euro 2012 monday june 11 results

Monday June 11 Matches Results

France vs England

HISTORY will have to wait. The search for an opening victory at a European Championship goes on, but England successfully altered the perception that they will be pushovers here.

Having finished dead on their feet, the searing heat doing as much to sap their strength as France did, it seems strange to suggest that Roy Hodgson’s side could leave the Donbass Arena with a spring in their step.

Yet this result represents a base from which England, who briefly took the lead through Joleon Lescott in the first half, can build to better things in Group D – a platform to reach the quarter-finals. The outcome was the same as the first match at the World Cup in South Africa, though the parallels should end there.

England retreated from that draw against the USA deflated, but now there is cause for reasoned optimism as Hodgson’s drills took hold to create a supremely organised unit, which included eight players making major tournament debuts. The blueprint is not complex, but will eventually play to England’s assets.

Match Goals

Ukraine vs Sweden 

Andriy Shevchenko won the battle of AC Milan strikers past and present by outscoring Sweden's Zlatan Ibrahimovic to give hostsUkraine an opening victory.

The 35-year-old Shevchenko, who battled nagging injuries to claim his place in the starting line-up, twice headed the ball past Andreas Isaksson to cancel out Ibrahimovic's 52nd-minute strike.

Ukraine, taking part in their first European Championship, moved top of Group D with three points, ahead of France and England.

Sweden looked on course for a routine win after a slow start when Ibrahimovic, only standing out up to that point by virtue of his white and pink boots, put his team in front. Fielded in a free role as a playmaker, Ibrahimovic casually diverted a Kim Kallstrom pass into the net seven minutes into the second half.

Shevchenko, who netted 175 goals for Milan in seven seasons, hit back three minutes later for Ukraine with a diving header from an Anatoliy Yarmolenko cross as a packed Olympic Stadium burst into a huge roar.

"Sheva, Sheva!," chanted the crowd and they had not seen the last of their hero on an electric night. The striker doubled his tally in the 61st minute when he headed home from a corner at the near post after losing his marker Ibrahimovic. He was later substituted and left the pitch to a standing ovation before being named man of the match.

Surprisingly it was Ukraine who imposed a possessive pattern in the early stages and Shevchenko missed a fine chance when sent through by Yarmolenko, dragging his right-footed shot wide.

Sweden had the best chance of the first half, but Ibrahimovic was too laid back when his downward header bounced on to the far post just before the break and the miss was to proved costly, though substitute Johan Elmander missed a glorious chance to equalise in the last minute when he blazed the ball wildly over the crossbar.

Match Goals

By: Haiderzai

poetry

Rahman Baba Poetry In English

D 2 Muhammad. (P.B.U.H.)

If the body of Muhammad had not been born,
God would not have created the world.

The whole world was created for the sake of Muhammad;
Muhammad is father of the whole world.

Prophet-hood ended with Muhammad;
There are no prophets after Muhammad.

The light of Muhammad was in the world
Before there was even a notion of Adam and Eve.

Though created last in body;
In reality he is the first of all.

Do not consider him God. He is truly a man.
All good qualities are really his.

Whether prophet, saint or sinner;
Muhammad is the guide of them all.

Those who have accepted the religion of Muhammad
Are heaven-bound; both the sinner and the pious.

Muhammad is the guide of the lost,
The walking stick in the hand of the blind.

If there is any light, it is obedience to Muhammad.
Besides this, there is no other light in the world.

Muhammad is the helper of the helpless;
The remedy for every suffering person.

I Rahmān am a sweeper at Muhammad’s gate,
May God not separate me from His door.

By : Haiderzai

poetry

Rahman Baba Poetry Translated In English

My Lord.

Look! My Lord is such a great doer of things,
That my Lord commands full authority.

Of great and virtuous people that one can name,
My Lord is beyond them all.

He is not dependent upon others for His needs;
My Lord owes nothing to anyone.

He created life from nothingness;
My Lord is this kind of creator.

He has fashioned all created things;
My Lord hears all speech.

Of which there is no similarity or likeness;
My Lord is the maker of such scents.

