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[Roverbhoy]

All the latest short stories here please...just for me,
starting with:-

Robben shrugs off defeat

Winger Arjen Robben insists his side's 1-0 friendly defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland will not affect the Netherlands' chances at Euro 2004.
The Dutch were booed off by their fans after losing in Amsterdam on Saturday.

"It was not a good match for us. We didn't play well and it was not good preparation for Euro 2004," Robben told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek.

"But I don't think it will be a big problem. Everything now is focused on the first game against Germany."


Holland have been drawn in a tough group with Germany, the Czech Republic and Latvia.

And Robben believes the entire competition will be closely contested.

"All the teams in Portugal are very strong," he added. "The differences between the teams are very small. We will see."

Robben will play for Chelsea next season after deciding to leave PSV Eindhoven in a £12m deal.

"I'm very excited about the move but at the moment I am only busy with the Dutch team," he revealed.

"After Euro 2004 then I can prepare for Chelsea but I am looking forward to playing for them next season."

 

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[Roverbhoy]

England crush Iceland

England 6-1 Iceland

Wayne Rooney sparked England to an emphatic win over Iceland and a morale- boosting send-off to Euro 2004.

Frank Lampard's deflected shot put England on their way, with Rooney doubling the lead from close range.

Rooney rifled in a spectacular 25-yard shot to make it three, before Heidar Helguson pulled one back for Iceland.

Darius Vassell stabbed home England's fourth goal, Wayne Bridge drove in his first for his country before Vassell's curling shot rounded off victory.


England carved out the first chance of the game on four minutes when Paul Scholes made a characteristic surge to get on the end of Gary Neville's inviting cross only to volley over from six yards.

Iceland's five-man midfield initially made it difficult for England to play their way through and the visitors were defending comfortably and in-depth.

That showed on 15 minutes when David Beckham clipped a ball up for Ashley Cole at the far post but as Rooney hesitated Joey Gudjonsson nipped in to intercept the nod down.

England began to increase the tempo and should have taken the lead on 18 minutes.

Beckham's inswinging left-wing corner found Lampard unmarked and from six yards out but the Chelsea midfielder planted his header wide.

But in the space of two minutes the complexion of the game changed completely with two England goals.

Lampard made amends for his earlier miss by giving England the lead on 24 minutes, collecting Scholes' neat pass and rifling in a shot from 25 yards which deflected off Hermann Hreidarsson to wrong-foot keeper Arni Arason.

Iceland's defence was caught napping at a throw-in two minutes later. Gary Neville broke free from Beckham's throw to work his way to the bye-line before pulling the ball perfectly back into Rooney's path for the Everton teenager to sidefoot home.

Rooney was in a bullish mood after recent question marks over his temperament and club form, and he emphatically fired England into a 3-0 lead on 37 minutes.

Scholes played the ball back to Rooney 27 yards out, and the Everton youngster's first touch teed the ball up perfectly for him to rasp an unstoppable half-volley past Arason.


But England's defensive frailties emerged on 40 minutes when Hreidarsson headed a corner across goal and England's ham-fisted attempts to clear allowed Helguson to head home from close range.

Beckham was among England's half-time procession of substitutes, ahead of a pre-arranged injection at a Manchester hospital to remove a cyst from his back.

Ledley King had a powerful header cleared off the line by Toddy Gudjonsson before Darius Vassell extended England's lead on 57 minutes.

Owen Hargreaves fired in a low, raking shot and Indridi Sigurdsson's clearance rebounded into the net off the Aston Villa striker.

Joe Cole held his head in embarrassment as he fired wide from 10 yards with only the keeper to beat but it made little difference as Wayne Bridge scored England's fifth on 67 minutes, collecting Heskey's flick-on to head home.

England were not finished and Vassell curled an exquisite shot around Arason for England's sixth on 77 minutes

 

[Roverbhoy]

Sweden boost for Larsson


Henrik Larsson marked his international return with a goal as Sweden beat Poland 3-1 in a Euro 2004 warm-up game.
Larsson , who has decided to leave Celtic after seven years, paid tribute to Erik Edman, whose cross set him up.

"He hit a great cross. When the ball comes at you with such speed you only have to meet the ball with your head," said the striker.

Andreas Jakobsson and Marcus Allback also scored, while Poland's Damian Gorawski added a late consolation goal.

Larsson also believes that there is more to come from his strike-partner Ajax striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Ibrahimovic started up front with Larsson for only the second time but missed several scoring chances in both halves.

"It's fun to play with Zlatan," added Larsson , who last played with Ibrahimovic in a 2-0 win over Switzerland in 2001.

"Considering that we haven't played much together in the past, I think it looked good.

"He is very unpredictable but that is his strength. You have to be patient."

 

[Roverbhoy]

Hungary shock Germany


Germany coach Rudi Voller had nothing to celebrate on his 50th game in charge as Hungary won 2-0 in Kaiserslautern.
Two first-half goals from Sandor Torghelle saw an inexperienced Hungary side inflict a morale-sapping defeat in Germany's last game before Euro 2004.

The 22-year-old turned neatly and fired home after just seven minutes and dinked home a second after 31 minutes.

Ironically, Hungary are coached by Voller's former team-mate and German legend Lothar Matthaus.

