Euro2012 Previews

Spain vs. Italy

After almost a month Euro 2012 comes to a conclusion with the final between Italy and Spain at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. This is the second time in this tournament that these two teams have met as both were in Group C and faced each other in their opening game. That time, the match couldn't separate them as it finished with 1-1 draw. Antonio Di Natale opened the scoring for Italy but Cesc Fabregas equalised for Spain just a few minutes later.

The two teams met in the quarter final on this competition four years ago. The match was goalless and Spain ended up winning on penalties 4-2. Their last met in their Group C match ended 1-1 thanks to goals from Cesc Fabregas for Spain and Di Natale for Italy. Spain played 62% of the possession but it was pretty even on clear cut chances. It should be noted that Spain have never beaten Italy in normal time in a competitive match, and there has only ever once been more than two goals in a match between the sides (a 2-1 Italy victory in the 1994 World Cup quarter final).

Italy's started the tournament slowly only managed the 1-1 result against Croatia. They got their act together for a 2-0 victory over Ireland in their last match. Then in the quarter-final Italy totally dominated against England but failed to score and thus had to rely on a penalty shoot-out to go through. In the semi final they were clearly illustrated by an impressive display against Germany, and were well deserving of the 2-0 lead they built up thanks to a brace from crazy Mario Balotelli. Germany managed a consolation goal with a penalty in the injury time, but it was not enough for him. Italy's main question is whether to stick with a 4-3-1-2 formation that has seen them progress through the latter stages impressively or revert to a 3-man backline that helped earn a draw with Spain in their opener game.

In their group Spain could only draw their opening game against Italy but then they managed to demolish Ireland 4-0 in their second game. In the third game they needed a late winner from Jesús Navas to win the final match against Croatia. The quarter final saw Spain impress in beating France 2-0 in the quarter finals before they edged their way past Portugal on penalty kicks (0-0 aet). Whether Spain start the match with a six-man midfield, or they opt for a striker (perhaps even Fernando Torres?) remains to be seen. But Vicente del Bosque has no injury concerns ahead of the big match, so he has a full deck from which to pick his hand.

 

News:

It was Alvaro Negredo who started as a lone striker against Portugal, but the odds are that Cesc Fabregas will be given the nod in the final.
Christian Maggio is available to Prandelli after missing the victory over Germany through suspension, while fellow defender Ignazio Abate will come back into contention for selection following his absence from the last four success due to muscle fatigue.

 

Probably starting line up:

Spain: Casillas - Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba - Xavi, Alonso, Busquets - Iniesta, Fabregas, David Silva.

Italy: Buffon - Maggio, Chiellini, Barzagli, Bonucci - De Rossi – Pirlo, Montolivo, Marchisio - Cassano, Balotelli.

 

Prediction:

Spain is lacking a real closer at forward that can capitalize on all that tapestry of tiki-taka passing. Vicente Del Bosque seems to be content to keep Fernando Torres on the bench and go with plus midfielder Fàbregas as Spain's main scoring threat. So I think Spain seems to be lacking in finishing power upfront. By contrast, Italy has a nice little trio to work with in forwards Balotelli and Antonio Cassano (AC Milan) and maybe the most impressive player in the tournament so far, midfielder Andrea Pirlo (Juventus).

I think now Italy is more motivated than Spain, and they are fighting for the pride of their illustrious footballing nation. In my opinion Italy will win the trophy.

 

Bet on Italy win at Bet365 (4.00)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Germany vs. Italy

In the second semi-final of Euro 2012 Germany and Italy will meet at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Germany may be considered favourites in their semi-final clash with Italy, but it is worth pointing out that Nationalelf has never beaten Italy in a competitive game. Tiredness could be a major factor in this game giving Germany a full two more days to recover!

After winning all ten of their matches to qualify of the tournment, they followed this performance with an unblemished play in „Group of Death". They started with a narrow 1-0 win over Portugal before dismissing the surprisingly out-of-form Netherlands 2-1. In their las group game against the Danes managed to draw at half time, but Lars Bender's late goal saved their match. Germany winning run continued in the quarter finals with a comfortable 4-2 victory over Greece. Philipp Lahm opened the scoring in the first half and the Germans looked on course for a straight forward victory. Greece then equalised in the beginning of the second half through Samaras. After the equalizer's goal Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus put the result beyond doubt and the late Salpingidis penalty was just consolation for the Greeks. Mesut Ozil was the star of the night once again, with two assists and a multitude of intangibles that propelled his team to another convincing victory. I think their impressive defensive showings and intelligent play helped them win all four games, so this squad looks menacing!

Italy experienced major problems during their preparations for the Euro 2012, and they were subsequently written off even before the tournament started. Despite this fact, Italy began the group stage with a creditable 1-1 draw against tournament favourites Spain but only managed the same result against much less fancied Croatia. They got their act together for a 2-0 victory over Ireland in their last match. Italy are known for slow starts to tournaments and then to turn it on when it really matters and, after a rather edgy performance in their group, they stepped up a gear to dominate totally their quarter final against England. Italy needed overtime and penalties to dispose of England in their quarter final but Italy were dominant through-out the all match. Italy did have 69°% ball possession and did hit the woodwork. Ashley Young and Ashley Cole missed their penalties which gave Italy their spot in the semi-finals. They are playing attractive attacking football, something that was completely new to all Azzurri fans.

 

News

It is almost certain that both Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus will keep their place in the side following an impressive performance against Greece, although Andre Schurrle is expected to make way for Lukas Podolski.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is expected to start despite struggling with an ankle injury, but his poor fitness could prove to be a problem.

Ilkay Gündogan twisted his ankle in training at the weekend and is out for unknown period of time, though it is highly unlikely that he would play any part here anyway.

Cesare Prandelli could field an unchanged side from the one that dominated against England, though both Giorgio Chiellini and Thiago Motta could be back available from injury.

Christian Maggio is suspended having picked up his second yellow card of the tournament in the quarter-finals, meaning Abate would continue at right-back, though both he and key midfielder Daniele De Rossi suffered muscular problems in the win over England.

 

Probably starting line up:

Germany: Neuer – Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm – Schweinsteiger, Khedira – Reus, Ozil, Podolski – Klose (4-2-3-1).

Italy: Buffon – Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Balzaretti – De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio – Montolivo – Balotelli, Cassano (4-3-1-2).

