Euro 08 Quarterfinals: Portugal vs Germany

[Jedini]

Portugal couldnt finish the comeback...

Couldn't finish the comeback? But they did - they came back from Switzerland
No really now... There was nothing to comeback from even though the score suggests that it was a tight game. It wasn't really. Simao is Portuguese biggest mistake of this tournament. I mean, c'mon Bosingwa showed more energy and desire than C. Ronaldo and Simao together. Deco was just - blank. And on the other side you have thirsty and under-rated Germans that live for this and similar situation. Now watch them destroy Croatia (if Croatia advances at all).

Germans deserved this.

[Point forward]

I am currently in total shock, after hopping around, flagwaving and screaming like an idiot for the last 4 hours. I simply cannot comprehend that we WON and how WELL DESERVED the win was. Here the things our team simply forgot to do...

Germany forgot that they had no coach. Assistant coach Hansi Flick had the game of his life.

Lehmann forgot to be a shaky Arsenal reserve GK and was a pillar of strength thoughout the whole game.

Friedrich forgot that he had a terrible season at Hertha, forgot that he HATES playing wing back instead of central back and instead made RONALDO (!!!) his b****.

Mertesacker forget that he had a laughable 2nd half of the season at Werder and was rock solid.

Metzelder forgot he had ZIP playing time at Real and was the perfect defensive pillar.

Lahm forgot that he dislikes playing at the left side and was so reliable on the defensive left flank.

Rolfes forgot that he was a) new and b) terrible in the last 8 losing/drawn Leverkusen games, which cost LEV European soccer. He was GOLD in the midfield.

Hitzlsperger forgot that he can only shoot and nothing else. He was everywhere.

Schweinsteiger forgot that he played so bad at Bayern that they are willing to sell him. Instead of hogging the ball and delivering his crappy crosses as usual, HE was C. Ronaldo: perfect passer and perfect finisher. Great 1-0.

Ballack forgot that he was supposed to be outplayed by small quick midfielders (as it usually happens with Germany) and simply OWNED the midfield. Dirty but effective on the 3-1.

Podolski forgot that he hates playing left midfield. Ran his lungs out and was always a threat.

Klose forgot that he always misses the goal. Perfect timing on that 2-0.

I am still in shock!!!

[Jedini]

Dirty but effective on the 3-1.

There was nothing "dirty" there. This is football - there are no yellow or red foul flags thrown (and then possible fouls reconsidered). That goal was clear as a whistle (just like the one Spaniards scored in 92. against the Swedes). After all - that all is why millions and millions of people love this game

Your boys deserved it and now it's time to mop the floor with... whoever reaches the Semis.

[Basti]

SCHLLLAAAAAAAAANNNND!!!!

what a great game. damn. I'm kinda speechless

btw @ the fellow germans: did anyone see the post game broadcast with Delling, Netzer and Beckenbauer. that was pure gold. I love the duo of Delling and Netzer...

[Basti]

I might be exaggerating... but if this Podolski shot would've been a few centimeter to the left that would've been the goal of the decade.


80 min: Podolski belts a shot in about a foot wide. I haven't seen a leather ball take so much punishment since a hurricane swept through the 1993 S&M Autumn Dinner and Dance.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008 ... .portugal1

yeah if the ball went in this goal would have been one of the best goals ever. before they showed the replay I thought it was wide by a big distance but while watching the replay I was really stunned. damn it was close. if this went in I would've gone nuts (and probably naked in the streets )

[Point forward]

(I am waiting for the token communist "Die Linke" member who says that excessive partying, flagwaving, and generally being proud of Germany after a big soccer win makes you a racist, reactionary Neo-Nazi. But honestly, they can just f*** off...)

[RapsVC15]

Told you Point forward

Sometimes i hate when i'm wright and that was the case tonight .
Terrible defence from Portugal , did Ronaldo played tonight i didn't see him .... oh wait i saw for a moment whinning baby on the pitch .I like the guy's potential and game , but he has no WINNING MENTALITY AND LEADARSHIP ABILTY.

No winning mentality?

