Sports Zone

Czechs through as Poland check out - EURO 2012

2012-06-17T09:03:00.000-07:00

Czech Republic 1-0 Poland
Petr Jiráček scored the only goal of the game in Wroclaw to send the Czech Republic through to the quarter-finals and eliminate the co-hosts.

The Czech Republic must have been few people's favourites to emerge as Group A winners after their heavy opening loss to Russia, but Petr Jiráček's second-half goal won them the section as they left the co-hosts heartbroken.

Jiráček had struck the joint third fastest goal in UEFA European Championship history in the defeat of Greece on Tuesday which reignited his country's hopes, and although he waited until 18 minutes from the whistle this time around, the VfL Wolfsburg midfielder's second strike of the tournament was even more warmly welcomed. The Czechs will now contest a quarter-final tie in Warsaw next Thursday, while the co-hosts must settle for watching it on television.

The designated home team had won all five previous encounters between the pair, and that trend continued with the Czechs given home status in Wroclaw. The gusto with which the Polish national anthem was sung left no doubt as to which team would enjoy the crowd's favours, however, as did the collective holding of breath when Theodor Gebre Selassie's cross was deflected into the path of Václav Pilař. Beautifully poised in front of goal in the Czechs' opening two matches, the winger was uncharacteristically hurried and did not connect cleanly.

It was the same story at the opposite end for Robert Lewandowski, whose shot squirmed wide off his left boot after Jakub Błaszczykowski had stolen onto a loose Czech pass before feeding his team-mate. The ominous clouds that had gathered overhead finally broke just before kick-off, and the spectacular electrical storm raging above the pitch was then mirrored on it by Poland. Sebastian Boenisch and Eugen Polanski both shot wide when well positioned before Boenisch's dipping long-range effort was expertly turned aside by Petr Čech. For the Czechs, who had taken the collective decision to grow beards until their tournament was over, it was their closest shave for some time.

Missing the creativity of the injured Tomáš Rosický, the Czechs struggled for inspiration. However, as the elements finally relented, it became simultaneously clear that Michal Bílek's men had ridden out their own storm. Jaroslav Plašil's deflected shot was well held by Przemysław Tytoń, and when the Poland goalkeeper then spilled Pilař's low shot, he quickly plunged onto the loose ball ahead of the lurking Milan Baroš.

With only Pilař providing drive from midfield, the Czechs looked to their full-backs for impetus after the break. A Gebre Selassie centre from the right zipped invitingly across goal, and, on the left, a burst forward by the excellent David Limberský ended with him stabbing into the side netting. Another defender, Tomáš Sivok, might have provided the breakthrough had he expected a Plašil free-kick to reach him, but instead of heading cleanly, the ball ricocheted off his brow and Tytoń blocked.

With Poland seemingly a spent force, a Czech goal appeared likely, and when Tomáš Hübschman won possession, he sent Baroš haring forward on the break. The veteran forward showed his worth by waiting patiently before releasing the ball to Jiráček, who cut inside before firing beyond Tytoń. Marcin Wasilewski had the opportunity to deny the Czechs, if not save his own side in the closing stages, but headed over, and Michal Kadlec cleared off the line to leave the co-hosts in tears.

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Karagounis fires Greece into last eight - EURO 2012

2012-06-17T08:59:00.001-07:00

Greece 1-0 Russia
Giorgos Karagounis's goal in first-half added time put Fernando Santos's side in the quarter-finals at their opponents' expense.

Eight years after lifting the Henri Delaunay Cup with victory over Portugal in Lisbon, Greece finally won another game on the UEFA European Championship stage, resurrecting that famous 1-0 scoreline to take their place in the last eight of UEFA EURO 2012 at Russia's expense.

Russia had started the night in Warsaw as Group A leaders but were undone by a goal on the stroke of half-time by one of Greece's survivors of 2004, captain Giorgos Karagounis. It was the 35-year-old who took advantage of a Russian defensive lapse by bursting through to beat Vyacheslav Malafeev with a low drive. It was some way to mark his record-equalling 120th international appearance, and a blow from which Russia failed to recover.

The result of it all was that Greece leapt from the foot of the standings to claim second place and the prize of a quarter-final in Gdansk against the Group B winners. For Russia, by contrast, a campaign that began with an impressive 4-1 win over the Czech Republic ended in sheer frustration.

Greece entered the game under orders to avoid a repeat of their slow starts against Poland and the Czech Republic. There was early encouragement when Karagounis's early corner was met at the near post by Kostas Katsouranis but his shot lacked the height to trouble Malafeev.

It was not long before the game settled into a pattern of Russia dominating possession and Greece sitting back, getting men behind the ball and frustrating them. Ten minutes in, Andrey Arshavin got his foot to an inswinging Alan Dzagoev cross but without sufficient power to bother Michalis Sifakis, deputising for the injured Kostas Chalkias in Greece's goal.

Minutes later, Aleksandr Kerzakhov unleashed a volley from the edge of the box but, typical of his luck in this campaign, the ball flew just wide. Russia had control of the middle of the park though it was from a rare opening down the flank that Yuri Zhirkov sped away from Sokratis Papastathopoulos but his exciting run concluded with a white, not red shirt, on the end of his cross. Kyriakos Papadopoulos did well to cut out another cross, this time by Arshavin, then Kerzhakov missed his kick when teed up by Dzagoev's header before Zhirkov flashed a shot just over.

After all that, an innocuous-looking situation in first-half added time brought the opening goal at the other end from Karagounis. When a Greece throw-in came down the line, Sergei Ignashevich misdirected his header infield and Karagounis scampered clear, cutting into the box in front of Zhirkov and beating Malafeev with the power of his shot.

Dick Advocaat responded by introducing Roman Pavlyuchenko for Kerzhakov but Russian advances continued to crash against the white wall of Greece's defence. Indeed, the Greeks so nearly extended their advantage shortly before the hour as Vassilis Torossidis, surging into the box, put a ball across goal, but Aleksandar Anyukov got there just ahead of Fanis Gekas.

Greece came close again as Giorgos Tzavellas curled a free-kick over the Russia wall and on to the angle of post and crossbar. By the end Advocaat had sent on Marat Izmailov for defender Anyukov and one more opportunity came Russia's way, Dzagoev nodding Arshavin's cross past Sifakis but beyond the far post. It was the story of their night. Although Karagounis's booking rules him out of the quarter-final, for Greece, by contrast, this felt like the reprisal of their greatest tale.

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Italy and Germany first to finals - Women's EURO

2012-06-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

A 9-0 win ensured Italy became the first team to clinch a place in next summer's finals in Sweden, where they will be joined by Germany who advanced without kicking a ball, while Austria are in the play-offs.

Switzerland's win against Spain meant Germany qualified

Italy and Germany are the first two teams to qualify for UEFA Women’s EURO 2013 – the holders without being in action – while Austria clinched at least a play-off place on a busy day of action which is rounded up below.

The group winners and best runners-up (not counting results against the sixth-placed teams in the larger Groups 1, 2 and 3) when the sections finish in September progress to the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 final tournament from 10 to 28 Julyalongside hosts Sweden. The other six runners-up go to the play-offs for the remaining three places.

Group 1
New Italy coach Antonio Cabrini knew a win against theFormer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia would clinch top spot with two games to spare and they duly prevailed 9-0 at Turin's Stadio Olimpico, Patrizia Panico claiming a hat-trick. The Azzurre now boast 34 unanswered goals in eight perfect victories. Russia remain two points ahead of Poland in the race for second having overcome Greece 4-0 while Poland triumphed 2-0 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both Russia and Poland are in midweek action with the play-off berth or even the best runners-up slot on their minds.

Group 2
Germany were not in action having beaten Romania 5-0 at the end of May but cannot now be caught after Spain lost 4-3 in Switzerland. The Swiss twice trailed before Ramona Bachmann's second on 80 minutes drew them level, leaving substitute Selina Zumbühl to delight the crowd with a winner soon after. Spain know victories against Turkey on Thursday and Romania on 19 September would secure second spot from Switzerland, but today's loss is a blow to their hopes of claiming a best runners-up spot.

Group 3
Iceland and Norway won their games in hand on morning leaders Belgium to become the new top two. Iceland are at the summit, an early Margrét Lára Vidarsdóttir goal setting them on the way to a 3-0 win against Hungary. Norway are a point behind, but one ahead of Belgium, after defeating Bulgaria11-0. Isabell Herlovsen starred with five goals. On Wednesday, Belgium go to Hungary and Norway welcome Northern Ireland – five points off the lead in fourth. The next day Bulgaria tackle Iceland, whose September trip to Norway looks decisive.