 

Prediction:

German side will have gotten two days more rest than Italy, and they have full with Bayern Munich players still bitter about the loss to Chelsea in the Champions League Final. This fact resulting more motivation for him. I think Germany have been the best team in the Euro 2012 tournament and are the only side to have won each and every game that they have played. The Germans also rested their star trio of Lukas Podolski, Mario Gomez and Thomas Muller against Greece and they should be fired up and ready for this Semi-Final although Marco Reus is expected to keep his place ahead of Muller in the starting line-up. After all in my opinion Joachim Low's team look like winners.

 

Bet on Germany win at Bet365 (1.91)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Spain vs. Portugal

The first semifinal of the Euro 2012 between the defending champions Spain and their Iberian neighbours Portugal. The two nation are old enemies and local rivals. Their eyes will be on Portugal's star player Cristiano Ronaldo as he comes up against a number of his Real Madrid colleagues in the other team. Spain is the obvious favorites, but Portugal should not be underestimated, especially after their great campaign so far.

Tournament favourites and reigning world champions Spain started with a 1:1 draw against Italy. This result that was highly criticised but looking at Italy going through to semi finals it doesn't look so bad from this perspective. The first match-draw was followed by wins against Ireland and Croatia at the group stage and continued their charge in the quarter-finals in what looked on paper like a tough match against France, but which ended up being a disappointing event as the French never really got into their stride. A first half header and a last-minute penalty, both from Xabi Alonso, was enough them for a comfortable win. For the third time in four games, Vincent del Bosque fielded a side without the recognized forward, although Fernando Torres did come on midway through the second half. Coach Vicente Del Bosque focused on the team's offensive side by reverting to the old system of using six midfielders. So they come into this semifinal high on confidence, and they have no injuries or suspensions to worry about, allowing Del Bosque to pick the best and most adequate team for this match.

Portugal had a slow start with a 0:1 defeat against another semi finalist Germany and then beaten Denmark and Netherlands in some of the most exciting games. Then they clinched a 1-0 victory over Group A's top team, the Czech Republic that guaranteed a semifinal ticket. True, they only won 1-0, but Cristiano Ronaldo got that goal and the scoreline did not reflect the Portuguese domination of the game. During the first half of the match against the Czechs, the Portuguese were constantly on the defensive and there were many close calls in the opposing team's favor. Their assertive side developed slowly in the game and it wasted a lot of time. Also, their defense needs some upgrading that will protect them from Spain's aggressive style of attack.

 

News

The only doubt is whether Torres will be fielded as the lone striker or Fabregas as a false 9 like against France.

Portugal has had the same starting 11 for the last six games but will make a change with striker Helder Postiga ruled out. He sustained a hamstring injury in the club's 1-0 win over the Czech Republic. Hugo Almeida came on for him and is expected to start Thursday.

 

Probably starting line up:

Spain: Casillas – Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba – Alonso, Busquets, Xavi – Silva, Fabregas, Iniesta (4-3-3).

Portugal: Rui Patricio - Joao Pereira, Alves, Pepe, Coentrao - Meireles, Veloso, Moutinho - Nani, Almeida, Ronaldo (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

Portugal has had two extra days to recover and prepare for this semifinal and traveled to the cooler climates of Gdansk before returning to the heat of eastern Ukraine. It's a big handicap for him, it means a goal for him! Portugal obviously have a chance considering the amount of talented players in their squad, but Spain's fast and accurate passing should wear them down. The Spaniards are more aggressive when compared to the other teams and their defensive records are decent. The Portuguese are usually slow to take possession and this upcoming match is going to be a race for domination. The team that takes the offensive first will most likely win. Portugal will be a hard test for Spain and it can be a bit too much even for in form Ronaldo.

 

Bet on Spain win at Bwin (1.95)

 

(Author: Szigo)

England vs. Italy

The last quarter final of Euro 2012 will be between England and Italy at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. The victory over co-hosts Ukraine helped England avoid meeting reigning champions Spain in the quarter-finals, but that may not necessarily be a good thing seeing they will face suprising-good Italy. The winner of this match will play in the second semi-final against Germany in Warsaw.

After a tight 1-1 draw with France England came from behind to win an exciting, crazy five-goal thriller against Sweden (3-2). Their last group match was against co-hosts Ukraine caused some anxious moments, which they won 1-0 thanks to a goal just after half time from Wayne Rooney, making his first appearance at the tournament due to suspension. Rooney's return to the starting lineup gives England an extra option going forward. The only worry is that he hasn't played many full time match lately so two or more games in a week may be too much for him. Manager Roy Hodgson opted for a defence-minded approach and his tactics has produced excellent results. The team looked extremely vulnerable at the back but completely out of ideas up front, but they showed enough character and some quality to go knock-out stage.

Italy were unbeaten in qualifying and conceding just two goals. Italy began the tournment with an 1-1 draw against reigning champions Spain but could manage the same result against much less good Croatia. They went throw for a 2-0 victory over Ireland in their last match, but Antonio Cassano's first-half goal was followed up by Mario Balotelli's goal at the finish. Italy have had their share of problems in the preparations for the tournament finals, but Manager Cesare Prandelli's side did well to overcome all the worries and they are now in a position to fight for a place in the semi-finals. Cesare Prandelli's team surprised everyone with their attack-minded approach, something that we couldn't see under his predecessors, and the best thing here was that the back line remained as solid as ever. The only problem that Giorgio Chiellini was forced out of the Ireland match due to an injury. Chiellini's condition will see him miss the quarters against England.

 

News:

England are set to be unchanged from the side that beat Ukraine, meaning Wayne Rooney continues up front with Danny Welbeck, while impact subs Andy Carroll and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain on the bench.

Giorgio Chiellini has been ruled out with a thigh injury and he will be replaced by Leonardo Bonucci, while Thiago Motta is doubtful with the same problem.

Mario Balotelli is expected to return to the starting line-up, with Antonio Di Natale dropping to the bench.

Daniele De Rossi will continue in central midfield, rather than the centre of defence, thus facing his ‘idol' Steven Gerrard directly. Mario Balotelli could start, going head-to-head with his Manchester City team-mates Joe Hart, Joleon Lescott and James Milner.

 

Probably starting line up:

England: Hart – Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole – Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Young – Rooney – Welbeck.(4-4-1-1).

