I need to build up to that one. I don't want to be barred prematurely.

At the end of the quarter-finals, I still lead Simmo at the top - by one point. Biggest movers were Richter's Bojacks, coming up strongly with 50-odd points. Exciting stuff!

Italy, on the other hand - not so exciting stuff, but exactly as expected. I missed Netherlands v Russia as I attended my mum's sixtieth birthday party, but my mind was slightly blown by the highlights. Given the lack of games tonight and tomorrow, I might see if I can find the time to watch the whole thing and test UEFA's reckoning of over fifty attempts on goal.

The Ruskies are coming! With brilliant Soviet-style numbers on their kit!

Stevenage have made an unusual choice of kit for next season. Come on you boxes!

I've really surprised myself how much I've taken to Spain this tournament. They were my obvious choice to follow 'cos my girlfriend is espanola but even still...i was nervous as fuck watching that match and tore the roof off when they won it. Fucking brilliant.

I have to say though that I'm getting a bit pissed off with players dropping to the ground as the other team is attacking, stopping the game and taking all momentum from the opposing team. Italy were guilty of this more than once last night.

jongoodwin wrote:Italy's name is on this cup.

Boring game with Spain, almost two shoots on goal per side. Toni was a living dead, if he didn't manage to score even against the shortest defenders of the tournament we deserve to go home. Awesome goalkeeper, slightly more than average defense and awful forwards for what concerns Italy, Donadoni tried to reach the penalties by slowing down the game and by preventing Spaniards to play as the like. Ball possession, quality of game and luck were on their side, though. Technically and athletically Spain was quite superior, I don't think Italy would have won this cup anyway.

I hope Russia or Turkey wins the tournament.

Heeby Jeeby wrote:I've really surprised myself how much I've taken to Spain this tournament.

I like the way the Spanish play football just fine, but I cannot bring myself to back them as their manager is a daft racist. That, and as Mattgringo has rightly pointed out to me, THEY HAVE TOO MANY TATTOOS IN THAT TEAM.

Everyone changed their FFL teams ahead of tonight's semi?

YEAH MAN

From my neutral point of view, the game was exciting and I felt bad for Turkey, who played far better than I had expected. The noise in bar was deafening when the goals came.

But afterwards was fantastic. I was chatting to a few after the game, made an attempt to finish notes, then Yvonne and Bernd, my flatmates, entered, both similarly on the way. After another round, we went out onto Oranienstrasse. Awesome atmosphere, quite drunken, German and Turkish flags both abundant, and Yvonne suggested we head towards the crowd outside a small Mediterranean café, where some dancing was going on. Inside this small café was a band with a saxophonist and three percussionists, improvising all over the shop. The booze might have helped, but they were perfect. Lots of dancing, everyone mixed: tourists and locals seemingly of all persuasions. The street was meant to be open, but this spontaneous party had started and the police were content to let it continue. As Yvonne put it, this was a true Kreuzberg scene, festive and joyful.

Absolutely wonderful. But I wish Turkey had won, because I cannot begin to imagine what the party would have been like.

I'd really gotten behind Turkey in this tourney and that was disappointing. But considering they were overachieving the entire time, it's hard to feel too gutted on their behalf. Just a really shitty way to lose after apparently pulling off yet another miracle.

Great Game last night, wrong result. If Sabri could defend and Rustu had been chained to a post, Turkey would have walked it.

Respect for their perfomances. It's a shame that it sounds like Terim will leave.

Kind of missed the greatness in last night's game, like the fast combination stuff that makes great football great. The Germans got there at times, and then mostly scored. Turkey is a good spirited team but when you dominate like they did last night, you have to cash in on that.

We've seen some great keepers this tourney, Sar, Lobont, Buffon, but yesterday was just clumsy.

Ref was ass, too.