England's women have continued their superb record of reaching major international tournaments, after they crushed a young Croatia outfit 3-0 to qualify for Euro 2013, appeasing legions of fans who bet online with www.betvictor.com. Hope Powell's side, most of whom represented Team GB at the Olympic Games this summer, dominated for large period of the tie at Walsall's Banks's Stadium and ran out deserved winners in front of an excited crowd.
TweetEngland have risen to fourth in the latest FIFA World Rankings with Brazil falling out of the
top ten for the first time since 1993. Eyelids were raised as FIFA announced the latest World
Rankings with Roy Hodgson's England side (surprisingly) moving up to fourth. Back-to-back European
champions Spain remain number one, while beaten finalists [.
The ex-England star Gareth Southgate, who is now heavily involved with the FA and is tipped to be
their next technical director is a bit worried about the future of the senior England side, and
doesn't think there enough home-grown stars being brought through in the Premiership compared to
the other big European teams.
The St George flags will be hanging limply this afternoon. It was after midnight in Kiev last
night when the final kick hit the back of the net and confirmed what we all probably already knew
that this England side wasn't good enough to reach the semi-finals of the 2012 European
Championships - but there is little sense of recrimination in the air this morning, rather an
acceptance that the "lottery" of the penalty shoot-out and whether this is true or not is a matter
for conjecture in itself merely served to see that justice was done.
Leagues around the world take a back seat to the international game, as World Cup qualifying
resumes.
The marquee match for U.S. soccer fans is the U.S. men's national team's battle against Jamaica
Friday night, where the U.S. can claim sole possession of first place in its qualifying group with
a win.
Amid all the on-field action in the last week, there has been a rather tasty one-way feud bubbling
up between former England boss Fabio Capello and Wayne Rooney. It all kicked off when the
Manchester striker claimed that the Italian's tactical orders for the England side had all been
"lost in translation".
Amid all the on-field action in the last week, there has been a rather tasty one-way feud bubbling
up between former England boss Fabio Capello and Wayne Rooney. It all kicked off when the
Manchester striker claimed that the Italian's tactical orders for the England side had all been
"lost in translation".
TweetAndrea Pirlo executed a masterful Antonin Panenka-style penalty kick during Italy's 4-2
quarter-final shootout victory over England at Euro 2012. The Juventus ace was the focal point of
the Italian team and produced a masterful performance at the heart of the Azzurri midfield as
Cesare Prandelli's men dominated a very limited England side.
TweetItaly boss Cesare Prandelli believes his side were worthy winners in their Euro 2012
quarter-final clash Italy progressed to the semi-finals of the tournament after a 4-2 penalty
shootout victory over an overly defensive England side. Having seen his team dominate possession
and create more of the best chances, Azzurri boss Cesare Prandelli expressed his [.
The pressure and expectation that has burdened many an England side at major tournaments in the
past seems to have been alleviated under Roy Hodgson. There weren't many who had England as their
tip to win these Championships. There were ...
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England midfielder Scott Parker believes that no one can begin to match the fluidity in Spain's
football all of a sudden but is confident that Roy Hodgson's astute tactics can guide the Three
Lions to a win over any team.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's quarterfinal face-off against 2006 World Cup winners Italy, Tottenham
Hotspur's Parker emphasized that rather than worrying about their remaining competitors, the Three
Lions must adhere to Hodgson's formula for success.
Mario Gomez scores for Germany in their 1-0 win over Portugal and help his team to a 100% group
stage record
Euro 2012 has been a fantastic tournament so far with 61 goals scored in 24 group matches and
with the culmination of the group stages last night comes a quarter-final line-up which promises
plenty of action in the knockout stages.
Wayne Rooney announced his first appearance at Euro 2012 by scoring England's winning goal to
secure their place in the quarter-finals with a narrow 1-0 victory against co-hosts Ukraine. The
result, combined with France's 2-0 defeat to Sweden, ensures England won Group D, avoiding Spain
the quarter-finals and instead drawing Italy in their final-eight clash.
A Wayne Rooney goal helped England beat Ukraine 1-0, which combined with a surprising 2-0 win
for Sweden over France, means that for the first time since 1996, England have won their group at a
European Championship.
It is all coming up roses for Roy Hodgson at these European Championships.
Wayne Rooney returns to the England side on Tuesday against co-hosts Ukraine, with quarter final
qualification at stake.
The Manchester United star missed the first two group games at Euro 2012 as he served a ban for
being red-carded in the qualifier in Montenegro for a needless kick.
He is likely to return to Roy Hodgson's starting XI alongside United team mate Danny Welbeck,
who scored Friday's winner over Sweden to put the Three Lions second in Group D, behind France on
goal difference.
In reaction to France not being able to defeat a Wayne Rooney-less England side in its opening
game of Euro 2012, coach Laurent Blanc has made a couple of big changes to his lineup.
Blanc has dropped Patrice Evra and Florent Malouda from the starting lineup in favor of Gael
Clichy and Jeremy Menez, as France looks to topple co-host Ukraine (12 p.
No doubt Fabio Capello would have been torn to shreds by the media if he'd presided over such a
defensive and mostly dour performance. However, under Roy Hodgson, expectations for the Three Lions
have started to mirror reality and so a well-drilled draw against Group D's top side will have
pleased most of the nation.
One of the more highly-anticipated match-ups of the group stage kicks off today's Euro 2012
action as France takes on England in Group D's opener (Noon, ESPN).
