soSoccer - Semifinals of the Euro 2008

On Wednesday, June 25th 2008, the antecedent of the two semifinals took country in Switzerland. The venue was the St. Jakob Arena in Basel which was expressly built in 1954 for the football world cup. Back then Germany was playing in the corresponding stadium in the semifinals against Austria, achieving a victory and following winning the World Cup 1954. After the expansion in 2006/2007 the stadium has now a capacity of 38.500 seats. For the European Cup this year the organizers moved the seats a diminutive bit cool so that 4.000 fresh spectators can find space.

At the semifinal-game Germany against Turkey was very spectacular. Already after 22 minutes the Turkish defense player Ugur Boral scored his first and so far individual goal in an international match and put his team into the lead. After a sensational collaboration of Lukas Podolski, Bastian Schweinsteiger could accomplish the draw to 1:1 after lone four minutes. The score remained until the 79th minute when the top intention scorer of the FIFA Universe Mug 2006, Miroslav Klose, loosened the intensity with a header on goal. Fair-minded seven minutes succeeding everything was possible again when Semih Sentürk from the Turkish faction achieved another draw.

In the 90th minute when everybody was already attuned for overtime, the 24 year-old German player, Philipp Lahm, scored the victory goal and lead his company to the finals. The German federal group testament enter for the first generation after 1996 in the finals of a European Championship. All three intent scorers of this game are playing for the German Governmental Prizewinner FC Bayern Munich.

The Turkish team had a little advantage in respect of ball possession with 55:45 percent and extremely in respect of the vastness of shots directed to the goal the Turkish squad surpass the statistics with 11 shots. But the German band could turn their three chances into three goals perfectly. The national coach, Joachim Löw, was very pleased with his party and also congratulated the differing team to their admirable performance: "The Turkish outfit was technically burly and made the amusement an exciting one."

While the German side celebrated their victory on the consequent interval in Berlin the two national teams from Russia and Spain yet needed to battle for the entry in the finals. The moment semifinal merriment on Thursday, June 26th, took place at the Viennese Ernst-Happel-Stadium which was opened for the first future in 1931. The biggest stadium in Austria has immediately room for 50.000 and since the renovation in 2005 is one of the best technology wise.

At the half lifetime of the sport between Russian federation and Spain the score was 0:0. In the second half the Spanish line-up sewed the pastime up in their favor. They did not let the Russian team come to their half. From 11 scoring chances the Spanish foursome achieved three goals and are now all around for the ending game against Germany on Sunday, Jun 29th which will cut domicile at the Ernst-Happel-Stadium as well.

Spain entered for the cardinal time since 1984 into the finals of a UEFA EURO. The two teams already played against everyone other 13 times whereby Germany won 8 times while Spain managed to success five.

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