Group 4
With France well clear after six wins out of six, Scotland are in a strong position in the race for second place. They won 8-0 at home to Israel, inspired by a first-half Kim Little hat-trick, but the Republic of Ireland were surprised 1-0 at home byWales, for whom goalkeeper Nicola Davies was inspired before Helen Lander's 71st-minute breakaway strike. Scotland are three points ahead of Wales – who have played a game more – and four in front of Ireland, who welcome the second-placed team on Thursday. If Scotland do not win, France's qualification will be confirmed.

Group 5
Finland moved a step close to a third straight finals with a 2-1 victory in Ukraine. Sanna Talonen proved the key, opening the scoring on 35 minutes by heading in Pernilla Nordlund's cross. And although Olena Khodyreva pounced on a rebound for a deserved equaliser midway through the second half, Marianna Tolvanen set up Talonen for a winner with five minutes left. Unbeaten Finland are six points clear of Ukraine and Slovakia – who meet on Wednesday – and three ahead of their own midweek opponents, Belarus, who were made to work for a 4-2 victory in Estonia.

Group 6
The key game in this section, England against theNetherlands, is on Sunday in Salford but results in Groups 2 and 7 (if not Group 1) were good news for whoever ends up second best of these two. In today's fixture, Serbia made almost certain of third place by winning 4-1 in Croatia.

Group 7
Denmark have won all five matches but the new leaders areAustria, who secured at least a play-off place for the first time with a 3-2 victory in the Czech Republic. The key moment in Prague was on 39 minutes when Czech captain Iva Mocová was dismissed for deliberate handball and Sarah Puntigam converted the penalty. The teams traded goals in first half added time before Nina Burger's 63rd-minute strike ensured Petra Divišová's late goal was only a consolation. Austria, having played two games more, are a point ahead of Denmark. The Czech Republic need a win in Vejle on Wednesday to maintain mathematical hopes of qualifying.

Bento full of belief ahead of Dutch decider-EURO 2012

2012-06-17T08:42:00.001-07:00

Portugal could lose and still go through but Paulo Bento is adamant his team must "control the game" against the Netherlands, who "have to go for it" to stand a chance of qualifying.

Paulo Bento says his team will be going for victory against the Netherlands

UEFA EURO 2012 Group B may be a minefield of ifs, buts and maybes heading into matchday three, but for Portugal coach Paulo Bento and Netherlands counterpart Bert van Marwijk there is only one equation that matters: win and let the rest look after itself.

The Dutch are firmly stuck behind the eight ball after successive defeats and know all too well that they must win by a two-goal margin and rely on Germany to beat Denmark. However, they and the Republic of Ireland are the only two teams to have scored just once in their first two fixtures – taking that tally to three on Sunday is the minimum requirement.

It is a tall order yet Van Marwijk is not a man prone to hyperbole and was keeping his cards typically close to his chest at Saturday's press conference. History is not on his side, either, with the Netherlands victorious against Portugal only once in ten meetings; they have lost six. Bento, therefore, has plenty of reason for optimism.

"If I didn't believe in the possibility of succeeding then I wouldn't be here," the Portuguese said. "There's not any other way of playing this game – we have to believe in the possibility of reaching the goal that we have had from the very start. That all depends on our ability, our organisation and our talent. We have shown enough to suggest we can be confident and have belief in a great result."

It is when that other encounter in Lviv is thrown into the mix that things get complicated. For the Selecção das Quinas, however, victory will suffice unless the Danes triumph by a one-goal margin other than 2-1 and 1-0. If the permutations are as clear as mud, Bento's approach is at least a little more defined.

"We have to try to control the game, not only in defence, but also have possession of the ball and look for attempts on goal," he added. "Our aim is not just to go through but to win the game. We know what the Netherlands' strategy will be from the beginning. We've seen that in many Dutch teams; they like to have the ball, to play and to control the game. They've always shown great technical quality. But we shouldn't only rely only on counterattacks."

There are no such tactical nuances to consider for the Oranje, whose travails belie the fact that they were the top scorers in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying. With a squad boasting ten of the starting XI in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, one thing is for certain: now is the time for them to rediscover their scoring touch.

"There's always going to be pressure on me and the players as well," said Van Marwijk. "It's about one game and we know we have to go for it. We know from the start we have to win by a two-goal difference if Germany win. Playing in a league when you've got ten or 20 games is very different to something like this where you've got one game left and you've got to win 2-0. The tactics we choose will of course be impacted by that. We're just going to play our game and we know what our goal is – then wait and see what Germany do."

this news brought to by "Sports Zone" from www.uefa.com

Zimbabwe won by 11 runs

2012-06-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

Tamim Iqbal made 38

Zimbabwe 154/6 (20/20 ov)

Bangladesh 143/5 (20.0/20 ov)

Zimbabwe won by 11 runs

Zimbabwe Twenty20 Triangular Series - 1st Match
Twenty20 match | 2012 season
Played at Harare Sports Club
17 June 2012 (20-over match)


Zimbabwe innings (20 overs maximum)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
H Masakadza	run out (†Mushfiqur Rahim)	62	52	35	6	4	177.14
V Sibanda	st †Mushfiqur Rahim b Elias Sunny	7	29	15	1	0	46.66
BRM Taylor*†	b Mashrafe Mortaza	38	47	41	1	1	92.68
CR Ervine	run out (Nasir Hossain)	0	4	2	0	0	0.00
S Matsikenyeri	b Abul Hasan	18	18	16	3	0	112.50
E Chigumbura	not out	7	14	4	1	0	175.00
AG Cremer	c Nasir Hossain b Abul Hasan	11	4	6	1	0	183.33
P Utseya	not out	2	4	1	0	0	200.00
Extras	(b 1, lb 2, w 6)	9

Total	(6 wickets; 20 overs; 91 mins)	154	(7.70 runs per over)

Did not bat KM Jarvis, CB Mpofu, R Muzhange

Fall of wickets 1-47 (Sibanda, 6.3 ov), 2-91 (Masakadza, 11.5 ov), 3-92 (Ervine, 12.2 ov), 4-131 (Matsikenyeri, 17.5 ov),5-134 (Taylor, 18.2 ov), 6-145 (Cremer, 19.2 ov)


Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
Mashrafe Mortaza	4	0	33	1	8.25
Abdur Razzak	4	0	20	0	5.00
Abul Hasan	4	0	37	2	9.25	(1w)
Elias Sunny	4	0	30	1	7.50
Ziaur Rahman	2	0	16	0	8.00	(1w)
Mahmudullah	2	0	15	0	7.50


Bangladesh innings (target: 155 runs from 20 overs)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
Tamim Iqbal	c Jarvis b Mpofu	38	56	35	3	0	108.57
Mohammad Ashraful	st †Taylor b Utseya	22	41	28	2	0	78.57
Ziaur Rahman	c Ervine b Mpofu	23	27	22	2	1	104.54
Mushfiqur Rahim*†	b Muzhange	5	7	4	1	0	125.00
Mahmudullah	c Utseya b Jarvis	14	25	15	1	0	93.33
Nasir Hossain	not out	29	23	15	3	0	193.33
Mashrafe Mortaza	not out	2	2	2	0	0	100.00
Extras	(lb 5, w 4, nb 1)	10

Total	(5 wickets; 20 overs; 93 mins)	143	(7.15 runs per over)

Did not bat Elias Sunny, Abdur Razzak, Jahurul Islam, Abul Hasan

Fall of wickets 1-61 (Mohammad Ashraful, 9.3 ov), 2-87 (Tamim Iqbal, 13.1 ov), 3-95 (Mushfiqur Rahim, 14.2 ov),4-99 (Ziaur Rahman, 15.1 ov), 5-136 (Mahmudullah, 19.2 ov)


Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
CB Mpofu	4	0	20	2	5.00	(3w)
KM Jarvis	4	0	32	1	8.00
E Chigumbura	1	0	11	0	11.00
R Muzhange	4	0	33	1	8.25	(1nb)
AG Cremer	4	0	24	0	6.00	(1w)
P Utseya	3	0	18	1	6.00

Match details

Toss Zimbabwe, who chose to bat
Points Zimbabwe 2, Bangladesh 0

Player of the match H Masakadza (Zimbabwe)

Umpires O Chirombe and RB Tiffin
TV umpire TJ Matibiri
Match referee NN Singo
Reserve umpire S Rwaziyeni

Match notes

Online Scorer: Donald J. Nyoni
Zimbabwe innings
Power Play :overs 0.1-0.6 (Mandatory - 46runs /0 wickets)
Zimbabwe : 50 runs in 7.0 overs,(42 balls) 32 minutes 6x6 2x6
Masakadza H. : 50 runs off 34 balls, 4x5 6x3
Zimbabwe : 100 runs in 14.2 overs (87balls) 8x4 5x6
Zimbabwe :150 runs in 19.4 overs

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France find their stride to pick off Ukraine

2012-06-16T11:56:00.001-07:00

Ukraine 0-2 France
A torrential storm interrupted the action in the first five minutes before Jérémy Ménez and Yohan Cabaye fired France to their first Group D win.

