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Page last updated at 22:01 GMT, Saturday, 14 June 2008 23:01 UK
Greece 0-1 Russia

Sweden 1-2 Spain Match report Greece 0-1 Russia Match report


By Jonathan Stevenson

Champagne Moment number two for the day just has to be Russia's goal in their 1-0 win over Greece. It's not a standard goal - it features some kamikaze goalkeeping, a magnificent overhead kicked cross and a neat volleyed finish from matchwinner Konstatin Zyryanov. Just rewards for a fine performance from the young Russians.


Nikopolidis goes AWOL and Russia dump the holders out

So, Champagne Moment number one is from Spain v Sweden and it's not David Villa's brilliant last-gasp winner, it's the frankly woeful decision of Dutch referee Pieter Vink not to give a penalty just before half-time for the most blatant foul you will ever see, Johan Elmander just about assaulting David Silva in the box and - to Spanish horror - getting away with it. Remarkable.


Silva is flattened and Spain are furious

2150: Is anyone still there? If you are, the Champagne Moments are coming up...

2147: "Greece should be banned from all international football for again putting on such a dull, defensive display. This was not entertainment, it was excruciating. Thankfully they are out - they should never have been champions last time."
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2143: Player Rater - Some really low marks and I think that's a shame - Russia played well tonight and they deserve more. The impressive Yuri Zhirkov is leading right now on 6.96.
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2140: "Well done Russia. Good riddance Greece."
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2138: "They very rarely looked like endangering the Russian goal, Greece. There's no doubt the better team won today, Russia showed good pace and got forward well and they are a young, quick team who are only going to get better and better."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

2134: FULL-TIME Greece 0-1 Russia

2134: "I think a well-known phrase involving the posterior of a cow and a certain musical string instrument could describe Greece tonight."
Karol, via text

2133: Roman Pavlyuchenko is handed on a plate the goal his display deserves, but he leans back 10 yards out and blazes over. Darn it!

2131: Three minutes of stoppages. Greece are on the brink of elimination.

2130: "Seems King Otto's crown is finally starting to slip."
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2127: Heartbreak for the holders. Theofanis Gekas races through on to a flicked header and after his shot is saved, Angelos Charisteas taps in the rebound, but the flag has already gone up. It's a marginal decision, but probably just, just right.

2126: Dmitry Torbinsky is booked for Russia.

2125: Yuri Zhirkov curls a delightful free-kick inches past the angle of post and crossbar. Stevo's up off his seat - his 2-0 predo looked in!

2124: "Roman Pavlyuchenko has got the look of a young Thierry Henry about him. Russia break with such pace at times."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

2122: "Stevo what is your verdict for the final? Which two countries and who will take the crown?"
Geobam, via text

What a predo that is you're asking me for. Well, before the tournament I went for Spain so I shouldn't change, but they'll have to improve to beat the Dutch in the semis. They'll probably meet Portugal in the final. There you go, you've made me look ridiculous again. Thanks.

2120: Stelios is so desperate to come on he holds aloft the fourth referee's board himself! He replaces the ineffective Yannis Amanatidis.

2118: Ivan Saenko is booked for a foul on Giorgios Karagounis, who is becoming increasingly frustrated.

2117: "See 2034. There used to be a Russian sprinter called Borzov (borzoy= swift). Now the fastest man at Euro 2008 is called Bystrov (bystri=quick), How weird is that?"
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2113: That would have been the best goal ever, I'm not kidding. Ivan Saenko wins possession deep inside his own half and skips past two tackles before sending a brilliant 30-yard pass into the path of that man Roman Pavlyuchenko, who fires in a screamer from 35 yards that only just flies a couple of feet over the bar. Super stuff.

2112: Giorgios Karagounis hammers a shot just wide from 25 yards. He's looked very lively since he came on, wonder why he didn't start?

2111: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov comes off for Russia and is replaced by the much shorter-named Ivan Saenko. Phew.

2109: Angelos Charisteas heads a corner straight at Igor Akinfeyev.

2108: Don't forget to stay tuned after the full-time whistle for my Champagne Moments of the day. You'll find them later in a story called 'Euro 2008 day eight as it happened'.

