Euro 2008 Day Twelve

[Newshound]

18 June 2008<br>
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GREECE 1 (Charisteas 42)<br>
SPAIN 2 (De La Red 61, Guiza 88)<br>
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Xabi Alonso appeared to be playing for that Juve contract. He was a couple of yards out with a shot from the half way line and had George scrambling across goal with another long range effort. The Greeks took the lead from a set piece. Charisteas met Karagounis' free kick with an absolute bullet header.<br>
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Xabi Alonso was getting closer, his third insane effort, from 35 yards, rebounded off the inside of George's right post. Fabregas dropped a ball over the towering Greek defence to Guiza and De La Red met his knockdown with a fantastically violent shot that floored Nikopolidis as it thundered in off the underside of the crossbar. CRACKERJACK! Guiza headed in another late winner for the Spaniards from a sublime left footed cross.<br>
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On the BBC's late night highlight show Adrian Chiles referred to Nikopolidis as George Clooney and where do you think he got that from?<br>
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Attendance : 30,883<br>
Assists : Karagounis (fk), Guiza, Fabregas<br>
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RUSSIA 2 (Pavlyuchenko 24, Arshavin 50)<br>
SWEDEN 0<br>
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Fullback Zyrianov, who had an outstanding game, flashed a volley wide from a corner. Arshavin played a one-two on the right touchline sending Zyrianov clear, he squared to Anyukov (the right full back) who in turn passed to Pavlyuchenko and the misfiring striker finally found the back of the net, gently stroking the ball into the bottom corner. While replays of Pavlyuchenko's goal were being shown Henrik Larsson meet a deep cross with a deft flick header which bounced off the top of the crossbar. Bilyaletdinov received a pass on the edge of the box and danced past two Swedish players with ridiculous ease before laying off to Pavlyuchenko who cracked a first time shot against the underside of the crossbar, Zyrianov's header on the rebounded was clawed away by Isaksson and from the resulting corner Zhirkov's 30 yard drive was tipped against the crossbar and out for another corner. Ljungberg ruined some rare good approach play by shooting. Go and model some underwear you twat.<br>
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The Swedes won a free kick in their own half and gave the ball straight back to the Russians. Arshavin played a one-two with Bilyaletdinov and made a diagonal run towards the centre pulling Mellberg hopelessly out of position and leaving Zhirkov the freedom of the left flank, Zhirkov ran into the box and centred for Arshavin who slammed a first time shot past Isaksson. Simple, brilliant. Zyrianov's deflected shot bounced off a post and Saenko missed an open goal on the rebound. A minute later Anyukov made a raid down the right wing and sent a peach of a cross to the back post to Pavlyuchenko who headed straight into Isaksson's arms. Arshavin passed up on the chance to score a second with a lazy shot.<br>
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Here's a joke I learned in school over 25 years ago. What do you call a Russian with three balls? Whodoyounickyouknackersoff. Write it down. <br>
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Attendance : 30,000<br>
Assists : Anyukov, Zhirkov<br>

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