Michael Ballack went close several times for Germany while debutant Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Brdaric should also have scored.

But while the Germans looked strong in attack, they were weak at the back.

"We suffered from concentration lapses," confessed Voller.

"But our future is not bleak and I am sure we will perform well in Portugal. But it is clear that a few players need to do more."

Matthaus said: "We were brilliant and showed so much heart. The fact that we had so many players missing made the win all the better.

"I wish Germany a successful Euro 2004.

"Our win should not be blown out of proportion because other teams are not in top form either. I am sure Rudi will come up trumps in Portugal."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Germany: Kahn, Hinkel, Worns, Nowotny, Lahm, Hamann, Ballack, Schneider, Frings, Bobic, Klose. Subs: Lehmann, Hildebrand, Baumann, Ziege, Schweinsteiger, Kehl, Jeremies, Ernst, Brdaric, Podolski.

Hungary: Kiraly, Juhasz, Szelesi, Andras Toth, Rosa, Huszti, Bodnar, Torghelle, Stark, Gera, Leandro. Subs: Bernath, Bodor, Gyepes, Hercegfalvi, Komlosi, Balazs Toth, Polonkai, Vlaszak

 

[Roverbhoy]

Injury scare for Bulgaria


Bulgaria midfielder Velizar Dimitrov could be a doubt for his side's Euro 2004 opener against Sweden on June 14 after suffering a thigh injury.
Dimitrov sustained the problem during the warm-up of an exhibition match between the the 2004 squad and their counterparts from 1994.

"When I warmed up I felt a sharp pain in my left thigh," said Dimitrov after the current line-up won the match 4-2.

"I have no idea what may have caused the problem."

Team doctor Mihail Iliev added: "We must make further examinations. I hope it is nothing serious but I am worried."

Bayer Leverkusen striker Dimitar Berbatov scored a hat-trick for the 2004 squad.

 

[Roverbhoy]

Lonfat out of Swiss squad


Midfielder Johann Lonfat has pulled out of Switzerland's Euro 2004 squad because of a back injury.
Coach Koebi Kuhn has replaced him with St Gallen's Tranquillo Barnetta.

Barnetta has made 14 appearances for the Swiss Under-21 side, scoring three goals, but has yet to make his full debut for the senior team.

Kuhn's side are in Group B with holders France, England and Croatia and begin their campaign against the Croats in Leiria on 13 June.

 

[Len]

I think Sweden is the biggest threat in the Azzuri's group...

 

[gray]

IMO this kid Schweinsteiger's gonna be something special

 

[Len]

You reckon?

 

[aressandro10]

THE HAGUE: A Dutch weekend magazine has called on its readers to take drastic measures to ensure Holland beat Germany in their Euro 2004 Group D match in Porto on June 15.

Holland have disappointed in their last few friendlies, losing 1-0 at home to Ireland on Saturday.

The magazine Panorama has included a voodoo doll dressed in a white shirt and black pants with each copy this weekend. Also included in the Euro set the magazine is giving its readers are three pins.

Readers are encouraged to think of a German player and stick the pins into the doll whilst thinking of the player.

Dutch media yesterday reported that the Dutch Football Association have distanced themselves from the somewhat bizarre offering of the magazine. – dpa

 

[Ferrari^M]

LOL They're really desperate eh?

 

[kurvengeflüster]

++ [ originally posted by aressandro10 ] ++
THE HAGUE: A Dutch weekend magazine has called on its readers to take drastic measures to ensure Holland beat Germany in their Euro 2004 Group D match in Porto on June 15.

Holland have disappointed in their last few friendlies, losing 1-0 at home to Ireland on Saturday.

The magazine Panorama has included a voodoo doll dressed in a white shirt and black pants with each copy this weekend. Also included in the Euro set the magazine is giving its readers are three pins.

Readers are encouraged to think of a German player and stick the pins into the doll whilst thinking of the player.

Dutch media yesterday reported that the Dutch Football Association have distanced themselves from the somewhat bizarre offering of the magazine. – dpa

our freaky neighbours

 

[gray]

++ [ originally posted by Len ] ++
You reckon?

well that's why I said it, isn't it?

 

[Slagathor]

++ [ originally posted by kurvengeflüster ] ++
our freaky neighbours

That's the Dutch for you

I considered buying the magazine :embarass:

 

[Stu]

++ [ originally posted by gray ] ++
IMO this kid Schweinsteiger's gonna be something special

Agreed.

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

++ [ originally posted by Ferrari^M ] ++
LOL They're really desperate eh?

like that is gonna help. what they need to do is have more fans that germany

 

[gray]

Pretty difficult though, considering they've about 70 million less people :stress:

 

[Lawnchair Bes]

++ [ originally posted by gray ] ++
Pretty difficult though, considering they've about 70 million less people :stress:

buy some portugese/ spanish

 

[FC Porto]

++ [ originally posted by gray ] ++
Pretty difficult though, considering they've about 70 million less people :stress:

LOLOL....
I'm portuguese and will be on the stadium hoping for Holland to beat Germany in a convincing way what can I do,since Euro '88 my life has never been the same... ORANJE!!!!
but first of all,may the match live up to the expectations!!!
And if Portugal can't win the tournament,would love to see the Dutch taking the trophy...

 

[flieeeekke]

but then bloody english will march in and take it home.