Issue # 9.2.5 "Spain Reigns" (After Final) [Taylor Swift Theme]

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Monday, July 15, 2024

[ Dailies: Jul 11 ]

The 2024 European Champion
1968 Euro Champs   2008 Euro Champs   2010 WC Champs   2012 Euro Champs   2024 Euro Champs
ESP - Kingdom of Spain - Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)	#8 | 1B | Winner | 7-0-0 4th Title ('64,'08, '12) B1: Beat Croatia 3-0 B4: Beat Italy 1-0 B5: Beat Albania 1-0 R16: Beat 3F-Georgia 4-1 QF: Beat 1A-Germany 2-1 (aet) SF: Beat 2D-France 2-1 FIN: Beat 1C-England 2-1

SPAIN SCORES LATE TO WIN RECORD 4TH EUROS
JBueno Wins Title; 7 had Spain as their champion

CERRITOS, CA (smt) - 1C-England had their five minutes of brilliance and turned a goalkeeper outlet into a game-tying goal in the 73' by Cole Palmer.  But that was it as ENG bunkered down and 1B-Spain sub Mikel Oyarzabal scored on a great give-and-go in the 86' to give ESP a 2-1 victory and their fourth European championship. Co-golden boot awardee (there were six who shared this) Dani Olmo headed a ball off the line in the 90' to preserve the lead.  ESP becomes the first European team to win all 7 games in regulation or extra time (Brazil did it in the World Cup 2002) and the young team only has room to grow.  ENG has now lost back-to-back Euro finals.

Spain vs England LIVE! & Copa Final

Noon PDT is kickoff

Saturday:  7 entries are alive and two can win the pool.

If SPAIN beats ENGLAND in Final…
1st	Jbueno	122
2nd	Merman	118
3rd	BigRedMessi 3	116
4th-Tied	Kds911-3	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 4th if 6-8
4th-Tied	Luis Enrique's Armada	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 4th if 6-8
4th-Tied	Big Blue	115	Tie:	10.5	Wins 4th if >=9
If ENGLAND beats SPAIN in Final…
1st	Merman	130
2nd	BigRedMessi 3	128
3rd	Big Blue	127
4th	Rainman	120

Cute dessert art!

Copa 3rd Place:  Okay, yet another reason we should be happy Gregg is gone - Canada managed to score twice on Uruguay (where USA couldn't) and nearly won the 3rd place game except for a stoppage time goal by the ageless Luis Suarez.  URU won in PKs to take 3rd.  I did wear my 2016 home URU jersey which has a cool sun pattern and had a cute rabbit at Premier Dessert Art in Monterey Park for a nightcap.  URU winning snaps a 2-game jersey losing streak... unless the streak is just for Euro matches ;-)

Sunday: The total goals thus far is 6.  I plan to wear a ESP jersey today so take note!

The theme song is a pop song?

11:50 am PDT:  Just realized the opening concert from OneRepublic is actually the theme song for the tournament.  With words.  I'm wearing my Xavi 2010 ESP home jersey with 2010 World Cup champion patch.  Does that mean a ESP win today?

12:00: Kickoff.  Love that the kickoff times start exactly at the top of the hour though I was worried they wouldn't get all the people and pomp and circumstance off the field in less than 4 minutes, but they did.

Issue # 8.2.4 "Again, is it Coming Home?" (History of the Pool)

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Friday, July 12, 2024

The European Championship Final   -
1968 Euro Champs   2008 Euro Champs   2010 WC Champs   2012 Euro Champs	vs	1966 WC Champs
ESP - Kingdom of Spain Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)		ENG - England The Football Assoc (The FA)
#8 | 1B | Winner | 6-0-0 5th Final ('64, '84, '08, '12) B1: Beat Croatia 3-0 B4: Beat Italy 1-0 B5: Beat Albania 1-0 R16: Beat 3F-Georgia 4-1 QF: Beat 1A-Germany 2-1 (aet) SF: Beat 2D-France 2-1		#5 | 1C | Winner | 3-0-3 2nd Final ('21) C2: Beat Serbia 1-0 C4: Tied Denmark 1-1 C5: Tied Slovenia 0-0 R16: Beat Slovakia 2-1 (aet) QF: Beat 2A-Switzerland 1-1 (PSO 5-3) SF: Beat 3D-Netherlands 2-1

 

CAN ENGLAND FINALLY DO IT?
Final is Noon PDT Sunday

LA MIRADA, CA (smt) - The summer of soccer continues with the conclusion of the EURO 2024 Final and the Copa América Final (Argentina vs Colombia) Sunday and then the men's and women's Olympic soccer kicks off July 24 in Paris and the Major League Soccer and Liga MX Leagues Cup kicks off July 26 with all 45 teams competing.