It was wet, it was loud, and it was a long time coming, but France eventually earned their first victory at UEFA EURO 2012 thanks to quickfire second-half goals from Jérémy Ménez and Yohan Cabaye.

The weather conditions threatened to take the headlines after a torrential storm interrupted the action, but an improved display from Les Bleus hardly went unnoticed either. Karim Benzema was the provider on both occasions as Ménez and Cabaye struck within the space of three minutes to lift France to the top of Group D – ahead of tonight's meeting between Sweden and England.

Laurent Blanc had urged his players to be awake from the first whistle during this game and, were there any danger of a drowsiness to match their start against England, an eardrum-shattering thunderclap during La Marseillaise brought everyone to instant attention. It also brought thick sheets of rain tumbling from above and, with less than five minutes gone, the referee had to bring proceedings to a halt.

Fears of a postponement were eventually allayed 58 minutes later as the match resumed, and Benzema sought to exploit any moisture on the ball when his curled shot nearly squeezed through goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov's grasp. The Real Madrid CF forward looked in eager mood as France sought to apply pressure from the off – as per Blanc's instructions – but clear chances were another matter and Andriy Yarmolenko got the locals going when he pulled a low effort wide.

Still, Les Bleus looked destined to take the lead just before the half-hour when Franck Ribéry sped beyond Taras Mikhalik to retrieve a loose pass down Ukraine's right and hooked a cross towards Benzema in the area. A deflection rerouted the ball to Ménez in front of goal, but, having already blasted one attempt over, the surprise starter fired straight at Pyatov.

If he was expected to handle that, the Ukraine keeper then excelled when clawing a Philippe Mexès header away from the top corner following Samir Nasri's free-kick delivery. It was Hugo Lloris, though, who had made the first impression between the two when he batted away a powerful Andriy Shevchenko strike, the veteran streaking clear behind right-back Mathieu Debuchy and unleashing thunder of his own.

Shevchenko threatened again soon after the resumption when he speared a shot narrowly off-target from the edge of the area, and it was evident that both teams had resolved to raise the tempo. By that point, Pyatov had denied Ménez when the midfielder had squirmed free down the left, but the keeper was helpless to prevent him opening the scoring when he received a pass from Benzema, skipped inside Yevhen Selin and stroked low inside the near post.

When it rains, it pours, of course, and three minutes later Pyatov was beaten in the same corner of his goal, Cabaye this time applying the low finish from another Benzema assist. The Newcastle United FC midfielder could have had a second when he rattled a post from distance and, with Ukraine reduced to long-range attempts at the other end, Nasri forced Pyatov to palm away a late free-kick. For France, the clouds are starting to clear.

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Welbeck's England winner ousts Sweden

2012-06-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sweden 2-3 England
Danny Welbeck's subtle finish with 12 minutes left gave England victory and ended Sweden's hopes after another Kyiv night of high drama.

Sweden are out of UEFA EURO 2012 after Danny Welbeck's late back-heeled winner earned England a dramatic Group D victory.

Andy Carroll had given England the half-time lead but just past the hour mark it was already 2-2, Olof Mellberg forcing a Glen Johnson own goal then scoring himself before Theo Walcott's leveller. It was substitute Walcott who set up Welbeck with 12 minutes left to end Sweden's hopes with their second Kyiv comeback defeat. England join France on four points, one ahead of Ukraine with whom Roy Hodgson's side need only draw in Donetsk on Tuesday to make the quarter-finals.

Both teams made changes to their attacking spearheads, Carroll in alongside Welbeck up front for Wayne Rooney-less England with Ashley Young switching to the left and Johan Elmander taking over from Markus Rosenberg as Zlatan Ibrahimović's foil. England began the brighter and Scott Parker's drive forced Andreas Isaksson into an early save.

However, Sweden were maintaining possession and Sebastian Larsson tested his one-time Birmingham City FC club-mate Joe Hart. Johnson did superbly when Ibrahimović looked to be through on goal and Hart also denied the Sweden captain.

It was the England captain, though, who made the first goal on 23 minutes. Gerrard sent in a long diagonal cross from the right which Carroll brilliantly headed in from the middle of the box. It took Sweden some time to regroup before Ibrahimović embarked on a solo run only for Hart to stop his deflected shot while at the other end Ashley Young dragged an effort into the side netting.

Sweden were looking for shots from distance, Kim Källström going close, and ended the first half strongly, other than a Welbeck break stopped by a superb Mellberg tackle.

Mellberg made an even more vital intervention four minutes into the second half. An Ibrahimović free-kick was blocked but he leapt to volley the ball to Mellberg, whose effort hit Johnson via Hart's gloves and crept in despite the right-back's desperate lunge.

With 18,000 fans behind them – unusually outnumbering England supporters – Sweden sensed a turnaround just like that which did for them in their 2-1 loss here to Ukraine. Just as on that day the next goal did not take long to arrive, Mellberg rising high to head in Larsson's crossed free-kick.

Ibrahimović so nearly had a third immediately, sprinting clear but was unable to beat Hart. Then an equaliser was only prevented by an instinctive reflex save from Isaksson after a John Terry header. However, from the resulting corner the unsighted Isaksson was beaten by a long-distance effort from Walcott, not long off the bench.

Now both teams were going all out for victory, Källström shooting just over and Hart superbly denying Ibrahimović. It was at the other end, though, where Welbeck cleverly flicked in, his face a picture of sheer joy after his first competitive goal on just the 21-year-old's seventh appearance. England's margin might have been even greater had Gerrard not been denied by Isaksson from point-blank range in added time, but it mattered not.

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The Greatest: Nadal downs Djokovic to enter seventh heaven

2012-06-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Rafael Nadal won his seventh Roland Garros title on Monday, defeating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 and in the process becoming the most-crowned man in Open Era history at the French Open.

Picking up where they left off on Sunday night, the two best players in the world served up an incredible spectacle during which Nadal fought back from his break down overnight, 2-1 down in the fourth set, to win the title in the most unexpected of circumstances. A double fault from Djokovic handed him his record-breaking win in 3 hours and 50 minutes of play, over two days.

Nadal thus becomes the undisputed King of Clay, overtaking the great Bjorn Borg who won the French Open six times. Just 26, Nadal will now dream of adding more titles on the beloved red earth of Roland Garros, the ‘Casa de Rafa’ as his fans like to call it. The Spanish second seed was hugely impressive all fortnight, and though he was pushed all the way by the world No.1, dug deep into his reserves of energy, experience and tactical acumen to fully deserve his triumph.

Breathtaking tennis
Djokovic had already shown what an incredible champion he is by saving four match points against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round. That sheer bloody-mindedness, allied to the best all-round technique in the game right now, brought him back from the brink on Sunday night when he was two sets and a break down. Had 'the Djoker' taken this match to five sets, who knows how it may have turned out, but Nadal was not to be denied.

The neutrals were left wanting more today, simply because the standard of tennis was so breathtaking. Even though play only lasted 50 minutes and nine games in all, Act 2 of this final will be remembered for its intensity and for the unique Monday atmosphere in the stands, which were packed with excited fans.

This final will go down in history then, not just for Rafa’s achievement, but also because Djokovic just failed in his bid to become the first player since Rod Laver to hold all four Grand Slams simultaneously. But that is not the half of it. There was the dramatic weather over two days, the swirling rain that had the last word on Sunday night and returned on Monday to halt play for a handful of minutes, and then the sun that broke through the clouds as if to welcome Nadal into the pantheon of tennis legends.

