Euro 2004

[J.A.W.]

Simao scores, Portugal 1 up

[J.A.W.]

Lampard scores, level (2 all)

[J.A.W.]

Rui Costa misses for Portugal

[couw]

[J.A.W.]

Terry scores, England 1 up

[J.A.W.]

Cristiano Ronaldo scores, level (3 all)

[J.A.W.]

Hargreaves scores, England 1 up

[J.A.W.]

Maniche scores, level (4 all)

[couw]

maniche is a cool mofo

[J.A.W.]

Ashley Cole scores, England 1 up

[J.A.W.]

Postiga scores, level

Edited June 24, 2004 by J.A.W.

[J.A.W.]

Vassell misses, still level (5 all)

[J.A.W.]

goalkeeper Ricardo scores, Portugal through to the semifinals!

[J.A.W.]

WOW, WHAT A BRILLIANT GAME!

[couw]

what a game. I need to have another beer and calm down.

pity for the English, truely, they played some feghing brilliant football this time around (I mean the tournament!). That first goal was more than superb. But those Portugese had a drive that was near impossible to beat. Incredible. Do you think Deco is tired now?

Cannot call this a deserved win, but it had to happen and the Portugese showed some *very* attractive football. And what a will to win too.

Edited June 24, 2004 by couw

[J.A.W.]

what a game. I need to have another beer and calm down.

Hmm, I hope I'll be able to sleep in an hour or so...

pity for the English, truely, they played some feghing brilliant football this time around (I mean the tournament!). That first goal was more than superb. But those Portugese had a drive that was near impossible to beat. Incredible. Do you think Deco is tired now?

Cannot call this a deserved win, but it had to happen and the Portugese showed some *very* attractive football. And what a will to win too.

Couldn't agree more.

[B. Goren.]

What a great evening!!!!

I watch football games for 40 years and this was one of the greatest I remember right now (after the beers). I like the English team but to be honest, justice has been done.

[couw]

The Portugese lacked in the final touch, their front was not fast enough. The midfield was theirs, also because the English let them, English football hardly needs a midfield anyhow, but then the Portugese front players were simply too slow under the pressure of so much defense, took too much time to decide what to do, take on the ball, play a little, think, decide otherwise, come on! do something! The English team was very well adapted to this fact after their early goal: many people in the back and their way fast deciding guys up front. Long balls, skip the midfield, precision passes, the works. (Something the Portugese were feghing good at as well, what incredible passes were played this evening). Costa broke the English tactic open with his speed (and made the second goal). The English proved their resilience and their speed with that second goal.

Brilliant playing on both sides. The English tactic was more of a reaction to the offensive Portugese, but that doesn't detract from the quality really.

Very fair game and a very good referee BTW.

[Edward]

Thank you, Hans, for the play-by-play. Why does it seem, though, that my two teams (English mother and Dutch father) always seem to lose big games on penalty kicks? (I do not mean to take anything away from the victory by a splendid Portuguese squad.)

[Gary]

woa! don't push the goalie down, then the goal don't count. what suspense!

The ref was right, the goalkeeper was attacked within the box.

The game goes into extra time.

God I wish you could see that goal again , Uk TV has been showing it again & again , but there is NOTHING wrong with that goal.

If posssesion & chances won games I wouldn'nt grumble . but were we cheated.

Enjoy the rest of the tournament guys ( & good luck).

[couw]

come on Gary, these games are played by the UEFA rules. Those explicitly state that a goaly is NOT to be touched AT ALL within the 5 metre area if it's not something silly. This was NOT something silly. The goaly was pushed down. Even the BBC will have showed that part. That may be okay in British football, but we're not playing the FA cup here. This is the UEFA cup and the rough British football that we all know and love needs to adapt a little to the brittle guys from the continent, you know. Face it, those are the rules, the referee was right, England lost, Portugal proved to be the better team.

Edited June 24, 2004 by couw

[Gary]

England lost, Portugal proved to be the better team.

No arguments there Couw , all I'm saying is look at the dissalowed goal again.

[couw]

England lost, Portugal proved to be the better team.

No arguments there Couw , all I'm saying is look at the dissalowed goal again.

Told you already: rules is rules. Touch the goaly in the 5m area and you're toasted. No go there. That 5m line was not just drawn so the goaly knows from where to kick off.

[marcoliv]

once again the british team failed on penalties. once again they didn't beat Felipe Scolari....gosh!!!!!

portugal deserved to win and i can see them on the final game

tomorrow it´s gonna be a hard game and we'll suffer a lot but i think we´ll be on the semifinals.

ALLEZ LES BLEUS!!!!!

[brownie]

WOW, WHAT A BRILLIANT GAME!

Absolutely.

One of the best soccer confrontation in a long, long time.

And I liked the fact that the Portuguese goalie Ricardo scored the decisive penalty shot.

Feel sorry now for the England team. They played very well.

England should not complain about the 'missed' goal. Euro2004 is played under UEFA rules and, as couw explained, it was NOT a goal.