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.

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.

Issue # 6.2.2 "Best of the Best?" (After Quarterfinals)

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Sunday, July 7, 2024

[Dailies: Jul 5-6 ]

First Semifinal -  Munich Football Arena			Second Semifinal - BVB Stadion Dortmund
ESP - Kingdom of Spain La Roja (The Red One) Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)	FRA - French Rep Les Blues (The Blues) Fédération Française de Football (FFF)		NED - Netherlands Oranje Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (KNVB)	ENG - England Three Lions The Football Assoc (The FA)
#8 | 1B | Winner | 5-0-0 6th Semifinal ('64, '84, '08, '12, '21) 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)	#2 | 2D | Runner-Up | 2-0-3 5th Semifinal ('84, '96, '00, '16) D2: Beat Austria 1-0 D4: Tied Netherlands 0-0 D6: Tied Poland 1-1 R16: Beat 2E-Belgium 1-0 QF: Beat 1F-Portugal 0-0 ( PSO 5-3)		#7 | 3D | 3rd Place | 3-1-1 6th Semifinal ('76, '88, '92, '00, '04) D1: Beat Poland 2-1 D4: Tied France 0-0 D5: Lost to Austria 3-2 R16: Beat 1E-Romania 3-0 QF: Beat Türkiye 2-1	#5 | 1C | Winner | 2-0-3 4th Semifinal ('68, '96, '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)

BIG NAMES IN SEMIS, BUT HOW GOOD ARE THEY
Merman in control with 102 pts; 13 get all 4 SF teams correct

ROSEMEAD, CA (smt) - We have the semifinals set with 1B-Spain facing 2D-France and 1C-England facing 3D-Netherlands.  The four have combined for six European championships and four World Cups with each team winning at least one of them.  While ESP has outscored opponents 11-2 (1 own goal), FRA has not scored in open play (its three goals have been 2 own goals and 1 PK), ENG has scored just four times (with the last two not getting a shot on goal for almost 95 minutes and 80 minutes, respectively), and NED only winning one game comfortably (3-0 in Round of 16) while needing to rally twice after falling behind 1-0.