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Euro 2016: A peek at history – football comes home

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8 years ago

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EURO 1996:

The slogan for Euro 1996 was ” Football Comes Home” and with that kind of entitlement, the hosts England needed to deliver in front of their home fans. But their preparations for the event got embroiled in controversy and it involved their star player Paul Gascoigne , aka Gazza. England were knocked out in the semis by eventual winners Germany in a penalty shootout. Germany upstaged edged out the Czech Republic in the final.

EURO 2000:

Xavier loses the plot: France became the first team to hold the World Cup and the Euro at the same time after their success at the continental championship in 2000. They got more than a helping “hand” from Portugal’s Abel Xavier , though. In the semi-final, with just three minutes to go in extra time, Xavier blocked a goal-bound shot with his hand. The referee awarded a penalty for France which Zinedine Zidaneconverted to take them to the final. The enraged Portuguese players almost manhandled the referee Gunter Benko and invited severe punishments including a nine-month ban for Xavier.

EURO 2004:

Greece eke out title with 1-0 wins: Otto Rehhagel’s Greece side surprised everyone by reaching the final to take on hosts Portugal. Greece were exemplary with their set-piece play and once again it was a corner that sealed the title for the outsiders. Angelos Charisteas towered above the defenders to head home the most important goal in Greece’s football history. This was Greece’s third 1-0 win in a row on their way to the title.

EURO 2008:

Torres kicks off Spanish domination in Vienna: Spain were the perennial underachievers of world football and all that changed in EURO 2008 . They played entertaining football to reach the final against big guns Germany. Late in the first half, Fernando Torres received a through ball, weighted to perfection, from mid field general Xavi Hernandez and outmuscled Phillip Lahm before chipping the ball gently over onrushing goal keeper Jens Lehmann. This Euro win started a period of enviable Spanish domination during which they bagged the 2010 World Cup and retained the Euro in 2012.

EURO 2012:

Balotelli’s anger in stillness: A young, brash Italian provided the iconic moment of Euro 2012. In the semi-final against Germany, Mario Balotelli took a shot from way out.

But the power and the swing were too much for Manuel Neuer as the ball shook the top left-hand corner of the net.

Balotelli took off his shirt and stood with an angry facial expression. With that goal, his second of the night, he put the game beyond Germany’s reach. Balotelli later dedicated that win to his adoptive mother Silvia, who raised him from the age of two after he was born to Ghanaian immigrants.

 

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Catch of the century: Steve Smith takes a superb diving catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya in 2nd ODI – watch

Steve Smith took a one-handed stunner to send back Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australia captain dived towards his right and held on to the ball to complete the catch. The commentators were in all awe of the captain as he completed the catch.

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1 year ago

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March 19, 2023

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Steve Smith once again showed his fielding skills and took a one-handed screamer to dismiss Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australian captain was standing at the first slip while the ball flew towards the second slip. Smith put in everything he had and dived to his right to grab the one-handed stunner.

The commentators were in all awe of Smith’s effort and Sanjay Manjrekar called it the catch of the century. Smith’s diving effort saw Pandya walking back for a mere score of 1.

India are struggling for every run in the fixture and have lost half of their side inside the first 10 overs. Shubman Gill, who is enjoying a dream run in 2023, failed to open his account and departed for a two-ball duck.

Back in the playing XI after taking a rest from the first ODI, Rohit Sharma also disappointed and managed to score 13 off 15. The India captain replaced Ishan Kishan in the playing XI. Suryakumar Yadav disappointed once again and departed for a one-ball duck.

The number 4 batsman was once again dismissed by Mitchell Starc. After Suryakumar’s dismissal, much was expected from vice-captain Pandya but his innings came to an end early.
Ravindra Jadeja has joined Virat Kohli in the middle and the duo has added more than 20 runs for the sixth wicket. The onus is on Kohli to play a big knock and propel India to a defendable total. Much will also depend on in-form Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 45 in the first ODI and scalped 2 wickets to win the Player of the Match award.

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Watch: Messi’s extraordinary goal that sent Argentina into FIFA World Cup quarters, leaves behind Maradona and Ronaldo

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1 year ago

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December 4, 2022

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Lionel Messi marked his 1000th career appearance with a typically extraordinary goal that helped Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup round of 16 tie at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar and took the two-time champions to the quarterfinals. With the goal, Messi left behind Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve a sensational feat.

Argentina’s first goal came in the 34th minute of the game when Messi worked his magic with his famous left foot to curl in a low one through the defenders and past the goalkeeper. It was Messi’s ninth goal in his World Cup career and a very first in the knockout stage.

With the goal, Messi went past Maradona and Guillermo Stábile to become the second-highest goal scorer for Argentina in FIFA World Cup. His tally of nine goals now only stands behind former Argentina captain Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 10 goals in his World Cup career.

Overall, he stands second among active footballers in the list of most World Cup goals scored, after Germany’s Thomas Mueller (10) and one ahead of Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (9).

Messi also levelled Ronaldo in terms of most goals scored in major tournaments. 13 of Messi’s 22 such goals came in Copa America. However, he is the only one between the two to have a goal in the FIFA World Cup knockouts.

Argentina eventually won 2-1 in the match against Australia. Julian Alvarez scored the second goal while Australia pulled one back off an own goal. La Albiceleste will now take on Netherlands, who beat USA 3-1 in the first round of 16 tie on Saturday, in the quarterfinal next week.

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DOJO De Succoro wins accolades at NBSII Goa Championship

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2 years ago

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June 13, 2022

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Porvorim: DOJO De Succoro Porvorim participated in NBSII Goa Kata championship held at Mapusa on May 29.

The participants were guided by Head Chief Renshi Nityanand Juvekar and Instructor Sensei Shashi Sahani.

Winners of the competition are: Sanika Satardekar, Sampurn Satardekar, Satvik Toraskar, Sneha Bhandari, Mishka Vipin, Surabhi Polai, Suraj Polai, Vaishnavi Singh, Anshuman Singh, Kunal Yadav, Shaurya Shet Dessai, Kusum Nanavare and Riyansh Gosavi. (GoaNewsHub)

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