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.

Cristiano Ronaldo suggested earlier that he may be a shadow of his sterling form which saw him notch 42 goals for Manchester United after a grueling season. Nevertheless, his performance was impressive enough to place a yawning gap between the footballing standards of Turkey and Portugal.

Portugal hit the ground running with an entertaining display in the opening 45 minutes but it was disappointing to see one of the most exciting players in the world relatively muted. Ronaldo did not see much action until the half hour when he burst into life with a trademark run and capped it with a shot that went agonizingly wide.

The Portuguese could have easily pocketed three points by the first half, as early as the 16th minute, central defender Pepe powered a header past Volkan from Simao’s cross, but it was disqualified by the linesman. Eight minutes before the interval, Ronaldo who was stepping into third gear by now, was a heartbeat away from securing the advantage for Portugal as the excellent Turkey keeper Volkan turned his swerving free-kick onto the post.

Four minutes after the break, referee Herbert Fandel waved play-on when Gokhan fouled Simao, and Gomes should have killed the match instead of tapping the loose ball onto the woodwork. It was a matter of time before Turkey was pounded into submission but they miraculously survived yet another Ronaldo led attack. The midfield wizard fired an accurate low shot after Hamit Altintop failed to stop his advance, however, Volkan’s reflexes proved up to the task.

If Cristiano Ronaldo cannot find the net, at least we should expect Gomes, as the main striker, to settle the differences. However, the latter was in a wasteful mood; when an inviting cross came in from Ronaldo, he aimed an easy header onto the bar. Just as well that it was his final contribution of the game. Nani, a more energetic midfield option, came on to replace him.

In the 61st minute, Pepe finally set the record straight. Surging from defense in a rare moment of enterprise, he slid the opener past Volkan from 12 yards. Turkey were rudely jolted into action and they came out of their sanctuary by launching frantic waves of attacks on Portugal’s defense.

Unfortunately, the Turks could not sustain their pressure for long. Portugal were intent to score a second goal instead of protecting their slim lead and with gaps opening up behind Turkey’s back line, they maintained their fluent passing game and counter-attacked. In the dying seconds, they were rewarded with a second goal as Ronaldo found Joao Moutinho, who set up substitute Raul Meireles for a side-footed finish.

I have to give Turkey credit for staying in the game till the hour mark, a resolute defense was their saving grace, especially when the midfield was overrun and the front line lacked a cutting edge. Although Turkey upped the stakes by fielding another forward, they had only two credible chances to threaten Portugal.

Goalkeeper Ricardo had to be alert to come off his line and deny Tuncay as he tried to connect with Nihat Kahveci’s cross. Substitute Emre wasted Turkey’s best chance with nine minutes left, heading Nihat’s corner wide when unmarked only eight yards out.

Overall, I will say this match is the appropriate build-up for Portugal’s momentum. Turkey are not world-class opponents but they are famed for an indomitable spirit and Portugal had to exhibit their tactical awareness, patience and creativity to achieve a breakthrough.

At times, there were traces of Brazilian samba football in the way Portugal took the Turks apart. Cristiano Ronaldo has not hit top gear yet but there is no doubt of his instrumental role for the team. Despite looking jaded, he was the oasis of innovation, almost every attack flowed through his legs and he was able to strike from every position.

Scolari implemented his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, fronted by captain and striker, Nuno Gomes. I am not sure if Scolari should persist with Gomes in future matches, his inability to capitalize on easy chances is a concern, especially against tight defenses like Italy. I can only say that Portugal are blessed to have Ronaldo who can double up adequately as a clinical striker, else all the beautiful football will go to waste if they make a habit of depending on defenders and midfielders to score the goals.

Portugal’s defense held up pretty well, with Carvalho, Jose Bosingwa and Pepe among the best defenders in Europe. Ricardo was fielded as the keeper instead of Quim as the latter was sent home with a fractured wrist. As for Quaresma, I feel a tinge of regret to see such a precocious talent wasting away on the bench but with Simao contributing effectively, it is a tough fight to get into the first XI.

The commitment of two key characters in the Portugal team, Scolari and Ronaldo, were cast in doubt after being engulfed by transfer speculations, but so far, both had acted professionally and knew where their priorities lie.

Scolari had reiterated on several occasions that he will only decide on his long term future after the the competition. His link with the vacant managerial spot at Chelsea became more apparent, in view of a half-hearted attempt by Peter Kenyon to secure the services of Mark Hughes. The latter was appointed as Manchester City’s gaffer a few days ago.

As for Cristiano Ronaldo, the soap opera started by Real Madrid is even more incredulous. Is it fair that this transfer saga eclipse the proceedings of such a prestigious competition? The debate was not put to rest even after Ronaldo made a definitive statement of his desires to play for Real Madrid. He then refused to entertain other queries as well as a private meeting with a desperate Alex Ferguson.

It will be interesting to watch the intriguing chemistry of Pepe, a Real Madrid centre-back, and Ronaldo in the rest of the matches. The ball is now in Madrid’s court but it is doubtful that Ferguson will let his prized asset slip through his fingers, certainly not after Ronaldo played such a pivotal role in securing the Premier League and Champions League titles. I will discuss more about this situation in another post.

I believe Portugal have a good chance to go all the way to the semi-finals, after that, a strong element of luck will be needed for them to be crowned as European Champions. There is no guarantee Ronaldo can deliver on such a big stage but it is imperative for his future, judges for the FIFA Player of the Year award may have other candidates in mind when they look at Ronaldo’s barren international honors.

I have watched a pleasant and enjoyable match from Portugal and hopefully, such positive football continues to the main theme in this competition. The suffocating, negative football which Greece exhibited en-route to Euro 2004 finals, is not beneficial for the promotion of this sport and more specifically, this competition.

Meanwhile England, the team we love to hate, are not missed in this competition. In fact, the fans are saved from WAGs controversy, drunken violence and heartaches. As well as money too, since punters had shown an inclination to place bets on England based on romanticism rather than clear-headed thinking. In terms of entertainment and viewership, I doubt if their absence made a material impact too.

More Euro 2008 reports coming later, till tomorrow.