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Welcome Euro 2000 Soccer page
Euro2000-Portugal claim record for keeping goal intact
ROTTERDAM, June 29 - Portugal broke a European Championship finals record by keeping their goal intact for 392 minutes before Thierry Henry scored against them for France in the 51st minute of Wednesday's Euro 2000 semifinal.
Portugal's record is for one finals only. Italy, the 1968 European champions started a sequence of 494 minutes without conceding a goal at European finals which did not end until 1980 -- though they failed to qualify for the 1972 and 1976 events.
Full records:
Date Venue Opponents Score Opposition Minutes
scorer/time unbeaten
-Portugal - 392 minutes at Euro 2000
12 June 2000 Eindhoven England 3-2 McManaman 18 72
17 June 2000 Arnhem Romania 1-0 90
20 June 2000 Rotterdam Germany 3-0 90
24 June 2000 Amsterdam Turkey 2-0 90
28 June 2000 Brussels France 1-2 Henry 51 50
- Italy - 494 minutes at European Championships 1968-1980
8 June 1968 Rome Yugoslavia 1-1 Dzajic 39 81
10 June 1968 Rome Yugoslavia 2-0 90
12 June 1980 Milan Spain 0-0 90
15 June 1980 Turin England 1-0 90
18 June 1980 Rome Belgium 0-0 90
21 June 1980 Naples Czechoslovakia 1-1 Jurkemik 54 53
Euro2000-Italy v Netherlands tactical analysis
AMSTERDAM, June 28 - A tactical analysis of the Euro 2000 semifinal between Italy and the Netherlands at the Amsterdam Arena on Thursday:
Formations
Italian coach Dino Zoff, who has played with both a back three and a back four in this tournament, is likely to start with a solid 4-4-2 formation against the Dutch because of their attacking potency. The one positional change he has to make for the match is bringing in Luigi Di Baggio for the injured Antonio Conte on the right side of midfield.
Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard will also start with a 4-4-2 line-up although the Dutch play with a rather more fluid formation. Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the most likely replacement for the injured Arthur Numan on the left side of the defence.
Defences
Italy have looked stronger and stronger as the tournament has progressed and, with four successive wins behind them, their defence is full of confidence. Francesco Toldo has had an excellent tournament in goal and the four men in front of him -- Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, Mark Iuliano and Paolo Maldini have developed a fine understanding. Maldini, closing in on Zoff's Italian record of 112 caps, wins his 110th cap on Thursday and has, as ever, been inspirational.
The Dutch defence, built around the central partnership of Jaap Stam and Frank de Boer, has not been as settled as Italy's. Michael Reiziger, Van Bronckhorst, Numan and Paul Bosvelt have all occupied the flank positions. Bosvelt and Van Bronckhorst are likely to be in Thursday's team. Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, who plays for Juventus, knows just what to expect from the Italian strikers, especially his team mate Filippo Inzaghi. Midfield The Dutch engine room, powered by the ceaseless drive of Juventus's Edgar Davids, has overcome all obstacles and, like Italy, the Dutch have won four straight matches. Rijkaard cleverly withdrew Dennis Bergkamp into midfield for Sunday's quarter-final against Yugoslavia and he was outstanding in a deeper role, providing the launch-pad for their 6-1 victory.
As well as Davids, Phillip Cocu has had a good tournament in the Dutch midfield while wingers Marc Overmars and Boudewijn Zenden have contributed enormously to the Dutch cause. They both have the freedom to switch wings and quick bursts by Overmars continually pressurise defenders. Zenden's crosses are sometimes wasted but he cannot be ignored for a moment.
Di Baggio will add some steel to the Italian midfield which should also include Gianluca Zambrotta, Demetrio Albertini and Stefano Fiore. Unlike some other teams, they know Davids well -- Zambrotta being another Juventus team mate -- and may be able to handle him better than Yugoslavia, France, Denmark or the Czech Republic did.
Forwards
Rijkaard will play Patrick Kluivert up front, supported by Bergkamp, while Zoff will again start with Francesco Totti and Filippo Inzaghi who scored one each in the 2-0 quarter-final victory over Romania. That means that Alessandro Del Piero will again start on the bench -- but is almost certain to be used at some stage.
Bergkamp has yet to score while Kluivert, with five goals in the tournament already, seemingly cannot stop finding the back of the net. But if Bergkamp is as creative against Italy as he was against Yugoslavia, then Kluivert should be provided with plenty of chances.
