15 November 2003
With Spain yet to finish, none of the ‘favoured’ teams — the Netherlands, Croatia, Russia, and Turkey — in the Euro 2004 play-offs have won. Two away draws and two home wins for the underdogs would have them as favourites, all things being equal. Match reports from UEFA.
Terrific battling from the Scots. I lost a frame of snooker because I was caught up in this match, especially after McFadden scored. They haven’t conceded an away goal, which could be crucial: if they score the first in Amsterdam, the Dutch will have to score three. Christian Dailly and Jaap Stam are both suspended for the return leg following yellow cards, which leaves the Dutch lacking their best defender and the Scots without a holding midfielder.
May as well throw in another Dutch football story. The commentator Jonathan Pearce was saying how, during Euro 2000, he was struck by the Dutch fans, and especially their energy. They would sing a song and sway forwards, backwards, right, and left as they sang. Stirring stuff. He got a hold of someone and asked them just what the words to that song were.
‘Forwards, backwards, right, left. Forwards, backwards…’
During the group stages, Russia scored four goals in every home match. Until the last one, that is, when they managed a mere three. Having stormed out of the blocks like Maurice Greene, they stuttered towards the finishing line like Morris dancers.
Suffice to say, this didn’t have the Russians worried. With Latvia — supposedly the only weaker side in the draw — formerly part of the Soviet Union, it’s safe to say they would have been fired up for it. And apparently Wales is only famous for its whiskey.
Not that this mattered a jot to the Welsh defence, and in particular Mark Delaney and Danny Gabbidon. Both were excellent in repelling the early Russian pressure. Once those tense fifteen minutes were over, it became a reasonably even, close game with chances few and far between. Paul Jones was never really stretched, thanks mostly to the aforementioned players.
Two Russians — goalkeeper Ovchinnikov and influential midfielder Mostovoi — will miss the second leg after bookings. The former was one of the strangest I’ve seen: at the end of the first half, Wales’ Barnard took a long-range shot, which Ovchinnikov saved. All well and good, you might think. But no. Ovchinnikov raced half the length of the pitch to remonstrate with Barnard, earning himself a booking for his troubles.
Ryan Giggs may also miss the second leg after a blatant elbow went unnoticed by the referee and scandalously unmentioned by the BBC commentary team.
On paper (where, it has to be said, matches are seldom played) this was the most even tie of the round. Although Slovenia had never beaten Croatia, they did bring with them play-off experience, having qualified for Euro 2000 and the last World Cup via that route.
For some reason, the Spurs player Milenko Acimovic comes to the fore on these occassions. It was his penalty that got Slovenia to Korea and Japan 2002, and it was from his free kick that Ermin Siljak headed Slovenia’s equaliser. Dada Prso, he of the four goals against Deportivo, got the opener.
As with the three previous matches, it was dogged defending that kept the score down. Croatia won’t be so dominant in the away leg, and they have an away goal to avenge. 0-0 will be enough for Slovenia.
Latvia’s best player is apparently Marian Pahars. I say apparently because while the Southampton striker has been injured, Latvia have hit top form, beating Poland and Hungary on their way to second place in Group 4.
Having not seen the match — news media over here inexplicably preferring the Scotland and Wales matches instead — I can only go by what the reports tell me, and they tell me that Latvia were the better side. Scotland and Slovenia may have had a little luck, while Wales played for the draw, but Latvia went out and out-played Turkey in admittedly difficult conditions. After their complete lack of threat in the England matches, one has to wonder if Turkey did overperform in coming third at the last World Cup.
Emre Asik, Fatih, and Reçber Rüstü miss the return leg. The former because of his sending off, the latter because of bookings.
Finally, Spain vs Norway live. As I type, it’s 1-1, having somewhat incredibly been 1-0 to Norway. Five out of five, perhaps?