Scolari had to apologize for destroying a winning momentum when he rested key players and fielded reserves who either developed cold feet or were not sufficiently prepared for the big stage. Unlike the seniors, they ceded possession easily and failed to implement the game plan effectively.

Czech Republic, in the mother of all upsets so far, went from a victory, to prospects of a play-off, to gifting Turkey a ticket into the quarter-finals. I felt a tinge of regret for Czech Republic’s elimination. Petr Cech, arguably the world’s best goalkeeper, shattered his nation’s hopes when he failed to snuff out two critical moments of opportunism from forward Nihat Kahveci. Cech’s confidence and sharpness were clearly affected by Nihat’s first goal which then resulted in another spectacular goal from his tormentor.

Doubts now arise whether Cech is still the same infallible guy between the posts after two serious head injuries. Certainly, it has been a torrid season for him, besides making uncharacteristic, elementary errors in Euro 08, his club, Chelsea, missed out on major trophies after solid runs into the respective semi-finals.

Cech said: “That game really sums up my season. We came so close but blew it in the end.” He is more or less resigned to such close shaves which illustrates how badly damaged his morale is. It is going to take a long time for him to recover psychologically from this 3-2 defeat. The guilt one has to face, especially when the team remains supportive instead of reproaching him,is not easily overcome.

Football can be such a cruel game at times. Czech Republic have done enough to dominate for more than an hour and notching up two goals in the process, but as I mentioned, the match ain’t over till the whistle is blown when you are up against opponents which never-say-die.

Will it help much if Tomas Rosicky, the team’s captain and heartbeat, has been fit enough to play? I doubt so, the Czechs were already leading and not in need of goals, it was their defense which crumbled towards the end. But I have seen enough potential in this Czech Republic team to remain as a major force in future tournaments. Hopefully, Cech can bounce back from this setback in the coming season with Chelsea appointing a new manager (Scolari).

Coming to Group B, Croatia are elevated from underdog status to hot favorite. Germany’s second spot is up for grabs after a stinging defeat by Croatia. The entire team knew their nation’s proud tradition lies in their hands and they have no more room for error. Fortunately, the Germans came out tops with a 1-0 victory in a highly charged match over derby rival, Austria.

Austria deserve credit for putting up a valiant effort to send Germany into the dumps. History was against them though as they had not accomplished such a feat since defeating West Germany in 1986. Neither team enjoys a superior possession but Austria paid a heavy price for a toothless front line.

Germany were in their usual swashbuckling form and they rued a remarkable Mario Gomez miss as early as the fifth minute. Miroslav Klose delivered a low cross that bypassed goalkeeper Macho, only for Gomez to miscue his shot with the goal at his mercy. Lahm, Podolski, Mertesacker and Klose also wasted chances as Germany blitzed the Austrian defense relentlessly.

The closely contested battle was eventually decided by a thunderous free-kick from captain, Michael Ballack. I am confident of Germany’s chances as the players exhibited a professional attitude and passion under immense pressure. The last time Germany reached the last eight was in 1996 when they went on to lift the trophy. This could be an indication of things to come but for now, a face-off with a more creative opponent, Portugal, presents a severe test on Thursday.

In Group C (what many pundits classified as the Group of Death), it contains the intriguing quarter-final possibilities. I believe few had foresee the Netherlands qualifying with such authoritative performances and Romania could still be in the running while World Cup finalists France and Italy had to slug it out but fate is taken out of their hands.

Netherlands rounded off their campaign with full points in Group C after banking on second-half goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie. Marco Van Basten fielded a largely second-string Oranje team but Romania still found them more than a handful as they were placed on the back foot from the start.

Huntelaar, having passed up one presentable opening in the first half, clinically guided in Afellay’s teasing right-wing cross nine minutes into the second. With three minutes left, Van Persie drove in his second goal in as many games.

To be fair, the reshuffle comprises Arjen Robben, Van Persie and Huntelaar in the first XI, and the Netherlands barely suffered in quality as they retained their shape and forceful thrusts up front. Romania hassled for all the loose balls and the players charged in with their boots to cut the Oranje supply lines at every opportunity.

The timely interventions were all in vain as the Netherlands had too much class to be pegged back in their own half of the pitch. They stamped their authority on this tournament and will now play either Sweden or Russia in the last eight on Saturday. Romania finished in third position and any hopes of progressing further was ended.

