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Euro 2004 Qualifiers

sensei_hanson

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Bulgaria turn on the style
Saturday 12 October 2002

Two first-half goals and an impressive performance throughout gave Bulgaria a 2-0 win against Croatia in their EURO 2004™ qualifying tie in Sofia to put them in pole position in Group 8.

Fine performance
Plamen Markov's side proved that their 2-0 opening-night victory in Belgium was no fluke with an exceptional display against Otto Baric's men and thoroughly deserved the win after strikes from Stilian Petrov and Dimitar Berbatov.

Determined start
Bulgaria had started the game looking the more determined team, and they had already caused their opponents a few scares with some fine moves down the right before Petrov opened the scoring after 22 minutes.

Petrov strikes
Berbatov's pass bisected the Croatian defence allowing the Celtic FC striker to advance into the area and beat the onrushing Stipe Pletikosa with a low shot that nestled in the left-hand corner of the goal.

Boksic goes close
Croatia may have felt aggrieved to have been behind after Alen Bokšic's header flashed across the face of Zdravko Zdravkov's goal after just seven minutes, but as their confidence wilted, the home side took absolute control.

Cheeky backheel
Berbatov had already gone close on the half-hour, cheekily backheeling Martin Petrov's near-post ball at the target only for Dario Šimic to clear off the line, before he doubled the lead after 37 minutes.

Fine finish
Martin Petrov's long cross from the right went over Igor Tudor's head, allowing the Bayer 04 Leverkusen striker to chest down before prodding the ball across Pletikosa and into the net for what proved to be the game's final goal.

Improved display
After that disastrous first half, Croatia redoubled their efforts in the second period but as they tried to unpick the Bulgarian defence with a succession of quick passes, their final ball repeatedly let them down and they were to provide few threats to Zdravkov.

Chilikov unlucky
Indeed, it was Gueorgui Chilikov - a first-half substitute for Berbatov - who came closest to scoring, twice forcing Pletikosa to make good saves in the 55th minute.
 

sensei_hanson

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Scots warm to Iceland task
Saturday 12 October 2002

Scotland kick-started their EURO 2004™ qualifying campaign with a deserved 2-0 win over Group 5 rivals Iceland in Reykjavik.

Double fillip
Goals either side of half-time from Christian Dailly and Gary Naysmith gave the visitors three vital points - and ended a run of six winless games under coach Berti Vogts. Defeat would have represented an all-time low for Vogts following the 2-2 draw in the Faroe Islands in Scotland's first competitive match under the German's guidance.

Dailly header
The subsequent withdrawal from the squad of Everton FC defender David Weir had been a further blow to the besieged manager - yet Scottish worries lifted the moment Dailly looped a header over goalkeeper Árni Gautur Arason from Naysmith's right-wing cross after only seven minutes.

Faroes debacle
The West Ham United FC man, who like Weir had been criticised for his part in the Faroes debacle, profited from an early spell of pressure from the visitors. His new central defensive partner, Stephen Pressley, almost doubled the lead from an identical position but headed over.

Gudjohnsen strike
Despite the injection of confidence, the Scottish defence looked fragile when Iceland's star man, Eidur Gudjohnsen, swapped passes with Helgi Sigurdsson before flashing a shot against Rab Douglas's crossbar on 20 minutes. A better chance fell to the Chelsea FC man two minutes later following Haukur Gudnason's break down the right, but the finish was wayward.

Sheer perspiration
Gudjohnsen continued to offer inspiration to Iceland, yet it was Scotland's front two of Steven Crawford and Steven Thompson who threatened to conjure the second goal through sheer perspiration. Thompson was close to connecting to Crawford's flick-on on the half-hour, and the pair then harried Arnar Vidarsson into presenting the visitors with another good chance shortly before the break.

Goal of rare quality
After the restart, though, Atli Edvaldsson's men began to press home their advantage as hosts. Gudjohnsen released Bjarni Thorsteinsson into the Scottish area with a cute pass and it took a desperate Lee Wilkie block to keep out his goalbound shot. But just when Scotland looked to be wobbling, Naysmith struck a goal of rare quality, controlling Maurice Ross's cross from a position just inside the penalty area before turning and firing a half-volley into Arason's top right-hand corner.

Greater threat
Thereafter Scotland carried the greater threat. Crawford, who had wasted a good opening moments after the break, went close to making amends with a header that flew centimetres wide from another Ross centre on 70 minutes.

Slice of good fortune
Iceland, meanwhile, controlled possession but lacked impetus in attack. Only a shot from Gudnason that dropped into the grateful hands of Douglas, and a half-chance abandoned by Larus Sigurdsson following a corner, were causes of concern to Vogts, who had arguably earned his slice of good fortune.
 

sensei_hanson

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No capsule from England's 2-1 win over Slovakia yet. Understood that Southgate got a surprise start, Owen scored both goals and Seaman didn't look all that impressive, again.
 

coach

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re england

Ya think the field conditions had anything to do with it!
That might explain the mediocre.The field was fcucking
shocking,by far the worst i have ever seen.

cheers coach.
 

Dapotayto

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Re England

No doubt the field sucked. Very tough for Beckham and the like to do anything on that crap.
 

5bigtoes

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Coach is right! They showed the field on Fox Sports world last night and it was down right shockin'. Let's just say they have better pitches in Poco on the pig farm...
 

Fastshow

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sportsmanship.......

I'm sure they'll take the three points though.
Dapotayto, I live in the future so you won't have heard this yet but in a shock move of unprecedented sportsmanship, England have decided not to take the three points but, instead, have kindly donated them to the Croatian national side. Even Scotland didn't need them this weekend.
 

