surely, i wouldnt miss my chance to write about euro again for the last time. european season gonna start like a months away before it kick off, and what a way to start : chelsea vs MU , Everton vs Arsenal.. ok.. back to the euro stuff

i tried be neutral for this awaited final (coz my azzuri has been shown the exit door), but, somewhere in my heart, i do do hope Greece will win. why? R.E.S.P.E.C.T. that country hasn't won any match in major tournament and has been tip at 100-1 to win the tournament. they outpaced Spain in the qualifying group and managed to do the same in the group stage.. surely, at that time, i was bitterly cursing the Greek team coz i kinda fancy Spain. never got the chance to see how good they are.

but, Portugal? with the home advantage. anyone, i mean everyone (except for the greek fans, of course ) have Portugal name written as the europe champs in their. we thought maybe, the so-called golden generation can deliver after so much expectation and failure from a youth team in 1989, 1991. and it even happen at their home soil. even Porto won the champions league and 5 player on the starting line-up play for porto. so, doesn't it sound like the script already been written?

well, actually, it's not the 'golden generation' that has been the heart of the team to proceed into the finals. the likes of Fernando Couto, Rui Costa, Figo, ferreira, Pauleta failed miserablely in the first game. figo and pauleta survive for the next game while others left on the bench. and came all the promising youngster : deco, Ronaldo (i hate this guy so much ,MU!), Simao. Deco look like what Rui costa has been years ago minus the ability to score goals. ronaldo, still much to learn. he's 19 though! can't hold the biggie pressure. Simao rescued the portugese against england with a stunning free-kick with postiga headed straight into goal. Postiga is the guy who somehow cannot find his boot in Spurs. sounds familiar? most of the player who are struggling in their club is the one who are starring in this fairytale tournament.

Greece? hahahaha.. i dont know any of the player before the tournament.. even though i got the euro book to study it.. and still havent register any name after the group stage. i am that bias! france vs greece really2 open my eyes to the greek player. they're very2 organized team, tirelesly marking every france player and attack when they got the chance.. and Theo Zagorakis the C, is the most outstanding player. true what they said, the captain lead the way. such an inspiration for the team. just one blow, Karagounis is suspended.

4.45 a.m. AET

The first significant action came in the 7th minute, with Portugal captain Luis Figo taking on two Greek defenders on the left flank before winning a corner. Four minutes later, Costinha became the first man in referee Markus Merk’s book for a foul on Basinas.

1st lesson : have any of you sit beside a very2 fanatic fan of MU in any game? this is no better than that. i've nearly killed myself or why not, that person? as far as i know, this person even not a portugese fan in the first place. they even cheered for england. and today, they've been very2 bad mounthing in the game.. complain all sorts of thing. even when the greeks on the ball, you can hear them asking the portugese player to push even kick/tackle the greeks. wonder what happen opposite way? they said it's not fair, greeks was playing villain, and that and that.. even, when deco fall/dive (deco got the reputation for falling easily), they been shouting that it should been a penalty.. they just sound like a stupid person who doesnt know how soccer played...how i love for a greek goal at that time!

While not a classic, the game had the typical ingredients of a final: nerves, anxiety and a tactical fascination. Who would carry out their game plan to telling effect?

the Greek passing the ball smoothly acroos the field but, havent got that final tounch that look like gonna produce a goal. while portugal, depend mostly on counter attack, look dangerous when they on the ball, somehow, cannot pass through. when, they did pass through, they just shot it the wrong way or straight to the keeper.

a blow to portugal when miguel limp off and replaced by the new chelsea boy. the portugese looks very nervy and doesnt look very confident with the ball. Greece were tireless, chasing everything, closing down, tackling back, covering in numbers and always looking to inflict damage on Portugal whenever the opportunity arose to go forward. the man-marking was superb, though it can be tiredly. they kinda loose the ball a little bit when rui costa came on.

Seitardis has contained Cristiano Ronaldo better than anyone else in the tournament and Dellas was hovering Pauleta everywhere he goes evens winning the arial battle. that guy is 1.97 m.. a perfect defender ( wonder where he has been all this years). and what a superb deputy dellas have. if there's no dellas, there's kapsis.

and the man of the match, no 7 Theo. has been the master of the midfiled. figo look like lost on the field with Theo gave a superb inspiration for the team. The first to attack and the first to defend and been a true leader. hehe.. one of my fav player of the tournament.. and he got the looks too

Basinas? a solid performance with a memorable winning corner kick inside the box. and the man who replace the suspended Karagounis,
Giannakopolous, his work has been cut short since Miguel limped off, and Paulo Ferreira look like a kid to bullied.

the very cute Vryzas.. got that down-to-earth-bot-next-door-look- and comel is the word for them all. he work himself for the midfielders by opening up the space and been running along the line, defending and attacking..

have i miss anyone?

the winning goal scorer. he did the same against France and he did again against Portugal. the man was left unmarked. how can ricardo make such mistake. surely he knows the greeks was dangerous in set pieces. ricardo was clearly off the line , leaving all the space for charisteas to head the winning goal.

and then came rui costa. he did all that he can do. it his last game for the country. a superb goal against england and love him so much coz he's a rossoneri. he try to do his magic. but somehow, everythign went wrong for portugal.

the greek defence was prove hard to break down. they havent conceed any goal in the knock-out phase and they determined to keep the clean sheet.

ronaldo probably had the ebst chance to bring his team to glory. but, he prove to be fragile under pressure. he's still young. but, what's with the crying?

what can i say, when the final whistle blow, i was the only one cheering for greece loudly. they deserve the win. Having beaten Portugal in the tournament’s opening game, Greece proved it was no fluke by repeating the feat in the Final. His superb defence remained unbreached in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and Final. And in each they found the key to unlock their opponents’ back lines. Those opponents included reigning champions France, tournament favourites the Czechs and hosts Portugal. So no-one can say the Greeks had it easy.

the best team in euro 2004. Republic Czech came as second. portugal and england also been entertaining.

still, i'm proud to say my team is Azzuri. you cant just change your team by one performance. good or bad performance, the love is still in the heart.

and with so many good-looking guys.. my heart just sank on the floor every time i laid my eyes on them.. soooooo soooo much in love with them.. hehe.. yea, i've been romancing with the other world.. and euro has prove again that i really2 have a thing for tall/skinny guy with a beautiful eye and i still hate MU players!

The truth is rarely pure and never simple

Oscar Wilde,
The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895, Act I

♥ ♥ ♥ aJLa I'm no angel.. and i manage to remain alive in my own quirky way

"Look at the stars, and not the reflection of the moon."

*having my wickest dream come true *hint* dvz *hint*
*not to kill anyone as a doctor
*a person who can swept me off my feet