EURO 2012 Match Previews and predictions

Euro 2012 Quarterfinals Preview: Czech Republic vs Portugal Predictions

The Czech Republic take on the Portuguese on June 21 at the Warsaw National Stadium.

Czech Republic Preview

It was a bad start for the Czech Republic at the beginning of the tournament. They were thrashed by the Ruskies 4-1 during their opening game. The second was better, beating Greece 2-1 setting up a make or break against co-hosts Poland when they managed to beat the Poles 1-0 and winning the two points clear of Greece thus setting them up for the upcoming Quarterfinals. It was Peter Jiracek who scored the winning singular score against Poland halfway through the second half of the game.

Coach Michal Bilek needs to lead an offensive against the favorites Portugal. Ronaldo and the boys are becoming a tighter outfit as the tournament progresses.

Portugal Preview

Portugal went through the same predicament that the Czechs did at the onset of the tournament losing to Germany 1-0 but later redeemed themselves against Denmark during a suspenseful five goal match with a 3-2 score. Then came the crucial game against the Netherlands. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo redeemed himself after a previous underperformance against Denmark and Germany. He had a poor performance at first and received a lot of criticism. The Portuguese team came in second in Group B trailing three points behind Germany. Ronaldo playing alongside Nani, Raul Meireles, Pepe, and Portos creates a force to be reckoned with as long and as they put their heads together and Ronaldo steps up, they will maintain their consistency.

Czech Republic vs Portugal Predictions: Portugal wins 2-1

The Portuguese are adds-on favorites in this match. After a 3-2 victory over the Danes, it goes to show the attacking power they possess. Although defense may seem weak at times, a line-up like the Portuguese’ may put the Czechs on constant defensive mode.

Original Source Czech Republic vs Portugal Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Quarterfinals Preview: Czech Republic vs Portugal Predictions

The Czech Republic take on the Portuguese on June 21 at the Warsaw National Stadium.

Czech Republic Preview

It was a bad start for the Czech Republic at the beginning of the tournament. They were thrashed by the Ruskies 4-1 during their opening game. The second was better, beating Greece 2-1 setting up a make or break against co-hosts Poland when they managed to beat the Poles 1-0 and winning the two points clear of Greece thus setting them up for the upcoming Quarterfinals. It was Peter Jiracek who scored the winning singular score against Poland halfway through the second half of the game.

Coach Michal Bilek needs to lead an offensive against the favorites Portugal. Ronaldo and the boys are becoming a tighter outfit as the tournament progresses.

Portugal Preview

Portugal went through the same predicament that the Czechs did at the onset of the tournament losing to Germany 1-0 but later redeemed themselves against Denmark during a suspenseful five goal match with a 3-2 score. Then came the crucial game against the Netherlands. Captain Cristiano Ronaldo redeemed himself after a previous underperformance against Denmark and Germany. He had a poor performance at first and received a lot of criticism. The Portuguese team came in second in Group B trailing three points behind Germany. Ronaldo playing alongside Nani, Raul Meireles, Pepe, and Portos creates a force to be reckoned with as long and as they put their heads together and Ronaldo steps up, they will maintain their consistency.

Czech Republic vs Portugal Predictions: Portugal wins 2-1

The Portuguese are adds-on favorites in this match. After a 3-2 victory over the Danes, it goes to show the attacking power they possess. Although defense may seem weak at times, a line-up like the Portuguese’ may put the Czechs on constant defensive mode.

Original Source Czech Republic vs Portugal Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Quarterfinals Preview: Spain vs France Predictions

The Spaniards take on the French on the 23rd at the Donbask Arena in Donetsk

Spain Preview

The “Red Fury” topped Group C as expected with a score of 7 after two wins against the Republic of Ireland and Croatia and a draw with Italy. The defending champions barely won against Croatia with a late goal but thrashed the Irish 4-0. It was Italy that gave them a run for their money as always ending the match in a draw. Currently Spain looks solid and are expected to bring their aggressive brand of football into the Quarter-finals against France whose 23 unbeaten matches in a row, only to be ended by Sweden, goes to show that the French should not be taken lightly.

But the Spaniards are yet to be tested and the nonappearance of main striker David Villa and defender Carlos Puyol can put the team in a compromising situation. A waning defense was already apparent during the game against the Croatians.

France Preview

Group D Runners-up, France, would have conceived a better score than their final 4 had not the Swedes ended their match in a shocker with France losing 2-0. This ended their 23 unbeaten match record. Nevertheless, France made it to the Quarter-finals face to face with the best team in the tournament. This may seem unfair, even for a team that is considered one of the major contenders for the Delauny Trophy.The French need to pick up pace and tidy up their already impeccable attack skills. This can thoroughly compromise the Spanish defense lead to a great upset. In other words, they really need to work hard to achieve the unlikely.