Summary
Unless one team scores an early goal and throws the match wide open, the Dutch, urged on by a passionate home crowd whose expectations are on a high after the 6-1 win over Yugoslavia, will have to try and batter down the Italian defence -- and be on the guard against quick counter-attacks. The power of Davids and the invention of Bergkamp will be crucial for the Dutch if they are to get through what will be their toughest test so far.
Euro2000-Portugal are favourites, argues French coach
BRUSSELS, June 27 - Portugal should be regarded as the favourites for Wednesday's Euro 2000 semifinal against world champions France, French coach Roger Lemerre said on Tuesday.
"Portugal are in the last four because they have no weakness," Lemerre told a news conference. "If there has to be a favourite, then it's Portugal because they reached the semifinals easily while he had to fight for it."
France are the only team left in the tournament to have been defeated, losing 3-2 to the Netherlands in their final group match.
"Portugal advanced more smoothly with remarkable performances along the way, scoring many goals and conceding very few," said Lemerre.
The French coach said all his players, including defensive midfielder Emmanuel Petit, were fit to play but he did not drop any hints about his starting line-up.
Petit missed France's last two matches because of an injury to his left knee.
Striker Christophe Dugarry, who broke his nose in Sunday's 2-1 quarter-final victory against Spain, is also available.
Lemerre said he hoped for a fluent, exciting game between two teams praised for playing attractive football.
"Both teams rely on an exceptional generation of players and have very talented individuals," he said. "I hope it will be an open game with plenty of goals."
Lemerre, who took over from Aime Jacquet after the World Cup triumph two years ago, modestly suggested that coaching France was not that difficult.
"I have inherited a strong team," he said. "They had just won and the atmosphere was simply ideal. My work has been very peaceful."
The only slight problem, Lemerre added, was that everybody now badly wanted to beat France.
"The motivation of teams who play against us is obviously greater since we won the World Cup," he said. "But so far the players have responded in a very positive way. Let's hope it will continue."
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Euro2000-Lucky star shining on France, says Zidane
BRUSSELS, June 28 - Zinedine Zidane, whose controversial golden-goal penalty propelled France into the Euro 2000 final, admitted the world champions had needed a bit of fortune to oust Portugal 2-1 on Wednesday.
"A lucky star is shining on us," said the great playmaker. "Let's hope it will continue."
Zidane shot home after furious protests from the Portuguese, angry at referee Guenter Benko for judging that Abel Xavier had handled a Sylvain Wiltord effort.
"It lasted for several minutes and it was very difficult for me to concentrate," added France's number 10, who decided a tense, close battle in the 117h minute.
"We had played for two hours or so and my legs were a bit sore but I knew I had to hit it hard. It was a great responsibility."
Benko awarded the penalty only after consulting Slovakian linesman Igor Sramka, in what French coach Roger Lemerre called "a great moment for refereeing."
Zidane simply called the decision "logical" and said he felt sorry for the Portuguese, who fell on their knees after he sealed their fate.
"You can't say that Portugal did not deserve to be in the final as much as we did," he said.
But central defender Marcel Desailly had a different opinion.
"We were not lucky," he said. "We did enough to show that we were the better team."
France survived a scare in the quarter-final as well, Spain missing a penalty and a great chance in stoppage time before bowing out 2-1.
"I expect our next match to be just as tough as the last two," said midfielder Patrick Vieira, looking forward to Sunday's final against Italy or the Netherlands.
"I don't care who we play," added the Arsenal player.
FAMILIAR SCENARIO
The scenario of Wednesday's drama was similar to the one of France's hard-fought match against unfancied Paraguay at the 1998 World Cup, which was a goalless draw until Laurent Blanc scored a golden goal in the 114th minute to send France into the last eight.
"There was never any question that I was going to take the penalty," said Blanc, who missed the 1998 final through suspension but will be on the Rotterdam pitch on Sunday for what will be the last match of his prolific international career.
"We suffered but you have to to win that type of match," added the 34-year-old, who noted that Portugal did not display the fluent, attacking game which won them praise earlier in the tournament.
"They didn't play their own game," he said. "They came here to defend and showed very little. So, I think it is only fair that we won."
France, who had knocked out Portugal at the same stage before winning the 1984 European championship on home soil, stay on course for becoming the first reigning world champions to win the European title.
Lemerre was in confident mood before France's first final of a major tournament outside their country.
"I have a remarkable team of players who promised themselves they would go all the way," he said. "They are strong enough to make sure that promise will not be broken."
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Dave Stringham, going up for the game-winning jump shot.
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Last Season's Statistics
Games: 19-15
Home: 21
Away: 13
Conference Games: 6-10
Non-conference Games: 13-5
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