It's strange as to how come I started to hum 'Clementine' (the lyrics) early this morning (even all the more I learned how to play the song on the piano in my past piano lessons and it's one of those songs I knew since young). And it came after whatever has happened just before the half-time of the Euro 2008 opener between Switzerland and the Czech Republic (1-0 to the visitors).
I probably saw it coming when Switzerland captain and striker Alexander Frei was (as according to AFP news report) 'caught flat-footed when Marek Jankulovski directed a powerful header back over the top, enabling substitute Sverkos to sprint clear before beating goalkeeper Diego Benaglio with the outside of his right boot from 12 yards'. Frei, who had only recently become his country's top goalscorer ahead of the tournament, tested his opposing goalkeeper Petr Cech a few times in the first-half. I had even thought that at the rate he is going, he will be scoring a goal soon. Thinking a little too early. As I was watching the match, it really breaks my heart when he was being carried off the pitch (by then, it was half-time) and was in tears (this was after the second-half began when Frei was seen on crutches).
Before getting into the match proper, a little background information (Reuters's profile can get one started on who is Frei) on the man who also plays for Borussia Dortmund at club level. England fans will remember that it was Alex Frei (many news reports refer the Swiss captain that way) who spitted on Steven Gerrard at Euro 2004 (which Frei originally denied until television pictures showed otherwise). Two years on, the home fans had forgiven him and he played a major role into Switzerland's route to the 2006 World Cup. The Swiss captain I know plays for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga (he used to play for Rennes in France) and he was out on the sidelines for the majority of the season before he came back in time for his club and country. With the European Championships being held in his own country (the co-host), it's time for him to impress. And it has ended a little too early. After Johann Vogel (who is now at Blackburn) had fallen out with coach Jakob Kuhn, Frei took on the captain's armband.
Back to the match proper in Basel, it was a little drab actually. But then, Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech had been tested many a times especially in the first-half (a handful courtesy of Frei). Maybe I never noticed it but, coach Kuhn felt that they had been denied two clear penalties. With even before news being confirmed that Alex Frei not able to play for the rest of the tournament, the Swiss media is already seeing it as a blow. Turkey is up next for Switzerland. But for the captain of the Czech Republic Tomas Ujfalusi which his side has won the opener, not the time to get carried away.
It was Portugal which got the ground really running from almost the first whistle against Turkey in the other Group A match at Geneva. Pacey was how AFP described Portugal (2-0 to them). I didn't watched this one and so I let my father gave his insights on how it went in the second-half (he admitted that was the time he woke up). There were tackles (though I had no idea if I had noticed closely from the highlights). I know what is for sure from my father that it could have been 5-0 to Portugal in the end. While Pepe is thrilled to score his first goal for his adopted country (he was actually from Brazil), Turkey coach Fatih Terim confident his side will avoid mistakes for their future matches.
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo was inevitably at the centre of attention (maybe even all the more since he admitted of a move to Real Madrid from Manchester United) and if the match against Turkey was anything to go by, his focus was definitely there. He did came close to scoring though. And was even being given the captain's armband (coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said during the post-match press conference that it was him who told Nuno Gomes to give it to Ronaldo as he was substituting Gomes for Nani in the 69th minute).
Already before the opener in Basel between Switzerland and the Czech Republic, there were already injuries being reported. Definitely a heartbreak for those who had already being selected by their respective national coaches (Switzerland's Alexender Frei is the latest on the list). Despite the bad weather before the opener in Basel (and the usual acts of drunken vandalism associated with the game’s big competitions and a number of arrests, as according to Reuters), the goals that were scored were 'finely executed'. I will probably (that depends) be talking a little more on what happened the night before in Klagenfurt (that is in Austria) ahead of the Germany-Poland match given of reports of fans behaving badly. But anyhow, Austrian police are already bracing for more trouble later today after what happened last night at Klagenfurt.
Euro 2008 thought of the day: It's like a mother seeing her child so unwell and cannot really do much (except giving the medication as prescribed by the doctor). That is my analogy on the 'Nati' captain Alexander Frei. Now a major question for the co-hosts - Will the national team be able to survive without him?
Non-native Turks pen letters of pride for Euro 2008 (The Turkish Football Federation has handed out a glossy brochure to reporters entitled “Letters to Euro 2008″. The book, available in Turkish and English, is a collection of letters written by players and coaching staff in their own handwriting and detailing their thoughts about the tournament and the national team.)
Van the Man back in tune with van Basten (Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy cuts a much happier figure these days than he did at the 2006 World Cup finals and with him soon to turn 32 he realises that Euro 2008 may well be his last appearance on a major international stage.)
