Euro 2008 Group Stage Awards

By Chris Rivers,Online Media Relations 22 June 2008

Group Stage awards

Despite coming towards the end of the quarter finals I thought after such a brilliant first round it would be worthwhile in taking a look back at the group stages and hand out a few awards. For those of you who are regular visitors to Footballocks you will know this was done for the first round of group games so I will try to avoid referring back to the first round too much.

Best Match: Czech Republic 2-3 Turkey

Was there every going to be any other winner of this award? These two sides played out the most dramatic and enthralling game of the group stages. Every European Championships there is normally a classic game to decide who goes through from the group stages, I am sure many people remember the 4-3 game between Spain and Yugoslavia at Euro 2000 when the Spanish went through with a last minute winner.

This game may not have had as many goals but for a side to come from two goals behind and win, albeit with a hint of good fortune, is simply staggering. When Jaroslav Plasil slid in to make it 2-0 few would have thought that Turkey were even capable of coming from two goals down to draw let alone win. Although when Arda Turan got Turkey on the score sheet you sensed that the Czech’s were beginning to feel the heat. Nothing proved this more than Petr Cech’s error allowed Nihat to level. Criticism at Cech is slightly unfair because he is the best goalkeeper in the world and was bound to make a mistake sooner rather than later, it just so happened that it coincided with such a huge game for his country is bad luck. What capped it all off for me was Nihat’s brilliant finish to win it, that was of the highest quality and deserved to win any game.

So can Turkey go all the way after another dramatic win? Put you money where your mouth is and bet here

http://betting.betfair.com/football/euro-2008/

Team of the group stage: Holland

This was a close one to call with Holland, Croatia and Spain all winning their groups in style but the award must go to Holland after they came through the ‘group of death’ at Euro 2008 beating Italy and France in style on their way. It wasn’t just the margin of victory in those two games which impressed so many people but the way they did it with a team that wasn’t fancied by many to do much before Euro 2008 started. In fact if you look back over what was written about the Dutch before the tournament you got the impression that they wouldn’t even get a point with France and Italy the two sides to qualify.

The fact that eight different players scored for Holland showed you the strength in depth the team had, another aspect of the Dutch that was underrated. The likes of Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Varrt have been electric so far and with the unknown talents of Nigel de Jong and Orlando Engelaar backing them up Holland have created a stable base, which has been the building block of the Dutch success so far. At the back Edwin van der Sar has been in top form to keep Holland in the game at times, especially against Italy and France where he was called upon on a number of occasions.

To round off their group C rampage the Dutch created some of the finest goals you are likely to see in any game of football, from the fantastic break away goals against Italy to some wonderful finishes against France, one of which I will go in to more detail about later. Overall the Dutch were clearly the best side out of all 16, whether they go any further than the quarter finals remains to be seen.

Player of the group stages: David Villa

This was possibly the hardest category to chose from but in the end I have gone for the man who lead Spain to the quarter finals. Even though he didn’t play in the last game his performances in the first two games were impressive enough. For the third game alone my award would have gone to Andrei Arshavin but overall it has to be Villa. Four goals in two games in a major tournament is incredibly impressive for a man who had failed to shine for his nation before Euro 2008.

He may have had a quiet game against Sweden which was more to do with the lack of penetration from the Spanish midfielder rather than Villa himself. When it mattered though he came up with the goods, capitalising on a lack on concentration and finishing brilliantly under a great deal of pressure to win the game for Spain and put them through.

His hat-trick against Russia though will remain the highlight for me, it may not have been the ‘perfect’ hat-trick but it was as close as you are going to get. When you score three and make the fourth there isn’t a lot more you can do. As such I’m tipping Villa to claim the golden boot, those odds are here

http://betting.betfair.com/football/euro-2008/

Goal of the group stage: Wesley Sneijder V France.

Another tough choice to make with any number of goals capable of winning this award, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s goal against Greece was brilliant as was Michael Ballack’s freekick against Austria but in the end for me there was only one winner. Sneijder’s goal against France gets it for me because of how brilliant the strike was. Firstly to turn Jeremy Toulalan about 22 yards from goal and then strike it so it goes up and over Gregory Coupet into the top corner was simply magic.

I am a big admirer of Sneijder’s and that goal has only raised his value for me, Real Madrid have a real gem on their hands and he could be the difference maker for Holland because when he ticks the Dutch look very dangerous.

So those are my choices for the group stages, of course those are only my opinions and if you agree or disagree with them in any of them then leave your own nominations.

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