The French come in riding high after a strong run of form over the past year. They boast a
strong attack and steady defense, and will be favored to knock off an injury-hit England side that
will also be without suspended star Wayne Rooney, who is due to miss the match after receiving a
red card late in Euro qualifying.
Steven Gerrard key in England v France and Euro 2012 Odds - originally posted on
Soccerlens.com
A lot of the pre-match buildup for France v England has centered on Steven Gerrard and his
importance to the England side. With Lampard missing through injury, Rooney out through suspension
and John Terry the center of one too many controversies, the England and Liverpool captain has
quietly taken center stage and the mantle to guide England through Group D.
Ahead of their opening Euro 2012 match against Roy Hodgson's England side, French manager
Laurent Blanc has reignited the debate over the exclusion of Manchester United defender Rio
Ferdinand.
Ferdinand was controversially left out after a widely acknowledged personal clash between
himself and John Terry after the latter allegedly racially abused the Manchester United captain's
brother.
This article titled "Euro 2012: Roy Hodgson admits Joe Hart is vital to England's chances" was
written by Louise Taylor, for guardian.co.uk on Wednesday 6th June 2012 09.55 UTC
Roy Hodgson has not only acknowledged that Joe Hart will need to shoulder considerable
responsibility during Euro 2012 but deemed the Manchester City goalkeeper vital to his England
side's hopes of success in Poland and Ukraine.
At this rate, the England side lining up against France on June 11th will be made up entirely of
average Liverpool players. Coming in the wake of Jordan Henderson's promotion to the senior squad
courtesy of Frank Lampard's injury, Henderson's Liverpool team-mate Martin Kelly has now been
called up to the 23 in place of Gary Cahill.
As great Irish poet Ronan Keating said, life is indeed a rollercoaster, with Chelsea veteran
Frankie Lamps the latest poor sod to experience life's ups and downs. Coming only weeks after the
midfielder lifted the Champions League trophy with Chelsea, he has now been forced out of England's
Euro 2012 squad courtesy of a thigh injury suffered in training.
When the Czech Republic first take to the field against Russia, on 8 June, many of their fans may
be worrying just where their goals are going to come from. Michal Bilek's side only found the net
on 12 occasions, despite conceding just eight in a successful qualifying campaign.
The concern can be found in a lack of a reliable goal scorer.
French national team boss Laurent Blanc has cast a gloomy image over France's Euro 2012
campaign, admitting that he isn't expecting much from his side. Les Blues have failed at
the first hurdle in both of their most recent major tournaments (World Cup 2010 and Euro 2008), and
can't see them succeeding in this summer's European Championship.
The road woes continued for the Revs tonight as they fell 2-1 to the Montreal Impact, dropping
them back down into 7th place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Revolution's record now
stands at 6-9-4, while their road record reflects a disappointing 1-7-1.
The match tonight saw the return of Ryan Guy to the lineup, who went the full 90 minutes, and
also saw Darrius Barnes stepping into the role usually occupied by Stephen McCarthy, who is
recovering from concussive-like symptoms after taking a knock against Toronto FC last Saturday.
Two matches. Four days. A cross country trip. This is what faced Revolution coach Jay Heaps this
week, and without overstating things, what a four days it turned out to be.
New England returned home to Foxboro to face Colorado on Wednesday night, and while the style
changed a bit, and the soccer may not have been as aesthetically pleasing as their recent efforts,
the Revolution put together a solid 90 minutes and defeated the Rapids 2-1 in front of the home
fans.
Liverpool and England skipper Steven Gerrard spearheaded the Three Lions to only their fourth ever success over the samba stars of Brazil on Wednesday night. Both the midfielder, who earlier this week was named his country's Player of the Year, and right-back Glen Johnson completed the full 90 minutes as goals from Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard sealed a famous 2-1 win at Wembley.
Manager Brendan Rodgers admits he is looking forward giving a first team run for some of
Liverpool's younger squad member after failing to add to his squad on deadline day.
Liverpool sold Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy during the recently concluded transfer window, while
Andy Carroll joined West Ham on a season-long loan deal.
If Germany versus Greece or Portugal versus the Czech Republic didn't quite scratch the itch
after the end of the group stages of this summers European Championships, then this evenings blast
of Saturday night fever from Donetsk surely must. Two heavyweights of international football both
of which have won back to back World Cups and European Championships over the course of the last
decade and a half squaring up to each other for the right to play Cristiano Ronaldo sorry, Portugal
in the semi-finals of the competition.
England played a defensive game against the Ukraine tonight, and were a little lucky to win, with
a Wayne Rooney goal after 48 minutes, but in truth it was a poor performance from the England side.
Wayne Rooney after heading in England's winner And with France surprisingly losing to Sweden
2-0,  with good goals from  Ibrahimovic and Larsson,  England rather easily [.
Celebrities from A-List to Z-List were crammed into the hallowed stands of Old Trafford like
superstar sardines on Sunday night as the well-meaning yet quite bizarre Soccer Aid came to
town.
England, captained by Robbie Williams' full-time professional mate, Jonathan Wilkes, could call
upon the likes of Teddy Sheringham, Graeme Le Saux, Paddy McGuinness and a few chaps from JLS.
The transfer rumour mills are in full swing and many are reporting that up to 11 Premiership
Clubs are interested in signing Wolves winger Matt Jarvis. Others suggest that there are offers
from abroad including one from Udinese but that Spurs are considered to be in pole position to land
the 26 year old.
