Issue # 9.2.5 "It's Coming Home" (7/10)

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Saturday, July 10, 2021 
Issue # 9.2.5 "It's Coming Home" - History of our Pool

The European Championship Final   -
1934 WC Champs 1938 WC Champs 1968 Euro Champs 1982 WC Champs 2006 WC Champs	vs	1966 World Cup Champs
ITA - Italian Rep (Italy) Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC)		ENG - England The Football Assoc (The FA)
#7 | 1A | Winner | 5-0-1 4th Final ('68, '00, '12) A1: Beat Turkey 3-0 A4: Beat Switzerland 3-0 A6: Beat Wales 1-0 R16: Beat 2C-Austria 2-1 (ET) QF: Beat 1B-Belgium 2-1 SF: Beat 2E-Spain 1-1 (PSO 4:2)		#4 | 1D | Winner | 5-0-1 1st Final D1: Beat Croatia 1-0 D4: Tied Scotland 0-0 D6: Beat Czech Rep 1-0 R16: Beat 2F-Germany 2-0 QF: Beat 3C-Ukraine 4-0 SF: Beat 2B-Denmark, 2-1 (ET)

ITALY GOING FOR 2ND EURO TITLE; ENGLAND ITS FIRST
Final is Noon PDT Sunday

ROSEMEAD, CA (smt) - After watching Lionel Messi get his (hard-to-believe) first international trophy (Copa America) in Argentina's foul-filled, what happened to VAR, 1-0 win over Brazil, in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) (in front of some fans for once), you wonder if 1D-England will suffer the same fate as BRA at home to 1A-Italy.  ENG is 4-0-1 in London's Wembley Stadium this tourney but ITA does have an extra day of rest.  ITA is making its fourth Euro Final but haven't won it since '68 while ENG is just making its 2nd final, Euro/World Cup combined, but did win the WC Final in '66. 

For years, people have asked about the Euro pool, usually right after each World Cup.  Having not watched the Euros (I don't think it was regularly on live TV until the '08 one), I didn't know what to expect.  Considering each World Cup has "token" teams from Africa and CONCACAF (e.g., blowouts), the '12 Euros only had 16 teams and all were quality.  So even though the setup was different from the World Cups (32 teams), I managed to get it to work.  Granted it was a little easier because it was just the top 2 teams (no 3rd place to worry about like in '16 and '20).  But folks like Eric F convinced me people would be interested and they were, with 39 entries in our first year.

Just our 3rd Euro pool,

Issue # 1.0.1 "The 2021 HWCI Euro 2020 Pool... or Something Like That" (5/29)

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Saturday, May 29, 2021 

EURO 2020 REBOOTS IN 2021 IN 11 CITIES

After a one year delay, our 3rd Euro pool kicks off with a deadline June 11th

SANTA BARBARA, CA (smt)- After the pandemic postponed Euro 2020, UEFA's celebration across Europe kicks off June 11th in 2021 although the 24-team tournament will still be called Euro 2020.  Eleven cities (down from original 13) in 11 countries will host with 9 teams getting to host at least two group matches.  Thanks the UEFA Nations League, C4-North Macedonia (MKD) won a place in the tournament, its first (along with Finland).  Hosts were paired (if both qualified) in each group then drawn for order (1,2,3,4) so you'll see, for example, #37 Hungary leading Group F as F1.   Will playing at home, with fans mostly from their country (due to some inter-Europe travel restrictions), help elevate teams?  There is no overwhelming favorite so is this England's year (with a potential to play 6 of 7 matches in Wembley Stadium)?

B3-Belgium is the #1 team in the world while F3-France (#2), D1-England (#4), F2-Portugal (#5) (defending champs), E1-Spain (#6), A2-Italy (#7), and B1-Denmark (#10) are also in the top 10.  As you can infer, Group F is the group of death with France, Portugal, and Germany (have fallen to #12!).  Since there are just six groups, four of the six 3rd place teams will advance to the Knockout Stage so all three could make it but maybe #37 Hungary can surprise someone in that group.

So what has changed in our pool?