Yesterday I was extremely spontaneous in Wohlen, Aargau to the game FC Wohlen-FCSG. Okay..Wohlen is in Aargau…And I learn with the football (I thought it was in Bern or Basel…). Okay, it wasn’t an Away game because there were about 500 SGler there. They even got a (little) stadium record because of us! 3300 of 3400 were in Wohlen. And eventually we won 3:1.

 

Pics Test Werder Bremen and of Wohlen

 

 

ps. the Boca-shirt-Man was a real surprise for me! I can’t believe it till now^^

 

Season Start: FCSG 2008/2009

The pain is gone, the hope arisen.

Welcome to a new world – the Challenge League.

 

The most important transfers: Gone: Davide Calla (Grasshoppers^^) Marc Schneider (BSC Young Boys) Francisco Aguirre (?), Marcos Gelabert (Basel), Jürgen Gjasula (Basel), Adrian Fernandez (?)

 

New: Moreno Merenda (Xamax), Adrian Winter (He’s top! Wil), Sebastian Kollar (Zurich), Marco Hämmerli (Wil), Lukas Schenkel (Wil)

 

New coach: Uli Forte (34) was in Wil before and he’s a great coach in my opinion.

You know: FC Wil and FC Gossau, the two east Swiss (Ostschweiz) teams are connected to FCSG in meaning of changing players and money. All good players of Gossau and Wil once land in FCSG. And our substitutes get practice in Wil and Gossau. Instead – for their players – they get the money from us. Now we even changed the coach. The problem is, that we are all in the same league now and working together becomes difficult. But it doesn’t matter, we have enough transfers now (we have taken a few players of Wil^^)

 

Tests: FC Diepoldsau – FCSG 0:5

FCSG – FC Lustenau 2:0

FCSG – FC Vaduz 0:1

FC Winterthur – FCSG 3:1

FCSG – Bayer Leverkusen (with Barnetta) 3:2

FCSG – FC Augsburg 2:0

FCSG – SV Werder Bremen 0:4

 

First Season Game: FCSG – Concordia Basel 2:0

 

There were more supporters than in every other game of the league TOGETHER. That means we had about 10 000 or 11 000 supporters and all others together about 7-8 000. Yes, I know. 10 000 is nothing for you. But for this league, just the second league of Switzerland, it’s great.

And there is a nice story to tell: In the 84^th minute, Moreno Costanzo shot the second goal. And then his picture appeared on the screen and the speaker said something like “The goal shot byyyy……Moreno!” And like always they screamed the name of the scorer…….but because Moreno Merenda is a figure everyone knows here and Moreno Costanzo isn’t, everone screamed “MERENDA!” instead of Costanzo. That’s hard for him:P:P:P

 

On the 28^th July then, I was in the new stadium the first time by watching the test against Werder Bremen. I always played with the idea to change my SG-scarf against a Bremen-scarf^^ But in the end, I thought, I will go to Bremen once, buy a scarf and support them, when SG isn’t playing:P Strangely SG let play just one person who played in the first season game. (“We wanted to give the others the necessary practice”). And Bremen played with everyone but Diego (Without permission he went to Olympia) and Per Mertesacker (injured). Thorsten Frings played! I love this guy. And Wiese, Sanogo, Fritz, just everyone, you know^^. But now to the stadium: Yes, in comparison to the Espenmoos, the AFG-Arena (Shit name! But the fans call it: Alles für Geld-Arena, All for Money) is a real dream. When you come in, it’s all green. I could immediately identify with my club. Well done, really!

And the atmosphere is perfect. 90 minutes top supporting, although it was a test and our team was losing 0:4. You don’t see that often in our circles, whatever that might mean^^. SG has great fans, every other team knows that. And every keeper of another team doesn’t like us =) Especially Zubi should hate us. Great! We hate him, too! Although I still find shouting Benaglio when Zubi plays is a bit too hard:P

 

Perhaps you have read out that I’m not just impressed by the new stadium. My green-white heart is resuscitated. No, more than that! I’ve been missing the stadium since I went out of it. I want to be there all the time…:P (You can’t understand it because your stadium is better and greater and everything, but my old stadium Espenmoos was so tiny and old…)

 

Well! That was my first statement. Let’s see where the way goes.

Greeeeeeeeeeetzz Pulga

 

Ps. A few pictures will follow

FINAL: SPAIN-GERMANY 1:0

 

The day after we had to sing “We are the Champions” at school as rehearsal for the “final ceremony”. And I hoped so much that I could scream it out with the feeling Germany would be the European Champion.

I was expecting a thrilling game, but in reality it was a bad match and it was boring although I had to help my team. Well, the final wasn’t a great final. Tor(res) for Spain was the difference and I know that Spain played a better game. I was so disappointed by Germany. They didn’t play well and when I was going home. When a hand touched my shoulder and the Spanish guy behind me consoled me with the words “They (Germany) played well” it just got worse. I unavailingly tried to convince him that Germany didn’t play well. Okay, that’s me, the fair football fan. When Germany managed the step to the final I said that it would have been fairer if Turkey would have come so far. And now I am sure Spain is the deserved winner of this great cup.

