Euro 2008 - Italy vs. Romania 1-1

[MADrigal]

The match just ended. I'm astonished at the result... we really deserved to win that fuck**g match!

Now I just wish France wins against Nederlands, at least we'll have some more chance to go to quarter finals.

[carlsson]

Yes, you were robbed from a goal wrongly determined offside.

But what can you say about the Netherlands? HOL-ITA 3-0, HOL-FRA 4-1

I'm sure they will juggernaut Romania in the last game which means Italy - France, a copy of the WC final two years ago, will determine which team goes to quarter finals. Both teams have the same goal difference and number of goals scored. I've heard in case of a draw, the results from previous qualifiers & tournaments is considered, or possibly penalty kick shoot-out. In the first case, France won WC'98 and Italy won WC'06 which is more recent and they should have an advantage, but I get a feeling UEFA will skip that rule and let games be decided by shoot-out in case of a draw. The same is true for Czech Republic - Turkey.

Oh well, tomorrow it is Spain - Sweden.

[MADrigal]

I personally think that:

- it's well known that the Italian team makes bad matches at first, then increase their results and capabilities as the competition goes further.
- Romania is not as good as Italy

Due to the above reasons, Nederlands *prefers* letting Romania get the "2nd place in C group". This will just occur if Nedelands lets Romania *win* the match. In such a case, whoever France or Italy wins the "Italy vs France", is not important: they'll be both out.

The same thing happened in the previous European Championship, when Swedish & Danish teams *decided* to make a draw (2-2) in order to make Italy out of the tournament. That way, both Sweden and Denmark proceed were qualified to Quarter Finals.

So I think the last matches will be:
- Romania vs Nederlands: 1-0
- Italy vs France: 1-0

Chart will be: Nederlands (6), Romania (5), Italy (4), France (1)

[carlsson]

Hehe, did Sweden and Denmark decide to play 2-2? If I recall correctly, the last Swedish equalizer came on extra time, just before the referee was about to call of the game.

By the way, what do you like the following quote:

The French coach is as obsolete as a VCR. Raymond Domenech got to be the worst national team coach ever. How can one get so many talented players to do nothing useful, everyone at the same time? He selects the wrong players, has no strategies and only stands along the side of the field incapable of doing anything.

[MADrigal]

Hehe, did Sweden and Denmark decide to play 2-2? If I recall correctly, the last Swedish equalizer came on extra time, just before the referee was about to call of the game.

Well everybody knew it would end like that. Not "everyone in Italy", but "everyone in the world"

I also remember a lot of Swedish and Danish fans in the stadium, many wearing t-shirts with "1-1" or "2-2" writings, and others had the same writings painted on their face. It was simply planned. Of course I'm not "angry" against Swedish, I'm not such a soccer fanatic. I simply don't like people playing "dirty games".

As far as I know, Italian Soccer League managers are now asking the UEFA League to pay a LOT of attention to the Nederlands-Romania match, in order to prevent the same thing happen again.

By the way, what do you like the following quote: "The French coach is as obsolete as a VCR. Raymond Domenech got to be the worst national team coach ever. How can one get so many talented players to do nothing useful, everyone at the same time? He selects the wrong players, has no strategies and only stands along the side of the field incapable of doing anything."

I know nothing about Domenech, except he's an idiot. I can't judge him as a "manager" because I'm not an expert in soccer. But, as a person, he's an idiot to me.

[berserk1981]

I hope that the game dell' Holland is not made up all here. then l' Italy must play at bes

[carlsson]

I read that Donadoni had talked to Marco van Basten and pledged that the Netherlands would not rest all their best players against Romania. At the same moment, it was said that if Italy had been in the same position the Netherlands now is in - able to eliminate TWO strong competitors by not winning - the Italian team/coach would've made sure it happened that way.

But in any case, these are the conditions:

ROM beats HOL = HOL and ROM through independent of the ITA-FRA game
ROM draws HOL, ITA draws FRA = HOL and ROM through

HOL draws ROM, ITA beats FRA = HOL and ITA through
HOL beats ROM, ITA beats FRA = HOL and ITA through

HOL draws ROM, FRA beats ITA = HOL and FRA through
HOL beats ROM, FRA beats ITA = HOL and FRA through

The interesting part comes in case HOL beats ROM and ITA draws FRA:

ITA-FRA 0-0, HOL-ROM 1-0 / 2-1 / 2-0 / 3-1 etc = HOL and ROM through
ITA-FRA 0-0, HOL-ROM 4-1 / 5-2 etc = HOL and ROM through

ITA-FRA 0-0, HOL-ROM 3-0 = HOL and ITA through on qualifier coefficients!
ITA-FRA 0-0, HOL-ROM 4-0 / 5-0 etc = HOL and ITA through
ITA-FRA 1-1 / 2-2 etc, HOL beats ROM by any numbers = HOL and ITA through

As you can see, the only way France can go through is by winning, while Italy will go through on a draw as long as they score some goals and the Netherlands defeat Romania at all.

It would be really challenging if Italy plays 0-0 and the Netherlands win by 3-0. The qualifier coefficients are 2.364 for Italy and 2.250 for Romania.

[MADrigal]

Yes Carlsson, you got exactly the point! We must win the match against France, so we could go through even in case Romania draws against Nederlands.

Viva italia tomorrow!

[MADrigal]

Woho!!!! 2-0 and 2-0, this must be a miracle!

[carlsson]

Last group to finish tonight, main interest is Sweden - Russia. The remaining team gets to play the Netherlands, who fielded nine reserves yesterday and still beat Romania by 2-0. Quite impressive!