wwheng
1475
2012/06/13 15:06
#293102
wwheng wrote:
Euro Cup 2012 Highlights: Nasri silences the crowd in 1-1 draw
This might not have been the high scoring match everyone it ended up producing a 1-1 draw but, the most interesting event took place when Frenchman Samir Nasri literally silenced the crowd.
Nasri, the French midfielder who currently plays his club soccer with English Premier League team Manchester City, put his side back in the game with a 36th-minute goal that cancelled out Joleon Lescott's opener for England.
Nasri wanted to silence critics with his tying goal. However, despite Nasri's excellent technique in controlling the ball, then spearing home a fierce strike from outside the area, he appeared far from pleased after his goal, putting his finger to his lips repeatedly and glaring in the direction of the stands.
Nasri ended his gesticulating by yelling "ferme ta gueule," which basically means "shut your mouth," as his teammates attempted to celebrate with him.
The outburst appeared to be aimed in the direction of the England bench, fueling speculation that Nasri was mouthing off at Gary Neville, the former Manchester United defender who is now a television analyst and a temporary assistant to England coach Roy Hodgson.
Neville clashed with Nasri on the field several times when he was a player and has criticized his performances and attitude on British television.
But as far as the game went, statistically France passed the ball more than twice the number of times of their opponents – 634 to 307. Just as tellingly, there were only 136 English passes in the second half, when there were conspicuous signs of a team fading.
They defended manfully, as England teams tend to do, and restricted their opponents to few clear opportunities. More disappointing was their own lack of penetration after that moment, on the half-hour, when Patrice Evra fouled James Milner on the right of England's midfield and from the free-kick Lescott eluded his marker, Alou Diarra, to score from close range.
Gerrard's delivery was so exquisite that Lescott had to do little more than get his header on target but it was difficult to think of another moment when England put in a decent cross and had players in the penalty area. Too often there were moments of exasperation. On one occasion, Milner failed to beat the first defender and when the ball came back to Glen Johnson he overhit the second cross in quick succession.
They had edged the game during the opening half hour and might have scored earlier after Young's pass split open the French defence for Milner to run clear, the one moment when England showed the invention to play the killer pass and have a midfielder breaking beyond the forwards. Milner's first touch took the ball round Hugo Lloris but moved him further wide than he would have liked and he was unable to angle his shot, with his weaker left foot, into the net.
EURO 2012: England vs France Timeline
90+3' - It's 1-1 as the referee blows for full-time.
90+2' - K.Benzema of France smashes in a shot on target. The keeper saves, though.
90+1' - Rizzoli, Nicola will wait an extra 3 minutes before blowing the whistle to end the Second half.
90' - 47400 spectators have come along to Donbass Arena today.
90' - Hodgson, Roy (England) is making a Third substitution, with Theo Walcott replacing Danny Welbeck.
89' - Rizzoli, Nicola has awarded England a corner. Steven Gerrard takes the kick from the Right .
85' - In Donetsk Samir Nasri for France takes a corner from the Right-hand flag.
85' - Important block from the England defence as K.Benzema fires in a strike for France.
85' - France have been awarded a corner by Rizzoli, Nicola. Samir Nasri steps up to take it.
85' - Blanc, Laurent is making the team's Second substitution at Donbass Arena with Marvin Martin replacing Florent Malouda.
85' - Hatem Ben Arfa is on a sub for Yohan Cabaye for France.
81' - At Donbass Arena Samir Nasri (France) takes a corner from the Left.
81' - France's Y.Cabaye gets his shot away but it misses the target.
80' - Corner awarded to France.
80' - France are coming forward and Y.Cabaye gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
78' - J.Milner is back on his feet again.
78' - The match is underway again.
78' - Jordan Henderson is replacing Scott Parker for England at Donbass Arena.
77' - England make their First substitution with Jermain Defoe replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
76' - Attention is being given to England’s J.Milner and play has been suspended briefly.
76' - In Donetsk, K.Benzema of France is presented with a shooting opportunity. But the strike is blocked by the covering defence.
75' - France drive forward and F.Ribery gets in a shot. Without netting, however.
71' - Ashley Young (England) has received a yellow card from Rizzoli, Nicola.
69' - France's F.Malouda gets in a shot but it is blocked by a England defender.
68' - England's James Milner has run offside.
67' - At Donbass Arena Florent Malouda (France) takes a corner from the Right.
66' - England's G.Johnson breaks free at Donbass Arena. But the strike goes wide of the post.
65' - In Donetsk France drive forward through K.Benzema. His shot is on target but it's saved.
62' - In Donetsk Steven Gerrard for England takes a corner from the Right-hand flag.
61' - Corner awarded to England.
55' - France have been awarded a corner by Rizzoli, Nicola. Samir Nasri steps up to take it.
54' - K.Benzema (France) is given an opening but the shot is blocked by a defender.
54' - England drive forward but Ashley Young is judged offside.
49' - Rizzoli, Nicola has awarded England a corner. Steven Gerrard takes the kick from the Right .
46' - It's France with the kick-off after the break.
45+1' - The ref's whistle signals the end of the first-half.
45' - Important block from the England defence as M.Debuchy fires in a strike for France.
45' - At Donbass Arena Samir Nasri (
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2012/06/06
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1475
Sometimes being the host country doesn’t always have it advantage. Sure, the positive is you have your home team rooting for you but, you also have to deal with the pressures. Last night, host team Poland deadlocked 1-1 vs. Greece. We knew going into this game that both sides it would be a defensive battle and that’s exactly what they gave us.