And, lest we forget, there was the tennis, simply stunning in its power, precision and athleticism. The margins were so close, the stakes so high and yet both champions hit the ball with such talent and freedom of expression we were left shaking our heads time and again, both yesterday and today.

50 minutes of pure pleasure
The turning point of Monday’s play came at the outset, when Rafa crucially broke back to immediately get himself back on level terms. At 30-all Djokovic netted after a long exchange that he had dominated, and promptly bashed himself on the forehead with the strings of his racquet. Break point went Rafa’s way in the most dramatic fashion, a net cord bringing ‘Nole’ into the net and opening the court for a pass that Nadal needed no second invitation to bury, cross-court.

Nadal’s service was straight in the groove and he held to lead 3-2 to put the pressure straight on Djokovic. With balls flying to all corners, Nole clipped the line and Nadal just missed in the next game and the Serb held for 3-3. The sky was darkening and Nadal held for 4-3 with an astonishing get that became a winner as the stunned Djokovic watched it come improbably back over the net.

The rain was coming down now and thunder even rumbling overhead but still we went on, with Djokovic showing incredible self-belief to serve-and-volley at 30-30 and force an error from the Spaniard. Back at 4-4 a point later, we were entering crunch time and now it was Nadal’s moment to show his courage, serving big and dominating the next game to lead 5-4.

The rain was getting heavier and for a moment it looked as though the actors would leave the stage, but after a five-minute break, during which Nadal had ample time to dwell on being four points from glory and Novak to stare defeat in the face, they were back. Djokovic showed no signs of nerves, hitting down-the-line and cross-court rockets to level at 5-5.

The penultimate game was typically thrilling, Nadal slamming a 201 km/h ace for 30-0 but then watching a disputed line-call and an out-of-this-world cross-court backhand bring the Serb level at 30-30. An unforced error long and a lob that drifted long were enough for the Majorcan second seed to lead 6-5.

Nadal needed to attack now, with a tie-break looming and he did just that in the last game, returning beautifully to set up the points and then stepping into the court to force destiny his way. At 30-40, suddenly Rafael was one point away from glory, and when Djokovic improbably double-faulted the title was Rafa’s, again.

It was a cruel end to a match which had thrilled fans around the world for two days, but while the shock and disappointment of that final point will fade, the images of an epic contest between two giants of the game will live long in the memory.

Speaking after the match, Djokovic was quick to look back to the Tsonga match, and give credit to Nadal: "I could easily have lost the match in fourth round or even more against Tsonga, but I managed to come to the finals for the first time in my career. I should be happy about that, of course. I will be and I am, but in this moment I am disappointed about this loss because I thought I started to play better in the third set and felt like I could take this match to a fifth set, and then, you know, everything could be possible, but, yeah, unfortunately there has been a rain delay yesterday when I started to feel really good on the court. But look, you know, I don't want to find an excuse in that, because the first rain delay maybe helped me a little bit; the second helped him. So that's the way it goes, and the better player won today. So congratulations for that."

Nadal spoke of the psychological battle that was waged out on Philippe Chatrier Court over two days. "I had already lost three Grand Slam finals against him so it was important to win mentally," he explained. "The mental part is also more important on clay and my game naturally adapts very well to this surface... Novak plays fantastic and is having a great season. But you can't be perfect all the time," Nadal concluded. And that was doubtless Djokovic's only shortcoming throughout the final - he simply wasn't perfect all the time...

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from http://www.rolandgarros.com

Sharapova downs Errani to secure career Grand Slam

2012-06-14T11:50:00.000-07:00

Maria Sharapova took her place among the greats of the game by becoming the tenth woman in history to win a career Grand Slam, and the sixth in the Open era. The soon-to-be world no.1 played excellent attacking tennis to down her valiant challenger, Sara Errani 6-3, 6-2.

After a nerveless and virtually faultless performance, full of clean hitting and daring attack, Sharapova fell to her knees as Errani netted on match point. The Russian held her head in her hands for a moment, before jumping to her feet and twirling with joy. After Wimbledon in 2004, the US Open in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008, she has now won all four majors - a career Grand Slam - and was so happy that she even spoke French (as well as Russian, Spanish and English!) in her post-match speech, to the delight of the fans who gave her the rousing reception she so richly deserves.

Big-match experience
Playing her first Grand Slam final, Errani looked understandably nervous as she stepped out onto Philippe Chatrier Court. Her big challenge was to forget the occasion as early as possible, but unfortunately for her it took four games for that to happen. By that time Sharapova had made all her big-match experience tell, stepping into the court to ram huge winners, in particular on the forehand side and whenever Errani was on second service, racing into a 4-0 lead.

Martina Navratilova had identified Errani’s second service as a real weakness which Sharapova could exploit at every opportunity, and she certainly did, but to her credit the Italian made sure she kept these opportunities down to a minimum with a first-service percentage of 78% throughout the match. The Russian’s delivery is also the main chink in her armour though, and a pair of double faults in the fifth game gave the Italian her first break, enabling her to shed her nerves in the process.

Showing all the qualities that had brought her this far, Errani chased well behind the baseline, defending with all her might, keeping the ball in play and forcing Maria into one more shot on every rally. 4-1 became 4-2 and the No.21 seed was becoming a wholly different proposition. Chastened and clearly annoyed, Maria gathered herself. The new world no.1 has her own way of composing herself between points, returning to her mark like a scolded student, fists clenched, head down, buried in her own world. The result in the all-important seventh game was greater application on her service, longer and harder hitting and a crucial 5-2 lead.

Errani rallied brilliantly in the next game to save two set points and get to 3-5 but another pair of fabulous winners from 30-30 by Maria handed her the set, 6-3 in 36 minutes.

Sharapova too strong
Maria maintained this impetus and broke Errani to love at the start of the second set. Although the Italian was playing to her potential, fighting to deuce in the next game only to lose it and holding for 2-1, Sharapova was hitting too cleanly and finding the corners too often. Another hold and break took the Russian to within touching distance at 4-1.

With nothing to lose, the Italian showed heart and talent, taking the game to the second seed to get one break back to make it 4-2, but Maria held her nerve to break up again, finding the lines once more to lead 5-2. Serving for the match, the title and a career Grand Slam, Sharapova needed three match points as Errani refused to go quietly, but when the Italian netted the title was Maria’s.

“I was nervous, of course," said Errani afterwards. "I started very bad, with tension, and she played very well. It was very difficult for me to play her in the way I wanted to. It was better in the second set but still very hard. I couldn’t play long points in the way I wanted. I was surprised the way the crowd supported me and it was so nice hearing so many Italian voices. I just have to remember that it’s not normal for me to make a Grand Slam final. I don’t expect to make the final now in other tournaments.”

For her turn, Sharapova spoke as much of the future as of the day she completed her career Slam.

“It’s surreal, the most unique moment of my career," she said. "I never would have thought that. I thought winning Wimbledon at 17 would be the most treasured moment of my career. But when I fell on my knees today, I realised that this was even more special. It’s not over yet. I’m not sitting here and saying I’m done because I’m far from it. I have a lot more in me to achieve. I always strive to be better. No matter how many people told me I couldn’t get to this point, I always listened to my own voice telling me I’m meant to succeed again. And I did.”

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from http://www.rolandgarros.com

Boys singles: Coppejans wins the French to make Belgium proud Sunday, June 10, 2012

2012-06-14T11:44:00.000-07:00

After David Goffin, the lucky loser who made it through to the fourth round of the men’s singles, it was the turn of Kimmer Coppejans to make Belgium proud on Sunday when he crushed Canadian Filip Peliwo 6-1, 6-3 to win the boys' singles title.

Coppejans kept his cool in the first set, hitting a series of double-handed backhands down-the-line and crosscourt forehand winners to clinch it 6-1 in just 25 minutes. The second set was a little trickier for the 18-year-old, who had to save three break points before seeing out the win.

"I'll move on to Wimbledon as a champion! That will give me confidence," said Coppejans. "People are going to start to recognise me I guess, but this win doesn't change anything for me. I’m just going to keep on working."

Coppejans

Admirable sentiments indeed, and these, allied to the undeniable talent of the new French Open champion should make Coppejans a force to be reckoned with in years to come.