In the other Group C match, Italy send France on an early flight home with a 2-0 victory. Thierry Henry tried his best to rally his team after their crushing 4-1 loss to the Netherlands but the disarray which plagued France continued against Italy.

Having started slowly in their first two matches, Les Bleus were keen to seize the initiative and Franck Ribery twice fired efforts wide but his contributions ended with an injury in the tenth minute. Samir Nasri was sent on but France looked out of sorts and Claude Makelele immediately needed to clear a Christian Panucci header off the line.

The game’s turning point was in the 24th minute when Eric Abidal was sent off after fouling Luca Toni, and Andrea Pirlo converted the resulting penalty. Daniele De Rossi’s second-half strike added gloss to a wonderful evening for Italy, dampened only by yellow cards for Pirlo and Gattuso which may weaken the squad in the quarter-final against Spain.

Thierry Henry had a chance to raise French spirits in the 34th minute but after racing on to Toulalan’s slick pass, the FC Barcelona forward directed a cross-shot past the post. Though the result of the Netherlands vs Romania match could render this match irrelevant, at least the Italians showed a keener interest and more enterprise in advancing to the next round. Thus, I have little sympathy for France’s demise.

This result confirmed my belief that Italy were better equipped to deal with this do-or-die situation. Against Romania, Italy dominated proceedings, were more dangerous on the break and created ample chances (even had a legal goal forfeited). The Italians conceded one in a momentary lapse at the back to allow Romania to draw level while France totally wilted under pressure to Holland.

In spite of a team chock-full of talents, France were in tatters without Zinedine Zidane and were unable to grab the game by the scruff of its neck. Thierry Henry, as the captain, was not inspirational on the pitch. If he has featured more prominently for Barcelona or rather, not even left Arsenal, he will have put away the few excellent chances to kill off the Italians. It could have been luck too as Ribery was injured early in the game and Italy survived several close shaves from Benzema.

In Group D, Spain were made to work hard against Sweden. Andreas Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez continued their influential display in the 4-1 win against Russia while David Silva and Fernando Torres created problems down the flanks. It was fitting that Torres was first to break the deadlock.

However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (non-existent till then) restored parity in a rare moment of brilliance. As the match progressed, Sweden imposed their style of play while Spain lost their shape but I was glad to see their aptitude in changing tactics in mid-track and the immense depth of their squad.

Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla replaced Iniesta and Harnandez and brought a different dimension to their attack. It forced Sweden on the defensive and they held on for their dear life, in fact they looked ready to share the spoils until Capdevila sent a long ball forward and David Villa tucked in his fourth goal in injury time.

I believe the Sweden game is reflective of the challenges ahead. A counterattacking game overwhelmed Russia but a disciplined and stubborn Swedish side required a different approach. By disrupting Spain’s rhythm, Sweden forced them to dig deep into their reserves for a result.

David Villa is the man of the moment and if he continues his scintillating form and telepathic partnership with Torres, Spain should definitely qualify for semis. Very often, they came into tournaments as favorites, only to end up as their own worst enemy and faltering at the critical stages.

If Spain can overcome their mental block by keeping their feet on the ground instead of letting optimism and euphoria get to their egos, I will like to see them in the finals for a change.

Anway, six days have flashed by and the first round of matches ended without much surprises. The favorites stamped their class with authoritative performances and are rightfully leading the pack, except for two letdowns.

France were held to a lackluster draw by Romania. It brought back distasteful memories of the 2002 World Cup when they, as the defending champions, were booted out unceremoniously in the group rounds.

Could it be the absence of the effervescent Zidane? In the two years since he announced his retirement, France are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their creative midfield dynamo. There is simply no spark or invention in this team but it is not due to a dearth of talents, mind you. Without even mentioning the old guards, the infusion of two exciting youngsters, Benzema and Ribery, is enough to set the stage alight.

Based on the quality of the squad, France shouldn’t be playing like… England, but I saw traces of the England disease in their lack of confidence on the ball and poor understanding between each players.

As for Italy, I am sure they were shell-shocked to see a much vaunted defense being torn apart by the rampaging Orange Army. Nevertheless, it is a folly to underestimate their ability to recover from this setback. Bear in mind the Italians’ motto: “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going” – the more you write them off, the higher the chances of seeing them in the Finals.

