EURO 2008 GROUP C
France 0-0 Italy
Netherlands 0-0 Romania
Kick-offs 1945 BST
AS IT STANDS NETHERLANDS AND ROMANIA QUALIFY
GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times BST)
Uefa rules out Group C shoot-out ...
Italian corruption fighter killed ...
EC tells France to tighten up on budget ...
Italian police swoop on migrants ...
Report Clears Berlin of Knowledge of CIA Flights ... To get involved use 606 or text us your views & comments on 81111.
(Not all contributions can be used) By Caroline Cheese
2003: The camera pans over to the Dutch bench and a row of players put their jerseys over their noses. Who dealt it?
2001: Like France and Italy before them, the Dutch are finding the solid Romanian defence hard to crack.
1959: "There's a really attractive lady sitting behind Raymond Domenech with some headphones on. Anyway..."
Anon via text on 81111
Honestly... Ooh, look, there's Thierry Henry. Mmmm...
1957: Users of our Player Rater will tell you that the injury to Franck Ribery is very bad news for France. He's been the top-ranked French player throughout the tournament, with an average of 6.54.
1956: France are reeling but it's Claude Makelele to the rescue as he clears Christian Panucci's header off the line from a corner.
1955: Thierry Henry looks very, very worried about his French team-mate as Ribery is driven off the field. Samir Nasri is on.
1953: Uh-oh. Franck Ribery needs treatment after a clash with Gianluca Zambrotta. It wasn't a bad challenge, the French winger just seemed to fall awkwardly. The stretcher on wheels is out and Ribery's game - and possibly tournament - is over.
1951: "Is Luca Toni the new Mario Gomez?"
eldeano on 606
Oh come on, he's not that bad.
1950: Adrian Mutu's cross ends up falling to Marius Niculae who unleashes a shot which goes just wide.
1950: What a chance. Eric Abidal makes an awful mess of dealing with a long ball from the Italian defence, and Luca Toni is in - but screws his shot wide.
1947: Franck Ribery has the first shot... but Italy easily block and it's a corner. The wet conditions mean it's surely worth testing out these keepers.
1946: The Dutch players are forced to wait in the centre circle for ages as a Uefa official finds out via phone whether the France-Italy game has kicked off. And we're off...
1943: Jonny Heitinga skippers the Netherlands line-up tonight, and by the way, Inverness striker Maruis Niculae starts for Romania tonight.
1941: Here come the players then, and in Zurich, we're treated to two of the finest national anthems in the world with the French and Italian... er, tunes.
1938: Desailly also seems to suggest that Willy Sagnol has been left out for the same reason as Thuram - and he reveals Zidane is in Zurich. Shame he's not playing really...
1937: "It looks like Thuram felt he wasn't ready to handle the game. It's a pressure game for him - because people said he didn't play well in the last game, which is true."
BBC Sport analyst Marcel Desailly
1935: "That missed Mutu penalty against Italy has never been so crucial. Poor Mutu. He's gonna be so depressed if Romania go out tonight..."
@danny muttley on 606
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1934: "I've been very disappointed with both Italy and France - but especially the French."
BBC Sport analyst Alan Hansen
1926: Thanks George (via text on 81111), you're right, I was getting a bit over-excited. Patrice Evra is unlikely to play in midfield. Eric Abidal will have to play in central defence though... I think?
1924: "Re 1910: I'm gonna tell my boss I'm not in the right frame of mind tomorrow, wonder if it works?"
flames08 on 606
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1922: "Thuram is/was the BEST defender the modern game produced, just ahead of Maldini."
ForzaNapole!!! on 606
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1920: Italy also make some interesting changes. Antonio Cassano and Gennaro Gattuso start. Mauro Camoranesi and Alessandro del Piero do not.
1915: Rumour reaches me that Liliam Thuram has been dropped by France because he has told the coach he's not in the right frame of mind to play. Cripes. Willy Sagnol is also dropped. Francois Clerc and Eric Abidal are recalled in defence, so it looks like Patrice Evra will play in midfield. In attack, Karim Benzema replaces Florent Malouda.
1910: I don't want you to think I'm becoming at all exasperated... but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop texting/posting on 606 to ask what happens if Romania, France and Italy all finish on same points, goal difference and goals scored. ITALY WILL GO THROUGH OK? It's because of their superior co-efficient (record in qualifying for the last two major tournaments). Thank you.
1905: "Enough conspiracy chat. Holland have earned the right to field whatever side they like. France and Italy only have themselves to blame."
Neil, Arborfield, via text on 81111
1903: I'm just watching the dress rehearsal of the BBC's opening sequence and it's bringing a tear to my eye. I'm not sure if I'm actually going to be able to cope with tonight.
1901: So Netherlands boss Marco van Basten makes just the nine changes. Forwards Klass Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie begin up front in place of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dirk Kuyt. Maarten Stekelenburg comes in for regular keeper Edwin van der Sar while flying winger Arjen Robben makes his first start of Euro 2008 for the Dutch. Romania's Mirel Radoi (head injury) and defender Dorin Goian (suspended) are replaced by Banel Nicolita and Gorin Ghionea.
