Tonight's a big night if you're an international side preparing to do battle in this summer's Euro 2008 Finals. There's just 73 days to go until things begin in earnest in Austria and Switzerland, so tonight's friendlies will be a good chance for players to cement their place in the squad of their choice. Let's see who's playing who this evening...
(Euro 2008 competitors shown in capitals, times shown in GMT)
Denmark v CZECH REPUBLIC (7.15 pm)
PORTUGAL v GREECE (7.45 pm)
SWITZERLAND v GERMANY (7.45 pm)
Belarus v TURKEY (6.00 pm)
AUSTRIA v NETHERLANDS (7.30 pm)
Scotland v CROATIA (8.00 pm)
POLAND v United States (7.30 pm)
FRANCE v England (8.00 pm)
SPAIN v ITALY (9.00 pm)
ROMANIA v RUSSIA (6.30 pm)
SWEDEN v Brazil (7.45 pm)
A nice easy one for Sweden at the end there...
Some interesting ties tonight, especially bearing in mind that infamous 'Group of Death' which features France, Italy, the Netherlands and Romania. Italy obviously think that they need to test their metal against a strong team and have plumped for Spain, France similarly have gone for England as their opponents tonight and Romania have arranged a test against Russia, but the Netherlands feel that Austria will be plenty tough enough in what can only be described as a 'gentle warm-up'. Perhaps the local school teams in Amsterdam were unavailable at short notice...
Good that you are up and about Chris. The Brazil v Sweden match is of course a replay of the 1958 final fifty years on.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be busy tonight, since we are getting seven of these games. The best of which should be Portugal v. Greece.
ReplyDeleteI'm also interested in the England match, but not enough to pay the greedy FA for a friendly. I always get buyer's remorse after I watch England. After every match I tell myself, "Never again will I spend $20 on this team." Then I do. But not today, FA!
The fact that Austria and Switzerland are holding it is a good and bad thing. Good because it mixes it up as Austria are awful and have nobody who plays big in club football (bar Pogatetz). Switzerland however are a bit, but not much, better. Bad because they stop teams like England going through.
ReplyDelete(Just kidding!!!)
It stops team like SCOTLAND going through is what I meant, how silly of me.
Come on NETHERLANDS, grab the Euro Trophy!
Currently watching Israel vs Chile and Yossi benayoun just scored to make it 1-0. yay Yossi.
ReplyDeleteLater on i will possibly watch England (why do i feel dirty typing that), but i thoroughly expect it to be a boredraw (or even worse Beckham will score a free-kick).
Good call on the Brazil Sweden game - i hadn't realised. Spain Italy catches the eye as a good-un.
Thanks Duffman. This recent spell of illness I've had has really knocked me for six. Hopefully I should be a bit more prolific from now on!
ReplyDeleteYes, a re-run of the 1958 Final, as you say. In fact there are a lot of games going on today that evoke memories from the past: England v France (World Cup '82), Belgium v Morocco (WC '94), Poland v USA (WC 2002), South Africa v Paraguay (WC 2002)...
I'm with you on that one, Chris B... in fact I was with you on that one YEARS ago. At least these days we're relieved of the Sven '10-substitution' approach for friendlies, so it should be worth watching *up to a point*.
Yes, it should be fun in the Alps, P. I know there are people that complain that they've deprived two better countries of a place in the finals, but I think that's unfair. Give them a chance, I say!
Sounds like a good start for Israel, Tote Football King! Italy v Spain certainly does sound like a tempting proposition - better than England v France, dare I say...
ReplyDeleteI really don't like dual host nations. Especially when neither host is any good. Only in Bizzaro-Europe would both teams make the finals. So we can look forward to a few 4,5,6-0 matches; entertaining, yes, but not very productive for the game as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to have a dual host nation tourney, make it Brazil/Argentina or France/Spain.
some really interesting scores tonight.... Romania defeated Russia 3-0... a great game... gives me hopes... Malta - Luxemburg 7-1 Malta scored more goals in this game than in the last 4 qualifying stages. :))
ReplyDeleteAustria was ahead by 3 golas at half-time in their game against Holland... that's pretty much all..