Italy: Buffon – Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Balzaretti – De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio – Montolivo – Cassano, Balotelli (4-3-1-2).

 

Prediction:

This will be a great match between two almost equally teams. The two teams are the same if I compare their defence, because both are solid, but England could have a slight advantage in the striker position with Wayne Rooney back in the squad. In my oinion the midfield of Italy is better than England's midfield. James Milner, Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard are all quality players, they work and run a lot during a match, but Andrea Pirlo and Claudio Marchisio are superior when it comes to finding solutions around the box of the opponents, providing quality balls for the strikers. England has been underperforming in the last two games, and Italy just couldn't get their form going in the group stages. I think Italy might just end up qualifying. England doesn't have a good history when it comes to shootouts, and history has a knack of repeating itself for the drama. Italy made a better impression to me, England will find it hard to create chances against them. I think Italy's midfield will make the difference and that is why I will bet to Italy's win.

 

Bet on Italy to qualify at Bet365 (2.00)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Spain vs. France

The third quarter final of Euro 2012 will be between France and Spain at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. Spain are the defending champions, winning the trophy last time. The winner of this game will play in the first semi-final on Wednesday 27 June, also at the same stadium in Donetsk, where they will meet Portugal.

Spain could only draw their opening game against Italy (1-1), but rallied to demolish Ireland 4-0 in their second game. They were given a few scares in the final match against Croatia before Jesús Navas bagged a late win. Cesc Fàbregas and Fernando Torres are their top scorers, both with a brace. Their best form player is Iker Casillas, who has allowed just one goal in his three matches to date. Currently Spain looks solid and are expected to bring their aggressive brand of football into the Quarter-finals against France.

France was 23 unbeaten matches in a row, only to be ended by Sweden, goes to show that the French should not be taken lightly. France started the tournment with a tight 1-1 draw against England before being comfortable in their 2-0 win over hosts Ukraine thanks to two goals in three minutes from Jérémy Ménez and Yohan Cabaye. But they lost the chance to finish top of the group when they were beaten 2-0 in their last match by Sweden. Despite tallying 24 shots in this game (only four of which were on target); the French are definitely creative on the pitch but couldn't convert chances to goals when it matters the most.

 

News:

France will be without defender Philippe Mexès, who has been suspended after two yellow cards, so expect Laurent Koscielny to start instead.

Another French player who might not get the start after his lackluster play in the tourney will be Hatem Ben Arfa, who may make way for Florent Malouda

 

Probably starting line up:

Spain: Casillas – Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba – Alonso, Busquets, Xavi – Silva, Torres, Iniesta (4-3-3).

France: Lloris – Debuchy, Rami, Koscielny, Clichy – Cabaye, Diarra, M’Vila – Nasri, Benzema, Ribery (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

Philippe Mexes will be missing against Spain. Mexes earned his second yellow card of the tournament against Sweden. Except for Mexes Laurent Blanc will have a healthy squad at his disposal. This will of course aid the manager tactically, allowing him to match up with Spain's formation and style. Against Spain France could set out on a 4-3-3, with Yann M'Vila joining Diarra and Cabaye in midfield. This should be a tight, defensive battle, but with so much at stake, even a 0-0 score at halftime means the second half will be must-watch soccer. France's defense was in shambles last time, and this should have exposed a number of weakenesses that Spain will be quick to pounce on. Add to that the fact that Karim Benzema hasn't scored a goal all tournament long, as Franck Ribery. Expect Spain to dominate this match of possession and position battles. I think Laurenc Blanc will strong emphasis on defense, like Italy and Croatia did it. It will be hard to win Spain, I can see a chance for a big surprise!

 

Bet on X2 Double Chance at Bwin (2.05)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Germany vs. Greece

The second quarter final of Euro 2012 will be between Germany and Greece. Greece were the surprise winners of this tournament in 2004 and Germany have won it three times - in 1972, 1980 and 1996. The winner of this match will play in the second semi-final on 28 June 2012. Their opponents will be the winners of the England-Italy quarter final.

Germany are unbeatable. After winning all ten of their matches to qualify for Euro 2012, they followed this with an amazing performance in the „Death of Group B". They started with a narrow 1-0 win over Portugal, what followed the second win over Netherlands 2-1. In their final game, against the Danes managed a draw at half time after Lukas Podolski's 19th minute lead, but finally Lars Bender saved them. They were ruthless against Portugal, Netherlands and Denmark, so no wonder everybody expects them to reach the final without too many problems. Germany have a strong and stable first eleven without any need for changes. The 4-2-3-1 formation is a system everyone in the team is extremely comfortable playing. Germany's midfield and defence make sure they are the dominant team for large portions of games and that leaves Mario Gomez to do what he does best, finding spaces in the box and finishing chances.

Greece looked poor in their first two matches against Poland and Czech Republic. Their opening game ended 1-1 draw with Poland and almost as bad when they lost 2-1 to the Czech Republic in the second game and everyone was predicting an early exit. But they provided the shock of the tournament when they beat Group A leader Russia 1-0 in their last match, knocking the Russians out of the tournament. A goal by Giorgos Karagounis just before half time got the win. Greece show no signs of attempting to control a game or putting the opponent on the back-foot. If Greece defend so deep that the pace can't be utilised properly. In the last game for Greece, all too often Russian found themselves with a wall in front of them and the likes of Andrei Arshavin being forced to go back or to the side.

 

News

Joachim Low has a decision to make as to who to start at right-back after Lars Bender produced an assured, goalscoring display in the absence of the suspended Boateng, who returns for the quarter-final.

Captain Giorgios Karagounis is suspended after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament, as is full-back Jose Holebas. Avram Papadopoulos is sidelined through injury. While Tzavellas will keep his place in the side at full-back, the spot in midfield in place of Karagounis is potentially up for grabs, with the likes of Makos and Fotakis in contention ahead of more attacking options such as Fortounis, Fetfatzidis or Ninis.

Mesut Oezil, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lars Bender, who all started in Germany's 2-1 win over Denmark, are expected to be fit for the quarter-final despite missing training on Tuesday.

Defenders Vasilis Torosidis and Kyriakos Papadopoulos could therefore be crucial for Greece as goal-scoring options. Torosidis has scored six goals for his country in 47 matches, while Papadopoulos has hit the back of the net three times in 11 appearances.