Poland should have converted their chances in the 1st half. Lewandowski played really well for Poland and if Greece didn’t have Salpingidis, I don’t know what the score would have been. Here are some of the game highlights:
KICK OFF
1:00 Lewandowski committed a light foul (no card).
3:00 Matuszczyk got a solid kick to the net. The shot was pushed over the bar. A corner kick produced nothing.
4:30 Greeks took possession and proceeded to attack down the field to a having to listen to boos and jeers.
7:00 Poland is playing with a load of pace at the moment. Lukasz Piszczek is did a fine job far for Poland of attacking down the right wing. Lewandowski, the Manchester United prospect, is already causing Greece a world of problems.
10:00 Katsouranis took free kick. It was close, however, it’s headed out of bounds.
13:00 Greece shown that they were vulnerable as Lewandowski attacks across the pitch and hits in a beautiful cross. Unfortunately for Poland, no one was able to put their head on the end of it.
Lewandowski heads in a beautiful cross. Greece clearly caught off guard been found wanting in the left-back position. A perfect start for the Poles.
Shortly after substitute Dimitris Salpigidis had equalized for Greece by knocking in a loose ball in the 51st minute, the diminutive striker was taken down by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the area.
Szczesny was given a red card, and captain Giorgos Karagounis was given the chance to again give Greece an opening match win against the host. Eight years ago, Karagounis scored in the opening 2-1 win over Euro 2004 host Portugal.
His shot however, was saved by replacement goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, whose first touch of the ball salvaged a point for the co-hosts in Group A.
EURO 2012: Poland vs Greece Timeline
90+3' - The whistle has gone to end the second half. The match finishes 1-1.
90+1' - 3 minutes will be added to the Second half in Warsaw.
90' - Velasco Carballo, Carlos has awarded Poland a corner. Ludovic Obraniak takes the kick from the Right.
88' - In Warsaw Greece's Kostas Katsouranis is caught offside.
85' - Poland's R.Lewandowski gets his shot away but it misses the target.
84 - G.Karagounis for Greece gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
83' - E.Polanski of Poland smashes in a shot on target. The keeper saves, though.
80' - Greece's G.Samaras breaks free at National Stadium Warsaw. But the strike goes wide of the post.
77' - In Warsaw Greece attack through V.Torossidis. The finish is off target, however.
74' - Greece drive forward but Dimitris Salpingidis is judged offside.
70' - Przemyslaw Tyton is replacing Maciej Rybus for the Home team.
69' - Greece have been given a penalty at National Stadium Warsaw.
69' - Poland are down to 10 men after Wojciech Szczesny has been shown a red card.
68' - The Away team have replaced Fanis Gekas with Kostas Fortounis. This is the Third substitution made today by Santos, Fernando.
66' - Poland attack but M.Rybus's header doesn't find the target.
63' - G.Samaras for Greece gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
58' - In Warsaw Poland attack through L.Obraniak. The finish is off target, however.
54' - Georgios Karagounis (Greece) has received a yellow card from Velasco Carballo, Carlos.
51' - Dimitris Salpingidis is on target to level the scores at 1-1.
48' - Poland's R.Lewandowski gets his shot away but it misses the target.
46' - Dimitris Salpingidis is replacing Sotiris Ninis for Greece at National Stadium Warsaw.
46' - The second-half is now underway.
45+3' - The whistle has gone to end the first-half.
45+2' - At National Stadium Warsaw, Jose Holebas has been yellow-carded for the Away team.
45' - D.Perquis (Poland) is first to the ball but his header is off-target.
44' - Greece's Sokratis Papastathopoulos has been shown a second yellow card and sent off.
42' - At National Stadium Warsaw Sotiris Ninis (Greece) takes a corner from the Right.
40' - Poland have been awarded a corner by Velasco Carballo, Carlos. Ludovic Obraniak steps up to take it.
40' - Corner awarded to Greece.
39' - In Warsaw Sotiris Ninis for Greece takes a corner from the Right-hand flag.
37' - Poland's D.Perquis breaks free at National Stadium Warsaw. But the strike goes wide of the post.
37' - Kyriakos Papadopoulos is on a sub for Avraam Papadopoulos for Greece.
35' - Sokratis Papastathopoulos for Greece has been booked by Velasco Carballo, Carlos and receives a first yellow card.
27' - Greece's A.Papadopoulos looks ok and returns to the pitch.
26' - Velasco Carballo, Carlos has awarded Poland a corner. Ludovic Obraniak takes the kick from the Left.
24' - Greece are coming forward and K.Katsouranis gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
21' - Play has been resumed.
19' - The match at National Stadium Warsaw has been interrupted briefly for a check on A.Papadopoulos, who is down injured.
17' - Lukasz Piszczek with an assist there.
17' - Robert Lewandowski heads in to make it 1-0 at National Stadium Warsaw.
16' - L.Obraniak is back on the pitch.
16' - Play is underway once more.
15' - Play has been interrupted briefly in Warsaw to check on L.Obraniak, who is grimacing with pain.
12' - Poland are pushing forward but J.Blaszczykowski's finish is wide of the goal.
12' - F.Gekas (Greece) gets up for a header but cannot keep the ball on target.
6' - Greece's Fanis Gekas is whistled for offside at National Stadium Warsaw.
5' -