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from http://www.rolandgarros.com

Rafael Nadal's Stolen Richard Mille Watch Found

2012-06-14T11:41:00.003-07:00

Rafael Nadal‘s big win at the French Open was overshadowed by a big loss, when his $376,000 Richard Mille RM027 tourbillon watch went missing on Tuesday from his suite at a five-star Parisian luxury hotel. The watch, which was recovered yesterday, was found to be in the possession of the hotel’s barman. The alleged thief was tracked down when police traced his hotel access badge, which was used to gain entry to Nadal’s suite where the tennis champion was sleeping during the act. When questioned the barman led the police to the train tracks near his home in Essonne, France where he had hidden the watch.

Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates winning against compatriot Nicolas Almagro during their men's quarter-final in the French Open tennis championship at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2010, in Paris. Second seed Rafael Nadal of Spain reached the semi-finals of the French Open with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 win over compatriot Nicolas Almagro.

This isn’t the first time Nadal has lost a Mille. In 2008, his even pricier, custom built $525,000 Richard Mille went missing from the locker room during a match at the Rogers Cup in Toronto. Unfortunately, that one was never recovered.

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from www.forbes.com

Euro Cup 2012 Preview: Italy vs. Croatia, Spain vs. Ireland

2012-06-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Group C is back in town and Spain will be looking to improve on the lacking form they presented against Italy on Sunday.

Italy vs. Croatia - 12:00 PM EST

The Italians did very well against Spain, maintaining their strong defensive presence while simultaneously doing something that most Italian sides aren't known for: Attacking. Between Cassano, Balotelli and de Natale, Italy have the strength necessary to perforate Croatia's defensive line. The Croatians, however, are not to be left behind. They were shockingly strong against Ireland, making people remember Suker's Croatia. Italy would do well to present the same offensive plan they presented against Spain, and Croatia would do well to not play Italy with respect and go out in search of that goal. A Croatia that turns to defense will be mopped up by Italy.

Prediction - Win for Italy

Spain vs. Republic of Ireland - 2:45 PM EST

Sorry, Ireland, but that debut wasn't strong. Luckily, neither was Spain's. Will Spain opt to play without a forward again? If so, then Spain are going to have some big problems. Even though Torres couldn't score a goal if it were staring him in the face, the presence of a striker will force Ireland to defend more aggressively, whereas a lack of a striker would give the Irish more incentive to go forward and explore the option of a goal.

Prediction - Win for Spain

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from http://zeenews.india.com

Chelsea confirm Di Matteo as permanent manager

2012-06-14T08:45:00.000-07:00

UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea FC have confirmed the appointment of interim first-team coach Roberto Di Matteo as their permanent manager.

Chelsea have appointed Roberto Di Matteo on a two-year deal

UEFA Champions League holders Chelsea FC have announced Roberto Di Matteo as their new permanent manager on a two-year contract.

The former Italy midfielder took over from André Villas-Boas on a temporary basis in March and made an almost immediate impact by guiding the club to their seventh FA Cup triumph with victory against Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium less than two months later. The best was still to come, though, as Di Matteo masterminded the west London side's first UEFA Champions League trophy, thanks to a penalty shoot-out triumph over FC Bayern München in Munich.

"I'm obviously delighted to have been appointed as manager and first-team coach," said the 42-year-old, who lost just three games during his 11 weeks in charge last term. "We all achieved incredible success last season that made history for this great club. Our aim is to continue building on that and I'm already planning and looking forward to the squad's return for pre-season."

Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay is in no doubt that they have the right man to improve on the club's disappointing sixth-placed finish last season. "Roberto's quality was clear for all to see when he galvanised the squad last season and helped the club make history, and the owner and board are very pleased he will be continuing his good work," he said.

"We all believed he was a young coach with much to offer when we first asked him to take charge of team affairs in March and the manner in which he worked with us, the players and all the staff, and the success that followed, made him the clear choice when it came to selecting the person to take us forward in the seasons to come."

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from www.uefa.com

Euro Cup 2012: Portugal Pulls Out Miraculous Win Despite Ronaldo's Struggles

2012-06-14T08:39:00.002-07:00

Facing a must-win situation, the Portugese National Soccer Team pulled out a dramatic 3-2 victory over Denmark at the 2012 UEFA Euro Championship.

Portugal's Silvestre Varela (C) celebrates his goal against Denmark with team mates during their Euro 2012 Group B soccer match at the new stadium in Lviv, June 13, 2012. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh

After a crushing 1-0 loss to Germany on Saturday and Denmark's surprising upset over the Netherlands in the "Group of Death," Portugal needed to win. A loss would have given Denmark six points and left Portugal praying for Dutch victory against Germany. Everything turned out well for Portugal who not only won, but did not have to pray for a Netherlands victory that never came.

But the win was far from simple. It looked easy 40 minutes into the contest when the Portuguese held what seemed like a firm 2-0 lead on goals from Pepe in the 24^th minute and Helder Postiga in the 36^th. But the Danish would not give up and managed a goal in the 41^st minute by Niklas Bendtner off an incredible sequence. Danish forward Michael Krohn-Dehli headed the ball across to Bendtner who then headed the ball into the Portugese net to pull within one.

With just ten minutes to go in regulation, Denmark knotted the score at two off a second Bendtner goal. The goal would have essentially sealed Portugal's fate and left them packing for home. But the miracle came from an unexpected source: Silvestre Varela, who had been subbed into the match just minutes earlier. Varela had only made eight appearances for the national team since 2010 and had only scored three goals for his club team Porto in the 2011-12 season. But with just three minutes left in regulation, he pounded a shot just inside the box and into the back of the net to give Portugal the goal in needed to stay alive.

Portugal had numerous opportunities to add to its 2-1 lead early on the second. The team tried to lean on its captain Cristiano Ronaldo for some his goal scoring ability, but the world's most highly paid player was not ready to step up for his team when they needed him most. Moments after half-time, Ronaldo received a great pass from Postiga behind the Danish defense but Ronaldo shot the ball right at Denmark's goalkeeper Stephan Anderson. Then just 13 minutes from the end of the game, Ronaldo broke in alone one more time and shot the ball wide. Had Ronaldo been playing for FC Real Madrid of the Spanish league, both of those chances likely go in the back of the net. Since 2009, Ronaldo has scored 112 goals for Real in just 101 appearances. For the national team, the superstar has only put the ball in the net 32 times in 92 games. In his "worst" season for Real, he scored 26 goals in 29 appearances. Failing to live up to expectations on the international stage is nothing new for the 27 year old. In the 2008 Euro, Ronaldo only finished with one goal in five games as Portugal was eliminated in the quarter finals of the tournament. He went scoreless in the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup and scored only one goal, an inconsequential one, in a 7-0 blowout over North Korea.

Portugal will get a chance to move out of the group stage on Sunday against lowly Netherlands (0 points) who will also be looking to not only beat Portugal, but do so handily to overcome a -2 goal differential. As the group stands, Germany has six points and has all but guaranteed a seat in the next round. Portugal has three points and is tied with Denmark who also has three points and an equal goal differential, equal number of goals scored and allowed. In order for Portugal to pass, it will need to beat Netherlands and hope for a German victory or a German tie with Denmark. However, a Danish win, will not only force Portugal to win, but to score more goals than either Denmark or Germany, who currently has a +2 goal differential. If Portugal loses by more than one goal, then it will be eliminated. If Portugal loses by just one goal, then it needs to hope for a German trouncing of the Danish by at least two goals. A tie with Netherlands would put Portugal into the following round with a German victory or a tie that sees Denmark score fewer goals than Portugal does against the Netherlands. Denmark's scenario for getting to the next round is very similar to Portugal's.

Germany only needs a tie to advance to the next round, while the Netherlands must win by two or more goals and pray for a German defeat of the Danish in order to see the quarter finals.

This news brought to you by "Sports Zone" from http://www.latinospost.com

Match facts: Spain v Italy - EURO 2012

2012-06-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

SPAIN

• Spain are 14 competitive games without defeat, since their 1-0 loss to Switzerland on 16/06/2010 at the FIFA World Cup. They have lost four of their 14 friendlies in that time, however.

• Juanfran has yet to make a competitive appearance for Spain, though he made his senior international debut in a pre-tournament friendly win against Serbia on 26/05.

Spain training at their camp in Austria

Injury news
• Cesc Fàbregas has not featured since picking up a thigh strain in the Copa del Rey final on 25/05.

• Carles Puyol (knee) and Spain's record scorer, David Villa (broken leg), were ruled out of the finals.