Of every structure in this world or the one to come;
My Lord is mason of them all.

He is the reader of unwritten scriptures;
My Lord is the knower of all secrets.

The overt, the covert and the part-known;
My Lord knows them all.

What is created, what is concealed, what is between;
My Lord is aware of them all.

He does not have any associate in His kingdom,
My Lord is a king without a partner.

His oneness is not due to weakness,
For my Lord is infinite in one body.

He needs friendship from no one,
Whose friend is my Lord.

I don’t need to look elsewhere,
For my Lord is with me in my home.

He is not transformed or changed O Rahmān!
My Lord is always constant.

By: Haiderzai

Luck deserted us, says Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo

Euro 2012: Luck deserted us, says Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo

• Germany and Portugal are both charged by Uefa
• Holger Badstuber: 'Win has released pressure on Germany'

Cristiano Ronaldo believes Portugal were the better side despite the 1-0 defeat to Germany in Group B. Photograph: Mario Cruz/EPA

Germany and Portugal have both been charged by Uefa following Saturday's Group B game. The German Football Association have been called to account over the behaviour of their country's supporters, who threw missiles on to the pitch and let off smoke bombs at the Arena Lviv.

Portugal, meanwhile, face action over a delayed kick-off to the second half, but that was the least of their concerns after defeat left Cristiano Ronaldo bemoaning their bad luck – yet in doing so he was also overlooking their shortcomings at the end of a night that left his side facing a pressure game against Denmark on Wednesday.

The Germany goal lived a charmed life in the closing stages but Portugal had waited for too long to raise the tempo against a team who failed to deliver a performance in keeping with their billing as one of the favourites.

Although Germany were beginning to look increasingly desperate as the clock ticked down, it was not until after Mario Gomez's towering header beat Rui Patrício in the 72nd minute that Portugal attacked with real menace, although that was not the view of Ronaldo. "In the second half they had virtually one chance, and we hit the bar twice and had some big opportunities," said the Real Madrid forward. who showed only flashes of brilliance on a largely disappointing evening."[There was] a lot of bad luck and a lot of frustration because we knew we deserved more.

"We have been playing well for several games and just haven't had the luck with our finishing. It's not due to efficiency; I think the main reason has been a lack of luck. Anyone who watched the match will have seen that we were better than Germany and the chances speak for themselves. But now we have to pick ourselves up. We have to take as an example 2004, when we also started with a defeat but then reached the final."

For Germany, the overwhelming emotion was one of relief. Although they controlled possession for long spells in the first half, they lost their way and Gomez was close to being withdrawn when he expertly converted Sami Khedira's cross. "I have had a good feeling since the first day I came here and so I was able to repay the coach," the Bayern Munich striker said. "It was clear that Miro [Klose] would be brought on for the last couple of minutes. I thought I would get a last chance, and I took it."

Germany will go into the game against Holland on Wednesday in a much better state of mind than their opponents, who lost 1-0 against Denmark. "We can now release a little bit of the pressure and focus on our next game," said Holger Badstuber. "For the Netherlands, it's do or die. It'll be a tough one. It's always been a prestigious encounter and I think it will be even tougher than usual as it's crucial for them. We will go there full of confidence, not to hide."

Pepe, who hit the bar in the first half, refused to be downbeat about Portugal's prospects. "There are four high-quality teams in our group [and] we have showed we're capable of getting through if we continue to play as we did [against Germany] – we just need the luck.

"Unfortunately it's not always the best team that wins. I spoke to [Mesut] Ozil [a Real Madrid team-mate] and he told me a draw would have been a fairer result."

By : Haiderzai

euro 2012

Euro 2012: PFA chairman says abused players should leave the field

• Czech Republic's black player abused by Russia fans
• PFA chairman says players should leave pitch in protest

Theodor Gebre Selassie, left, was aware he was being racially abused by Russia fans in the Czech Republic's opening match. Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

England players would be well within their rights to walk off the pitch if they are racially abused at Euro 2012, the Professional Footballers' Association chairman said on Sunday.