2106: "Lack of well-known players make the fame-obsessed Premier League fans switch off. Real fans are appreciative of this game!"
David, via text

2104: More shambolic defending from the Greeks and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has a shot blocked as Russia go close to doubling their advantage.

2104: "Stevo if this game is now as good as you say it is then I'm going to stop revising and give it my full attention. So what's the verdict?"
Mike, via text

Tell me mate, have I ever let you down before? Do it.

2103: "If Arshavin had been playing this really would be all over."
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2102: Theofanis Gekas, who should have started, comes on for Greece for Nikos Liberopoulos.

2101: "Why does everyone think this is a dull game? Granted it was dire for the first 30 minutes but it's been OK since then."
Scott, via text

I'm with you pal.

2100: "This really does have the feeling of a decider, you don't often get that in the second game of a tournament. Greece coach Otto Rehhagel must make changes now, he cannot leave it too late."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

2058: Fabulous play from Russia, Roman Pavlyuchenko brilliantly teeing up Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and the midfielder crashing a shot fractionally wide. Cracking stuff.

2056: Nikos Liberopoulos keeps his cool to find Angelos Basinas on the penalty spot, but he can only lift a left-footer over the crossbar. See, Greece can attack.

2056: "Pavlyuchenko would be class in the Premier League - that was quality."
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2054: Giorgios Karagounis stings the palms of Igor Akinfeyev with a stinging drive from 20 yards.

2053: Roman Pavlyuchenko beats his man down the left and makes for goal, but he slightly pulls his shot wide of the right-hand post. That boy only ever has one thing on his mind.

2052: Can't believe some of the negative texts I'm getting. If you think this is a rubbish game, you might as well not bother. Russia still on top, but Greece have been brighter at the start of the second half.

2051: Greece play in a free-kick to the far post and Yannis Amanatidis completely mis-kicks. Russia coach Guus Hiddink is going crazy on the touchline shouting instructions to his young side.

2049: Remember, if you text the word 'euros' to 81010 you will get a link to our Euro 2008 website? Click on that for mobile international football tournament news heaven. Remember, texts to the BBC cost 10p to 15p and that although our site is free for you to access, your network operator will charge you for the amount of data you use.

2048: Roman Pavlyuchenko hammers in a left-foot shot and Antonis Nikopolidis parries it away at the near post.

2047: Pathetic. Angelos Charisteas is gifted a chance seven yards out but his left-foot shot is so weak Igor Akinfeyev easily plucks it out of the air.

2047: Back under way in Salzburg. Only 45 minutes for Greece to save their campaign.

2044: "This game is so boring, my son (who is a football addict), turned the telly and watched The Simpsons."
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Breaking news: your son isn't a football addict. In fact, he's not even close. Go and tell him to change the channel back immediately.

2041: Greece need to shake off the shackles and just go for it in the second half, like Romania did against Italy in contrast to their game with France. The question is though, are they capable of that?"
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Stevo doesn't think so. I'm sticking with 2-0 Russia.

2038: Player Rater - Not the best marks so far with no-one near seven, but for some reason Greece striker Yannis Amanatidis is leading at the minute on 6.4. Vassilis Torosidis has a lowly 4.5 right now.
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2034: I do think that if Greece play for the free-kicks and bring another striker on then they've got a chance. The game's definitely not over, but Russia have got options too including Vladimir Bystrov, the quickest man at Euro 2008."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

2031: HALF-TIME Greece 0-1 Russia

2031: Yuri Zhirkov has been absolute quality so far and he gets down the left and fires over another great cross that is cleared.

2029: "Stevo, how are your wrists feeling from typing all those names??"
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What wrists?

2027: Giorgios Karagounis is cautioned for a foul on Igor Semshov.

2026: "Greece winning four years ago was a novelty - but now, sorry, they are boring us to death and deserve to go out."
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2024: Right-back Giourkas Seitaridis is injured and is taken off, with Giorgios Karagounis coming on.

2023: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov rifles in another shot from 25 yards that flies just over the bar. The Russians are massively in the ascendancy in Salzburg and Greece need to act.