I am so sad that all is gone now. I mean the flags beside the windows and on the cars! You even realised where your neighbours come from! I’m sure it’s the last time that Switzerland had such a great event (in my lifetime).

My heroes this long time through were Mutu, Arshavin, Schweini, Poldi, Lahm and Yakin. I say long time, but it’s been a short time for myself. And I confess that I don’t know what to do in the evenings now. It’s like I lost my work! And my passion! I am missing it all. And I’ll keep my thumbs crossed for Switzerland, Germany and Argentina for 2010 and for the Qualification.

 

Tomorrow I have my final ceremony at school. Then I lose my school time and I miss it right now. I will miss my friends when they are on holidays and I will miss the everyday things I shared with them. (Today I saw the running man in the city!) I want to go to Germany in the holidays. Just one day or two. Then I will sit on a bench and just listen to the sound of the German speaking voices around me. I love their language. They talk so great! =) Oh damn….I’ll miss it…What a great time comes to an end. And what is left is just memories.

 

Germany: We are the losers, my friends… But we’ll keep on fighting till the end. We are the losers, we are the losers, but we will come back in 2010!

Turkey-Germany 2:3 (Half final)

 

I hoped more people would help Germany now because nobody wants to help Turkey. But what the fuck: More people helped Turkey. You know Turkey had just 14 players who could play. One of them a substitute keeper.:P

A question was if Germany feels well in the role of the favourite. They lost when they were the favourite against Croatia and against Austria they just drew. Against Portugal, they were just the “team against the favourite” and they played better. And what about Turkey? Before the EM, the newspaper said Turkey would be the worst team in group A. Germany seemed to be surprised by the joy the Turks showed in their game and Germany wavered. After 22 minutes the shock was perfect: Kazim (the man of Turkey who looks like Johan Vonlanthen of Switzerland) failed again after a shot against the crossbar, but there was Boral and kicked the rebounding ball inside. It was a fair consequence of the game. But the leading didn’t endure long: there was the 26^th minute and the performance of Schweini and Poldi. Podolski played a square pass and Schweini held the foot to the ball and touched it with the “outside of the foot” (why don’t they have a real word for it? I always have those edges where the English language ends) and transported the ball inside the goal. After the tea break Germany got better. Turkey was lucky when ref Massimo Busacca generously ignored an intervention of Sabri on Philipp Lahm in the box. The justice said that Busacca also shouldn’t whistle a penalty in the opposite box and so was it.

Then there was the time where everyone began to think it would go into an extra time – or it would be a victory for Turkey in the last minute. Who thought it would be a dramatic game??? Germany got better and after Hitzlsperger failed in a distance kick extremely short, goalie Rüstü couldn’t hold a head ball of Klose, who had been launched by Philipp Lahm. We all were so happy, but….Turkey wouldn’t be Turkey if they wouldn’t score in the last minute. I could just not believe it. It was so horrible. I thought it can’t be the truth, but it was. Against Switzerland, twice against the Czech Republic, once against Croatia…now against Germany. 2:2 in the 86^th minute. Then there was the 90^th minute……..and the victory for Germany. It was a double pass….Hitzlsperger and Lahm, who played a good match. It was Lahm. Lahm, the hero. Lahm defeated Turkey. Finally! Finally and with their own weapon. The first finalist is called Germany. Black-red-gold. I love their colours, I love the players, I love the language, I love them!

 

Spain-Russia 3:0 (Half final)

 

Well that’s a game where I don’t want and can’t say much. It’s just a game. Spain won it 3:0 and is now at least second in the EM08-ranking. You didn’t see anything of Russia, Arshavin or Pawljutschenko. Spain was the Russia of the quarter finals where you didn’t see anything of the superb playing Dutch. Russia has its problems with Spain. That’s a fact. It was a sad match for me and my class betting is in danger again:P Now it’s an interesting battle between me and Oscar about the 35 francs:P Let’s see who wins.

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2008

I never said a word to the EURO in my own country till now. That’s because I had not really the time to write. Every evening I had to watch two football matches and sometimes I went to the public viewing area in St.Gallen. But now I want to review the EM and I do that with my own words, trying to remember every speciality of the different matches.

 

The European Championship in Switzerland and Austria. Losses and victories, emotions in form of trembling, hoping, annoyance, fun, joy, jubilance, mourning, tears, pride. Everywhere there are flags on the windows and on cars. Children wear the tricots of their idols and even the adults want to show their colours. Everyone is betting on their favourites. Fan articles are in trend and you learn the national anthem if you can’t it already. Switzerland and Austria: Good hosts? What does this EM show? We hope for enough spectacle and many goals.