Dapotayto

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Classy move by the English but I think Italy could use a point or two as well. Maybe the Croats will be nice and go halfsies.
 

vratar

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Very tough for Beckham and the like to do anything on that crap.

I say the field conditions were very suitable for the English muckers kick-and-run game. In my humble opinion the field conditions were more devastating to Slovakia than England. ;)

As for the Croatian squad, a bad loss indeed. However still early and still high hopes for qualifying. :(
 

knvb

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Score so far.

Final score Attendance: 12,860
Czech Republic 2 - 0 Belarus
Karel Poborsky (7)
Milan Baros (23)

Final score Attendance: 38,000
Bulgaria 2 - 1 Andorra
Georgi Chilikov (37)
Krassimir Balakov (58)
Antoni Lima (80)

Final score Attendance: 18,000
Russia 4 - 1 Albania
Alexander Kerzhakov (3)
Sergei Semak (41)
Viktor Onopko (51)
Sergei Semak (55)
Klodian Duro (15)

Final score Attendance: 25,000
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 2 - 0 Finland
Darko Kovacevic (55)
Sinisa Mihajlovic (pen 85)

Final score Attendance: 6,000
Greece 2 - 0 Armenia
Demis Nikolaidis (2)
Demis Nikolaidis (60)

Second Half
Turkey 3 - 0 Liechtenstein
Okan Buruk (7)
Umit Davala (14)
Ilhan Mansiz (23)

Second Half Josy Barthel Stadium
Luxembourg 0 - 5 Romania
Dinu Viorel Moldovan (1)
Dinu Viorel Moldovan (4)
Mirel Radoi (23)
Cosmin Marius Contra (45)
Cosmin Marius Contra (47)

Second Half
Norway 2 - 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Claus Lundekvam (6)
John Arne Riise (26)

Half Time
Iceland 0 - 0 Lithuania

First Half
Austria 0 - 3 Netherlands
Clarence Seedorf (15)
Philip Cocu (20)
Roy Makaay (29)

First Half
Estonia 0 - 1 Belgium
Wesley Sonck (2)

First Half
Germany 1 - 0 Faroe Islands
Michael Ballack (pen 2)

First Half Nepstadion
Hungary 0 - 0 San Marino

First Half
Ireland 0 - 0 Switzerland

Israel P-P Cyprus
Postponed - due to safety reasons

First Half Valetta Stadium
Malta 0 - 0 France

First Half Millennium Stadium
Wales 1 - 0 Italy
Simon Davies (12)

First Half Friends Provident St. Mary's Stadium
England 0 - 0 Macedonia

First Half Windsor Park
Northern Ireland 0 - 0 Ukraine
 

sensei_hanson

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Forza Wales!

Wales recorded their best result in years with a 2-1 Euro 2004 qualifying win over Italy in Cardiff.

Tottenham midfielder Simon Davies broke the deadlock after 12 minutes before Alessandro del Piero levelled midway through the first half.

Ryan Giggs struck the bar with a free-kick before half-time, but the decisive strike came in the 71st minute when Craig Bellamy broke clear and rounded Gianluigi Buffon before slotting home.

The final whistle brought scenes of joy inside the Millennium Stadium and it leaves Mark Hughes' side two points clear at the top of Euro 2004 qualifying Group Nine.
 

Willy

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England / Macedonia

Ouch.

I'll save my piss taking for training tomorrow night ;)

Willy McNuffSaid
 

over the top

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over paid italians!!!

i can believe they lost today but, i can't understand why? nothing taken away from wales but this just shows that the world cup loss was no fluke and the italians are not playing for their flag!

a lot of primmadonna's worried more about their hair and the unfair calls against them than playing exciting offensive soccer. i am disappointed. a power soccer nation underachieving!! please, no more silly excuses. (lost on penalties... bad reffing...bad coach...) italy have enough stars to make 3 national teams but no balls.

:rolleyes:
i guess trap will get blamed for this one!! it's gotta be something.
god forbid the players take any responsibility on themselves!!
 

CDK

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I have to agree with over the top. Italy has to change their style of play to suite the modern game.

OTT, you comming the track on the 26th? Rovad is going to be there.

PSST, Ghostrider, answer the PM I sent you.
 

max blink

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a stinker that shouldnt have been

first off, seaman must go.

having the privilege of watching this one from my living room, I would say that England looked much better than in Saturday's sloppy-pitched mudfest in Bratislava. Beckham was 10/10, he was truly the captain, the leader, and the strongest influence on the pitch. He never seems to want to dribble the ball anymore, but his game is much more than just crosses. Good games also by Alan Smith (a weak second yellow), Wayne Bridge, Ashley Cole, and another good show from Scholes. Butt was 0/10 after coming on for an injured Gerrard. I could do better. Ian Wright could do better...

anyways, two goals should have been enough against this lot, but cokc ups from Seaman and Rsol Campbell cancelled them out.

The ballroom-dancing, pony-tail Latin lover should never play for England again.

max
 

Rangerforever

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Re: a stinker that shouldnt have been

Originally posted by max blink
and Rsol Campbell

Coming from a Spurs supporter, absolutely brilliant. :D

Never heard that one before.


Oh when I wash my face, I wash my Arse-n-all, my Arse-n-all...

Unlucky England. :D :eek:
 

cerebral smallsy

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sitting pretty

"10/16/2002. Norway sit pretty on the top of Group Two after a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Bosnia.

Nils Johan Semb's side were keen not to drop points after their impressive 1-0 win in Romania last week and two first half goals made sure they didn't.

Claus Lundekvam broke the deadlock after just seven minutes and inside the opening half hour John Arne Riise wrapped up the points."


wonder if riise kept his shirt on?

think we can convice canada to make the trip up for a post qualifier friendly?
 

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