 

Probably starting line up:

Germany: Neuer – Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm – Schweinsteiger, Khedira – Muller, Ozil, Podolski – Gomez (4-2-3-1).

Greece: Sifakis – Torosidis, Papastathopoulos, Papadopoulos, Tzavelas – Katsouranis, Maniatis, Makos – Salpingidis, Samaras – Gekas (4-3-2-1).

 

Prediction:

Especially in the absence of the Greece' captain Giorgios Karagounis, Greece are more than likely going to sit back and try and get Germany on the break. It's an unfortunate position for Greece to be in, that is their best chance of winning. It's what they know and it's what they seem best, scrapping it out at the back but staying in games and treating every set-piece as a chance. Playing like this only plays into Germany's hands, with Mario Gomez set to spend large sections of the game in and around the Greek box. I just can't see Greece scoring more than one goal, whereas I wouldn't be at surprised if Mario Gomez scored at least two himself. I think Germany will move on to the semifinals with relative easy.

 

Bet on Germany win at Bet365 (1.35)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Czech Rep. vs. Portugal

The first quarter final of Euro 2012 will be between the Czech Republic and Portugal at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Both team lost their opening games, but have since rallied the troops and earned a chance to fight for one place of the semi-finals, where they will meet either Spain or France.

It was a bad start of Czech Republic at the beginning of the tournament, being thrashed 4-1 by Russia. Their second match's result was better beating Greece 2-1. That set up a crucial game against co-hosts Poland and they managed to spoil the party with a 1-0 win, knocking Poland out. Petr Jiracek scored the lone goal of the game; his two goals in three group games propelled the Czechs to the summit of group. Thanks to this goal they won the group A two points clear of Greece. The Czech's have surprised all and sundry with their run to the quarter-finals, especially given how they started the tournament. Their first match was catastrophic, with the Russian's running rampant, helped in no small part by the poor defending by the Czechs. They managed to bounce back though, with an amazing start against the Greeks putting them on course for a 2-1 victory, while their last gorup-match was their better games, they were tactic nas patient. As a reward Czech Republic faces an easier match-up from the Group of Death: group B runner-up Portugal.

Portugal's road to the knockout round wasn't easy. Portugal also lost their opening game 1-0 against Germany but then won a five-goal thriller 3-2 against Denmark. The Seleccao were far from impressive in their second game, but somehow managed to record a valuable victory and thus improved their chances before the final group game. This meant they had everything to play for in their final match against the Netherlands and it all looked to be going wrong when the Holland took the lead. Team's captain Cristiano Ronaldo rescued the day with a brace, one in each half. He'd had a poor tournament by his standards but now looks to be back on form. Portugal came second in the group, three points behind Germany. Paulo Bento's team wasn't all that sharp to begin with after all, but they did catch enough breaks to make it to the tournament's second round. Their lack of an out-and-out striker may come back to haunt them. Their performance against the Dutch was impressive, and they were fully deserving of their victory that was built on the back of their midfield dominance. If Raul Meireles and Joao Moutinho can get into the game early it may be a long evening for the Czechs.

 

News:

Team's chances will be seriously damaged if influential midfielder Tomas Rosicky fails to recover in time to face Portugal, as his Achilles injury looks more serious than first thought.

With no fresh selection worries to report, coach Paulo Bento is likely to stick to the same side that started all three group games.

 

Probably starting line up:

Czech Republic: Cech - Gebre Selassie, Sivok, Kadlec, Limbersky - Hubschmann, Plasil - Jiracek, Kolar, Pilar - Baros (4-2-3-1).

Portugal: Patricio - Pereira, Pepe, Alves, Coentrao - Moutinho, Veloso, Meireles - Nani, Postiga, Ronaldo (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

The first quarter-final is sure to provide an interesting spectacle. The Czech Republic tend to set up in a very similar way to Portugal, with a lone striker flanked by two advanced wingers. The only difference is that they like to play with one attacking midfielder sitting behind the front line, occupying a more advanced position that any of Portugal's midfield three. This playmaker would be Tomas Rosicky, but the midfielder was forced to return to Prague for treatment on an Achilles injury that he picked up against Greece. Should Rosicky not recover in time, the Czech Republic are likely to line-up like they did against Poland in their last group game, with Daniel Kolar coming in to occupy a central midfield role. Miguel Veloso is the Portugal defensive midfielder, who has been one of Portugal's most consistent performers this tournament, helping Portugal to qualify by snuffing out Mesut Özil, Christian Eriksen and Wesley Sneijder. If he can do the same sort of spoiling job against the Czech Republic, there are no surprises for Portugal.

All four of the Czech Republic's goals so far have come from their wingers, with Petr Jirasek and Vaclav Pilar. Both players have pace and look to cut inside towards goal, so it will be vital that the likes of Raul Meireles and João Moutinho do not leave Fábio Coentrão and João Pereira too isolated, especially with both full-backs having to get through. The Czech Republic may have become more defensively solid as the tournament has gone on, particularly with the recall of Tomas Hubschman into the holding role after the debacle of their first game. If Portugal's midfield can repeat the trick and ship the ball out to Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani as quickly as possible then the two wingers could well wreak havoc.

The Selecção are clear favourites to progress, I expect them to have just enough to see off the Czech's here and book a potential meeting with France or Spain in the final four.

 

Bet on Portugal win at Bet365 (1.72)

 

(Author: Szigo)

England vs. Ukraine

England face off against desperate co-hosts Ukraine in their final group game the fact that a win or a draw would take them to the quarter-finals. On the other side Ukraine need a victory to advance to the next stage. The two teams last met almost two years ago in the World cup qualifier, where Nazarenko's goal was enough to victory for Ukraine. This time England would be eyeing revenge and hoping for the qualification.

After played a defensive game against France, the Three Lions put up an entertaining show against Sweden. Things looked out of control when they lost their own goal lead to trail Sweden, but Roy Hodgson's move to substitute winger Walcott proved to be a master-stroke. Now Roy Hodgson welcomes back Wayne Rooney joins Danny Welbeck up front who scored the winning goal against Sweden. Rooney's return will shuffle players in midfield, perhaps moving fellow Ashley Young to the left side of midfield. Young has been the catalyst of Hodgson's side in the last two outings.