 

Group A: (Because it’s the group of Switzerland I commented more here)

Switzerland

Czech Republic

Turkey

Portugal

 

Switzerland-Czech Republic (Opening game) 0:1

 

I had the bad luck to miss the beginning of the first game because I was doing the PET-exam speaking part. EXACTLY at 6 o’clock, when the game started, I had to speak to those people. Well, it didn’t endure long. I finished quite fast and after 10 minutes, I was outside again. I and my friend (also known as TB) ran to a pub to look at the result. Still 0:0. Well. So I went home and watched again. 0:0. Who is better? Who had the better chances? Who is attacking? How is our defence? Question after question I threw to my brother’s head and he answered them briefly, concentrated on the match. While I watched Switzerland was okay, let’s say, they were equal to the Czechs. Then we lost our best scorer, the record striker of Switzerland, our love Alex Frei. That was a hammer and I was so damn shocked. Because he knew it was a serious injury he was so sad and he cried when he left the pitch. After a while he came back with crutches and a big bandage. After that scene Switzerland must have thought: Now more than ever! They had chance after chance and there was even a hands in the box, but the ref didn’t give it. And then if you don’t strike them by your own, you get them. Goal for the Czech. One dumb reaction of the team, one gallina-crowd and we lost the game. 1:0 a guy named Sverkos.

 

Portugal-Turkey 2:0

 

Turkey was simply overstrained. They had no chance and Portugal could even make a clearer result. Three times they just touched aluminium. Portugal was strong, fast, assured. With this victory they became a favourite for the title for almost everyone. They were THE big favourite before the tournament started and so many people supported them (just because of C. Ronaldo). I didn’t like them because of Ronaldo and later because of Nani as well. Nani is the next Ronaldo. Please not. One of them is enough.

 

Czech Republic-Portugal 1:3

 

The difference between both teams were individualists like Deco or Ronaldo. The first half the Czechs were aggressive, but this attitude made them tired afterwards. Soon Portugal was winning 1:0. “We played against strong Czechs and showed a good accomplishment”, said Ronaldo. In between the Czech Republic scored 1:1, but eventually Portugal won 3:1. “We played better here as against Switzerland”, said Czechs Ujfalusi (just to say his name^^) and continued that they would have enough power to defeat Turkey.

 

Switzerland-Turkey 1:2

 

“The EM starts right now”, said someone of the Swiss team to the reporters. And it was the deciding game. The loser was out of the tournament and Goodbye until 2010! I was watching it in the public viewing area. And it rained. It rained cats and dogs in Basel like it did in the test against Argentina! I had good memories and the players must have had them as well. It rained and rained and Turkey couldn’t keep up with Switzerland. We were the better team again and we had a lot of chances. The best men (of Switzerland the whole tournament through) were Behrami, Derdiyok and Yakin (Barnetta was kind of injured, he wasn’t fit) and who wonders! – All were Turks. Yakin was the man who shot the goal for Switzerland in the 23th minute of the game because there was a water logged place in front of the goal. The ball stopped and his foot was on the right spot. “Now we get it!”, I heard around me and the supporters shot louder than before. Then the break came and it seemed God heard my wish. I wished that it would stop to rain so that the game wouldn’t be cancelled for that day. And it really stopped to rain. And the tactic of the Turks won over Switzerland. It was a more balanced game, but the goal of Turkey came surprisingly. Among others, Benaglio was guilty. It was too late for Switzerland now. We were out before we really were it because nobody believed to win over Portugal. But it was a chance and a game isn’t decided before it starts. But then… while Switzerland was – once again – near the victory, Turkey scored in the stoppage time. Out of the tournament was Switzerland. Switzerland, the host. And Austria could laugh. And we tried not to cry. I don’t know why but I saw it coming. So I wasn’t as shocked as others. I had not to cry and I slept – with no reason! – very, very well. (The relegation of FCSG was so much worse! I didn’t even grin for two whole days!) I woke up, remembering the Ukraine in 06 and the game and I was sad that the match hadn’t been interrupted. Oh! And the second thought was a wish! Switzerland qualified for 2010 and playing a game against Argentina!

 

 

Turkey-Czech Republic 3:2

 

Until 15 minutes before the end, the Czech looked like a safe victor next to Portugal. The team was leading with 2:0 and they had the control of the game. We in SG were singing for the Czechs to throw the Turks out, but then Arda Turan seemed to score from nowhere in the 75^th minute and launched with it a dramatic end phase. Keeper Cech made a big mistake just a few minutes afterwards and the ball landed in front of Nihat and he scored: equation. Penalty!, thought everyone but Nihat himself. He really scored again!!! It didn’t really matter that Turkeys keeper Volkan saw the Red Card, everything was clear. Quarterfinal for Turkey. Let them play against Croatia. Against Switzerland they scored in the last minute, against the Czech Republic they achieved it twice.