2021: "Some people think he looks like George Clooney, the Greek keeper. Maybe George Clowney!"
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator Ian Brown

2020: Roman Pavlyuchenko, a minute after wasting a chance when it would have been ruled out for offside anyway, drills a shot wide from 30 yards and Greece are rocking here.

2018: GOAL Greece 0-1 Russia
You've got to ask questions of the keeper there. Dmitry Torbinsky floats over a cross to the back stick from the left and Antonis Nikopolidis rushes out on the byeline to try and get the ball, but Sergei Semak overhead kicks the ball goalwards and Konstatin Zyryanov taps into an empty net. Insanity.

2015: Christos Patsatzoglou hits a shot from 30 yards straight at the keeper. He's got Patza on the back of his shirt, so that might have to do me next time around.

2013: Konstantin Zyryanov tries to burst through the Greece defence and it looks as though he is fouled by Sotiris Kyrgiakos, but the referee tells him to get up and waves play on.

2012: "No Arshavin = No Russia. Simple."
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2007: "Basinas is so important for Greece and his quality so far from set-pieces has been very good. They are so dangerous from those positions."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

2005: What drama. Angelos Charisteas completely misses a header from an Angelos Basinas free-kick and it hits Igor Semshov and bounces out for a corner, which the Russians clear. This is turning into a good game.

2003: Russia have come to life. Yuri Zhirkov is sent away down the left and his devilish pull-back is cleared by Greece.

2003: "I predict a stalemate until the second half when everything will come alive. 24 of the 38 goals scored so far have come in the second period. Indeed, seven have come in second half additional time."
Jeremy, Northern Ireland, via text

2001: "What odds on it being 5-3 Russia?"
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Corners? Throw-ins? But to be fair, it's just livened up.

1959: Roman Pavlyuchenko tests Antonis Nikopolidis with a fine effort from the left-hand side of the area that the Greek stopper does well to tip over the bar.

1958: Giourkas Seitaridis is sent away down the right by Traianos Dellas, but his cross is a bit too close to Igor Akinfeyev.

1956: Diniyar Bilyaletdinov fashions some space on the right-hand edge of the 18-yard box, but his left-foot shot flies over the bar. That took a really long time to type out, too.

1955: "This game needs a downpour."
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1952: Stay with me people. Come on, Euro 2008 has given us so much, this may not be great but you have to stick with it. Something awesome will happen, I can feel it...

1951: Vassilis Torosidis gets into some space in a good position down the left for Greece, but his outside of the right foot cross is straight at Igor Akinfeyev.

1949: "Reckon this game is virtually impossible to predict after their opening games. Have put a tenner on 3-1 to Russia but have no idea why."
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1946: Denis Kolodin, who had a proper 'mare against Spain, slips and nearly lets in Yannis Amanatidis, but Igor Akinfeyev races from his line to spare the defender's blushes.

1945: Greece get us up and running.

1943: "Greece surely have at least one victory in them this campaign? I have a feeling it will be tonight."
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1940: The teams emerge from the tunnel at the Stadion Wals-Siezenheim in Salzburg.

1940: "As Guus Hiddink has said Russia have to go for it and I think they probably will. As for Greece, how the mighty have fallen!"
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Pat Nevin

1939: Remember, keep those texts coming in on 81111 and stay involved with the debate on 606. What do you mean it'll be rubbish? Still got to be better than doing anything else on an average Saturday night, surely?
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1936: "I'm Italian and I never thought I would say this, but if Holland use their heads in the last game they should lose.That way it will knock both Italy and France out. Please comment if you feel this is right. I just know teams like Germany would use a tactic like that!"
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1933: And if your thirst for all things Euro 2008 cannot be satisfied, don't forget to get involved with BBC iPlayer, where you can watch all manner of highlights. Good, isn't it?
BBC iPlayer

1930:Greece draft in Christos Patsatzoglou in place of Giorgios Karagounis and leave Paraskevas Antzas out of the side. Striker Nikos Liberopoulos starts in place of Fanis Gekas and Yannis Amanatidis joins him in attack alongside Angelos Charisteas. Russia make two changes from the side that lost 4-1 to Spain, bringing in defender Sergei Ignashevich for Roman Shirokov and midfielder Dmitry Torbinsky for Dmitry Sychev in an expected 4-5-1 formation.

