Soccer-Euro-Rakitic faces fitness test for Turkey clash

By Zoran Milosavljevic

BAD TATZMANNSDORF, Austria, June 19 (Reuters) – Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic faces a late fitness test for their Euro 2008 quarter-final clash with Turkey in Vienna on Friday, coach Slaven Bilic said.

“The team doctors are optimistic that he will be fit but he is still in pain with a niggling knee injury,” Bilic told a news conference at the team’s training base on Thursday.

“He will have to pass a fitness test before the match and we hope he will be cleared by the medical staff to play against Turkey,” he said.

Right wing Darijo Srna has shaken off a thigh strain and should start in a four-man midfield as Bilic is set to field his favourite 4-4-2 formation.

Knee injuries have already sidelined defender Dario Knezevic and striker Igor Budan, who are out of the tournament.

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/

Euro 2008: Free and clear for the Greeks

By Brianna Goldberg, National Post

Match Greece vs. Spain

Relative congestion of the Danforth Almost completely free and clear. Patios sat empty. Tables inside were plateless. Bartenders all along the strip leaned on their elbows and looked bored. How could Greek town be such a ghost town when the home town was playing? This was Greece’s last game in the Euro Cup, no matter how the match transpired. Though they were defending champions in the tournament, they remain the only team in Euro Cup 2008 to not even win a single point after having played three matches.

And on top of that It was raining in sheets for the first half of the game.

Consequently “We sent half of our staff home,” said the hostess at the Fox and Fiddle. And she and another waitress still had time to dig in to a
box of luscious-looking baklava from down the road.

Finally settled At Iliada Caffeteria Bar, 550 Danforth Ave. Because there were a dozen Greece fans hooting and hollering at one screen, and about a dozen fans hooting and hollering at the Russia vs. Sweden game on the screen at the other end of the bar. It seemed like a neat counterpoint.

Meal Nobody seemed to be eating anything at Iliada … or anywhere on the Danforth, for that matter. Not even at Mr. Greek, where two lone souls stood on the patio watching the game without either a beverage or a snack.

Drink There was a strong showing of Beck’s (which is German) and Heineken (which is Dutch), though there was also a table sipping from brandy snifters: the drink of choice for a more discerning football fan.

Holy Sound Effects, Batman One lanky fellow in a blue trench coat gave a running commentary of the game in Greek. But along with the commentary also came an impressive flow of sound effects, straight out of the Batman television series.

Favourites Pow! Oup! [Sputtering like a motor]! Bo bo bo bo bo bo bo!

Thank Zeus for small mercies Angelos Charisteas saved Greece from being the only defending champion to exit the Euro Cup without scoring a single point. This was the moment of the game, and as soon as the ball hit the net three blue-clad fans immediately flipped out their cellphones to confer with fans who were further away.

Score 2-1 for Espagna

The Aftershock “We still played better than last time,” said Stelios Aslaniois, a cook who took the day off for Greece’s final match. “We had to come for the goodbye game.”

They’ll be back “Of course we’ll still watch the rest of the tournament,” said George Aslaniois. While Stelios said he is rooting for the Netherlands, George will be cheering for the team who just beat Greece. “I like Spain,” he said. “They play an entertaining game.”

Source: http://network.nationalpost.com/