 

Switzerland-Portugal 2:0

 

That was just a match to prove whole Switzerland that they could give us a nice farewell. “Us” as whole country and to our coach Köbi Kuhn. It was the last game of Zubi (Pascal Zuberbühler), so he could play. Portugal was just a “B”-team without Ronaldo and other good players. (But a B-team with Ricardo and Nani). The first time in this tournament the luck was on our side. Portugal failed three times the goal in the first 60 minutes. Nevertheless it was the third good play of Switzerland and the first victory! In the 17^th minute Yakin scored with help of Eren Derdiyok under the legs of Ricardo through right into the goal. Then, 12 minutes later, Fernando Meira fouled Tranquillo Barnetta in the box and Yakin scored again.

After this victory I couldn’t sleep well. It went really long until I did it. I was thinking about the victory but also about the results. “What would be, when…”-questions bothered me.

Can you believe it was the first time Switzerland scored more than one goal in their whole EURO-past? And not just that! It was the first victory of Switzerland since this tournament exists. And everything because of Yakin. A turk. The EURO stands in the sign of Turks, I begin to believe:P
Switzerlands next game is against Cyprus on 20^th August. Then the team is coached by Ottmar Hitzfeld (20 titles in 20 years coaching, if I remember rightly)

 

 

Group B:

Austria

Germany

Poland

Croatia

 

 

Austria-Croatia 0:1

 

Good performance of Austria, but Croatia cleverer in the end. They brought a 4^th minute-penalty over the time.

 

Germany-Poland 2:0

 

A “without discussion”-victory of Germany. Poland simply too weak. Podolski scored twice. With Miro Klose as preparer to the first goal, there were two Poles killing Poland. By the way: There was the rumour in the newspapers that Poland wants to take the Polish passport of Podolski away. Sorry, but if that is true the Polish government is not more than childish, shitty and unfair. 

 

Croatia-Germany 2:1

 

Weak performance of Germany and a surprise victory of Croatia! They played compactly and great. They went on to a new tournament favourite.

 

Austria-Poland 1:1

 

Austria played a very good game and they wanted the victory! Poland still weak and it was a wonder that they were winning 1:0 at the end of the game. The 93th minute brought a penalty for Austria and the whole nation could be hoping any longer: With a victory against Germany the team would be in the quarter finals. Poland had the same chance.

 

Croatia-Poland 1:0 + Austria-Germany 0:1

 

No word to Polands performance. They played boring and uninspired and if the game would have been food, I wouldn’t have eaten it. Croatia was great, although many people were recovering and not playing. The amazing story this evening was this one: Ivan Klasnic, a Croatian player shot a goal. Actually nothing special if you don’t know his story. He has a kidney transplant (kidney of his father in his body) and he is the first player playing the European championship with that. The fact that he scored, makes the story just more lovely. Ivan Klasnic plays by Werder Bremen, but I think he will change the club. I’m not sure if Werder brings Klasnic what he needs.

 

Ballacks free kick about 25 metres away was on target. The rest of the game was poor, especially Germany was under their options. “It was a hard fight”, said Ballack afterwards and it really was. Germany has to play better in the quarter finals or they are out very soon. The “man of the match” was neither from Germany nor from Austria. It was the referee and his team. Both coaches had to leave the place and go to the stands. Why? They had some discussions with the “4^th referee” in the coaching zone. They had refused to go back to the bench. What the fuck! If it had been the Turk coach Fatih Terim, yes…He is a horrible trainer, but those two??? They are tame!:P

 

 

 

Group C:

Romania

France

Italy

The Netherlands

 

 

Romania-France 0:0

 

Everyone said it was a boring game, okay, perhaps it was, but my eyes fixed just Mutu and what he produces is never boring. He is the man in the Russian team, the Regisseur, the leader. He is great. No, not great, he is awesome! France really disappointed.

 

Netherlands-Italy 3:0

 

What a spectacle! After this game everyone was talking about Holland. Holland here, Holland there! They were the big, big favourite for the title. They played too great for the Azzurri. Italy was bad and Holland was awesome.

 

Italy-Romania 1:1

 

In the 55^th minute Adrian Mutu scored for Romania in a fast contra attack. Both teams had good chances. Italy failed because of keeper Lobont and one goal of Luca Toni wasn’t given because of offside: wrong decision. The damn thing for me was the last fifteen minutes when Panucci fouled Nicolae and Mutu came to a penalty. Yes, the real damn thing was that the kick of Mutu wasn’t greatly placed and that Buffon held the ball. Mutu had had the chance to throw Italy out of the cup. Then Romania would have had 4 points, while France would have had just 1(after the loss against Holland). But still everyone was on the road and could get the second ticket to the quarter finals.

 

Netherlands-France 4:1

 

Holland makes happy. It’s just football to enjoy. The Oranjes played again a super great football and outshined the French. A clear result to a clear game.