Clarke Carlisle said he would want to walk off the pitch if he received a torrent of racial abuse and he hoped his team‑mates would support him.

Uefa, the governing body, has said players who walk off the pitch during the tournament in Ukraine and Poland in protest at racial abuse will be handed a yellow card.

Carlisle said on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show that on a visit to Poland last month he witnessed racial abuse and hooliganism in a league derby, having been told by the local police chief there had been no reported incidents in the past 16 months.

"The reality and what we are being told and is reported is vastly different," he said. "As a player, if you see that the officials aren't handling the situation, then you are well within your rights to walk off the pitch in my opinion.

"Nobody should be abused in their work place, especially not racially. We don't want any form of discrimination at all in football. This is going to be a real test of Uefa to see if they have empowered their officials to take control of these situations.

"If you see that the referee is taking control of it. If he has stopped the game and it is one or two individuals and they are being sorted out, or if it is a group and he is taking the players off the pitch to sort it out, then you'd be happy because you know it is being dealt with."

Asked, however, what he would do as a player if racial abuse was not being dealt with by a referee, he added: "If it happened to me I would want to walk off the pitch because I don't think anybody should be abused in their workplace and I would hope that my teammates would support me."

Earlier, the shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said players have the right to walk off the pitch. Writing in the Mail on Sunday, he said: "Referees have the power to stop the game should any racist incidents occur – they should use it and be backed by the governing body when they do. However, if a referee ignored blatant racist abuse, and the England players or the management felt justified in walking off, they should be supported."

Already a victim of racist abuse at the European Championship, theCzech Republic's lone black player said he has experienced worse and is ready to put the latest incident behind him. Theodor Gebre Selassie was fully aware he was being racially abused by Russia fans at his team's opening game on Friday. "I noticed that," he said. "It was nothing extreme. I've experienced much worse."

The 25-year-old left‑back plays in the Czech league for the champions Liberec and has been targeted by Sparta Prague fans in the past.

Gebre Selassie said he was ready to forget the incident involving Russia fans. "Personally, I'm ready to put it behind me. I see no reason to discuss it with the media," he said, declining to give details about the abuse. He also said he did not want to complain officially.

Uefa has pledged zero tolerance of discrimination during the three-week tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

To help achieve this, it asked the Football Against Racism in Europe fans' network to send two monitors to each match to look for offensive banners, chants and behaviour in stadiums, and report to Uefa within 24 hours.

On Saturday, Fare said it identified verbal insults targeted at Gebre Selassie, whose father is Ethiopian.

The Czech team spokesman Jaroslav Kolar said the team is not considering filing any official complaint and has not been informed by Uefa about any investigation.

Last year, the Czech football association's disciplinary committee investigated Sparta Prague, whose fans were suspected of abusing Gebre Selassie in a league match. In a statement to the committee, the player said he was absolutely sure he was targeted, but was not in favour of any punishment for Sparta.

The Russian Football Association has appealed to its fans to behave better after Uefa opened disciplinary proceedings over their behaviour during the national team's Euro 2012 victory against Czech Republic.

Anti-racism campaigners claimed Gebre Selassie was the victim of monkey chants during the Group A game in Wroclaw on Friday night, while fans were caught on camera attacking stewards in a walkway at the Municipal Stadium.

A statement on the Russian FA website read: "We appeal to all fans who are in Poland. Remember that you represent your country. Respect yourself, your home and your team."

It is understood that as of last night the Czechs had not made a complaint to Uefa about the treatment of Gebre Selassie and the Czech camp were unaware of any racist abuse toward their player.

Russia, who beat the Czechs 4-1, take on co-hosts Poland in their next match in Warsaw on Tuesday.

By: Haiderzai

euro 2012

Euro 2012: Holland in denial over Denmark's 'miracle' win in Group B

• Next game against Germany 'a final', says Rafael van der Vaart
• Coach unwilling to blame Robin van Persie for missed chances

Nicklas Bendtner, right, hugs the Denmark goalscorer, Michael Krohn-Dehli, after the Danes' shock 1-0 win over Holland. Photograph: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Before the first shock result of Euro 2012, the Denmark head coach, Morten Olsen, had spoken approvingly of the Dutch being arrogant in a good way. He might be quietly revising that opinion after hearing theHolland players join their coach, Bert van Marwijk, in claiming the better team lost but deserved to win.