He's hoisted the Premier League trophy twice, the FA cup, Carling Cup, the Community Shield, and the Champions league...all before the age of 24.

The guy has basically won every major trophy that he's competed for so far outside internationals (Euro 04- 2nd World Cup- 4th), and he's 23!!!

[Tommy Udo 6]

This German is very very very happy

[Alex_De_Large]

Same story as always, Italy and Germany winners, Portugal, Spain and others, losers. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Sleepy]

SO SEHEN SIEGER AUS, SCHALALA!!

[Sleepy]

Luiz Felipe Scolari was right about one thing at least. A good big ’un will always beat a good little ’un. It was Scolari’s fear that his adorable Portugal team would be crushed by the sheer might of the Germany midfield and, while he can now plan for his future at Stamford Bridge earlier than many imagined, no one can dispute that he departs Euro 2008 with an enhanced reputation as a very good judge of a football match.

Germany won thanks in the main to a pair of free headers, from Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack, and because the midfield areas previously dominated by the magician Deco were suddenly filled with strapping great Teutons, who imposed their presence on this game from the start. They can play a bit, too, as the build-up to the first goal demonstrated, and while the scoreline suggests that Portugal were within touching distance of a place in the last four, the reality is that Germany were by far the better team and were in charge from the start.

If the Times says it, it must be true....

It was Schweinsteiger who gave Germany the lead after 22 minutes, but the architect was Lukas Podolski, and the privilege of watching it all ours, this being one of the best-worked goals of the tournament, a fast passing move in the manner of the finest counter-attacking teams here, such as Holland, Russia, Croatia and, ironically, Portugal. It was built on a pair of one-two passing exchanges, first between Podolski and Klose, then Podolski and Ballack, before the forward crossed for Schweinsteiger, who was arriving with the energy of an Alpine mountain stream after three days of rain, and forced the ball past Ricardo, in Portugal’s goal.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ ... 176056.ece

** Articles limited to 3-paragraphs as per RealGM policy.

[snitch55]

Told you Point forward

Sometimes i hate when i'm wright and that was the case tonight .
Terrible defence from Portugal , did Ronaldo played tonight i didn't see him .... oh wait i saw for a moment whinning baby on the pitch .I like the guy's potential and game , but he has no WINNING MENTALITY AND LEADARSHIP ABILTY.

No winning mentality?

He's hoisted the Premier League trophy twice, the FA cup, Carling Cup, the Community Shield, and the Champions league...all before the age of 24.

The guy has basically won every major trophy that he's competed for so far outside internationals (Euro 04- 2nd World Cup- 4th), and he's 23!!!

He never plays good in the important matches , those that decide his team's destuny - in the CL finals ( yeah scored , so what he was a ghost and the only player who missed a penalty for Utd ) , against Milan in te semi-finals in 06-07 , against Greece in Euro 2004 , against France and then against Germany in the WC . I can give you even more examples , but don't have the tima .

He even said these days he didn't wnat the captain's armband ,because he doesn't felt comfortably .

[BlackMamba]

that's ronaldo's problem, that in the big games, the important games he's really no factor for his team.

i know ManU won this years champions league, but remember last year when milan-manU played the semis. both kaka and ronaldo got to the game as the best players and many considered ronaldo was in best form.

but what happened? ronaldo did nothing and kaka made the BIG difference for his team.

and this happened throughout all the euro, ronaldo was never the key player of his team or a player you could rely on that would make the big play. and that's what happened to portugal, they were so condifent in their individualities that they forgot the team.

[Basti]

(I am waiting for the token communist "Die Linke" member who says that excessive partying, flagwaving, and generally being proud of Germany after a big soccer win makes you a racist, reactionary Neo-Nazi. But honestly, they can just f*** off...)

though I'm rather a leftie/commie (not a real commie though but I support the theory of communism) I think that those politicians should shut the f*ck up!

btw: did anyone notice the notion of someone who said that the bundestag closed their meeting just to watch the game? awesome. wolfgang thierse said something in the lines of "now we close it to follow the game and wish the german NT luck" to everyone left in there
and our good ol' Angie also informed her with the score via cellphone in an important EU meeting. lovely