The group stages of the Euros have now finished and the quarter-finalists have been decided.
Who do you think will make the next round?
The good news is that, after the 1- 0 victory over Ukraine, England go through to the quarter-finals topping their group and avoiding the current World and European champions Spain.
The bad news is that Rooney doesn’t look like the talisman he has been built up to be. His performance against Ukraine was clunky and uncomfortable to watch. His first touch was awful, giving the ball away often, and he didn’t show signs of the piercing runs and dribbling technique that he is famed for at Manchester United.
He rounded off what was a bad day at the office with a goal though – a far post nod in from a fine Gerrard cross which benefited from three Ukrainian players deflecting the path of the ball, leaving him free to score. Previously in the game he had missed a sitter when Ashley Young sent over a perfect cross to Rooney, who just had to get good contact on the ball to stick it in the back of the net, but he fluffed his lines and sent it wide.
It was largely a performance to blow out the cobwebs and get his match fitness back, which is hopefully what he will have achieved.
He’ll certainly need it because England next face Italy in their quarter-final game. Although Italy have not set the world alight and had to rely on Croatia losing against Spain to go through, the best tournament teams take a while to get into their stride and build a head of steam. Italy could prove to be tough.
England finally had a bit of luck after John Terry cleared a Marko Devic shot off the line, only for replays to show that it was actually over the line. All the officials missed it, possibly due to Terry’s white football socks and football kit making it difficult to distinguish the position of the ball. It has once again heated the debate for goal-line technology in football nets; a matter that will be finally decided on by FIFA in Zurich on July 5th.
This luck will certainly be needed again and England will hope that they haven’t exhausted their supply of it in the group stages.
The quarter-finals are between Czech Republic and Portugal on June 21st, Germany and Greece on June 22nd; Spain and France on June 23rd, and finally England versus Italy on June 24th. This extra day could prove vital – after all, an extra day using the football training equipment can’t be a bad thing.
England’s path to the final is not an easy one. It will need them to make the best use of their chances when they come, and I’m sure they’ll need more luck to get through. They will face either Greece or the old foe Germany in the semi-final, and to reach the final would be a massive achievement for Hodgson and England, who have had less than two months to prepare for the tournament.
Let’s just hope that England are hitting their peak with Lady Luck on their side.
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