June 27, 201214 yr Major talking point, Bruno made to walk back in switch with Nani, proceeds to miss, and Ronaldo doesn't even take one at all!
June 27, 201214 yr Wonder why they didn't use Ronaldo. Like they were saving him to make a big show out of it. Spain would have one anyways IMO, but still....
June 27, 201214 yr Wonder why they didn't use Ronaldo. Like they were saving him to make a big show out of it. Spain would have one anyways IMO, but still.... Exactly. They should have used him 2nd or 3rd, imo.
June 27, 201214 yr Eager to hear the reports of how the order was made. Reflects really poorly on Ronaldo if he picked 5th in hope of maybe being the winning kick-taker. Also, can any portuguese out there translate what he was mouthing at the end?
June 27, 201214 yr Pulling back Bruno was a big mistake, but you have to follow the list you give the ref... I'm not a fan of penalties but this feels fair.
June 27, 201214 yr Eager to hear the reports of how the order was made. Reflects really poorly on Ronaldo if he picked 5th in hope of maybe being the winning kick-taker. Also, can any portuguese out there translate what he was mouthing at the end? I don't speak it, but I can guess... PHUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!:bigcry::bigcry::bigcry:: :lol:
June 27, 201214 yr Ronaldo should have been one of the first penalty takers, but I would've at least understood 3rd or at the very most 4th, and like everyone else right now I'm failing to see the sense in for 5th when a large percentage of penalty shoot out's don't make it to the 5th. If it was Italy, Spain, Germany, and a few other countries, there would be an investigation by the board to see what happened there, and it'd be interesting to see how Portugal go about it.
June 27, 201214 yr Jeez you guys really hate Ronaldo. Chill out people. I'm Portuguese and I didn't understand what he was mumbling at the end of the game. And it's "injustiça" in Portuguese. Thank you. Paulo Bento explained that Ronaldo was in the list to be the 5th taker. Yeah a really odd choice, I agree. But overall I'm really proud of the Portuguese team, we played really well and at some point, during those first 90 minutes I even think we were better than Spain. We have caused fear to the european and world champion. How can we not be proud of our team? Well done! Go Portugal!
June 27, 201214 yr ^Yup. Portugal was definitely a force to be reckoned with. I always hate these shoot outs for that reason. It kind of takes away from all the work teams put into a match, and the cup as a whole.
June 27, 201214 yr Jeez you guys really hate Ronaldo. Chill out people. I think most of the hate is on the decision to have him as 5th penalty taker, not on the player himself. You have to admit though, with a player like Ronaldo it wouldn't be ridiculous to suspect he wanted to take a winning penalty, even if this wasn't the case.
June 27, 201214 yr I think most of the hate is on the decision to have him as 5th penalty taker, not on the player himself. You have to admit though, with a player like Ronaldo it wouldn't be ridiculous to suspect he wanted to take a winning penalty, even if this wasn't the case. I was referring to these comments: Yes, Spain wins!!! Bye Ronaldo! I don't speak it, but I can guess... PHUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!:bigcry::bigcry::bigcry:: :lol: Have just been told he's saying: "Injusticia...injusticia." heehee. Don't think these comments have anything to do with the penalties today.And I also remember people calling Ronaldo con a few pages back. (EDIT: I meant "I don't think these comments have anything to do with the choice of him being the 5th taker in the penalties today.) He is a show off but he is also a good player and like him there are other show offs in football. I just don't understand why everybody here seems to be focused on him. I agree with you though when you say "it wouldn't be ridiculous to suspect he wanted to take a winning penalty", I just don't think that's a valid reason to write those hate comments. If anything, people who support Portugal would have the right to be mad at him, which I think nobody is.
June 27, 201214 yr ^Yup. Portugal was definitely a force to be reckoned with. I always hate these shoot outs for that reason. It kind of takes away from all the work teams put into a match, and the cup as a whole. Definitely. I think it could have gone either way. We just didn't have enough luck.
June 28, 201214 yr Jeez you guys really hate Ronaldo. Chill out people. He is a show off but he is also a good player and like him there are other show offs in football. I just don't understand why everybody here seems to be focused on him. I don't hate him, I think he's annoying. And I have to admit, he's a great player.
June 28, 201214 yr Yes, Ronaldo is a great player, but I do not like that several times, he tried to simulate that he had been attacked in the hope of being awarded extra free kicks or even better a penalty.