Ukraine started the tournament well by beating Sweden 2-1, thanks to an inspired performance by their captain Andrey Shevnchenko. However, they lost to France last game putting them in a risky situation. Ukraine couldn't do well on both ends of the field, allowing France to pepper their goal and the Les Bleus defense to soak up the pressure and swallow their attacking moves. Ukraine tally of only one shot on target was telling of how miserable of a night they had. The defence was their weak link against Les Blues, should come up with an improved show if they have any hopes of progressing further in the tournament. The team cannot entirely rely on their veteran captain for goals and should be more motivated in attack.

 

News

England's attack will receive fresh impetus with Wayne Rooney's return against the hosts. The striker suspended for the first two games, was forced to watch his team's quest from the sidelines and would now be raring to go.
Despite not fully recovering from a knee injury, Andrey Shevnchenko is expected to be a part of the playing eleven. The Dynamo Kiev man, who is experiencing acute pain in his left knee is being monitored round the clock by the team doctors.

 

Probably line up:

England:  Hart - Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole - Walcott, Gerrard, Parker, Young - Welbeck, Rooney (4-4-2).
Ukraine:  Pyatov - Selin, Khacheridi, Mykhalyk, Husyev - Konoplyanka, Tyomshchuk - Yarmolenko, Nazarenko, Shevchenko - Voronin (4-2-3-1).

 

Prediction:

Ukraine have not won in their last six matches in Donetsk, so this clash will be very exciting. England are in a comfortable position to qualify and as a team stronger than their opponents, so according to the bookies they are the favourites to win this game. But they should be careful not to embrace an ultra-defensive approach, because they invite trouble. Andrey Shevchenko and his Co will be very motivated, and his attacking power is rather good as mediocre. England welcomes Wayne Rooney back to boast an even stronger front line. I think the presence of Rooney means at least one plus goal for England! Rooney's presence will be a plus force for the team' mates, and on the other hand, he will exposes the heart of the pitch. Ukraine hasn't been defensively sound since this tournament started and Ukraine fans are biting their nails for the quarter finals. With Poland out of the tournament, Ukraine is the remaining host with the outside chance of making it to the knockout stage. I think it will be an open match, with an unpredictible result, but probably with at least three goals.

Bet on Over 2,5 at Bet365 (2.00)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Sweden vs. France

Sweden meet France on the last match of the Group D. France face a dilemma ahead of a game, as they have qualified for the quarter-finals by beating co-hosts Ukraine and they now need just one more point to be safe. Sweden are without chances to go through after squandering a one-goal lead to lose to England in their second match.

Sweden had the lead against both Ukraine (1-0) and England (2-1), but failed to get anything from the two games and they now enter the France game completely out of confidence. Despite the loss against England, nobody can deny that Sweden put up a good fight to challenge England. That is not to say that Sweden haven't shown some potential at the tournament, the lack of character proved to be a major issue. Their defence has been questioned throughout this competition and rightly so. The goals they have conceded have been very poor from a defensive point of view and I can't see them keeping France for very long.

France beated Ukraine thanks to goals of Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye. The dominating performance pushed France to the top of Group D, needing only one point to qualify for the quarter finals. It was Karim Benzema who provided Les Bleus the perfect chances they needed to score. Benzema had two assists before being substituted in the 76th minute. He is in the list for most assists in this tournament, already with David Silva and Andrey Arshavin who each have three assists. Now Les Bleus need one point to go through and three to finish in first place and thus avoid meeting Spain in the next round.

 

News

Erik Hamren's squad is one of the oldest at the tournament and with World Cup qualifying coming up in September, he needs to test some of his younger players in top level competition.

Laurent Blanc may also ponder resting his three players who have been booked in the tournament but he was adamant Les Bleus will try to win the game, even though a one-goal defeat could still see them through. Centre back Philippe Mexes, right back Mathieu Debuchy and winger Jeremy Menez will miss out on a potential quarter-final appearance if they pick up another yellow card on Tuesday. Defender Anthony Reveillere could come in for Debuchy and Menez could be rested with Florent Malouda or Mathieu Valbuena taking his place.

Yann Mvila, fit after suffering an ankle sprain in the build-up to the tournament, could return in the midfield for Yohan Cabaye after the Newcastle United player picked up a minor knock against Ukraine.

 

Probably line up:

Sweden:  Isaksson - Granqvist, Mellberg, J. Olsson, M. Olsson - Svensson, Kallstrom - Larsson, Ibrahimovic, Wilhelmsson - Elmander (4-2-3-1).
France:  Lloris - Reveillere, Rami, Mexes, Clichy - Nasri, Diarra, M'Vila - Ben Arfa, Benzema, Ribery (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

Laurent Blanc will want to win this game to avoid a possible quarter-finals with Spain. I need to mention that if France finish top of the group they would need to travel to Kiev from Donetsk early on the day before the quarter-final, losing precious recuperation time. But after all Swedes have been very disappointing in their two games so I really couldn't imagine them winning a game against Les Blues. They could pose a challenge here, as they did against England, but all factors in constant, Sweden do not stand a chance against the fluent and fluid French. I think France will win the match against the disappointed swedish.

Bet on Over 2,5 at Bet365 (1.90)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Croatia vs. Spain

Croatia meet defending champions Spain for the first time in a major competition with both teams sitting the top of Group C, but neither yet guaranteed a spot in the quarter-finals. With drawing against Italy in their last match, the good news is that Slaven Bilic and his men will need only point to ensure safe passage to the knockout phase. The not-so-good news is that they will need to do so against Spain, the group's strongest team and the tournament's top contender.

The two sides are level on four points at the top of their group, two points clear of Italy, who face the already-eliminated Republic of Ireland in Monday's other group game. A 2-2 draw could be enough to send both teams through to the final eight even if the Azzurri win.

In the first round against Ireland the Croats scored very early and just controlled the game. The Irish did get it back to 1-1 only for the Croatian's to score just after half time and then added a third deciding everything-goal. In the second round Mario Mandzukic also scored against Italy. The forward is the group's top scorer with three goals, and is one of three players leading the Euro 2012 golden boot parade. Scoring a shot that shoked the Italians, Mandzukic was stretchered off the pitch due to an injury in the dying moments of the game. Luckily, the Croatian was alright after the match and should be able to start this game against Spain.