Right now, Germany, Portugal and Holland are looking exceptionally strong. However, beginners’ luck has little bearing on future mathces. A moment of complacency can end the campaign, what matters is the gathering and sustaining of momentum as the stakes get higher.

Under Marco van Basten, the Netherlands exhibited a different variant of total football in their 3-0 demolition of Italy. Whether this modern day version is more potent will be decided in the coming days but the stunning display has already won them some notable fans. Germany captain Michael Ballack is among the admirers. He said: “I was really impressed by the Dutch victory against Italy. They played on a high technical level with fast football.”

He could be playing some mind games and lulling them into a false sense of security. I am keeping my fingers crossed on how far the Dutch can progress. To be sure, each generation of the Holland squad has churned out its fair share of superstars but their major problem remains that of a tendency to self-destruct by splitting into different camps.

At the exact moment when they are on everybody’s lips as favorites, certain players, either due to pride, vanity or ego, will unfailingly clamor to take center-stage while putting the team’s fortune in jeopardy. This time, there is some stability but I am not sure how long it will last, probably until the team starts losing or when some key players are left out of the first XI. Ruud van Nistelrooy is now all chums with his coach but not too long ago, both do not see eye to eye on team issues.

Next up is Spain which laid down their marker with an impressive 4-1 rout of Russia. They gave such a dominant display with their speed and fluent passing game that the crafty Hiddink was helpless in reversing the situation. The formidable partnership of David Villa and Fernando Torres can strike fear into the tightest defenses.

It is crucial that Torres is content to play second fiddle to Villa by turning provider instead of scoring goals as he has done with panache for Liverpool; so long as the team wins, it doesn’t really matter who put the chances away. Torres will be a vital cog of the lightning raids Spain launch on their unsuspecting victims.

Traditional powerhouse, Germany, is also in a swashbuckling mood too. Lukas Poldoski scored a brace in the 2-0 win over Poland. For punters, the German juggernaut is always a reliable source of wealth because of their consistent track record. When in doubt, back them and you will usually be rewarded. In the past, the goals scored can even be predicted with alarming accuracy as they never liked to score more than is needed.

Germany had perfected the art of winning on the odd goals and then closing out the opponent efficiently. However, since Jeurgen Klinnsman took over, a sea change has occurred and they are now playing as if goals are the lifeblood of the team.

The Germans will be clashing with Croatia in their second match. Despite winning 1-0 against Austria and showing in the past that they can hold their own against football’s established powers like Italy, Argentina and England, I am not convinced that Croatia have the quality to threaten Germany.

Croatia won’t be trying too hard either since they have already pocketed three points, so a conservative approach followed by dealing a killer blow on Poland, should serve their purpose nicely. I believe their rear guard is sturdy enough to withstand heavy German bombardment.

Actually, if Croatia are adventurous enough, they have an outside chance of surprising the Germans. I sense a serious weakness deep in the German defense – Jens Lehmann. He had not seen much club action and is naturally a bit rusty. Germany coach Joachim Low is either brave or foolish in handing Lehmann the gloves.

I suspect the latter… I mean, if Arsene Wenger favored Alumnia (not a heavyweight by any account) over Lehmann, then something is seriously wrong with his attitude or ability. Moreover, the new ball is not to Lehmann’s liking, which implies that he is likely to screw-up when the pressure is on and the ball comes flying in from all angles.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic believes his team have as much reason to be confident as their opponents Germany. He said: “We approach this game with just as much self-confidence as Germany. Like them, we also won our first match, the winning start has given us great belief in ourselves and the way we are playing.”

He also rallied his charges to prove their worth by destroying the mighty Germans. “I believe any team that beats Germany can hope to beat anybody,” said the 39-year-old.

Meanwhile, Low admitted his players are feeling more upbeat than ever. He said: “We’ve been able to implement what we’ve practised in matches. We are confident going into the game, but Croatia are a good team with attack-minded players and we will face a tough challenge,” said the 48-year-old.

Germany will want to get a second win under their belt and secure qualification as early as possible. Another firm favorite, Portugal, are in sterling form and could be targeting a 100% win in all their Euro 2008 matches en-route to the title, that is if Cristiano Ronaldo stayed on top of his game.

