Euro Championship 2012

OK – Let’s get this out the way.  Some of you will no doubt be looking forward to this competition whilst others will be happy if another game of football (soccer for the Americans) will never be played.

But, considering it’s only 22 days away, I’d thought I’d share my analysis of the competition.

The Groups

Group A

Czech Republic : Greece : Poland : Russia

Group B

Denmark : Germany : Netherlands : Portugal

Group C

Croatia : Italy : Republic of Ireland : Spain

Group D

England : France : Sweden : Ukraine

Analysis

Group A: Of the four groups in this competition, this appears to be the easiest group.  I fancy Russia and Greece to go through.  Poland haven’t been doing too well recently although the Czech Republic have done extremely well to qualify, but as a team in transition having lost several key players to retirement, they should be considered a potential 'dark horse'.

Group B: Has been labelled the ‘Group of Death’.  Germany always do well in competitions, although were disappointing in the early stages of the 2010 world cup, but assuming they hit the ground running, they should be assured of advancing.  Joining them will be either Netherlands or Portugal (sorry Denmark).  The Dutch had a fantastic World Cup (finishing as runners-up) but have a recent poor record against Portugal, and it is this match I feel will decide the second place spot.

Group C: Spain should (in theory) be a shoe-in, whilst Italy and Croatia will scrap it out for the second place spot, but any team can pull off a surprise (yes, even the Irish) but I will plumb for Spain and Croatia.

Group D: Hmmm, being English, I would want to see them get through, but England hasn’t had the best of records competition-wise, and I see this to be no different here, especially as Rooney is out for the first two matches. Sweden are a bogey team of ours, and Ukraine (the host nation) will be urged on by the crowds, which normally has a major effect on the home nation in most competitions. And France will need to improve upon their recent poor competition performances to progress.

Who to go through? France I think will do enough to go through, and the other team going with them will be very much dependant on who wins in the England vs Sweden match. I don’t think the Ukraine will have what it takes to survive.

Fixtures

Times given are Ukraine time. Take off 1 hour for Europe and 2 hours for UK time.

Date	Venue	Details	Time
Fri 8th June	Warsaw	Poland v Greece	19.00
Fri 8th June	Wroclaw	Russia v Czech Republic	21.45
Sat 9th June	Kharkiv	Netherlands v Denmark	19.00
Sat 9th June	Lviv	Germany v Portugal	21.45
Sun 10th June	Gdansk	Spain v Italy	19.00
Sun 10th June	Poznan	Rep of Ireland v Croatia	21.45
Mon 11th June	Donetsk	France v England	19.00
Mon 11th June	Kiev	Ukraine v Sweden	21.45
Tue 12th June	Wroclaw	Greece v Czech Republic	19.00
Tue 12th June	Warsaw	Poland v Russia	21.45
Wed 13th June	Lviv	Denmark v Portugal	19.00
Wed 13th June	Kharkiv	Netherlands v Germany	21.45
Thu 14th June	Poznan	Italy v Croatia	19.00
Thu 14th June	Gdansk	Spain v Rep of Ireland	21.45
Fri 15th June	Kiev	Sweden v England	19.00
Fri 15th June	Donetsk	Ukraine v France	21.45
Sat 16th June	Wroclaw	Czech Republic v Poland	21.45
Sat 16th June	Warsaw	Greece v Russia	21.45
Sun 17th June	Kharkiv	Portugal v Netherlands	21.45
Sun 17th June	Lviv	Denmark v Germany	21.45
Mon 18th June	Gdansk	Croatia v Spain	21.45
Mon 18th June	Poznan	Italy v Rep of Ireland	21.45
Tue 19th June	Donetsk	England v Ukraine	21.45
Tue 19th June	Kiev	Sweden v France	21.45

Euro 2012 Quarter Final Timetable / Schedule / Fixtures

Thu 21st June	A - Warsaw	1st Group A v 2nd Group B	21.45
Fri 22nd June	B - Gdansk	1st Group B v 2nd Group A	21.45
Sat 23rd June	C - Donetsk	1st Group C v 2nd Group D	21.45
Sun 24th June	D - Kiev	1st Group D v 2nd Group C	21.45

Euro 2012 Semi Final Timetable / Schedule / Fixtures

Wed 27th June	Donetsk	Winner A v Winner C	21.45
Thu 28th June	Warsaw	Winner B v Winner D	21.45

Euro 2012 Final

Sun 1st July

Kiev

21.45

Thought for the Day

How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?