Spain demolished the Republic of Ireland to register the biggest win of the tournament. The Spaniards' first goalscorer was Fernando Torres, he was followed by David Silva, and Cesc Fabregas scoring goals. Manager Vicente del Bosque's team will look to close the group stages with another win; a loss here would definitely cause commotion as Italy is still in contention for the quarter finals. Although the team still lacks incisiveness when compared to the erlier teams that has won the last Euro as well as the 2010 World Cup, the team is still in a very good position to impose themselves on the match and win it comfortably.

 

News:

The injury crisis which plagued Croatia before the start of the tournament seems to have died down. Versatile defender Vedran Corluka got through the full game against Italy, and appears to have fully recovered from the injury that made him a doubt for the tournament.
Spain will be at full strength with midfielder Sergio Busquets having recovered from a minor foot injury.
Fernando Torres is set to lead Spain's attack for the second consecutive game with the Chelsea striker having scored twice against Ireland.

 

Probably line up:

Croatia: Pletikosa - Srna, Corluka, Schildenfeld, Strinic - Vukojevic, Rakitic - Modric, Perisic, Mandzukic - Jelavic (4-2-3-1).
Spain:  Casillas - Arbeloa, Ramos, Pique, Alba - Xabi Alonso, Busquets, Xavi - Iniesta, Torres, Silva (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

I can expect the Spanish possession game dominating. Spain doesn't look like it's going to change styles anytime soon and the Croatians can capitalize on this. Many teams have become familiar with the tiki-taka that you can only imagine how much Slaven Bilic has obsessed over beating it. Croatian part trying to defend will not be a good decision as they would not qualify unless the score is high enough and the match is at least drawn. I think their defence is weak to this result. Summa summarum It will be a very interesting game especially taking the fact that both teams prefer an offensive style of play which means me a few goals. Also worth to notice we will see two of the main favorites to the Golden Boot award. From Spain it's Fernando Torres while for Croatians it's Mario Mandzukic who already scored three goals. I will try to bet on over 2,5!

Bet on Over 2,5 at Bet365 (1.73)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Italy vs. Ireland

Italy face Republic of Ireland on a crucial match in the Municipal Stadium in Poznan. Italy finished their Group C appearances with perhaps their easiest game, playing against Republic Of Ireland. Irish don't have the best quality team, but there is no doubt that they are more spirited than any other side. There will be two Italian managers in this derby and it may prove to be an excessive tactical match.

Italy has only once chance to make it to the knockout stages to win this one while hoping that the game against Spain and Croatia don't end in a 2-2 or higher draw. Fortunately for the Italians, this is a situation that is not new to them. In Euro 2004, Italy was denied of a place in the quarter finals when Sweden and Denmark held each other out to a 2-2 draw, forcing a three way tie that didn't work out so well for the Italians.

In the first two games I have seen two different Italy's. Against Spain they frustrated Spain and scored an excellent counterattack goal. Their defence looked solid in their new 3-5-2 formation and they were led by the magnificent play of Andrea Pirlo. The 1-1 final score set them up nicely to beat Croatia but that wasn't to be. Their second game also ended 1-1. Italy scored first through an excellent Pirlo freekick but then faded as Croatia took control and thoroughly deserved their equaliser. Their discipline faded when Giorgio Chiellini was caught totally out of position, leading to the Croatian's equalizing goal. Manager Cesare Prandelli has been critical of the sides finishing with many chances wasted but my concern is at the other end.

It hasn't been the best of tournaments for the Irish. Manager Giovanni Trapattoni's team are already eliminated from the European Championship, having lost their opening two games against Croatia and Spain respectively. In the first round Croatia scored early and kept creating chance after chance which in the end was too much for Ireland, which lost the game 3-1. Against Spain Fernando Torres double inspired Spain to a 4-0 win and with that the Irish were out. There play was old school, and out-of-date.

 

News:

Simon Cox makes way for the return of Doyle, who was sacrificed against the Spaniards amid a failed tactical move from Trapattoni.

Damien Duff will captain the side at the expense of Robbie Keane to mark the Fulham winger's 100th appearance in a green shirt.

A knee problem could force Mario Balotelli to miss out, with Udinese forward Antonio Di Natale waiting in line should the Manchester City striker fail to recover in time.

Italy will be without Juventus defender Andrea Barzagli who misses out with a calf injury.

Cesare Prandelli has moved Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi into a defensive role alongside Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci in Italy's back line.

 

Probably line up:

Italy: Buffon – Maggio, Bonucci, Barzagli, Chiellini – De Rossi – Marchisio, Pirlo, Giaccherini – Di Natale, Cassano (4-1-3-2).
Ireland:  Given – O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Ward – Duff, Andrews, Whelan, McGeady – Keane, Long (4-4-2).

 

Prediction:

I think Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will look to play a mix of young and old players. The inexperienced players will be hoping that the manager use this game to give them the opportunity, while the senior players like Robbie Keane or Damien Duff could be playing their last major tournament. So as it looks, this game could either be a breakout game for Ireland's youngsters at the same time a fitting send-off for the experienced players. For this reason Italy after all are more favoured to win this one, they will take seriously the match.

Bet on Italy win at Bet365 (1.30)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Portugal vs. Holland

Portugal meet Netherlands in the third round of The Group of Death. Portugal returned into contention for a place in the quarter-finals, whereas Netherlands suffered their second defeat as they were beaten by Germany. Now Denmark and Portugal are on 3 points, so the Portuguese must match Denmark's result to qualify unless they both lose and Netherlands win causing both to be eliminated.

Portugal lost against Germany 1-0 in their first game, with a second-half Gomez-goal. This goal changed the hole game and Portugal were left with little time to respond despite of their trying. While in their second game, they took a 2-0 first half lead over Denmark before letting it slip away. It looked like they were just about to be done until Silvestre Varela saved them with a goal in the last minutes. Everyone expected Cristiano Ronaldo to lead his team to a victory, but the Real Madrid star failed to impress once again, his second half missed opportunities could have cost Portugal the victory if it wasn't for Varela's goal. Portugal need to win this match, but a draw also may be enough, because with a win here and a German victory over Denmark, Portugal will advance through to the next round.

