Forza Azzurri!

[GuyandDoll]

Any fellow travelers? Anyone else have a insatiable footie fetish?

My team is and has always been Italy. They looked breathtakingly upbeat and effective in the group stage, a new kind of soccer for the Azzurri. The game against Austria was certainly much more of a challenge, and Belgium up next.

I haven't seen a thread about the tournament and sorry if I missed it. Anyone else watching the Euros? It feels to me like a wide open tournament. The favorites (France, Belgium, Germany etc) look strong but vulnerable, and some of the less heralded teams (the Czech Republic, Denmark) look potent. It's hard to read England and Spain.

I plan to sit in an air-conditioned room and enjoy the games today!

 

[GuyandDoll]

I realize I'm talking to myself here but what a wild week of soccer at the Euros--and what an amazing win for Italy yesterday. Today's matches aren't as glamorous on paper but who knows what they'll offer on the field.

Forza!

 

[Anastasia1999]

Germany crashed out but they didn’t deserve to advance.

I felt sorry for the Hungarians

Italy is playing wonderful soccer!

 

[colddiesel]

Someone needs to give the Italians a bit of stick. Far too much 'gentleman' soccer in this tournament, Pretty stuff and the 'beautiful game' are all very well, but what we really want is proper over the top tribal warfare.

 

[Sean]

Italy are the best looking side in the tournament that I've seen. Italy England final I think.

 

[Wonderer67]

Really wanted to see if Swiss advance, but they had the worst penalty shoot out I’ve ever seen.

C’mon, England!!

 

[GuyandDoll]

I was also disappointed by the Switzerland game. That red card against the Swiss player was a terrible decision. Spain couldn't score a goal through two hours of soccer.

I thought England was playing tepid, uninspired football until the last game or two. An Italy v England final could be something! (Still, I don't think it's very sporting that England will have played almost all their games at home.)

 

[GuyandDoll]

The British announcers call of Jorginho's winning penalty kick today was priceless: "Cheeky, impudent, decisive ... Forza Azzuri!"

 

[Sean]

Italy were lucky last night, Spain were by far the better team. I still expect them to beat England in the final, assuming we don't get stuffed by the Danes tonight.

 

[Philthy_Phil]

Go Habs Go!

 

[Sean]

Job done. Bring on the Italians.

 

[GuyandDoll]

A historic and well-deserved win by Italy. In consecutive knockout games they beat Belgium (ranked #1 by FIFA), Spain (#6), and England (#4). They showed creativity and joy but, just as impressively, a sense of focus and determination. It may even be that Italy's objectively harder path to the final toughened them up.

The English players can be proud of their run, and proud of their coach. Their fans' despicable behavior, though, made it almost a moral imperative to root against the team. Booing opposing national anthems, breaking down fences to rush inside, singing vulgar and xenophobic songs, using a laser to distract an opposing keeper during a PK, and of course the horrific racism displayed throughout ... the country faces a reckoning and certainly dinged their hope of winning the 2030 World Cup.

All in all, a fascinating and competitive tournament. And as a life-long fan of the Azzurri, I loved their ecstatic run of brilliant football.

--Kudos to Argentina and Messi as well!