Miscellaneous
• Spain, minus players from Chelsea FC and Copa del Rey finalists FC Barcelona and Athletic Club, travelled to a training camp in Schruns, Austria, on 22/05. Juan Mata and Fernando Torres joined them on 26/05, with the final 23-man squad unveiled the following day. Spain arrived at their EURO base of Gniewino on 05/06.

• Spain's squad includes 12 members of the party that triumphed at UEFA EURO 2008: Iker Casillas, Raúl Albiol, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Fernando Torres, Fàbregas, Santi Cazorla, Xabi Alonso, Sergio Ramos, Álvaro Arbeloa, David Silva and Pepe Reina.

• Casillas, Xavi, Alonso and Torres were also in the UEFA EURO 2004 squad, and for Casillas this represents a national record fourth UEFA European Championship appearance as he was also at UEFA EURO 2000.

• Casillas kept his 73rd clean sheet for Spain against Serbia on 26/05, beating Edwin van der Sar's international record. He also celebrated a record 95th international victory when Spain defeated South Korea 4-1 on 30/05.

Pre-tournament friendlies
03/06 Spain 1-0 China (Silva 84)
Casillas (Valdés 46); Arbeloa, Albiol, Ramos (Piqué 56), Alba; Xavi (Iniesta 46), Busquets (Juanfran 46), Xabi; Cazorla (Mata 67), Negredo (Navas 46), Silva.

30/05 Spain 4-1 South Korea (Torres 11, Alonso 52pen, Cazorla 55, Negredo 79; Kim Do Heon 43)
Reina (Casillas 81); Arbeloa, Albiol, Ramos (Domínguez 57), Monreal; Cazorla (Adrián 57), Alonso (Bruno 65), Beñat; Silva, Torres (Soldado 57), Mata (Negredo 57).

26/05 Spain 2-0 Serbia (Adrián 67, Cazorla 74pen)
Casillas; Juanfran, Ramos (Domínguez 46), Albiol, Alba (Monreal 46); Navas, Bruno Soriano (Javi García 72), Xabi Alonso (Beñat 46), Cazorla; Soldado (Adrián 46), Negredo (Silva 46).

UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying
• Spain won eight out of eight in Group I, becoming one of only five sides to go through a qualifying campaign with a 100% record in the history of the UEFA European Championship.

• Ramos and Villa were the only players to feature in all eight group games for Vicente del Bosque's side.

• Jordi Alba made his international debut in the 3-1 home victory against Scotland on 11/10/2011.

• Two of the final tournament squad did not feature in qualifying: Pepe Reina and Juanfran.

Domestic information
• Casillas, Ramos, Arbeloa, Albiol and Alonso helped Real Madrid CF win the Spanish Liga for the first time in four campaigns, though Albiol made just five league starts.

• Víctor Valdés, Gerard Piqué, Xavi, Fàbregas, Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Pedro Rodríguez enjoyed Copa del Rey success. Pedro scored twice on 25/05 in a 3-0 final triumph against an Athletic Club side featuring Fernando Llorente and Javi Martínez. Barcelona also won the UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

• David Silva was in the Manchester City FC side that won the English top flight for the first time in 44 years.

• Mata and Torres were UEFA Champions League and FA Cup winners with Chelsea FC, while Reina enjoyed English League Cup success with Liverpool FC.

• Juanfran was in the Club Atlético de Madrid XI that defeated an Athletic team featuring Llorente and Javi Martínez in the UEFA Europa League final in Bucharest on 09/05.

ITALY

• The Azzurri have lost their last three games.

• Coach Cesare Prandelli goes into his first major final tournament unbeaten in competitive internationals, recording eight wins and two draws to date.

• Emanuele Giaccherini is the only uncapped member of the Italy squad, though Fabio Borini and Alessandro Diamanti are yet to make their competitive debuts.

Injury news
• Giorgio Chiellini and Riccardo Montolivo arrived at Italy's training camp with thigh injuries suffered on the last day of the Serie A season on 13/05, though Montolivo started against Russia on 01/06.

• Antonio Cassano was expected to miss the rest of the season after undergoing heart surgery on 04/11 but returned to action at the start of April.

Miscellaneous
• Italy gathered at Coverciano, Florence, on 21/05, with players of Juventus, SSC Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain FC joining four days later due to domestic duties. The Azzurri arrived in Krakow on 05/06.

• At 1.64m, Sebastian Giovinco is the smallest player at UEFA EURO 2012.

• Gianluigi Buffon surpassed Dino Zoff as Italy's third highest appearance maker in February, and is now on 114 caps behind only Fabio Cannavaro (136) and Paolo Maldini (126).

• Eight of the squad have previous UEFA European Championship experience: Buffon (2004, 2008), Cassano (2004, 2008), Andrea Pirlo (2004, 2008), Chiellini (2008), Andrea Barzagli (2008), Daniele De Rossi (2008), Antonio Di Natale (2008) and Morgan De Sanctis (2008).

Pre-tournament friendly
01/06 Italy 0-3 Russia (Kerzhakov 59, Shirokov 75 89)
Buffon (De Sanctis 46); Maggio, Bonucci, Barzagli, Balzaretti (Ogbonna 53); De Rossi (Motta 60), Pirlo (Giovinco 68); Marchisio; Montolivo (Nocerino 60); Cassano (Di Natale 68), Balotelli.

• Italy's friendly with Luxembourg in Parma, scheduled for 29/05, was cancelled after the region was struck on the morning of the game by an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale.

UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying
• Italy progressed with two games to spare and finished the campaign undefeated, their tally of 26 points from ten games a national record in a qualifying section for a major tournament.

• The Azzurri also finished with the best defensive record across the nine groups, conceding only two goals.

• Discounting the six minutes of the home game against Serbia before it was abandoned, Italy did not concede for 625 minutes between Estonia finding the net in their opening fixture and Serbia's goal 13 months later.

• Chiellini played every minute of Italy's campaign; Cassano was the only other ever-present member of the squad and also the Azzurri's six-goal leading scorer.

• Of the final squad, six players did not feature in qualifying: Angelo Ogbonna, Ignazio Abate, Giaccherini, Di Natale, Borini and Diamanti.

Domestic information
• The Italy squad features seven members of the Juventus side that went through the Serie A season unbeaten en route to the title: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Giaccherini, Claudio Marchisio and Pirlo.

• The Bianconeri suffered their first defeat of the season in their last outing in the Coppa Italia final on 20/05, losing 2-0 to a Napoli side featuring De Sanctis and Christian Maggio.

• Mario Balotelli scored 13 goals in 23 appearances and was sent off twice as Manchester City FC won their first English top-flight title in 44 years.

• Di Natale struck 23 goals as Udinese Calcio finished third in Serie A, the third successive season he has hit 20 or more. He did not manage more than 17 before he reached the age of 30.

• Giovinco (15), Marchisio (9) and Alessandro Diamanti (8) all established personal bests in front of goal in Serie A while Nocerino's return of ten in 35 games was four more than he had mustered in his previous four seasons.

• Andrea Pirlo has not been on the losing side in Serie A since 18 December 2010, when he was at AC Milan.

This news brought to by "Sports zone" from www.uefa.com

Euro 2012: Spain 1-1 Italy

2012-06-10T11:45:00.001-07:00

Cesc Fabregas rescued a point for Spain as the champions began the defence of their European title with a pulsating encounter in Gdansk.

The Barcelona midfielder fired in after a clever pass by David Silva as Spain came from a goal down against Italy to draw the opening match of Group C.

Substitute Antonio Di Natale had given Italy a deserved lead on the hour mark.

Spain might have snatched all three points, however, but Fernando Torres spurned a succession of late chances.

The weight of history was stacked against La Roja coming into the tournament.

No European team had ever won three major tournaments in succession, none had ever successfully defended the European Championship title.

Fatigue was another source of concern for Spain manager Vicente del Bosque, whose 23 players had played a total of 89,884 minutes in the past season, some 17,000 more minutes than their Italian opponents.

There was more than a hint of lethargy about Spain in the opening exchanges. They lacked purpose and penetration having opted to play without an obvious centre forward as Fabregas was preferred to Fernando Torres in the starting XI.

Having seen his smile and his form return in the final weeks of the season at Chelsea, this was another setback for Torres on an afternoon he will ultimately want to forget. Silva threatened twice in the early moments, but it was Italy who looked the more composed in the early stages.

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas was forced to dive low to his right to turn away an Andrea Pirlo free-kick after 13 minutes as Cesare Prandelli's side, led by the tremendous Daniele De Rossi, tackled, battled and denied their more celebrated opponents space.