Netherlands lost their opening game 1-0, which was a shocking result. Denmark scored a goal early in the game and pulled off a huge "Group of Death" upset. In their second match against Germany Mario Gomez put the Germans up with a pair of first half goals, so Robin Van Persie's second half goal was a weak consolation for the them. The Oranje is the biggest disappointment at this tournament. They were considered one of the favorites to win the title but after their shocking defeats to Denmark and Germany now are on the brink of elimination. There is still hope for the them: must win by a two-goal margin (or more) and hope Denmark also lose against Germany.

 

News:

There are no injury news regarding Portugal's squad, but Fábio Coentrão, Helder Postiga, Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul Meireles need to be careful as they are a booking away from a suspension.
Central defender Joris Mathijsen started against Germany on his return from a strained hamstring injury, but he couldn't help his team avoid the defeat.
The Netherlands need to win by two goals here so for the first time we could see both Huntelaar and Van Persie in the starting line-up, a move that would drop Affelay to the bench.

 

Probably line up:

Portugal: Patricio – Pereira, Alves, Pepe, Coentrao – Meireles, Veloso, Moutinho – Nani, Postiga, Ronaldo (4-3-3).
Holland:  Stekelenburg – Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Willems – Sneijder, De Jong, Van der Vaart – Robben, Huntelaar, Van Persie (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

It's a do or die situation for Poland and behind their fans they should go for all the three points. They've played well in the first two games and have created some goal chances with their fast winger-attacks. They will play in front of their own fans, and it looks that the biggest stars of this team are in really good form what was confirmed with goals (Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski).
Czechs have looked vulnerable in defence, they look a side short on quality, certainly when compared to past teams. Granted they did score early against Greece and held on well enough for the win, but the gulf in class against Russia was plainly obvious and I'm just not convinced about their abilities. Czechs are just lacking that bit in every department, and despite having a great goalkeeper in Petr Cech, they don't seem organised well enough. I think Poland will win this match, they has shown more than Czech Republic.

Bet on Poland win with DNB at Unibet (1.58)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Denmark vs. Germany

Denmark face Germany in the L'Viv Arena in their final Group match. While the Germans are favourites, writing off Denmark could be dangerous for him. Germany are almost already assured of qualification but need to keep the last momentum, whereas the Danes need to get the three points to have a good chance of qualifying.

After the Danes' shock defeat over the Netherlands with a little bit lucky, they were unlucky to fall to the Portuguese 3-2. Portugal built a two-goal advantage before Denmark was able to score first. Even though the Danish drawned it in the second half thanks to Nicklas Bendtner's two headed. After all, Portuguese substitute Silvestre Varela put his country back on top with a well-hit score in the 87th minute. A draw would have made life easier for them. Now the Danes must win to guarantee progression, or rely on Portugal to lose to a disappointing holland side. But after the Portuguese performance against them manager Morten Olsen will realise that Portugal have a great chance in progressing.

Germany was in total control of their previous matches against Portugal and Netherlands with Mario Gomez's three superb goals were enough to secure manager Joachim Low side's two victory in the Group of Death. It is visible that even if they are not 100% yet, Joachim Low could rest some of his regular players according to some news. The thing is that he can do it without weakening the squad because he has so many quality players on the bench. In my opinion that Germany is the strongest in substitutions. Now The Nationalelf are virtually assured of a place in the quarter finals and one point against the Danes will ensure top spot, however they can still be eliminated with a loss if Portugal defeat Netherlands.

 

News:

Unfortunately Denmark have lost Dennis Rommedahl and Niki Zimling to muscle strains. Rommedahl has been ruled out, but Coach Morten Olsen is hoping Zimling will be fit. Tobias Mikkelsen came on for the former against Portugal and was very lively, and looks likely to replace Rommedahl.

Joachim Low resisted the temptation to make changes to the starting line-up against the Netherlands, but we could see the likes of Klose, Kroos and Schurrle start against Denmark.

Philipp Lahm is set to fill in for suspended Jerome Boateng at right-back, with Marcel Schmelzer likely to start on the left.

Dortmund's teenage midfielder Mario Goetze could see action, but only off the bench.

Holger Badstuber is one yellow card away from a ban.

 

Probably line up:

Denmark: Andersen – Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, S. Poulsen – Kvist, J. Poulsen – Mikkelsen, Eriksen, Krohn-Dehli – Bendtner (4-2-3-1).
Germany:  Neuer – Lahm, Hummels, Badstuber, Schmelzer – Schweinsteiger, Khedira – Muller, Kroos, Schurrle – Klose (4-2-3-1).

 

Prediction:

Manager Morten Olsen and his team will need to focus on their own performance, not the other game in the group. Most likely Olsen will play a counter-attacking game, but now they will be weaker than their earlier two matches. Dennis Rommedahl has been ruled out, and he was one of the depository of Denmark's good play. If Rommedahl is out, their counterattacks will be rarelyfied.
Germany goes into the final group match full of confidence, and they could be the only team to finish the group stages with maximum points. Denmark seemed shaky in defense, so the german team shouldn't have problems to score in this one. I expect that Germany will control the whole game, with their good midfielders, they should be solid in that area. I know a point will be enough for them, but I don't think Germany will play comfortable. The Germans like the clean, straight play, not to tactics.

Bet on Germany win at Bet365 (1.73)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Poland vs. Czech Republic

Group A will ends on Saturday when the Czech Republic takes on co-host Poland at the Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw. Both of them kept their chances of going through to knock out stage. Czech will be happy with a draw while Poles need a win to do it.

Poland opened the tournament with an 1:1 draw against Greece followed by a same result in their second game against Russia. While a draw with Greece was taken a bad result, one point from Russia was celebrated and gave Polish team good moral. They're in third place in the group with two points while Greece sits in fourth and last with just one. The draw against Russia puts them in a sensitive situation as they now need to win against Czech Republic to make it through to quarter final.

Czechs after a huge defeat from Russians (1:4) managed to come back to play and won against Greece 2:1 after two very early - specifically in the third and sixth minutes - goals. The Czechs will need just a point against the Poles provided that the Greeks don't defeat the Russians on the same time. Or a win here and a draw for the Greece-Russia game should be more than enough.

 

News

Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky is a slight doubt with an Achilles injury. He will most likely be missing, being rated at 25% capable of recovering by his manager. The main problem is that manager Michal Bilek has built this team around his captain Rosicky.

