Germany 1 Portugal 0 The Portuguese wide players skated round the full-backs, enervated. Attacking instincts unconfined and freed from their defensive bind, a joie de vivre permeated. Yet, till the Germans scored, they’d waited, defended, stifled and negated, a trait which often has defined the Portuguese. This attitude has often grated about a team so […]

Netherlands 0 Denmark 1 We came down to Kharkiv to worship the Dutch, to watch them break free from their cumbersome chains, to applaud their approach and their deftness of touch and the beauty that flows through their footballing veins. For they are a team that deserve oh so much and really should win the […]

Poland 1 Greece 1 Robert Lewandowski had found the Greek netting. The hosts were on fire and quite on a roll, confirming the nous of the pre-match betting. A central defender red-carded for breathing, the second fell injured and doubled the toll – small wonder the obdurate Greeks were seething. Half-time came, there was just […]

Russia 4 Czech Republic 1 We weren’t surprised the Russians looked so ruthless. With great panache they put their goals away. We were not shocked the Czechs looked old and toothless sure Baros must be eighty, if a day. Everyone predicted goals would spring forth and that the Czechs would get cut down to size. […]

The tension mounts Will the Dutch score many goals? Will the Poles amount to much? Will the Spanish crash out bitterly in Ukraine? Will the Czechs upset the seeds? Will the Swedes be nervous wrecks? And will Italy slowly vanish down the drain? Will van Persie start to fester? Will Iniesta show no mercy? Will […]