"It was a miracle, they only made half a chance and they scored," John Heitinga said. "It's unbelievable, look how many chances we created. There is no way anyone can say Denmark deserved to win. Denmark didn't play very well, you can't have played well when you give so many chances away. They worked hard, I suppose. Even Nicklas Bendtner was playing centre back near the end. We don't need to play any better in the next two games, we just need to score. We've got the players, we've got the quality, the only problem is that we are bottom of the group."

Rafael van der Vaart said Holland losing their opening group of death match to the unfancied Denmark was a shock, but said confidence would come back if the Dutch won against Germany. "The next game will be like a final for us, we need a win so it is easy," the striker said, after coming on as a second‑half substitute against Denmark.

"We really had to win that game to feel comfortable in a difficult group, but if you miss your chances you cannot win a match. It puts us in a difficult position now, I think we are going to need two wins. They had one chance all game, maybe two, and they scored. To be fair though, it was an amazing goal."

Michael Krohn-Dehli's instant control and turn of pace to sweep past the Dutch defence and slip his shot under Maarten Stekelenburg certainly surprised Ron Vlaar and a somewhat statuesque back line, and possibly even surprised a few travelling supporters from Denmark. Krohn-Dehli did not make the Danish squad for the last World Cup, and has just transferred back to Brondby after struggling with injury and failing to make a sufficient impression at Ajax, but was deservedly voted man of the match as the Danes' most mobile and dangerous attacker. "I made a mistake not calling up Michael two years ago," Olsen admitted. "But he's in better shape now and a good age to be a striker for the Denmark team for years to come."

Krohn-Delhi himself was all modesty. "I wouldn't say that was my best game for Denmark, it might have been one of them," he said. "I can't say whether other European clubs will come in for me as a result of this win. I have a contract for a year at Brondby and I am happy with that, but in football you never know. I am just glad to be able to play at this level after being out for a time with injuries."

Denmark deserved this result, and the Dutch were never as superior as Van Marwijk suggested, though they did start as if they meant to overwhelm their opponents and created at least half a dozen decent scoring opportunities. All were missed, mostly by Robin van Persie, although Van Marwijk was reluctant to pin the blame on his striker. "Four, five or six players had chances to score, plus the referee had a chance to give us a penalty and didn't," he said. "When you are the better team and you don't get a penalty you deserve, there is nothing you can do."

It would be difficult to say that Lars Jacobsen's alleged handball in the final minute should have resulted in a penalty. The referee had a good view and decided not to award one, Van der Vaart was equally close and thought it could have been given. "I felt it was handball, it was strange the officials did not see it, especially as there was an extra referee on the goal line," he said.

Even a penalty would have produced only a draw, however, and the Dutch would have been disappointed with that. Denmark can approach their next game against Portugal with increased confidence and their usual defensive solidarity. Against Germany, Holland must win the game and need to attack. That probably means Van Marwijk finding a place in his starting line-up for either Van der Vaart or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and possibly having a word with Arjen Robben about playing for the team rather than himself. Robben did hit a post in the first half and might have turned the game with other opportunities he squandered, but unless the Dutch improve the supply line to Van Persie or the other main strikers they will again go out of a tournament looking more a collection of individuals than a functioning team. Whatever happens now, Denmark have no worries on that score.

By : Haiderzai

Euro 2012

Euro 2012: Cesc Fábregas saves Spain with equaliser against Italy

Cesc Fábregas celebrates his equaliser against Italy with the goal's creator, David Silva. Photograph: Claudio Villa/Getty Images

A draw in the opening game does neither of these sides too much harm and might do both of them the power of good. This ended up being a wild and open game; it had always been a fascinating one. Both Italy andSpain could find reasons to feel cheerful, Italy for the way they performed, for their rebirth and vindication; Spain for the way they reacted. Italy took a deserved lead but, just when the doubts emerged, Spain found a way through to equalise. They could have got a winner, too.