The Azzuri were equally effective with the ball ensuring Casillas was much the busier goalkeeper as half-time approached.

Antonio Cassano dragged a shot beyond the far post when well-placed but it was two nervy moments from Spain goalkeeper that gave his side most cause for concern.

First, he lost control of a back-pass only to be fouled by Cassano, before he spilled a fierce low shot from Claudio Marchisio as the ball ran to safety.

Euro 2012 goal: Fabregas scores Spain equaliser

Marchisio tested Casillas again moments later, thumping a thunderous left-foot volley straight at the goalkeeper.

Spain were only threatening sporadically. Xavi and Andrés Iniesta were constantly probing and just before the interval linked up only for the latter to shoot over having collected his team-mate's looping pass.

It was Italy who finished the half the stronger, however. A piece of trickery wide on the left touchline by Mario Balotelli set in motion another fluid attack. It ended with Casillas sprawling low to his right to turn away Thiago Motta's close-range header after a pin-point cross by Cassano.

The interval did little to disrupt the breakneck pace of play. Fabregas set Iniesta free down the left, only for Buffon to deny him with a fingertip save.

But it was Balotelli who could and perhaps should have broken the deadlock moments later. The Italian striker robbed Sergio Ramos of possession wide on the right before bursting towards goal but he then hesitated long enough to allow the Real Madrid defender back in with the goal apparently as his mercy.

The Manchester City striker was replaced by Di Natale moments later and he was to have an instant impact.

Pirlo skipped beyond Xavi in midfield, before playing a cleverly weighted pass that freed Di Natale down the left of the penalty area, which the Udinese striker calmly stroked beyond the advancing Casillas with his first touch.

Spain's reponse was instant as it was devastating. Three minutes later Iniesta and Silva put Fabregas clear in the penalty area and the Barcelona midfielder struck a low left-foot shot beyond Buffon from 10 yards.

Substitute Jesus Navas picked out Jordi Alba as Spain began to dictate. Torres was brought on to a huge ovation and might have made an instant impact but he fluffed his chance after cleverly beating the offside trap.

Italy were being forced to rely on longer raids now, but they almost stole in again when Di Natale poked narrowly wide.

Spain were pouring forward time and again now. Torres should have won the game for Spain but squandered two easy chances, first running down a blind alley before looping a shot high over Buffon's goal with the net at his mercy. To make matters worse, he was later booked for a rash challenge.

Italy might have snatched victory at the death when Marchisio burst forward, exchanged passes with Di Natale, only to shoot straight at Casillas.

This news brought to by "Sports Zone" from www.bbc.com

Spain training and press conference: 8 June, UEFA EURO 2012

2012-06-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Javi Martínez (Spain)

Gerard Piqué (Spain)

Juan Mata & David Silva (Spain)

Sergio Ramos (Spain)

Xabi Alfonso (Spain)

Nadal demolishes Ferrer to stay on course for seventh title

2012-06-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

David Ferrer’s attempt to beat Rafael Nadal in a French Open semi-final was always going to be a thankless task, but it soon became an exercise in bleak futility this afternoon, as the six-time champion blasted him off court, winning their French Open semi-final 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 46 minutes. This was the widest margin of victory in a men's semi since 1986, and fully deserved, such was the total dominance of the second seed.

No-one gave the no.6 seed much chance of inflicting Nadal’s second defeat in 52 career outings at Roland Garrros, but some thought he might manage a set, or at least take the score somewhere near the tiebreak. It was not to be.

Nadal demolishes Ferrer to stay on course for seventh title

Competitive start

For a short while, Ferrer flattered to deceive – or maybe the flattery was Nadal’s, as he took a few games to settle. Ferrer held to love and forced Rafa to deuce on his own opening serve as he pushed him around the court. Seven points passed on the Ferrer serve before any counted against him, and that was only because he netted. At 2-1 Ferrer sent a forehand down the line, and while Nadal reached it, Ferrer had a simple job of delivering a winner for break point.

Patient, tactical play by Nadal saw him save it. Ferrer, still aggressive, carved another break point. This time he had the chance to put the ball away, but chose the wrong shot and the opportunity had gone. The no.2 seed had surrendered his serve just once so far this tournament (in the first round against Simone Bolelli), and Ferrer did not threaten him again.

On the blustery Philippe Chatrier court, Nadal suddenly switched up several gears and in no time was at 0-30 on Ferrer’s serve. A long rally saw Ferrer dump a forehand in the net, which he followed by sending a backhand long. If that wasn’t bad enough, Nadal not only held to love but also broke to love again, creating a blaze of 16 successive points won. The set flashed by, and from all those good

beginnings Ferrer was left with a scant two games to his name.

No stopping Rafa

Nadal was hitting the lines relentlessly. At 1-1 came an extraordinary rally where Nadal ran into the net and skidded on the clay to end up on his behind – yet played a stroke while sitting down, then scrambled to his feet to deliver a lob which Ferrer could only net. All this for break point. Ferrer sent the ball long and the damage was done. There is little doubt he must have been relieved by the sight of rain at 1-4, and the pair went off court for a 55-minute delay.

But when they came back it was to more of the same. Ferrer gamely saved one set point, but Nadal slammed the other away to complete a set in which he had not lost a single point on his first serve. The third set was even more of a one-man show, Nadal running round his forehand to hit winner after winner, serving long and hard, and finding angles that sent poor Ferrer scurrying. Wrapped up in just 31 minutes, it ended with Nadal hitting a cross-court forehand that sealed the most impressive of victories.

"I did almost everything right," said Nadal. "But I don’t believe in perfection. It does not exist. You can always play better. I am not thinking I am in the final without losing a set; I am just thinking I am in the final. Experience has taught me you can lose when you are playing fantastic; you can win when you are not playing that well. Last year I had the impression I didn’t really play that well, whereas this year I am playing really well."

Asked about the moment when he fell in mid-point, he said: “I felt confidence, because I was playing well. Seriously, my eyes were constantly on the ball. So even though I am on the floor, I had the time to hit the ball in reasonable good position."

Ferrer seemed almost too stunned to comment after so heavy a defeat. "I was not aggressive enough," he said. "There was nothing I could do to fight back. He put pressure on me when he needed to. I tried to do my best but he was calmer than I was and took control of the match. I didn’t have any chance. I’m a bit sad because I didn’t really play well today. Maybe this wasn’t my best match of these two weeks but I’m very happy."

Euro 2012 Opening Ceremony 6/8/2012 Poland Warsaw

2012-06-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Euro 2012 Opening Ceremony Euro 2012 6/8/2012 Poland Warsaw Ukraine vs Greece Ceremonia otwarcia Euro 2012

UEFA European Championship's quickest goals

2012-06-08T11:53:00.002-07:00

Jesús María Pereda opens the scoring for Spain against the USSR in the 1964 final

Michael Owen celebrates after scoring England's first goal during the UEFA EURO 2004 match against Portugal

Sergei Aleinikov wasted no time in putting England to the sword in 1988

Hristo Stoichkov scored the only goal against Romania in their EURO '96 meeting

Dmitri Kirichenko celebrates after scoring the fastest goal in UEFA European Championship history

Alan Shearer scores England's goal against Germany during their EURO '96 semi-final

This news brought to by "Sports Zone" from www.uefa.com

Flower power defines EURO ceremony 2012

2012-06-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

UEFA EURO 2012 burst into bloom with a magnificent opening ceremony, with Ádám György and DJ Karmatronic among the headline attactions at the National Stadium Warsaw.

UEFA EURO 2012 opening ceremony

UEFA EURO 2012 burst into bloom in advance of the opening game, with a spectacular opening ceremony symbolising unity, rivalry and passion, as well as showcasing the tournament's elegant floral motifs.

With 20 minutes to go before kick-off between Poland and Greece, here was a grand statement of national-team football's great virtues; the ability to inspire the young, to bring people of all nations together, and in the best possible way, its ability to startle and confound. UEFA President Michel Platini asked the players at the tournament to "make us dream", and here was something straight from wonderland.

It kicked off with the ringing of six giant bells lowered from the stadium roof, then a throng of dancers decked out in national colours took to the field before two children – dressed as flesh-and-blood incarnations of tournament mascots Slavek and Slavko – came on. Their arrival prompted another transformation: the dancers whirled across the turf, with the half ball in the centre circle cracking open to reveal Hungarian concert pianist Ádám György, who treated the stadium to a burst of Chopin's Étude in A minor (Op.25 Nr.11).