June 28, 201214 yr full report:S/F 1: Portugal 0 Spain 0 aet (Spain win 4-2 on pens) S/F 1: Portugal 0 Spain 0 aet (Spain win 4-2 on pens) Cesc Fabregas was the hero again as Spain kept alive their hopes of defending the European title with a dramatic shootout win in Dontesk. The Barcelona midfielder put Spain into Sunday's Euro 2012 final, drilling his penalty in off the left-hand post to spark scenes of jubilation. Joao Moutinho and Bruno Alves missed for Portugal, with Cristiano Ronaldo a frustrated, unused fifth penalty-taker. The match finished 0-0 after extra-time with neither side doing enough to win. It took until half past midnight local time to get there, but Fabregas, who had scored the winning penalty in the Euro 2008 quarter-final win over Italy, ensured Spain proceeded to a final against Germany or Italy on Sunday and remain on course for an unprecedented third successive tournament victory. The world champions have now won their past nine knockout games at major tournaments without conceding a goal, and are unbeaten in their last 19 competitive matches. Neither side had produced their fluent best during only the second 0-0 draw of the tournament. At times it was a bad-tempered affair and the apparently inevitable shootout made a nervy start as goalkeepers Rui Patricio and Iker Casillas denied Xabi Alonso and Moutinho respectively in the first round. Andres Iniesta calmly put Spain in front, only for Pepe to keep Portugal on terms with a clinical low finish. Spain defender Gerard Pique found the bottom left-hand corner of the net, but Nani responded by firing his spot-kick high into the roof of the net to make it 2-2. But when Spain's Sergio Ramos nonchalantly chipped his penalty beyond Patricio and Alves hit the bar for Portugal, it was left to Fabregas to send Spain into the final and spark memories of 2008 when their footballing history changed forever as a nation remembered how to win. It had been billed as a clash of Ronaldo, the ultimate individualist, and Vicente Del Bosque's finely tuned orchestra - Ronaldo against Spain, Real Madrid against Barcelona, individual brilliance against the collective mastery of the defending world and European champions. What nobody had accounted for, however, was Spain playing out of tune for long periods - Portugal were the conductors as inspiration gave way to perspiration in Donetsk. Ronaldo was a constant danger. But at no stage did Spain man-mark him, subject him to rough-house treatment or even cut off the supply from the excellent Moutinho. Spain's plan simply was to use the ball to mark Ronaldo, controlling the match through possession in an attempt to render him impotent. Portugal had other ideas. Their physicality and unswerving desire in midfield prevented Spain settling into their familiar rhythm. At every turn, Xavi and Iniesta found a willing opponent, pressing Spain high up the field and forcing mistake after frustrating mistake. There were warning signs that Spain might find their rhythm when Iniesta linked up with Jordi Alba down the left flank after eight minutes. The Barcelona midfielder collected Alba's pass, drifted beyond two defenders and cut the ball back only for Alvaro Arbeloa to thump a first-time shot over the bar from the edge of the area. Opportunities such as that soon became the exception rather than the rule, however. Tempers flared at times, passes were misplaced and Portugal grew in confidence. Ronaldo's confidence was never in question. After 12 minutes, he reduced Gerard Pique to vain pursuit, surging beyond the Barcelona defender with that remarkable power steering only for his delicate cross to be picked off Nani's head by goalkeeper Casillas. A left-foot snap-shot found the side netting and, with half-time approaching, he spun away from Sergio Ramos, winning a free-kick and responding with that chest-out, hands-on-hips pose he has trademarked. Ronaldo was in the mood. Spain were out of their comfort zone but their individual brilliance made them a danger on the rare occasions they did attack. Iniesta and Xavi combined well midway through the first half only for the former to curl his shot agonisingly over the crossbar. After an hour Del Bosque had seen enough, abandoning his original plan to use a traditional centre forward in Alvaro Negredo by introducing Fabregas. The ineffective David Silva also made way for Jesus Navas as Spain sought width. Briefly, Xavi began receiving the ball in advanced positions more regularly, showing the poise and the grace to dribble into dangerous areas. At the other end, Ronaldo thumped a dipping free-kick over the bar after 73 minutes but Portugal's raids were growing more infrequent as they were forced to rely on set-pieces. Ten minutes later, Ronaldo repeated the trick and, as the game ticked into injury time, the Real Madrid man had a chance to win it. Portugal broke like a sprint-relay team as a Spain free-kick was cleared. The tireless Miguel Veloso found Raul Meireles, but the Chelsea man's pass forced Ronaldo to check his run down the left flank, and his shot was dragged wide. Fatigue was beginning to show in Portugal's play and it was Spain who revived in extra-time to come as close as at any point to breaking the deadlock. Navas might have done better with a shot, from which Alba collected and picked out Iniesta's surging run only for the midfielder to see his close-range shot pushed round the post. Ramos thundered a free-kick inches over the bar from 30 yards moments later, before Patricio was forced into action again, turning Navas's fierce low shot away. It was all Spain now, and Fabregas put Pedro through on goal with a delightful touch on the half-way line but Portugal flooded back before the Barcelona forward could pull the trigger. It was a moment that encapsulated the contest - Spain pushed for a winner, desperate to avoid penalties but Fabregas ensured they need not have worried. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18355311
June 28, 201214 yr Euro 2012: Cesc Fabregas reveals Spain penalty secret Cesc Fabregas has revealed he spoke to the ball and told it to "make history" before striking the penalty that took Spain into Sunday's Euro 2012 final. The Barcelona midfielder scored the decisive fifth spot-kick as the defending world and European champions stayed on course for an unprecedented third successive tournament victory. “When I stepped up to take the penalty I said to the ball that we had to make history and it shouldn't let me down. ” Fabregas had also scored the winning penalty when Spain beat Italy in a quarter-final shootout at Euro 2008. "We had to make history," he said. "I had a funny feeling about the penalties and I was thinking about them this afternoon. They told me initially to take the second one but I said 'no, give me the fifth' as I had this premonition. When I stepped up to take the penalty I said to the ball that we had to make history and it shouldn't let me down. I talked to the ball four years ago [when he scored the winning penalty against Italy] and it didn't let me down." After scraping past Portugal 4-2, Fabregas said he did not have any preference about who Spain will meet in Sunday's final. Germany play Italy in Thursday's second semi-final. "I don't mind who we play. The most important thing is we are in the final. Whoever goes through it will be tough," added Fabregas, who was left out of the starting line-up against Portugal. "It's very satisfying, it's a great victory for us. We have now reached three finals in four years, we can't believe it. It's amazing what football can bring you and hopefully we can be champions of Europe again in four days' time. I was just thinking that I couldn't let the country down and tried to be calm and score." Fabregas admitted he had not been satisfied with his own performance but said his country's victory was the only thing that mattered. "I played poorly, but the team worked really hard," Fabregas added. "I had this intuition that we could advance if we went to penalties and that's what we did. Being in another final is a miracle. It's really incredible." Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas admitted Spain's good fortune in prevailing after penalties. "Yes, we really were lucky. Everything is about luck sometimes." http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18621190
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