar after both teams played out a goalless draw in Kigali in February.

The final round of the qualifiers for final places at South Africa 2013 will be played between September and October.

“It was very important that we won this game. This will improve the confidence in the team,” said Eagles skipper Joseph Yobo, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury and so did not feature in this game.

Nigeria took the lead after nine minutes when Spain-based striker Ike Uche fired home from inside the box after giant central defender Azubuike Egwuekwe helped on an Ahmed Musa corner with a header.

The Eagles doubled their advantage on 56 minutes through Ahmed Musa.

The CSKA Moscow winger thundered past Rwanda goalkeeper Jean Claude Ndori after he was beautifully set up by Enyimba striker Uche Kalu, who chested a long ball by Efe Ambrose.

Nigeria did more to get a result at home, but the Rwandese will not be ashamed to be eliminated from the AFCON as they held their own especially after the interval when they opened up in search of goals.

On 18 minutes, Rwanda goalkeeper Ndori pulled off an instinctive save after an audacious effort by Gabriel Reuben, who tried something like a bicycle kick on top of the 18-yard box.

In the 24th minute, Rwanda spurned their best chance at goal but the header from inside the Nigeria goal area missed the target narrowly to the relief of the Eagles defence led by skipper Vincent Enyeama.

Man of the match Reuben and Obiora Nwankwo will also test the sharpness of Ndori with a couple of long-distance shots.

After Musa’s 56th minute goal, Nigeria had several chances to add to the tally.

Rwanda’s best chance came in the 81st minute when striker Meddie Kagere’s header crashed against the crossbar with goalkeeper Enyeama well beaten.

Afcon 2013 qualifiers: Zimbabwe 1 - 0 Burundi

Despite being reduced to 10-men in the first half, a Knowledge Musona strike managed to give Zimbabwe a narrow 1-0 lead to keep their Cup of Nations dreams alive.

Having lost the first leg of the qualifiers in February 2-1 to Burundi, Zimbabwe knew that nothing short of a win would be enough to take them closer to next year’s Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa.

Ranked 14 places above their adversaries Rahman Gumbo’s side were favourites to win the game.

It was a worrying start for the hosts as William Katsande was showed red after just 29 minutes on the clock, but with the support of the home crowd giving the Warriors some backing, Burundi couldn’t fight off the assaults of Zimbabwe’s attack for long.

Just six minutes after the half hour Hoffenheim striker Knowledge Musona pounced on the occasion and put his country in front, keeping his countries' AFCON hopes alive.

In spite of being a man down the Zimbabweans managed to create the majority of attacks while Burundi struggled to get a shot at goal. Having failed to find the back of the net Ajax Cape Town’s Khama Billiat was replaced by Takesure Chinyama.

Tapuwa Kapini made a crucial save in the final 10 minutes of the game as he pushed Gilbert Kaze long range effort over the bar. But there was no further actions at the net in the second half as the Warriors battled to a narrow 1-0 lead which saw them secure a spot in the next round of qualifiers for the Cup of Nations.

 

Afcon 2013 qualifiers: Latest results 15 - 16 June

Home	Results	Away	Date	Venue	Matches
Togo	1 - 0	Kenya	17 Jun 12		Report
Benin	1 - 1	Ethiopia	17 Jun 12		Report
DR Congo	3 - 0	Seychelles	17 Jun 12		Report
Mozambique	9 - 8*	Tanzania	17 Jun 12		Report
Zimbabwe	1 - 0	Burundi	17 Jun 12		Report
Cape Verde	3 - 1	Madagascar	16 Jun 12		Report
Namibia	0 - 0	Liberia	16 Jun 12		Report
Sierra Leone	4 - 2	Sao Tome and...	16 Jun 12		Report
Nigeria	2 - 0	Rwanda	16 Jun 12		Report
Cameroon	1 - 0	Guinea-Bissa...	16 Jun 12		Report

Euro 2012 latest results: France 2-0 Ukraine

When Yohan Cabaye scored in France's 2-0 win against Ukraine in Group D, his thoughts went straight to his family back at home, while team-mate Olivier Giroud – having watched much of the game from the bench – was just delighted to be involved in a winning performance.

Yohan Cabaye, France midfielder
How did it feel to score? Great joy, and also relief. Then you start thinking of your children, so I of course thought of my little daughter. I think these are special moments that will stay with you forever in your career. In the end what counts is the win for the team and I was lucky enough to score.
This time we attacked from the beginning of the match.