Clearing the Czech hurdle was another step towards ushering the golden era, after winning their first match against Turkey at a canter. Czech Republic are a perennial dark horse and they are looking to better their semi-finalists record in Euro 2004. They edged out Switzerland in the first match but it was done with a huge dose of luck as the Swiss did not play badly and created ample chances.

Against Portugal, their first serious test of Euro 2008, the Czechs were second best to a team overflowing with individual talents. Portugal really looked more at home than Switzerland as they wrapped up the match with goals from Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma in a 3-1 win. This virtually guaranteed their berth in the quarter-finals.

The entertaining encounter and easy score-line actually belies a tight match, especially in the first half. While Portugal swarmed forward in numbers and displayed lovely touches, the Czechs refused to cede midfield superiority and counter-attacked in tandem. In fact, they recovered lost ground minutes after conceding an early goal to Deco.

Sionko headed a corner into the roof of the net which left Ricardo stranded. The Czechs further created havoc in Portugal’s defense with a corner which Sionko managed to find space to connect but he couldn’t direct his volley goalwards.

Portugal, when on full flight, are a sight to behold. Their midfield was overpowering in its creativity and possession but in this match, their weaknesses in dead-ball situations were exposed and that could prove to their major stumbling block, if left unchecked.

Turkey survived to fight another day. It is not surprising since the Turks had shown a knack of progressing in major tournaments over the last decade. Starting at a high tempo against Switzerland, the Turks were determined to emerge victorious. A heavy downpour complicated matters as the ball slid and bounded wickedly on the slippery pitch.

Switzerland scored first. Derdiyok was played through and he showed fine composure to square for Hakan Yakin who sidefooted home from two yards. Turkey then drew level when Nihat crossed from the left and Semih scored with a thumping header. The ball escaped through Benaglio’s hands which was a costly mistake.

In injury time, Turkey continued to press forward and fate dealt a cruel hand to the host nation. Arda cut inside from the left and his deflected shot from 25 yards effectively knocked the Swiss out.

Overall, it was an incredible outing and Turkey now have everything to play for which spells bad news for Czech Republic. The match ain’t over till the whistle is blown. Taking this lesson into the match against Turkey will serve the Czechs well.

More Euro 2008 updates soon, till tomorrow.

After booking their ticket to next summer’s footballing extravaganza in Switzerland and Austria, Italy manager Roberto Donadoni fired the first salvo at his counterparts with an affirmation that his team has grown even stronger since their World Cup glory.

He said: “This team can go head-to-head with any team in the world and not fear them. The Scotland game was an excellent match. Every game this Italy team play we add more and get stronger.”

Italy took the lead in the second minute of play. A quick throw-in caught the Scottish defence off-gurad, allowing Luca Toni to toe-poke from close range after meeting a low cross from Antonio Di Natale.

However, Scotland did not give up and deservedly equalized when Barry Ferguson converted from close range. But just as it looked as if Scotland would eke out a point, they were dealt a killer blow in injury time. Christian Panucci met Andrea Pirlo’s controversial free kick with a looping header over the stranded Scottish goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Scotland had not featured at a major championships since 1998 World Cup. But after stunning Les Bleus’ twice in group B, the final group match against Italy leaves them on the brink of creating history. They certainly gave Italy a torrid time for long spells on Saturday.

A Scotland win would see them through and a draw would leave them still in if Ukraine shock France next Wednesday. Unfortunately, Scotland had their dreams shattered and will now watch the action at home next year.

Despite Italy’s pedigree, the Scots’ came into the game with a swagger. After scoring the equalizer, they roared back into the game and in the last 10 minutes, had the Italians on the ropes. They surged forward in droves and and nearly snatched a winner when James McFadden slid in to send a six-meter shot just wide of the post.

McLeish told a news conference: “We didn’t deserve to lose today. I am very disappointed with the decision for their second goal. I’ve seen it on television and it’s unbelievable.”

The Italian press are delighted with the last minute 2-1 win over Scotland. They had previously sharpened their knifes at the floundering campaign.

With just one point from their opening two games, Donadoni couldn’t have a more miserable start. An embarrassing home draw against Lithuania and a comprehensive 3-1 defeat in France had the critics baying for his blood. The situation wasn’t helped by Donadoni inheriting a championship team from Marcelo Lippi.