1926: "Got to admit I'm looking forward to this next match. We have a team who can't defend, Russia, against a team who won't attack, Greece. Can't wait."
Mike, via text

1923: This one pits the first ever winners of this tournament - though they were called the Soviet Union and the competition was the European Nations' Cup in 1960 - in Russia against the most recent, in Greece. Their most recent meeting was indeed four years ago in their final game of Group A when Russia won 2-1 but Greece sneaked into the quarter-finals and the rest, as they say, is history.

1919: "Portugal versus Germany will provide the winning side of the competition, but that's a conversation for another day. I agree about the quality though, it's been as good as 2000 which was also a great tournament."
Anonymous, via text

1916: TEAM NEWS Greece v Russia
Greece: Nikopolidis, Seitaridis, Dellas, Torossidis, Kyrgiakos, Katsouranis, Patsatzoglou, Basinas, Amanatidis, Charisteas, Lymberopoulos.
Russia: Akinfeyev, Kolodin, Semak, Ignashevich, Bilyaletdinov, Zyryanov, Zhirkov, Pavlyuchenko, Semshov, Torbinski, Anyukov.

1912: So, four years after their incredible triumph in Portugal, Greece are facing an eliminator - lose to Russia tonight in Salzburg and they are out of the tournament.


1904: "No team will now want to finish second in group D and get destroyed by the Dutch. Sweden vs the Netherlands it will be."
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1902:Player Rater - Spain's goalscorer Fernando Torres is still out in front at the moment on 7.80, but he is quickly being caught up by Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic on 7.74. David Villa is creeping up, he's on 7.26 at the moment.
Rate the players

1859: OK, so I've gone a bit early - I blame the guy in the office who confused me with about a million possible outcomes earlier today. Spain are not definitely into the quarter-finals, but it'd be a brave - and foolish - man to bet against that.

1856: "(See 1840) Pearlo strikes again! What a pundit."
Sweder, Amsterdam, via text

1854: "So glad Spain won, they were very poor by their standards today but they were denied a clear penalty and Sweden didn't want to play football, they were just keeping everyone behind the ball trying to hold Spain off. That kind of football from Sweden deserves to be punished."
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1851: FULL-TIME Sweden 1-2 Spain

1849: GOAL Sweden 1-2 Spain
David Villa becomes Spain's leading scorer at European Championship finals and secures Spain's place as winners of Group D. Joan Capdevila plays a searching ball into the Sweden area and with Petter Hansson dithering, Villa takes advantage in clinical fashion to slot the ball past Andreas Isaksson.

1848: "Spain are going to be found out in the quarter-finals. The defence looks poor."
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1846: "Sweden have invited pressure from Spain this half, but they do just over pass the ball. It's a terrible thing to say isn't it?"
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1845: Lovely inter-play between David Villa and Fernando Torres and the Liverpool striker fires in a low shot from 25 yards that Andreas Isaksson gets down well to save.

1843: Henrik Larsson is taken off and Kim Kallstrom replaces him. Standing ovation for the 36-year-old legend.

1840: "Spain win this tournament? No chance. Sorry mate."
Pearlo, via text

Yeah, that's a big shout now isn't it? This from the man who said the Netherlands would be embarrassed during this tournament. Nice one son.

1838: "It's freezing. Absolutely freezing. Like Blundell Park on a windswept Saturday in November."
BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher at the Stadion Tivoli Neu

1836: Sweden pump a free-kick into the box and Petter Hansson heads in across the six-yard box, agonisingly out of reach of Henrik Larsson who is busting a gut to try to get on the end of it.

1835: Sebastian Larsson comes on for Johan Elmander, who's put in a decent shift.

1833: So who's your money on? I'm sticking with Spain. Sweden look like they've settled for 1-1.