Poland have three injury worries. Defender Damien Perquis suffered a deep cut to his shin in the 1-1 draw against Russia, while midfielder Dariusz Dudka aggravated an abdominal strain. Eugen Polanski picked up a badly bruised knee and all three will be monitored before the game.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who was sent off in the second half of the match against Greece, is available for selection after serving his suspension.

 

Probably line up:

Poland: Szczesny - Boenisch, Wasilewsk, Perquis, Piszczek - Dudka, Polanski, Obraniak, Murawski, Blaszczykowski – Lewandowski (4-5-1).
Czech Republic:  Cech - Gebre Selassie, Kadlec, Sivok, Limbersky - Rosicky(?), Plasil, Pilar, Hubschman, Jiracek – Baros (4-5-1).

 

Prediction:

It's a do or die situation for Poland and behind their fans they should go for all the three points. They've played well in the first two games and have created some goal chances with their fast winger-attacks. They will play in front of their own fans, and it looks that the biggest stars of this team are in really good form what was confirmed with goals (Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski).
Czechs have looked vulnerable in defence, they look a side short on quality, certainly when compared to past teams. Granted they did score early against Greece and held on well enough for the win, but the gulf in class against Russia was plainly obvious and I'm just not convinced about their abilities. Czechs are just lacking that bit in every department, and despite having a great goalkeeper in Petr Cech, they don't seem organised well enough. I think Poland will win this match, they has shown more than Czech Republic.

Bet on Poland win with DNB at Unibet (1.58)

 

(Author: Szigo)

Greece vs. Russia

Russia meet Greece on Saturday, knowing that a point will safely see them through to the quarter final. If Russia loose against Greece and Poles win against Czech Republic they might even loose their place in the knock out stage. Greece need a win to stand any chance of qualifying for the next stage of the competition.

Greeks have won only one point so far. They've managed to get back to game after 0:1 against Poland but it was not the case against Czech Republic when they went 0:2 down after just a few minutes of the play. They did get a goal back but two was just too much. I think poor first half performances have really hurt Greece, they conceded early goals in both games to date, and although they did fight back to earn a creditable draw against co-hosts Poland, but against Czech Republic they could not do it. They've kept their chances and if they beat Russia they still can go through.

The Russians are just one point away from the knockout stages. The Russians play with plenty of attacking power under Dick Advocaat and are becoming one of the better sides to watch. Two goals by Alan Dzagoev helped dismantle Czech Republic, and although they were pegged back by an inspired Polish fightback in the second round, the form of their key playmakers will cause serious problems for the Greeks.

 

News

Greece will have Sokratis Papastathopoulos back available after his suspension, meaning Katsouranis will move back into the midfield.
Greece manager Fernando Santos can't count on Avraam Papadopoulos because of a cruciate ligament tear. Olympiakos defender will be out for six months.
Goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias is a doubt after coming off in the first half against the Czech Republic, so Michalis Sifakis may have to deputise.
Malafeev has been favoured over Akinfeev up-to-now, though the latter has returned to full fitness and will hope to start.

Alexander Kerzhakov could be benched following yet another disappointing performance. Maybe we might see Pavlyuchenko instead of Kherzakov from the start.

 

Probably line up:

Greece: Sifakis - Maniatis, K Papadopoulos, Torosidis, Holebas - Karagounis, Gekas, Katsouranis, Mitroglou - Samaras, Salpingidis (4-4-2).
Russia:  Malafeev - Anyukov, Ignashevich, Zhirkov, Berezutsky - Shirokov, Denisov, Zyryanov - Dzagoev, Arshavin, Pavlyuchenko (4-3-3).

 

Prediction:

The maths is simple for the Russians and the Greeks too. Russians need to avoiding defeat and then they're into the quarter final, regardless of what happens in the match between Poland and the Czech Republic. The Greeks will need to break the Russians 16 match unbeaten run if they're to stand a chance of making the knock out stage. A possible Greece win and any other result than a draw in the other Czech-Poland match will see them through.
Although Russia really only need a draw here to qualify I feel they're looking to make a statement of intent. They're playing with extreme confidence under Advocaat and with a huge crowd roaring them on and in-form strikers causing problems for the Greek defence, Greece are hopeless in transition between defence and attack. It's hard to look past a win for the Russians but protect this pick for a DNB.

Bet Russia win with DNB at Bet365 (1.29)

(Author: Szigo)

Ukraine vs. France

Ukraine will host France in the second round of group D. Ukraine defeated Sweden in the first meeting to bring Ukraine to the motivation of the players can achieve full points in a game against the French. France are unbeaten in 22 matches row but they were left frustrated after a 1-1 draw against England in their opening game.

Ukraine overturned some poor pre-tournament form to beat Sweden 2-1 in their opening game. A return to home soil after consecutive away losses against Austria and Turkey in last friendlies left the Ukraine team with three wins a two defeats from five games. They have scored 11 goals in their past five games. While there's no question about their threat on offense, the side is struggling to contain the opposition, with 8 goals scored during this time. Andriy Shevcenko who became a hero Ukraine victory over Sweden by scoring two goals, hopes to continue to score against France.

France emerged from the first round of Group D with a draw against England, despite dominating their opponents for much of the match. Joleon Lescott was on the score sheet for England after Steven Gerrard delivered a free-kick and they looked dangerous from set-pieces throughout the game. Their lead was short lived that's to Samir Nasri's strike from outside the box which beat his Manchester City team mate Joe Hart. France have won four and drawn one of their last five matches, and they demonstrated that they're serious contenders for the title. The French have put away an impressive 12 goals in their last five matches. Defence has had a few trouble, but has managed to keep goals conceded to 5 in five games.

 

News

There are likely to be very few changes from either side, as there were no serious injuries in either game. Ukraine in particular are likely to name an unchanged 11 due to their strong performance on Monday night.

 

Probably line up:

Ukraine: Pyatov - Selin, Khacheridi, Mykhalyk, Tymoschuk, Gusev - Yarmolenko, Nazarenko, Konoplyanka - Shevchenko, Voronin (5-3-2).
France:  Lloris - Evra, Méxes, Rami, Debuchy - Diarra, M’Vila - Ribéry, Nasri, Valbuena - Benzema (4-2-3-1).

 

Prediction:

Ukraine without good defenders the