The coach chose the formation to create spaces in behind, because we were also aware that they would tackle a lot on the right-hand side, so with Franck [Ribéry] on our left we could counter that. That was how we scored the first goal. I think we succeeded tonight and the team is relieved. We can prepare for the third match with more confidence, for sure.
The '87 generation of Samir Nasri, Karim Benzema and tonight Jérémy Menez? If a team wants to accomplish something special, it needs talent. And those players are talented. There is also Hatem Ben Arfa, who did not play tonight.

Those four players are really talented and we stay behind them and try to keep our eyes open. Because, let's put it like that, in the attack they run a little bit everywhere. But that's not a bad thing as long as they do their job and score goals. That's what is really important. We are there to support them and help them play. We can consider ourselves lucky to have them, and I hope that they will stay without any injuries and in good form for the rest of the tournament.

Olivier Giroud, France forward
It was good when I came on. I had to get into the game. It would have been better if I could have played a little more but today, the coach decided to bring me on 10-15 minutes from the end. I tried to do my best on the park but the most important thing is that we were able to win those three points, in a group that will be tight until the very end.

You see the game differently when you are on the bench. You can feel the tension and the nervousness. It is an energy-consuming experience, because you have to fully support your team-mates who are playing but, of course, you have to conserve your energy in case the coach brings you on.

I would say that Ukraine played more openly because we had more open spaces than we did against the English, because England played very carefully. So, against the Ukrainians, we were able to impose our rhythm, which explains why we managed to create plenty of chances and score goals.

Euro 2012: Group D standings - 16 June

Standings

Group D

	P	Pts
France	2	4
England	2	4
Ukraine	2	3
Sweden	2	0

Last updated: 16/06/2012 00:52 CET

Legend:

EURO 2012 latest results: Sweden 2-3 England

Sweden are out of UEFA EURO 2012 after Danny Welbeck's late back-heeled winner earned England a dramatic Group D victory.

Andy Carroll had given England the half-time lead but just past the hour mark it was already 2-2, Olof Mellberg forcing a Glen Johnson own goal then scoring himself before Theo Walcott's leveller. It was substitute Walcott who set up Welbeck with 12 minutes left to end Sweden's hopes with their second Kyiv comeback defeat. England join France on four points, one ahead of Ukraine with whom Roy Hodgson's side need only draw in Donetsk on Tuesday to make the quarter-finals.

Both teams made changes to their attacking spearheads, Carroll in alongside Welbeck up front for Wayne Rooney-less England with Ashley Young switching to the left and Johan Elmander taking over from Markus Rosenberg as Zlatan Ibrahimović's foil. England began the brighter and Scott Parker's drive forced Andreas Isaksson into an early save.

However, Sweden were maintaining possession and Sebastian Larsson tested his one-time Birmingham City FC club-mate Joe Hart. Johnson did superbly when Ibrahimović looked to be through on goal and Hart also denied the Sweden captain.

It was the England captain, though, who made the first goal on 23 minutes. Gerrard sent in a long diagonal cross from the right which Carroll brilliantly headed in from the middle of the box. It took Sweden some time to regroup before Ibrahimović embarked on a solo run only for Hart to stop his deflected shot while at the other end Ashley Young dragged an effort into the side netting.

Sweden were looking for shots from distance, Kim Källström going close, and ended the first half strongly, other than a Welbeck break stopped by a superb Mellberg tackle.

Mellberg made an even more vital intervention four minutes into the second half. An Ibrahimović free-kick was blocked but he leapt to volley the ball to Mellberg, whose effort hit Johnson via Hart's gloves and crept in despite the right-back's desperate lunge.

With 18,000 fans behind them – unusually outnumbering England supporters – Sweden sensed a turnaround just like that which did for them in their 2-1 loss here to Ukraine. Just as on that day the next goal did not take long to arrive, Mellberg rising high to head in Larsson's crossed free-kick.

Ibrahimović so nearly had a third immediately, sprinting clear but was unable to beat Hart. Then an equaliser was only prevented by an instinctive reflex save from Isaksson after a John Terry header. However, from the resulting corner the unsighted Isaksson was beaten by a long-distance effort from Walcott, not long off the bench.

Now both teams were going all out for victory, Källström shooting just over and Hart superbly denying Ibrahimović. It was at the other end, though, where Welbeck cleverly flicked in, his face a picture of sheer joy after his first competitive goal on just the 21-year-old's seventh appearance. England's margin might have been even greater had Gerrard not been denied by Isaksson from point-blank range in added time, but it mattered not.