1832: "I'm sorry I've got to disagree (see 1803). Ibrahimovic is the Matt Le Tissier of the tournament with more arrogance, he's so lazy! He drops deep but then doesn't make it into the box - or rather doesn't try to."
Jim, Hampshire, via text

1831: "This game has a breakaway Larsson goal written all over it."
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1828: Spain are dominating now and Fernando Torres heads a corner back across the Sweden six-yard box for Marcos Senna to nod into the air, Andreas Isaksson gratefully grabbing the ball on the line.

1825: Marcos Senna hammers in a 30-yard shot that Andreas Isaksson gets down superbly to tip away for a corner.

1823: "They do have an awful lot of possession the Spanish, but when you get to the end of a game you usually find the opposition have had as many shots on goal as they have."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1821: "Amazing moment - like Swedish-Spanish Pinball Machine."
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1819: Spain have about 73 chances in a minute as it's mayhem in the Sweden box. David Silva hits a shot that Andreas Isaksson saves but fumbles, the keeper recovers to parry David Villa's follow-up and then Fernando Torres' goalbound shot is deflected wide off Daniel Andersson.

1818: Fernando Torres gets free of his marker inside the penalty area on the left, but he drags his right-foot shot wide. That was about the same position Arjen Robben scored his ridiculous goal from yesterday.

1818: "Torres is still on top for Player Rater. He has only touched the ball twice in the second half. Doesn't figure does it?"
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1815: Spain take off Xavi and Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla come on. They've used up all their subs now.

1814: "Spain have had a lot of possession, but Sweden are confident in their ability to challenge the Spanish now."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1811: Andres Svensson is booked for about his 12th foul, this one on the nippy David Silva.

1809: Yellow card for Carlos Marchena - so the referee knows where his whistle is then. A definite card for a cynical trip on Johan Elmander as the forward ran at him with pace.

1808: I'm hearing that Sweden have taken off Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a precaution over his knee injury. A wise move, but a shame nevertheless.

1806: Massive over-playing it from Spain as David Villa and David Silva both pass up golden chances to shoot. Spain cannot afford to mess around here.

1803: We are back under way - without the brilliant Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He's gone off and been replaced by Markus Rosenberg. As a neutral, I'm gutted. He was awesome.

1802: Looking over a balcony at two choppers parked in a nearby field at half-time minding my own business when I notice a real nasty looking geezer stood next to me. Start to inch my way out of the scene when I notice his accreditation badge with police written on it. Don't mess with Austrian rozzers."
BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher at the Stadion Tivoli Neu

1801: "There is no way its a penalty, it's the attackers responsibility to stay on his feet regardless of what a defender does. A class striker can score goals against a physical defence."
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There's always one, isn't there?

1800:Player Rater - Spain's goalscorer Fernando Torres is leading the way so far with 8.45 but Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not far behind on 8.18. Bottom of the class at the break is Johan Elmander, who was lucky not to concede that penalty on the stroke of half-time and is stuck on 5.24.
Rate the players

1757: "A bit frustrating watching as a Northern Ireland fan, we could have been playing in this match, having beaten both Spain and Sweden in qualifying. Arise David Healy MBE!
Mike Scott, Belfast, via text

1753: Great half, dominated by Spain at the start and then Sweden took over with the brilliant Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the heart of everything. But we have just seen the worst decision of the tournament by a country mile by Dutch referee Pieter Vink, the same official who refused to give a peno in the Champions League game between Arsenal and Liverpool when Dirk Kuyt blatantly fouled Alex Hleb. Why not ask You Are The Ref what should have happened?
You Are The Ref

1749: "One of the most blatant penalties I've ever seen."
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1747: "He jumps into his back, it's a penalty. The referee must have missed it."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1746: HALF-TIME Sweden 1-1 Spain

1745: Shocking decision. A cross comes into the Sweden box and as David Silva waits for it to come down, Johan Elmander absolutely flattens him. No penalty, according to the referee, who is just wrong.

1744: "The row I'm sitting on was really shaking when Sweden scored - it was actually quite scary!"
BBC Sport's Paul Fletcher at the Stadion Tivoli Neu

1742: With number 10 on his back, Zlatan Ibrahimovic is playing the role of the archetypal creator for Sweden today. He is tormenting the Spanish by dropping deep and picking the ball up and his first touch and passing have been exemplary. A great display so far.