Spain vs France Predictions: Spain wins 1-0

It’s either the Spanish look too strong or the French seem a little weaker. Being easily overpowered by Sweden, a team that finished at the bottom of the Group, proved that the French may have consistency issues. Their poor performance during the closer points to a weakening defense and a faltering attack.

Original Source France vs Spain Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Quarterfinals Preview: England vs Italy Predictions

England squares off against Italy in the knockout stage on June 24 at Kiev’s Olympic Stadium.

England Preview

After a controversial 1-0 win against Ukraine on the 19th, England heads off to join the Quarterfinals squaring off against Italy. The English did fairly well during the qualifying stage with 5 wins and 3 draws. They finished the Group stage at the top of Group D with an overall score of 7 followed by France with a score of 4. Now, with Wayne Rooney back in action from a two game suspension, the Three Lions look ready for battle.

The seemingly smooth ride to the Quarters is not all it seemed. England had just lost the midfield duo, Gareth Barry whose cover had always been a valuable asset to the team’s defense and Frank Lampard with his goal making skills to injuries. England’s already less than satisfactory offense may have been weakened further. Wayne Rooney may have scored the winning goal against Ukraine on the closing Group match, but that was all it was, one point. He looked a bit rusty on the field during that last match. Their defense may need a little bit of fine tuning against the strong Italian offensive as well.

Italy Preview


The Group C Runners-Up and four time World Cup winners, Italy has been one of the favorites to win the Delauney Cup next to Spain of course. Their brilliance in attack has taken them to heights in tournaments that most teams aren’t capable of reaching. Although of course their performance and aggressive nature was less then apparent during the Group stage finishing second to the top which is Spain with a score of 5, Spain finished with 7, the Italians are still, by far, a strong team. CesarePrandelli isn’t just another good coach, he is known as an excellent tactician moving Italy forward despite constant problems.

One problem the Italians are facing is the fact that they don’t have enough top players that guarantee a top-level performance and rely almost solely on Prandelli’s intuition. Prandelli too often, prefers unusual formations but one man’s choice cannot always be suitable to seal a win against the opposing team.

England vs Italy Predictions: Italy wins 2-1

The win for this upcoming match has to be more inclined to Italy. The Italians have used brilliant attack formations that have guaranteed victory and although England has excellent defense, the Italians have a good chance of exploiting whatever chink they may have in their armor.

Original Source Italy vs England Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Quarterfinals Preview: Spain vs Portugal Predictions

Ronaldo leads Portugal into the Semi’s against the Champions on June 27 at Ukraine’s Donbass Arena

As the Euro 2012 tournament closes in, the tension and excitement increases and the teams that remain intact are facing more challenges as the path to the top becomes narrower. The two teams that made it to the Semifinals, Spain and Portugal show signs of exhaustion but the determinations of each team remain and this will become apparent on the 27th.

Spain Preview

The Spaniards are the latest team to make it through the remaining four of the Euros after ousting France on the 24th with 2-0 victory. It was Xabi Alonso’s time to shine as the midfielder from Real Madrid scored during the 19th minute from the start of the match and another from the penalty spot. Coach Vicente Del Bosque focused on the team’s offensive side by reverting to the old system of using six midfielders. Their outright show of attack was extremely successful putting France on the defensive throughout the game.

However efficient they may have seemed during the match against France, Spain is showing signs of fatigue and drainage which is common amongst teams during the concluding end of a long football tournament. Mostly the veterans of the team such Inestia, Fabregas and Silva displayed signs of lacking sharpness and were unable to bank on many clear-cut chances. As the Semifinal game against Portugal nears, the boys of the “Red Fury” need to take advantage of the rest time as they have two days less of resting than the Portuguese.

Portugal Preview

Group runners-up, Portugal clinched a 1-0 victory over Group A’s top team, the Czech Republic that guaranteed Semifinal ticket on the 21st. Cristiano Ronaldo proved to be the savior as he scored the game’s solo goal on the 79th minute of the match. The Czech’s actually had a positive start but the Portuguese gradually asserted their domineering presence and the game became a one-sided affair by the second half. Both the teams had a similar record during the Group stage even though it was Portugal that was the more favorable of the two. This coming match-up against Spain has an advantage for Portugal, they have two more days of rest and recovery than the Spaniards who just finished off France on the 24th.

In order for Ronaldo and team to survive the upcoming match-up, they have two things that they really need to work on especially against a team such as the Spaniards, it’s both their defense and attack. It would be wise to say that adding an explosive nature to their attack would help the team. During the first half of the previous match against the Czechs, the Portuguese were constantly on the defensive and there were many close calls in the opposing team’s favor. Their assertive side developed slowly in the game and it wasted a lot of time. Also, their defense needs some upgrading that will protect them from Spain’s aggressive style of attack.