 

Italy-France 2:0 + Netherlands-Romania 2:0

 

Not fun for me to comment this time. Italy is a round further with a victory against a weak France in the third game. Again the decision concerned a penalty. A penalty for Italy and a Red Card for France’s Abidal. Pirlo struck (I always thought it’s striked) sovereign. Because we watched the both matches at school in form of a school occasion I found out that I have more influence in my friends as I thought! A few of them were supporting Romania and were thrilled by Mutu just because they were informed by me and I always said they are so great! Well to the same time as Italy won, Romania lost and that was the worst case that match day could have brought. I would have been content with France and I would have been happy with Romania. Now it’s Italy. Perfect!

By the way: the day after you saw Italian t-shirts everywhere! I’m sure they just waited until they could wear it. Before the victory of Italy you saw those shirts nowhere! It endured a little bit too long for them to wear them, but in my case, I’m not glad to see them at any time.

 

 

 

Group D:

Spain

Russia

Sweden

Greece

 

 

Spain-Russia 4:1

 

Spain played a great show! Especially David Villa “bewitched” me. “Lack of experience”, meant Russian coach Guus Hiddink about his team. But there is to say that Russia could keep up with Spain in the first half. The difference was the “last pass” that didn’t reach the last man so that he could score. Spain showed fun and joy in their play.

 

Greece-Sweden 0:2

 

It was a horrible game to watch and I would have been so angry if I had been in the stadium. You pay a lot and what do the Greeks do? They are in the “develop the game”-phase and three Greek stand in a triangle and pass the ball to each other 23 seconds long without moving and going further. Perhaps they wanted to be better in the “won passes”-statistics. :P

 

Sweden-Spain 1:2

 

Again Villa was the match winner. In the 92th minute, David Villa scored for Spain and made the second victory in the second game with a 2:1 against Sweden perfect. Spain wasn’t given a penalty and Silva and Fabregas didn’t find the goal in the double-pack after an hour. Villa: “This strike makes me more happy than the three ones in the match against Russia. We were the better team, but the victory was hard.”

 

Greece-Russia 0:1

 

Greece lost twice in two games and is out of the cup now like Switzerland was after the first two matches. Never before a European Champion lost like Greece. Russia comes further and has the chance in the last game against Sweden to come to the quarter final. Greece was playfully inferior. The main thing is this: Russia didn’t convince completely, but they were better than Greece. Russia was the deserved winner. In the next play they hope for Andrej Arshavin, who couldn’t play till now because of a Red Card in the qualifications.

 

Sweden-Russia 0:2

 

It was the big decision in Group D. Russia or Sweden? The winner would come further. After a short phase of scanning Russia, they steamrolled Sweden. They played strong, pressed, they were certain in ball behaviour and they played a great combination football. One of the most peculiar players was Arshavin, who stood the first time on pitch this EURO. He eventually scored once and Pawljutschenko once. Well. The victory was definitely deserved. Russia, thumbs up for you! You are great!

 

Greece-Spain 1:2

 

Spain was qualified, Greece was out before the game. It was just the chance for Greece to donate its fans a nice game. The first half was just boring as I read (I was watching the other game). Then Spain conducted the game and Greece didn’t even take just one point home. 0 points, 1 goal. Poor balance, but that didn’t matter to Spain. The B-team of Spain won again and can now fix the quarterfinals.

 

 

Portugal-Germany 2:3 (Quarterfinal)

 

I was wearing the DFB (German football club) trikot and I was holding a big Germany-flag when I went to the UBS-arena with a few friends. We were two people for Germany, the rest was supporting Portugal. So we two decided to go to the German fans (before we were standing with the Portuguese) and it was the right decision. We had enough reason to cheer. Germany played a lot better than in their last two games against Croatia and Austria, while Portugal couldn’t show their best accomplishment. The short distance shoot of Moutinho was the real start for the match. Germany was more efficient and gained the lead with their first great chance in the 22^nd minute. Bastian Schweinsteiger (Schweini) struck the pass of Podolski and whole Germany exulted. In the 26^th minute Miro Klose headed the ball into the net: 2:0. Before the match I thought Germany would lose without having one big chance! I was so sure Portugal would dominate and so was everyone else. Before the break Portugal could achieve one goal, so it was just 2:1 for Germany. Thin air or the safe victory? Portugal searched the equation, but because Pepe couldn’t bring the ball “inside”, Germany scored with the next chance. After a free kick of Schweini, Michael Ballack headed the ball into the goal, while keeper Ricardo left the goal unmotivated. The game was thrilling till the end because Helger Postiga struck in the 87^th minute and we – the German fans – had to tremble for more than 5 minutes.