When Spain levelled they did so their way. Then they showed they have another way in a final 15 minutes that, with Fernando Torres extremely active if not always accurate, was as frantic as it was fun. As for the Italians, this was not the manner in which they had been expected to play by many critics – and they were so much the better for it. These two sides will be difficult opponents for any team at this tournament. We knew that about Vicente del Bosque's team; perhaps we did not about Cesare Prandelli's. The depression that had apparently clung to the Azzurri was suddenly gone.

Afterwards, the Spanish made clear their unhappiness with the pitch which they felt should have been watered in order to facilitate a passing game. "It's a pity. It doesn't help football very much to have a pitch that was so dry," said Del Bosque. "I am sure that with a quicker pitch we would have seen a better game."

Cesc Fábregas was more outspoken, saying: "The pitch is a disaster. It's lamentable to play on a pitch like that. I can't complain but we deserved a lot more."

Prandelli's plan to play a three-man central defence, with Daniele De Rossi as a kind of centre-back/deep midfielder hybrid denying Spain space, was an open secret. Del Bosque certainly knew. Ten names seemed certain; the doubt hung over the 11th. Who would be Spain's striker? Torres or Alvaro Negredo? The answer was neither. With Prandelli's plans presumably in mind, Del Bosque wanted touch, technique, mobility and surprise: the 11th man was Fábregas.

Despite that, in the opening 45 minutes Spain did not always circulate the ball with their normal fluidity, the ball holding slightly on the dry surface. There were moments, though. David Silva, Fábregas and Andrés Iniesta combined but Silva's final shot, partially blocked, was ultimately easy for Gianluigi Buffon. Iniesta was becoming increasingly important but he was often going it alone. Meanwhile, Italy were comfortable in possession, menacing too. A game that had been talked up as a culture clash did not reveal so stark a contrast. Prandelli was vindicated.

Italy settled into a pattern in which they had as much of the ball as Spain, or more. Emanuele Giaccherini and Christian Maggio quickly showed that their role was certainly not purely defensive, far from it. The wing‑backs were dropped in but also pushed out, seeking the space on the touchline and were often found with diagonal, spearing passes. "We did not play five at the back," Prandelli said, "we played three." And he was right. Del Bosque agreed: "Italy didn't just sit back. They played us face to face. They were as daring and as good as our team are. And we knew that would happen: we didn't expect them to just sit back."

Antonio Cassano was peeling out from the middle into wide areas, particularly the left, evading the attentions of the Spanish defence. Involved in most of Italy's best moments, his shot went across Iker Casillas's goal not far from the far post – and not far from Mario Balotelli who was lurking. All that in barely five minutes. Just before half‑time Cassano delivered a curling cross towards the near post. Thiago Motta headed it goalwards and Casillas made another save, his most impressive.

Yet it was Balotelli who had the clearest opportunity early in the second half. Having robbed Sergio Ramos, he then slowed up and allowed the centre-back to catch him. It was the last thing that Balotelli did. Almost immediately, he was replaced by Antonio Di Natale. And almost immediately Di Natale gave Italy the lead. Andrea Pirlo's run and perfectly weighted through ball into the left-hand channel found Di Natale and he curled past Casillas.

Spain had already created chances in the second period and their's reaction was swift. It was also a reflection of what Del Bosque had looked for in starting with six midfielders and no out-and-out striker. Xavi, Iniesta and Silva combined and the Manchester City player delivered a wonderfully angled pass for Fábregas, arriving from the edge of the area, to finish clinically. This had become an enthralling, open, almost wild game. Jesús Navas and Torres came on. There were chances at both ends but no more goals. Torres's quarter-hour was the very embodiment of that.

"He came on in a moment that was ideal: the game was more open and he had the chance to play on the counterattacks. Games start balanced and then bit by bit they open up and in that situation Torres was ideal for us to try to take advantage of that," Del Bosque said. But if the sense of danger was palpable he could not deliver the killer blow. An enjoyable game did not get a dramatic end.

By : Haiderzai