1740: "I keep wondering why Sweden keep bringing back Henrik Larsson. Then I watch him and stop. What a player."
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1738: Spain have been rattled big time here.

1737: A long ball into the Sweden box (yep, Spain can play them too) is half headed away by Olof Mellberg but falls to David Villa, who hits a sweet right-foot volley from 20 yards that Andreas Isaksson saves.

1736: "Zlatan has spent the past 32 minutes proving that he has the finest first touch in the game. Look at the way he creates movement and fluidity of movement in the Sweden team every time he gets on the ball. It is easy to understand what all the fuss is about."
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1733: GOAL Sweden 1-1 Spain
Bad goal for the Spanish to concede that. Fredrik Stoor swings over a cross from the right and after Zlatan Ibrahimovic mis-kicks his first effort, he easily beats Sergio Ramos's poor attempt at a tackle and coolly slips the ball past Iker Casillas. Game on.

1732: Henrik Larsson is causing some problems and he goes up for a header at the back post with Sergio Ramos that drifts over the bar.

1730: "In the last five minutes Sweden have had their best spell of the game. They've had some controlled poessession, but when Spain get the ball they do still have to get tighter."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1728: "Sweden are getting loads of balls into the box, it's a good tactic against the small-statured Spanish."
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1726: Sweden launch a free-kick into the Spain box and they don't look comfortable dealing with it, Sergio Ramos getting a crucial block in as Zlatan Ibrahimovic pulled the trigger.

1723: Spain are forced into an early change with central defender Carles Puyol going off and Raul Albiol coming on to replace him.

1721: Henrik Larsson finds space in the box but he can only float Zlatan Ibrahimovic's pass over Iker Casillas and over the bar.

1720: "(See1707) C-3P0 tells me that the difference in the efficiency of the referees is spoiling the game and this will result in the wrong team winning the tournament"
R2D2 via text

Tell C-3PO he's a buffoon.

1716: Johan Elmander gets into the Spanish box and has a great chance to equalise but he shoots into the side-netting. "If he'd squared it to Freddie Ljungberg he's got a tap-in," rages former England manager Graham Taylor on BBC Radio 5 Live.

1714: GOAL Sweden 0-1 Spain
Not the classically beautiful Spanish goal you might expect, but they all count for one. David Silva picks the ball up from a corner on the left-hand edge of the 18-yard box and he hits a cross-shot that Fernando Torres brilliantly sticks a foot out to and diverts into the corner of the net. Cue Spanish jubilation all round.

1713: "Torres is certainly causing havoc down that right wing. If he keeps playing like that he will get an assist or a goal soon."
Andy, Dartford, via text

1711: Anders Svensson tackles Xavi and seems to follow through a little unnecessarily, his studs catching the Barcelona schemer on his left knee. After initially going down, he seems OK.

1708: Good stuff from Spain down their right as Sergio Ramos and Fernando Torres link up well but Sweden win possession and try to hit them on the break, Freddie Ljungberg eventually hitting a tame shot straight at Iker Casillas.

1707: "Torres 1st goal Spain 2-0."
R2D2, via text

But what does C-3PO think?

1705: "Re: 1655, you sound like my mother. Yesterday she spent 10 minutes saying how the colour of the Netherlands' socks didn't match their shirts. Seriously."
Mike, via text

1703: Andres Iniesta, not known for his 30-yard left-foot screamers, hits a 30-yard left-foot strike that flies just high and wide of Andreas Isaksson's goal.

1701: Zlatan Ibrahimovic gets the first sniff of a chance but after chesting down a cross in the box, Carles Puyol clears.

1700: We are under way in Innsbruck.

1658: "Torres and Villa are going to outgun Swedes. Surely best forward partnership in Euro 2008?"
Paul, Ickenham, via text

1655: The teams are out. Isn't it exciting?

1653: "If you look at Henrik Larsson, it's a tribute to him that he is in good enough shape at 36 to walk back into this team. He is a personality that lifts the whole Swedish nation, he's fantastic. He hasn't lost the ability to create chances through exceptional movement, either."
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Graham Taylor

1649: "Stevo ma man. Henrik Larsson is so good, that when he does press-ups, he doesn't push himself back up, he pushes the earth back down."
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1646: "Spain will go to the final and lose to the Netherlands."
David, via text

Just to clarify, that can't happen. The final will be between a country from Groups A and B and one from Groups C and D. Honest.