 

 

Croatia-Turkey 1:3 n. P. (Quarterfinal)

 

Swiss people can’t shoot penalties. Well, that’s my statement, but it’s a clear one. But let’s start by the beginning. What should I tell about the first 90 minutes? Please forgive me, but I leave this part out. It was just that both had their chances while Croatia was the better team, but Turkey perhaps the cleverer team. Nobody achieved a goal and I never thought it would be a dramatic game in the end. It was the 118^th minute of the overtime and I’m sure the coaches were preparing for the penalties. Not so Croatian player Ivan Klasnic: he headed the ball into the goal, Croatia cheered and everything seemed clear. Everything? Clear? Remember! The Turks achieved a last minute goal against Switzerland and two against the Czechs. And I thought WHAT THE FUCK as they really got it!!!!! 122^nd minute – actually the game was seven seconds over the time – Semih Sentürk struck. Well, what to say now? Turkey scored every penalty (three ones) and Croatia? *breathe hardly* Modric didn’t score, okay…but…Ivan Rakitic, Swiss Croatian double citizen…didn’t score as well! And then there was Mladen Petric. He went to the penalty point and touched with two fingers his neck, checking his pulse. He looked certainly. His tongue showed me where he wanted to shoot (you know when the tongue shows right, they will shoot right normally??) and he shot right. But not strong enough. It was a weak shot and the keeper held. Croatia is out, Turkey goes further to the half final.

 

 

The Netherlands-Russia 1:3 n. V. (Quarterfinal)

 

100’000 Dutch were in the city Bern, where the game would be played and there were just 10’000 Russians. The expectances were clear: A victory for Holland. The first half was balanced, once the Russians attacked, once the Dutch. 0:0 after 45^th minutes. Russia started the second half consequent. You saw, what they really wanted. 56^th minute Pawljuchenko (I’m sorry, if I wrote it wrong!) scored! Russia was definitely better than the Netherlands now and I was glad for them and for me (there is still some kind of betting at school). “If you let the Dutch play they are strong. But if you push forward with great tempo, they have difficulties”, said an expert during the break. That was exactly what Russia did. The end of the match belonged to Russia, I thought in the 70^th minute. The Netherlands played not like they did in the group rounds. But suddenly! 87^th Goal for the Dutch! Ruud Van Nistelrooy. My brother was happy again, I was sad again:P But when the extra time started I was confident. The whole 30 minutes were for Russia. And I didn’t have to be worried about their behaviours in the penalties! They scored twice! 112^th minute Goal Russia and in the 116^th minute Goal Russia! The second one even by Arshavin, my favourite! I love the Russian play, because they play so many passes and they do them so fast and precisely. Again there was a favourite out of the tournament. My sentence: “Here you see: 100’000 Dutch against 10’000 Russians, but on the pitch there are always 11.” When I said that my brother looked at me surprised and then laughed about me:D “What a shit sentence!”, he claimed, but I knew he liked it when he asked if I had a computer in my head:P I’m a Wanna-be-expert now for him^^.

 

 

 

Spain-Italy 4:1 n. P. (Quarterfinal)

 

Actually everything was clear before the match. The favourite, the one who was first in his group would fail today. That would be Spain. The best examples showed Portugal, Croatia and Netherland.

I thought “a pig whistles” as my sister told me honestly, she found Buffon cool. Buffon is one of the Italians I hate most! I just hope she never marries an Italian.

It was a damn boring match. The most exciting thing was a muff of Buffon where he held a shoot, but lost the ball. The ball then rolled behind and exactly to the post and there Buffon caught it again. But it almost passed the goal line! There the 90 minutes went away and it was still 0:0. The commentator even stated: “The extra time threatens us! No fun, a real threat!” That says everything about the game. There were two similar teams, perhaps too similar teams. Another thing he said was: If the Spanish would go further with the ball, the Italians would never touch a ball because they would stay still (so the ball would just come to them because the Spanish come further). Well the 22^nd June is actually a hexed day for Spain in football. Three times they played on 22^nd June in the last years and every time they had to go through the penalty and they always lost there. Okay it was the first time thrilling in the match, when the penalties came (it was still no goal achieved). Iker Casillas held the shot of De Rossi and I was sure Spain would win now. But then Buffon held Güizas shot. Well, the good thing was that Di Natale failed afterwards and ITALY IS OUT OF THE CUP! At last we managed it! In the end the victory of Spain was deserved because they wanted the victory more than Italy and Spain tried to score while Italy just thought they would get it anyway (at least it seemed like that). Now Spain is in the half final against Russia. You know they played against them in the group, but I don’t think the 4:1 will return.

 

 

One Swiss is still in the tournament. Referee Massimo Busacca whistles the Basel Half final:P Great, isn’t it?:P:P No, without joke, he is a good man.

 

And another thing away from the EURO: Gelabert goes to the FC Basel. I’m not sure about my other favourites, but the time will show the way.

 

Oh! And I’m sorry that I wrote so much! I’m sure you didn’t read it all, but that doesn’t matter! I had fun

When the illusions of a semester vanish in a second…

Boca is out of the cup and with no chances in local tournament.. because River Plate is the new champion.
Everything that Boca dreamt for this first half of the year was just that. A dream. Because right now Boca is with empty hands while playing excellent. And River has this stupid tournament once again playing awful. Even their fans were in anger with the team. They even threw “corn” as a obvious symbol of “chickens” to them! And in the end.. they end celebrating something totally unexpected.

