amleenology

VIENNA - Spain ended their 44-year wait for a major international title with a 1-0 victory over Germany at the Euro 2008 final here on Sunday.

Fernando Torres scored the only goal of the game in the first half as football's perennial underachievers finally banished that unwanted tag to the history books.

It was the first time Spain had won the European title since 1964 and their first final since 1984.

They seemed to start tentatively and a mistake from Sergio Ramos gave Miroslav Klose a glorious opportunity after just four minutes, but after taking the ball past Carles Puyol his next touch was too strong and he ran the ball out of play.

Spain gradually started to settle but three-time champions Germany still had the next chance, Thomas Hitzlsperger hitting a tame shot straight at Spain captain Iker Casillas.

Just before the quarter-hour mark Jens Lehmann came to Germany's rescue as a cross from Andres Iniesta deflected off Christoph Metzelder's boot and only a stunning reaction save from the Arsenal stopper prevented a goal.

Spain were starting to take control and Torres headed a Xavi free-kick over the bar.

On 23 minutes Sergio Ramos cut in from the right and crossed to the back post where Torres climbed above the considerably taller Per Mertersacker; his downward header beat Lehmann but unfortunately for Spain not the base of the post.

Up the other end Spain's slightly suspect defence was struggling to cope with the direct running of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski but Germany created little despite captain Michael Ballack's volley being blocked by Sergio Ramos.

Then on 33 minutes Torres put Spain ahead with a moment of sublime quality. He latched onto a piercing through ball from Xavi, outpaced Philipp Lahm and chipped the ball over the advancing Lehmann with a flicked shot that could have threaded the eye of a needle.

Spain were suddenly rampant and Iniesta crossed to the back post where the unmarked David Silva had a rush of blood to the head and lashed a volley wildly over.

Spain seemed brimming with confidence at the start of the second period and both Xavi and Silva went close with long range efforts before Torres again outpaced the German defence but couldn't quite reach the ball before Lehmann came out to smother.

Germany coach Joachim Loew responded by sending on a second forward in Kevin Kuranyi to replace midfielder Hitzlsperger.

That immediately shifted the momentum of the game and on the hour a mistake from Puyol was almost punished as Ballack fired just wide; moments later Casillas came storming out of goal to take a cross from Ballack off Kuranyi's head.

Spain remained dangerous and Sergio Ramos forced Lehmann into a fine block with a powerful header from a Xavi free-kick before Torsten Frings cleared a shot from Iniesta off the line.

Brazil-born Marcos Senna came within inches of settling the game in the final 10 minutes but he couldn't quite stretch his leg out far enough to meet substitute Daniel Guiza's downward header with the goal at his mercy.

- AFP

While the soccer world waits to see which two nations will advance to Sunday's Euro 2008 final in Vienna, the man who many thought would be there has jetted off on vacation. Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo has repeatedly said he would like to move from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

United has been equally insistent that the 23-year-old, who scored 42 goals in all competitions last season, is not for sale.

Even if he were, Real Madrid might not meet the asking price. "We would never pay $125 million for any player," Ramon Calderon, the club's president, said. Real Madrid Coach Bernd Schuster, however, has asked Calderon to "pay whatever it takes" to sign Ronaldo.

If a figure is ever agreed upon, it would almost certainly make Ronaldo the world's most expensive player, surpassing Zinedine Zidane. The retired French star said he would be happy to drop the tag.

"They are ready to pay more than for me, and this will lift the weight from my shoulders," Zidane said.

Source: Los Angeles Times

VIENNA: Pertarungan merebut takhta Euro 2008 kini tertumpu kepada pertembungan dua pemain tengah antara Micheal Ballack dan Cesc Fabregas, mempertaruhkan kekuatan kapten Jerman itu dengan kelincahan pemain Sepanyol dalam penentuan final, awal pagi esok.

Jika Ballack dan rakan sepasukannya, Torsten Frings serta Thomas Hitzlsperger mampu menguasai perlawanan maka sejarah kemenangan Jerman akan kembali berulang, kali ini di Stadium Ernst Happel.

Bagaimanapun jika Fabregas, Xavi, Andres Iniesta dan jentera Sepanyol yang lain mampu menggempur dan memusnahkan keampuhan kubu lawan, maka penantian Sepanyol untuk meraih trofi selama 44 tahun akan berakhir.

Fabregas dilihat sentiasa mengisi bangku simpanan dalam kebanyakan perlawanan sepanjang laluan Sepanyol ke final tetapi selepas menampilkan aksi cemerlang sewaktu menggantikan penyerang, David Villa hingga membelasah Russia, 3-0 menjadikan pemain itu sebagai pilihan utama.


Ballack sebaliknya kurang menyengat biarpun pasukannya menumpaskan Turki, 3-2 tetapi dengan keyakinan dan semangat tinggi untuk menebus kegagalan beraksi di final Piala Dunia 2002 akibat penggantungan, mampu menjadikannya pemain terbaik perlawanan itu.

Jurulatihnya, Joachim Loew turut berpegang kepada matlamat kemenangan yang sama. “Kami mempunyai mentaliti juara dan akan membawanya ke final,” katanya mengenai misi Jerman meraih gelaran Eropah keempat selain memiliki tiga Piala Dunia.

Sepanyol yang beraksi dalam final pertama sejak 1984 dan memburu kemenangan kedua selepas kejayaan Euro 1964 di laman sendiri, menyedari cabaran yang perlu dihadapi mereka tetapi kini dengan keyakinan yang semakin bertambah selepas berjaya melepasi halangan apabila sering tewas di peringkat suku akhir dalam mana-mana kejohanan besar.

“Jerman adalah Jerman dan mereka dilihat mampu menang biar siapa pun yang diturunkan,” kata jurulatih Sepanyol, Luis Aragones.

“Bagaimanapun kami bukan pasukan yang mudah ditentang, terutamanya dengan corak permainan pantas yang dimiliki,” katanya.

Setiap pasukan dijangka hanya menurunkan satu penyerang iaitu Fernando Torres bagi Sepanyol dan Miroslav Klose mewakili Jerman yang menjaringkan dua gol dalam dua perlawanan terakhirnya, memikul tanggungjawab lebih besar berbanding pemain tengah.

Gandingan dua pemain Jerman, Bastian Schweinsteiger dan Lukas Podolski dengan jumlah lima gol yang dijaringkan, mampu menjadi ancaman baik sebagai penggerak mahupun penyudah.

Jentera Sepanyol turut memiliki momentum tambahan, apabila mula membentuk lima pemain barisan tengah yang lebih mantap selepas Villa selaku penjaring terbanyak kejohanan cedera dalam separuh masa pertama yang hampir pasti terlepas peluang ke final, Khamis lalu.

Sejak sepak mula menentang Russia, Sepanyol dilihat lebih berbisa berbanding ketika menentang Itali di mana kehadiran Fabregas memberi sentuhan istimewa apabila menyertai pasukan utama.

Mereka mungkin berpeluang untuk memenangi perlawanan itu sekiranya berjaya menembusi empat pemain di barisan pertahanan Jerman.

Ancaman berterusan Klose memberikan cabaran berbeza buat pasukan lawan tetapi pertahanan Sepanyol juga dilihat semakin kemas dengan kemampuan bek tengah Carles Puyol mampu mengesan sebarang bahaya manakala penjaga gol Iker Casillas mengawal ketat kubu Sepanyol. -Reuters


::amleenology - harap2 menanglah spain...spain menang aku pun menang bet..hehe