Spain vs Portugal Predictions: Spain wins 2-0

The Spaniards seem to have many of the traits that a winning team should possess. They are truly dynamic in nature, showing the ability to adapt to the style of the opponent plus coach Del Bosque is a brilliant tactician. The Spaniards are more aggressive when compared to the other teams and their defensive records are decent. The Portuguese are usually slow to take possession and this upcoming match is going to be a race for domination. The team that takes the offensive first will most likely win.

Original Source Spain vs Portugal Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Semifinals Preview: Germany vs Italy Predictions

Germany and Italy will both proceed to the Semifinals on the 28th of June at the National Stadium in Warsaw.

Both undefeated, the two teams have found their niche within the tournament in completely different ways, Germany with their offensive power and Italy with their brilliance in defense. Which tactic will lead to victory?

Germany Preview

The Germans survived the Group stage at number 1 in Group B. They have a perfect record with no draws and no defeats. Germany have waltzed through the tournament being the only team to gain the only maximum nine-point haul in the group stages and effortlessly smashed Greece to pieces in the quarterfinals. These offensive juggernauts are a force to be reckoned with and Mario Gomez is one of only four footballers to score a trio of goals since the start of the group stage. Italy does not have even one player who scored multiple goals.Also, MesutOzil is one of only four footballers to record three assists. Bastian Schweinsteiger also has a pair. If you’re aware of the track record, you already know that Italy doesn’t have one player who’s recorded multiple assists.

However, the opposing team’s strength is on a totally different side than that of Germany’s, it’s the defense. The Germans with their attack brilliance might need to boost up their offense even more against Italy’s defensive wall or else, the game is going nowhere.

Italy Preview

The 2006 World Cup winners are on the track to regain their status as one of the most feared football units in the world. The Italians have a rich history in world football but when it comes to winning the Henri Delauney trophy, the record becomes cloudy only winning the prestigious Euro cup back in 1968 when luck played a big part in their victory over the USSR on Italian soil. Nevertheless, the Azzurris prove to be a force that is not to be taken lightly as they proceed through the Euros with an untainted record and only to be topped off by Spain with two points in the Group C standings.

Germany, however, will certainly give the Italians a run for their money. The Italians have a near flawless defense record and pride themselves with this attribute. They haven’t surrendered more than a single goal in regulation since the group stage began. But defense may not be enough to win against a team like the Germans whose power of attack is brilliant. They need to strengthen their offensive side and take control of the game before the Germans do. Italy has scored just four total goals, and that’s resulted in two draws as well as forced their shootout against England.

Germany vs Italy Predictions: Germany wins 1-0

Okay let’s pay a little bit of consideration to Italy’s defensive structure. But if you can’t score, you can’t win…unless you force a shootout. Italy has a brilliant football team but it would truly be shocking if they outscore Germany.

Germany vs Italy Previews and Predictions

Euro 2012 Predictions and Preview: Ukraine vs France

Group Elimination D: Friday, 15 June 2012 - Donetsk - Donbass Arena

On June 15 “Les Bleus” meet with the “Yellow-Blues” in their Home Turf at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.

Ukraine

After defeating Sweden on June 11 by overturning a one goal deficit, the Ukrainian team will be going up against the French on home turf. Playing at home is a big advantage for a sports team regardless of how diverse the spectators can be. This is one strongpoint that the Ukrainians hold. Team captain Andriy Shevchenko seems ready for another battle after a fantastic victory against Sweden where he scored the two goals sealing a 2-1 win.

Although according to fans within the site, Ukraine looks to be the favourite, France is still FIFA World no.14 against Ukraine at a mere no.52 and elsewhere is considered the favourite regardless of a less than explosive performance against England during the Group D opener. Plus the track record says a lot as well.

France

The French remain unbeaten in 21 matches during the climb up to the European championships up to the game against England which ended in a draw. Not bad despite the lacklustre performance over the English team whoare considered already washed up. Equipped with the dangerous and brilliant Franck Ribery and Samir Nasri on the wings the “Bleus” look to deploy 4-5-1 formation once again.

France however needs an upgrade in their gameplay. Although their attack is impeccable, the Ukrainians proved many people wrong with their performance against Sweden. The days of Zidane are long gone so a step up is in place.

Predictions: France wins 1-0

Let’s take a look at the numbers: France, world ranked number 14; Ukraine, world ranked number 52. The French also have a straight 21 wins up to the Euros. There’s really no argument in this but upsets can happen so we’ll just have to see on the 15th.

Original Source Ukraine vs France Previews and Predictions