Euro 2012 daily update: Sunday 17th June
• Shock victory for the Greeks
Russia the perennial dark horse and a team tipped by some to win this tournament, have been knocked out. Giorgos Karagounis sealed victory for his country by slotting home the only goal of the game. The night was also bittersweet for the captain as he was given a controversial yellow card for diving, meaning he will miss the quarter finals for Greece.
• Rooney is ready
England manager Hodgson will restore Wayne Rooney to the England front line with Andy Carrol expected to be dropped to the bench. Rooney has recovered from a minor toe injury and has been training fully with the squad yet some have doubts as he has played only 36 minutes of football (in the Belgium friendly) since the end of the domestic season.
• Spain dismiss pact with Croatia
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Hide AdA 2-2 draw between these teams would mean that both go through, sending the Italians home but the Spainish have dismissed these rumours as ‘stupid’. Italy can be forgiven for feeling paranoid however as Denmark and Sweden also needed to draw 2-2 in 2004 which they duly did, sending the Azzurri home.
• Keane ready for round two
If everyone thought Roy had calmed down, now that the dust has settled they would be wrong. In his latest outburst he said: “The likes of (Robbie) Keane, Shay Given, Richard Dunne, John O’Shea and Damien Duff are picked every game as they have a big reputation. A reputation for what? They hadn’t qualified for anything in 10 years,” he said.
“They love having a dig back when I say something but I tell you now, I’ll be ready if they do because players have to be accountable for how the team did’’
• ONE TO WATCH
Mario Mandzukic
Already creating a buzz so far in this tournament, the 26 yr old Wolfsburg player can still look to turn the heat up for Croatia. A player who has in the past been compared to Mario Balotelli (not in their footballing talent but rather their off-field antics) can add to his three goals in two games so far in this tournament. Croatia coach Slaven Bilic had this to say: “Geniuses are always the closest to lunatics and he [Balotelli] is a borderline case. But we have a couple of those in our team as well.” Mandzukic is one of them.
• EURO FACTS
Michel Platini, the former French player is the top goalscorer in UEFA European Football Chamionships of all time with 9 Goals. The more interesting fact is that he scored all of his goals in one Tournament (1984) and this makes him the top goal scorers in one tournament as well.
• MEMORABLE GOAL OF EUROS PAST:
Ahead of the Denmark V Germany game tonight, here is the curly headed Dane Jim Jensen’s spectacular goal