Boca was playing well. Riquelme was never 100% fit, but his command on the field are priceless. Boca reverted too many (really too many) edge situations. On semifinals they end losing to brazilians Fluminense in the Maracana. Boca is used to win in Brazil, but this time was not possible

Boca’s sin was not to score many goals at home. Boca created many many! goal plays but ended out. Palacio, who is leaving Boca to join Barcelona maybe? He missed too many one-on-one goals!! But still, Palacio was one of the best men Boca had. His speed, the ability to run for every single long ball is awesome.

And today, a bad day for Switzerland. What a disaster. A dream that lasted like 5 days. Two matches lost and out. The Turkish revenge was very cold. Scoring on overtime.

What the hell of a rain! Swiss team generated many goal chances. And that reminded me Boca Juniors. The possibility to go forward, to attack the rival team but the weakness of closure. With no goals, there in no way you can advance. It is a pitty. Both teams suffering quite the same “disease”.

For Boca it lasted 5 months. For Switzerland it lasted 5 days.

Relegated

I’m not able to make a summary of the match, I just can’t. There were two irregular goals of Bellinzona, no goal of SG. We lost the stadium, we lost the Super League and when the game was out every fan just stayed where he was, couldn’t believe it, was shocked. I’m still.

I’m angry because of the commentator saying SG is relegated, although everyone knew it.

The fans were sweet, showing with a bond “Ob NLA oder NLB, üs wirds immer geh!” meaning it didn’t matter if they would relegate or not, the fans would stay behind them.

After the game everyone wanted a bit of the stadium to be theirs so people were taking seats to be their own. After going out of the stadium I saw a man standing beside the ticket selling house. Five minutes afterwards he was proud holding the sign where there was written how much a ticket costs. Of course after the match there were riots, but the security people – ways too many! – were making them aggressive, for sure!

I walked home with a 45 minutes loop way. I think I needed to understand. I was at home at 11, couldn’t sleep till midnight. Today I didn’t smile just once. I still can’t imagine. I’m sad and angry to the same time, I don’t know what got wrong from the last season to this one. When I discussed with a Balkan – after hearing some mean remarks about SG – I realised that the mood slowly changed. While I was saying SG can’t never get it to be promoted the next season, he wanted to bet they would. He said when the young people came, their motivation would push the team and everything could get fine. But motivation alone isn’t the promotion.   

 

I’m sorry I can’t say more at the moment.

 

Bellinzona: I’m sorry for everything I said to you. I was angry. You are a good team and if you go on like this you will stay in the Super League next season. To goalie Bucci: You are like Buffon. No compliment, I hate him.

Good luck in the highest Swiss football league. The Green will be missing there.

…I hope I get happier during the Champions League final, but I can’t imagine I will.

Rain- and Painful

It rained. It rained cats and dogs the whole game through. Soon my only hope was that the game was cancelled because of the rain, but the fate didn’t want to release me. Although some shoots were stopped because of a rain puddle and although everything was wet and muddy the game was played through 90 minutes. I could watch the whole spectacle on TV on a Ticino channel where everything was in Italian:P

I’ve never seen a stadium like this one of Bellinzona before. The stands for the SG-fans was just the asphalt. There weren’t any steps or something like it. And the football pitch reminded to a school football ground with mud in front of the goal. The penalty point didn’t exist. There was just a hole of mud. It made me angry because this point was important during the match. And I’m not sure if the mud there was exactly eleven metres away from the goal.

Those are the reasons Bellinzona’s stadium hasn’t a licence for the Axpo Super League. If Bellinzona comes into the highest Swiss league they have to play in Basel for the first time.

But back to the game.

SG started weak. Their play remembered to the whole season. They were insecure and cramped. After four minutes Christian Pouga was ready for the 1:0 for Bellinzona. Every hope left was gone. SG had so many goals against them in the first 10 minutes this season, we all were fed up with it. But of course a game lasts 90 minutes – even in this case although we were hoping it wouldn’t. SG seemed helpless and discouraged.

But the horrible thing came in the 60^th minute: Gelabert caused a foul penalty in the own box. Nevertheless he was the man on the field who I had the feeling he wants to do everything. He caught my eyes the game through. His hair was “flat”, down because of the rain and it reflected his desperation. He was “charged”, even too much and he had luck that he didn’t get the yellow-red card for the foul in the box.

Ifet Taljevic set the ball onto the penalty point that didn’t exist. Our keeper Dani Lopar had obviously his problems with Taljevics setting. It seemed he had the feeling the man of Bellinzona set the ball too near. But finally he had no choice but to hold or not hold the ball. Taljevic shot and scored. 2:0 Bellinzona. I couldn’t believe it and I started to rail about the ground and the weather conditions.