But now that he has crossed the treacherous terrain in one piece, he can look forward to a peaceful winter before stepping into the pressure-cooker again.

Donadoni doesn’t appreciate the reprieve though. He raised the stakes by declaring his desire to benchmark his team against the all conquering AC Milan (under Arrigo Sacchi), which swept titles with an unrelenting mental fortitude. He was formerly a right winger in the team that won two successive European Cups and played alongside legends like Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Marco Van Basten, and Paolo Maldini.

Transplanting the heart and soul of Milan into the national team will be his agenda for the coming days. He said: “I imagine the European Championships will be no easier than the World Cup. We are going there with one ambition: to play to win. It’s my dream to create a squad with a winners’ mentality, capable of achieving great things. Like my Milan.”

Noble ambition but if the end product turns out to be grossly off-target, he may find that lifting the expectations of an already demanding nation is not the wisest of moves.

Nevertheless, if all is lost, he can still bank on one resilient characteristic of the Italians: they are at their best when they are caught in a crisis. Throughout their history, sporting success always follows an unsavory incident.

Italy won the World Cup in 1982 following the fall-out from the Totonero scandal. Last year, they went into World Cup finals with the biggest match-fixing scandal causing uncertainties for players and clubs but that could not stop the Azzurri from claiming a fourth world crown. This time, the fatal shooting of a football fan following hooligan violence awoke the team from their slumber and qualification for Euro 2008 was secured.

It would be a folly to write them off. Italy have the talents to charge all the way into the semis at Euro 08 and if they really needed the extra push, simple: just create another scandal and unite the team and nation together.

You see, in this soccer-mad country, a lot of unorthodox stuff can happen. Conspiracy, bribery, corruption, underground betting, scandals, and fan violence no longer shock the nation. When the owner of one of the most successful clubs can be elected as Primer Minister (despite an eminent lack of qualifications), there is no doubting the influence soccer has on Italians – it is almost a religion here.

Speaking of corruptions, it was only last year when the biggest match-fixing fiasco, dubbed Calciopoli, discredited Serie A and caused an exodus of top players as well as financial losses to major teams. But Italians have not seen the worst yet.

In February this year, a policeman was killed by rioting soccer fans in Sicily. Italian authorities suspended all soccer matches and barred spectators from stadiums that don’t meet safety regulations.

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato has vowed to stop the the violence, if not, then the games. He said: “It seems absurd to have soccer played without a public, but it is even more absurd that someone should die for soccer.”

Brave words and with action to boot. In April, Italian anti-hooligan laws were passed which ban block sale of tickets to visiting fans; hefty fines for clubs connected to “ultra”; indictment for fans who throw flares or any objects which cause matches to be abandoned; and prohibiting banners that incite violence.

Nevertheless, soccer violence continues unabated even with new and tougher regulations in place. Just this Sunday, a policeman killed a Lazio fan sitting in his car for no particular reason. In the following hours, riots erupted across Italy as fans attacked police stations, burned police vans and injured several officers. The authorities have since arrested a dozen rioters.

A large part of the problem has been identified as coming from the “ultras.” These are the hardcore supporters which held the clubs hostage as they possess financial links and underground connections. While England’s hooliganism is fueled by drunkenness, Italy’s ultras view this aspect with disdain because it impairs the ability to fight.

A sociologist will tell us to start looking at the inherent social problems as football hooliganism mirrors the violence and conflicts prevalent in any society. In Italy, the bad blood is regional. Northern and Southern Italians harbor more acrimony for each other than they do for anyone in the world.

After the death, soccer stadiums were quiet as all Serie A matches were canceled, including an international game between Italy and Romania. Punters can start placing their bets on whether the ban will continue through next week as the soccer industry is a major index for Italy’s economy.

The country’s four leading clubs AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan and AS Roma earned more than 770 million during the 2004 to 2005 season. A suspension of the entire season could result in critical losses of millions of euros. It is no wonder club owners and politicians are worried about the economic impact of the game” suspension.

Still, drastic measures are necessary if the national passion for soccer and Italy’s credibility is to survive. Italian stadiums have become the most deadly in Europe, police are now thinking twice about setting foot in stadiums.

And sports-loving spectators have to check if their insurance coverage are adequate. Between economic impact and protecting the sport’s integrity, Italy have to make the right decision.