The day many of you have been waiting for is finally here. Euro 2008 is set to begin today and the action in Switzerland and Austria will take center stage in the soccer world for the next month.
Today’s matches feature the teams from Group A, with host Switzerland taking on the Czech Republic (11:50am, ESPN Classic) and Portugal meeting Turkey (2:30pm, ESPN Classic).
Soccer By Ives will provide coverage throughout the tournament, with running commentaries and post-match analysis throughout the month. Be sure to check in to SBI every matchday to share your thoughts and opinions on the tournament.
Our Euro 2008 coverage this month is sponsored by Elephant & Castle pub and restaurants, which will be hosting tournament watch parties throughout USA and Canada. Be sure to visit the Elephant & Castle website for more info on their Euro 2008 contests and promotions.
If you are following the matches today, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions on the action in the comments section below.
Enjoy the tournament and today’s opening matches.
Decent games…
But, how awful is Jody Foudy as an analyst? It’s blatantly obvious that she has no idea what she’s talking about.
Who is a player who is looking to make a name for themselves:
-Thiery Henri. Are you kidding me?
When they asked her to make some sort of statement about turkey, I think it was fair to say from her answer “I think they’ wont get out of the group.”, that she probably could not even name a single player on the team.
What a joke.
that last goal was just pure genius. Great movement, not forcing the ball, find the open guy, and take the shot when you have it…
Portuguese just out-danced the Turks in a game that could’ve been 5-3 as easily as 2-0.
Our man Luis Carlos Almeida da Cunha Nani (every once in while I just need to see his whole name, does that fit on a passport?) gets speared on what could have been a YC and a dangerous free kick. I still prefer Portugal with him on the field.
Yup, Nani cut and ran, for sure. But he definitely isn’t the guy to cover any aerial threat, he’s like 5′ 9″ and maybe a buck fifty, what’s he doing mixing it up in the middle anyways? Still, not good.
Nani just ducked for cover on that corner. If Asik buries it Nani becomes the goat of the team…
Nani has looked good since his introduction, he’s got the enthusiasm to run forward but doesn’t play outside the team.
The ball bounces dangerously around the Portuguese box, but no Turkey player can get a touch on it and the defense reacts 1st. 75th
Nani finally
Nice lead pass from Emre. Nihat should’ve shot 1st touch instead of screwing around.
the goalpost is truly Turkey’s bestfriend!
Let’s just hope they don’t turtle now, and that they keep attacking on the Turks.
The guy that scored apparently is on his 3d or 4th cap, and that was his first goal for Portugal.
No one ran with the cutter, and the give-and-go worked perfectly.
great goal by Pepe 1-0 POR
GOAL PORTUGAL
Gorgeous! That’s what ESPN meant by their “dance with the Portuguese” ads….
Sweet 1- and 2-touch work, with a quick break thru the middle and clinical finish.
that was a rocket!
End to end action suddenly breaks out, first Turkey blow a great chance, their forward in the box takes too many touches and then decides that falling over is a better way to score than shooting. It doesn’t work for EJ, and it doesn’t work here.
Portugal then wake up and fire a shot off the post with the Turkish defense looking lost for no good reason.
Can the goalposts win the award for Turkey’s “Man of the Match”?
the turk coach is losing it
damn – I get back just in time for the commercials. Oh cruel fate
State wins! And now back to our regularly-scheduled bit o’ footie 🙂