1642: Stevo - I finished reading an article yesterday about the fall of Dutch football - and why they won't win Euro 2008 - in a magazine that bears the name of a decent formation."
Script Writer on 606
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A decent formation? How very English of you! I think it's harsh to criticise people for worrying about Holland - I mean they were dull throughout qualifying and even the great Johan Cruyff said beforehand he didn't think that squad was capable of playing beautiful football. How wrong we all were.

1638: Sweden, according to reports, will perform before an illustrious guest in Innsbruck in Prince Carl Philip. He is predicting a 1-0 win to the Swedes, so let's hope he's as rubbish at predos as I usually am. Old PCP once completed the Vasaloppet - longest cross-country ski race in the world.

1634: So these two, having faced each other in qualifying, meet again. Sweden won 2-0 in Stockholm in October 2006 - Spain's last competitive defeat - and Spain bounced back with a 3-0 win in Madrid in November 2007.

1629: "It amazes me how Kim Kallstrom doesn't get a start for Sweden. He is a key man for Lyon, a strong European team, but he gets chosen behind a Southampton reject! Crazy!"
Ross, via text

1626: Now my correct Czech Republic 1-3 Portugal prediction the other day sent shockwaves through Euro 2008. So I'm guessing (another prediction?) I'll be back to looking ridiculous again by this evening. After much deliberation, here we go...
Sweden 1-3 Spain
Greece 0-2 Russia

1622: "Remember: Spanish anthem - no words."
G, via text

After a hammering the other day, how could I possibly forget??

1619: "Sweden are gonna win this. The Spanish will struggle to get past Sweden and the defenders will struggle to stop Ibrahimovic and Larsson."
danny muttley on 606
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1616:Sweden have reshuffled their side after injuries to right-back Niclas Alexandersson and right-midfielder Christian Wilhelmsson. Fredrik Stoor comes into the defence and boss Lars Lagerback switches from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and brings in Johan Elmander. Spain are unchanged from the team that tore Russia apart in their opening game.

1613: So get involved. If you want to talk about the Netherlands frankly I'm not going to stop you, because they're awesome. But Sweden-Spain and then Greece-Russia contributions would be very gratefully received, too. Get texting on that magic 81111 number and join the debate on 606. What golden days these are.
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1609:TEAM NEWS Spain v Sweden
Spain: Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevila, Xavi, Silva, Senna, Iniesta, Villa, Torres.
Sweden: Isaksson, Stoor, Nilsson, Mellberg, Hansson, Svensson, Ljungberg, D Andersson, H Larsson, Ibrahimovic, Elmander.

1608: Which is why many neutrals will be hoping Spain and their own brand of beautiful football can finish top of Group D and stay apart from the Dutch until the semi-finals. Spain, fresh from their 4-1 mauling of Russia on Tuesday, meet Sweden in Innsbruck, in the first of our two games today and winner takes top slot. And I say this as I wipe a tear away from my eye, but today marks the last day of Euro 2008 with a 1700 BST game and a 1945 BST game too. I'm with Cheesy - I wish it would never end.

1604: I don't know about you, but I'm still absolutely buzzing after last night. Surely 13 June 2008 will go down in history as the greatest Friday the 13th of all time? And what did we learn? Well, that the world's greatest goalkeeper is still the same (Gianluigi Buffon), that it's embarrassing to see players who were once awesome look finished (Lilian Thuram) and that the Netherlands so far have, without question, played the most glorious tournament football for a generation.
Netherlands 4-1 FranceItaly 1-1 Romania

1600: Euro Two Thousand And Great. It's all Dutch to me.

see also
Euro 2008 day seven as it happened
13 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day six as it happened
12 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day five as it happened
11 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day four as it happened
10 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day three as it happened
09 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day two as it happened
08 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008
Euro 2008 day one as it happened
07 Jun 08 |  Euro 2008

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