With a flood of musical notes being carried out on to the pitch, the scene took a marked leap from the 19th century to the 21st, with DJ Karmatronic planting his decks on György's grand piano. The eight half footballs that had been carried on to the pitch burst open to reveal replicas of the eight UEFA EURO 2012 stadiums, and the pianist then gave a demonstration of his not insubstantial freestyling skills.

Fans lifted cards around the stadium, producing massive flags of all the competing nations, flipping them over to reveal the key UEFA principle 'Respect' at both ends of the stadium. The unique wycianka design that defines the look of UEFA EURO 2012 crept on to the field, with green tendrils linking the stadia together, as the grand tableau of the tournament logo gradually came together, with an inflatable replica of the bloom design rising from György's piano.

With a multinational team of 1,000 dancers under the control of creative director and executive producer Marco Balich, the ceremony demanded 1,200 costumes, 250 hours of rehearsals, 2,400 litres of water and 22,000 snacks. A phenomenal effort in every respect.

This news brought to by "Sports Zone" from www.uefa.com

Chelsea complete signing of coveted Hazard

2012-06-07T11:22:00.001-07:00

Chelsea FC will defend their UEFA Champions League title with the help of Eden Hazard after completing a deal believed to be in the region of nearly €40m for the Belgium attacker.

Eden Hazard played for Belgium against England at Wembley on Saturday

Chelsea FC have completed a deal to sign Eden Hazard from LOSC Lille Métropole for a reported fee of nearly €40m.

Chelsea agreed the transfer with Lille last week and Hazard has now passed a medical and signed personal terms. The Belgian international forward will join the club in July when the players return for pre-season training. "I'm delighted to finally arrive here, it's a wonderful club and I can't wait to get started," he told the west London club's website.

Hazard, 21, had been with Lille since 2005 and helped them to a league and cup double in 2010/11. He was named Ligue 1 player of the year, claiming the award again last season. Hazard becomes the second player to firm up a move to Stamford Bridge this summer following April's announcement that SV Werder Bremen's Marko Marin will join the Blues before the start of 2012/12.

Chelsea won their maiden UEFA Champions League title under the temporary charge of Roberto Di Matteo earlier this month but are yet to appoint a permanent successor to André Villas-Boas.

This news brought to by "Sports Zone" from www.uefa.com

Joey Barton punched in the head outside Garlands nightclub in Liverpool

2012-06-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

QPR midfielder Joey Barton has been attacked outside a nightclub in Liverpool, Merseyside Police have confirmed.

Police were called to Eberle Street in Liverpool's city centre at about 05.30 on Monday morning following reports of a disturbance outside the Garlands nightclub.

Barton, 29, was confirmed to have been injured in the attack in which he was punched in the head, but voluntarily left the scene.

Two 21-year-olds are being held on suspicions of a public order offence and are in custody.

Barton said on Twitter that he had not been seriously injured in the attack, and claimed he was punched from behind.

Violent past: Joey Barton has been involved in a number of scuffles on and off the pitch during his career

QPR spokesman Ian Taylor said: "Joey Barton was involved in an incident in Liverpool City centre in the early hours of Monday morning.

"Barton was on his way home from a night out with his girlfriend when two men sang offensive chants and then proceeded to hit the midfielder.

"Police were immediately on the scene and arrested one man. Barton decided not to press charges and left with his girlfriend soon after."

Barton has been involved in violence in Liverpool in the past, and spent 77 days in prison in 2008 after being found guilty of common assault and affray during an incident in the city in December 2007.

He will serve a 12-game suspension at the beginning of the 2012/13 Premier League season for hitting out at several Manchester Cityplayers after being sent off in QPR's final game of the season.

French Open 2012, day seven: in pictures

2012-06-03T11:32:00.000-07:00

Italy's Francesca Schiavone hits a retur...Italy's Francesca Schiavone hits a return to US Varvara Lepchenko during their women's Singles third Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova serves to...Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova serves to Russia's Nina Bratchikova during their Women's Singles 3rd Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

Russia's Mikhail Youzhny hits a return t...Russia's Mikhail Youzhny hits a return to Spain's David Ferrer during their Men's Singles third Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

Bratchikova of Russia returns the ball to Kvitova of the Czech Republic during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris...Nina Bratchikova of Russia returns the ball to Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris June 2, 2012.

Spain's David Ferrer hits a return to Ru...Spain's David Ferrer hits a return to Russia's Mikhail Youzhny during their Men's Singles third Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

China's Li Na hits a return to US Christ...China's Li Na hits a return to US Christina McHale during their Women's Singles 3rd Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

Serbia's Janko Tsiparevic returns the ball to France's Julien Benneteau during their third round match in the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Saturday, June 2, 2012.

Zakopalova of the Czech Republic serves to Pavlyuchenkova of Russia during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris...Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic serves to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia during the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris June 2, 2012.

Spain's David Ferrer celebrates after wi...Spain's David Ferrer celebrates after winning against Russia's Mikhail Youzhny their Men's Singles third Round tennis match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, on June 2, 2012 in Paris.

2012 French Open - Day Seven...PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 02: Kim Sears (C) watches the men's singles third round match between Andy Murray of Great Britain and Santiago Giraldo of Colombia during day seven of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 2, 2012 in Paris, France.

French Open 2012: women's top seed Victoria Azarenka crashes out 6-2, 7-6 to Dominika Cibulkova

2012-06-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Dominika Cibulkova has beaten top seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus to pull off a major upset in the fourth round of the French Open.

The 15th seed won 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) to set up a quarter-final match with either Samantha Stosur of Australia or Sloane Stephens of the United States.

Azarenka won the Australian Open in January and had been expected to coast past Cibulkova, having beaten her seven times out of eight previously.

But the little Slovakian, who reached the semi-finals in 2009, handled the cold, windy conditions on the Suzanne Lenglen court far better than the tall Belarusian.

After losing the first set, Azarenka appeared to be getting back on track as she broke to lead 2-0 in the second, but 23-year-old Cibulkova dug deep to run off four games in a row.

Azarenka levelled at 4-4, with the set then going to a tie-break which a pumped-up Cibulkova led from the start to pull off a stunning win.

Giant killing: Victoria Azarenka comes up short against Dominika Cibulkova

Earlier, Sara Errani of Italy and Angelique Kerber of Germany both reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the first time with straight sets wins.

Errani, seeded 21, defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia 6-0, 7-5, while 10th seed Kerber ousted Petra Martic of Croatia 6-3, 7-5.

The pair will meet in the last eight in a top half of the draw which had also contained Azarenka.

Errani has been the form player on clay this year, winning tournaments in Acapulco, Barcelona and Budapest. She also reached the Australian Open quarter-finals in January on hardcourts.

After a tough opening game, Errani took total control as 2009 champion Kuznetsova struggled to put her game together.

The first set was completed in just 30 minutes and it was more of the same at the start of the second as Errani, one of the smaller players on the circuit at just 1.64m, used her mobility and claycourt expertise to good effect.

Errani moved 2-0 up before Kuznetsova finally found some form, breaking the Italian to love to open her account.

The Russian levelled at 2-2 and had a break point in the next game to move ahead, but Errani saved that with a blistering forehand winner at the end of a long rally.

Two more break points followed two games later and Kuznetsova converted the first of these to move 4-3 up. She then served for the set at 5-4 up but was broken to love.

Errani took the next two games to reach her first French Open quarter-finals.

Kerber, a semi-finalist at the US Open last year, easily won the first set against Martic and she immediately got a break in the second when the Croatian, ranked 50th in the world, miscalculated a drop shot and hit the ball into the net.

Martic broke back in the eighth game to level the set and held her serve to take the lead but in the following game, Kerber fired off an ace to level the score at 5-5.

In the next game, Kerber prevailed in a 28-shot rally to go to break point and then sliced in a deft drop shot to move ahead 6-5.

The left-handed Kerber finally secured her quarter-final place on her third match point with a forehand winner on a poor return by the Croatian, who suffered nine double faults on her way to elimination.

Asked what was the reason behind her sudden charge up the world rankings in the last 12 months, Kerber replied: "After the US Open I started to believe in myself more and I started to do more practice and fitness things.

"I know that I can beat the top players and now I am one of them. I think that nobody wants to play against me right now."

this news bring to by "sports zone" from www.telegraph.co.uk