1858: "Oi Cheese what's this about Van Persie and Robben being the second string? Both have just come back from injuries and are easily injured so the wise Van Basten is using them as impact subs. I doubt they'll start tonight, the great man wouldn't risk it. I'm disappointed in you Caroline..."
NLGooner on 606
I'm not saying anything, NLGooner. I will just refer you to the Netherlands line-up.
1857: TEAMS Netherlands v Romania
Netherlands: Stekelenburg, Boulahrouz, Heitinga, Bouma, De Cler, De Zeeuw, Engelaar, Afellay, Van Persie, Robben, Huntelaar. Subs: Van der Sar, Timmer, Ooijer, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, van Nistelrooy, Sneijder, Melchiot, De Jong, Kuyt, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Van der Vaart.
Romania: Lobont, Contra, Tamas, Ghionea, Rat, Cocis, Codrea, Chivu, Nicolita, Marius Niculae, Mutu. Subs: Popa, Stancioiu, Petre, Marica, Sapunaru, Moti, Cristea, Dica, Daniel Niculae, Radu.
1855: TEAMS France v Italy
France: Coupet, Clerc, Gallas, Abidal, Evra, Govou, Toulalan, Makelele, Ribery, Benzema, Henry. Subs: Mandanda, Frey, Boumsong, Vieira, Malouda, Anelka, Nasri, Thuram, Squillaci, Gomis, Sagnol, Diarra.
Italy: Buffon, Zambrotta, Panucci, Chiellini, Grosso, Pirlo, De Rossi, Gattuso, Toni, Perrotta, Cassano. Subs: Amelia, De Sanctis, Gamberini, Barzagli, Del Piero, Di Natale, Borriello, Ambrosini, Quagliarella, Camoranesi, Aquilani, Materazzi.
1850: Hey Group of Death fans. Don't bank on there being a whole heap o'goals tonight. According to users of our Player Rater, which has been running through the tournament, three of the top five goalkeepers at the tournament could be in action. Look! Here's the proof...
1 Boruc (Poland) average mark 8.37 (3 games)
2 Van der Sar (Holland) 8.14 (2 games)
3 Buffon (Italy) 7.51 (2 games)
4 Runje (Croatia) 7.31 (1 game)
5 Lobont (Romania) 7.1 (2 games)
1845: Rain in Zurich - where Italy and France face off - but looks quite bright in Berne for the other game.
1844: Lots of chat about Marco van Basten fielding a second-string side tonight. Given that Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie are part of that second string, I wouldn't be too worried...
1840: Incidentally, if it's an omen you're after, how about the big winner at Ascot today? Henrythenavigator won the St James's Palace Stakes by three-quarters of a length - and if Thierry Henry can navigate himself towards goal... oh, you know the rest.
1837: And while Italy fear a fix - or a biscuit as it's rather brilliantly known in Italy - poor old France seem to have given up the ghost already. "It is already written that Romania will qualify," says gloomy coach Raymond Domenech. France must win tonight to have any chance of going through - a result which they must feel is possible given that they haven't lost to Italy in open play for 30 years.
1833: "Italy and France couldn't beat Romania!!! So why should a reserve Dutch team beat them?? Romania 2-0 Holland."
Next Chelsea Manager on 606
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1827: Are Italy desperate? You betcha they are. Former Azzurri coach Arrigo Sacchi has written an open letter to Marco van Basten, essentially begging him to mastermind a Dutch win over Romania. "Dear Marco, we are hoping to be able to give you our thanks not only for the beautiful football that your team is showing but also for the great favour you can do your great friend Roberto Donadoni and all your admirers in Italy."
1822: So the Netherlands are through as Group C winners. That much we do know. Romania will join them in the quarter-finals if they beat Marco van Basten's side in Berne. If Romania don't win, the winner of the Italy v France game in Zurich will pip them. If both games are a draw, Romania will go through. Anything else and a whole host of complicated permutations, detailed below, come into play - but very definitely not a penalty shoot-out.
- If France and Italy share a score draw (1-1, 2-2, 3-3 etc), Italy will go through if Romania lose (by any score). In this scenario, Italy, Romania and France will be level on two points each but Italy would have scored more goals in games between the 3 teams.
- If France and Italy draw 0-0, Romania can lose by one goal, two goals or by a three-goal margin other than 3-0 but still qualify. In this scenario, Italy and Romania would have identical head-to-head records, but Romania would have better goal difference in ALL group matches or, in the case of the three-goal defeats, goals scored. France would finish bottom, having scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.
- If Romania lose 3-0 to the Dutch, Italy would qualify with a 0-0 draw against France because of their superior coefficient points. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.
- If Romania lose by four goals or more and the other game ends 0-0, Italy would proceed with a better overall goal difference than Romania. France would finish bottom as they would have scored fewer goals head-to-head v Italy and Romania.
1816: Brrring brrring, brrring, brrring… "Hello, Uefa speaking." "Hello Uefa, please could the Group of Death reach a thrilling climax, with both World Cup finalists potentially crashing out?" "No problem." "Thanks Uefa. One more thing… can we have a penalty shoot-out between Italy and France, should they finish level on points, to decide who finishes bottom of the group?" "Yes… Er, no. We mean no."
(BBC)
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