Issue # 7.2.3 "Don't Score First" (After Semifinals)

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Thursday, July 11, 2024
[Dailies: Jul 9-10 ]

SPAIN AND ENGLAND RALLY TO MAKE FINAL
Merman in 1st but JBueno Can Take Title; 10 get both final teams correct

HOME, CA (smt) - Scoring first is unhealthy for your chances.  On the last day of the quarters, 2F-Türkiye scored first but lost to 3D-Netherlands and 2A-Swiss scored first but 1C-England scored five minutes later and won in the PSO.  This time in the two semifinal matches, 2D-France finally scored an open play goal to open scoring in the 9' but 1B-Spain struck twice soon thereafter to hold on to a 2-1 win.  NED scored in the 7' but ENG scored on a controversial PK and then scored at the very end of regulation (I thought the goal was in the 90' but UEFA had it in the 90'+1 for a few hours) to stun NED, 2-1. 

ESP's Lamine Yamal became the youngest scorer in Euro history (16 years old, will be 17 come Sunday) and ENG's Ollie Watkins replaced PK scorer Harry Kane in the 81' and drilled the game-winner.  ESP makes its fifth Euro Final and will try to win its 4th while ENG makes its second straight Euro final and will try to win its first.

Quick Strikes (7/9)

Initially a GW own goal

GARDENA, CA - 2D-France finally scored in open play in the 9' but 1B-Spain struck back twice in 5 minutes (21' and 25' with the latter initially an own goal and then changed to a goal) for their only two shots on goal for the entire match to win 2-1 and advance to their 4th Euro final.  ESP's Lamine Yamal became the youngest person ever to score in the Euros (16 but will be 17 in the Final).  FRA tried to even the score but the two great chances late were shot high over the bar (including one by face-maskless Mbappe).

Real A5 Wagyu Ribeye!

23 had ESP making the final which kept Merman at the top with 110 pts with BigRedMessi 3 second (108) and Big Blue third (107).  Since all 3 have ENG as their champ, they will stay in this order.  10 entries can still win money and five can still win the pool.  Merman becomes the first person to win money and is guaranteed 4th.  Soccer Guru clinched last with 76 pts.  Eric F's three BigRedMessi entries are still alive but now he can't win the pool.  

BigRedMessi 3 is 2nd but can't win the pool while Sporty Xtina is 9th (101) but can win the pool.  Teton&Tahoe is 4th (106) but is eliminated while BigRedMessi 3 is tied for 37th but can still finish 3rd.

I love going to Tokyo Central for its Japanese groceries and now restaurant.  There, you can get A5 Japanese Wagyu ($99.99 per pound, same as when Costco sometimes sells it) which is delicious.  Because of the healthy fat content, you can't eat too much at a time so it lasts the whole week.  I wore my FRA women's 2022 home jersey and love that some nations produce different men's and women's jerseys (though that means I may have to buy double the jerseys if they look good).

Total Goals as of July 9 (1 of 3 Matches):  3

If SPAIN beats NETHERLANDS in Final…
1st-Tied	Kds911-3	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 1st/2nd
1st-Tied	Luis Enrique's Armada	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 1st/2nd
3rd	JBueno	114
4th	Merman	110
If NETHERLANDS beats SPAIN in Final…
1st	Sporty Xtina	121
2nd	Merman	110
3rd-Tied	BigRedMessi 2	108	Tie:	5.0	Wins 3rd if 3-5
3rd-Tied	BigRedMessi 1	108	Tie:	6.0	Wins 4th if 3-5, 3rd if 6, 4th if >=7
3rd-Tied	BigRedMessi 3	108	Tie:	6.5	Wins 4th if 6, 3rd if >=7
If SPAIN beats ENGLAND in Final…
1st	Jbueno	122
2nd	Merman	118
3rd	BigRedMessi 3	116
4th-Tied	Kds911-3	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 4th if 3-8
4th-Tied	Luis Enrique's Armada	115	Tie:	7.0	Tied 4th if 3-8
4th-Tied	Big Blue	115	Tie:	10.5	Wins 4th if >=9
If ENGLAND beats SPAIN in Final…
1st	Merman	130
2nd	BigRedMessi 3	128
3rd	Big Blue	127
4th	Rainman	120