The Round Ball Game - II

[jayne lee wilson]

Two teams into another ET...one down to 10.......odds stacked (unfairly) against I know, but I'd love to see the Swiss steal this one. OK then - play for penalties if they think they can hold out......

Shame Shaq went off... but I think Petkovic in adversity knows his stuff here....

[jayne lee wilson]

Such pressure, such heroism.... incredible to see.....

[LHC]

Switzerland have been incredible; they just refuse to give up. Wonderful to see.

[jayne lee wilson]

You never have seen everything in football, have you? Remarkable 30 minutes.....

All we can do now is bear witness.... (apart from suffering with hope....)....

Pretty much unbearable...wasn't it? Oh, what a shame.... but the memory of the Swiss heroism lives on.....

***

Need a fresh-air break now! Back for the Munich blue riband shortly....

[LHC]

So penalties it is then.

And, technically, a Spaniard has yet to score in this game.

[teamsaint]

Penalty taking as bad tonight as it was good in the last Switzerland game.
Fantastic drama throughout . I guess the game was made more dramatic by the sending off than it might otherwise have been.

Anyway, on to the battle of the giants. Lets hope it meets expectations, if it does it will be some game.

I think for those of us of a certain age, Italy always exude a certain magic.......and Italy teams have endless self belief.

[jayne lee wilson]

Firecracker end to the first half! Phew..... time to take a breath....

[teamsaint]

Wonderful half. Soft pen I though, and Belgium lucky to be back in the game.

Fantastic strike for the second goal, but Toby a bit slow to close down I thought, which is not like him.

[johncorrigan]

Wonderful half. Soft pen I though, and Belgium lucky to be back in the game.

Fantastic strike for the second goal, but Toby a bit slow to close down I thought, which is not like him.

Footie of the highest order, but definitely a penalty in my book, sainty. The defender was well beaten and held him back then pushed him. Italy excellent...beat the other game hands down. Spain still hadn't learned their lesson but snuck through. Can't wait for the second half.

[Nick Armstrong]

Firecracker end to the first half! Phew..... time to take a breath....

Tremendous stuff

[Edgy 2]

Footie of the highest order, but definitely a penalty in my book, sainty. The defender was well beaten and held him back then pushed him. Italy excellent...beat the other game hands down. Spain still hadn't learned their lesson but snuck through. Can't wait for the second half.

Yep, let's hope for more of the same in the 2nd half

[johncorrigan]

Great game of football.

[teamsaint]

A great game indeed, and Italy deserved winners I thought. Belgium never did enough to really earn a break, and thought they should have had a lot more injury time than was allowed , they didn't really look like getting the equaliser.
Italy have been the team of the tournament so far, but keeping it going over 7 games is never an easy trick to pull off.

[johncorrigan]

A great game indeed, and Italy deserved winners I thought. Belgium never did enough to really earn a break, and thought they should have had a lot more injury time than was allowed , they didn't really look like getting the equaliser.
Italy have been the team of the tournament so far, but keeping it going over 7 games is never an easy trick to pull off.

I don't think De Bruyne ever recovered his fitness, saint. He didn't look at the races. Italy looked great, but as you say, will their players last the pace?

[Nick Armstrong]

Great game of football.

The comedy cameo of Immobile prostrate in the box, out-acting many an Oscar winner, then realising a goal had gone in, springing up and running over to celebrate, was a classic

Despite the occasional inevitable bit of tattica, Italy certainly deserved to win that match. Great entertainment.