The second goal was too much for Marc Zellweger, who was – like Gelabert – the man pushing the team forward. We became better and in the 71th minute Zellweger arranged the goal for Murat Ural (I call him Mural because once a commentator did it all the time). 2:1.

My brother was out of control because he felt he was right with his statement “Now the Basel Minutes begin!” To this state I have to say that Bellinzona was in the Swiss Cup final against Basel. They were as strong as Basel, sometimes Bellinzona was even better. But then Basel scored three goals in ten minutes and the cup was theirs.

My brother hoped now – and through him I did it as well – and who had thought it? Just five minutes later, there was Aguirre in front of the goal. He shot…but the keeper was there to the right time. He couldn’t hold the ball fix and Gelabert stood right there to shoot again. But the keeper again refused. The ball came to Gelabert again and after the third shoot of SG the ball was in the goal of Bellinzona. 2:2. Suddenly everything was open again, nobody could believe it! The fans of SG were outraged in a good way and pictures show the wanted to “attack the castle”. But eventually they didn’t because there were too many security men. You see: the stadium isn’t fit for the Super League so I recommend them to keep down:P You could actually here the SG fans screaming for their team now. And you could see that SG had physical advantages because they are used to hard matches.

But, however, before the game ended, there was a “Sonntagsschuss” (they don’t have a declaration for this word in English-.- by the way: that would be an interesting topic, there are a lot of football words missing in English), what means a shoot you would never expect to achieve a goal with. Senad Lulic scored to the end result of 2:3.

But the hope is here now. In my eyes SG can’t get it, but you never know. We just need a 1:0 or a 2:1 to win. The confidence is high now. SG achieved not to get lost in a “lost game”. They kept cool; they wanted the draw or at least the important away goal. Now they have two of them.

Nevertheless: SG loses the first leg in the Stadio Comunale against Bellinzona 2:3.

 

 

…it gets harder and harder to breathe…

 

 

http://www.bluewin.ch/de/index.php/501,17799/?asset_id=4536

 

Here you can watch a video with all goals and the most important facts ( I can’t download the video because of the site). Well…It’s more to see the mud and the rain =)

 

Tomorrow is the return game and the last game in the Espenmoos. And there is a little chance I can go watching it live.

Green-white is sinking like the Titanic in the Ocean

While you – my dear blog-sharer – are glowing for football right now, I have a little depth.

Last week I wasn’t here and I had even forgotten that SG was playing on Tuesday.

It was Wednesday evening as I noticed that they lost against Zurich 0:1. Until today I didn’t look at the facts. Now I see: 85^th minute Eudis of Zurich shoots the deciding goal.

During that game you could early see that they would be placed on the 9^th place at the end of the season. Not just because Zurich played better. No, it was Xamax, the 8^th of the establishment, who was winning 2:0 against Basel.

 

So the last game in the old stadium Espenmoos wasn’t the last game anymore: We have to play in the Barrage what means first leg on outer pitch and return game at home. One more game. A game we supporters didn’t want to have.

 

The last game of the general season was against Aarau on Saturday and because it was certain that FCSG had to play in the Barrage, they played with a B-team to recover the players and don’t risk a yellow card ban. The result was a 0:0.

I’m not sure if SG had just one goal chance in the whole 90 minutes.

The coach wanted to give our old keeper a testimonial match. Stefano Razzetti, who was changed to Number 2 this very season, could hold the box clean. But also he couldn’t avoid that SG didn’t win again.

 

I wasn’t really here for football the last two weeks, I had other things to do and I hadn’t the necessary confidence in SG to support them anymore. I was fed up with no goals, no chances and no victories. Perhaps I’m a bad supporter, I really must be, but there were other problems taking place in my life while football is just decorating it.

 

I’m sure I will be present when the Barrage begins. And that’s the reason I talk about the Challenge League – one league underneath the Super League – now.

 

The first team of the Challenge League comes into the Super League the next season. The second best team will play against SG in the Barrage. If you until now didn’t understand the word – I don’t know how to explain it with another word – you do it now.

 

The establishment is written like this:

 

Vaduz – 69 points

Bellinzona – 66 points   + 32 goals

Wil – 65 points  + 24 goals

 

Of course I’m the supporter of Wil because it’s a regional club. They are playing against Cham, a team that is with 16 points definitely out of the league. It’s difficult for me to say now if that is positive or negative because they could be exhausted and the match doesn’t matter to them, but on the other hand they could be desperate to show their supporters a good last game to say sorry for the whole season.

Bellinzona is playing against AC Lugano which is in the middle of the establishment somewhere in nowhere.

 

Wil has to be on the second place at the end so I wouldn’t be so sad when SG loses the relegation as I would be when Bellinzona was the opponent.

 

I’m not sure if I’m the winner at the end concerning Bellinzona and Wil.

What I’m definitely sure is that I’m the loser at the very end. If SG wins the Barrage I’m sorry for Wil, if SG loses the Barrage they break my heart.

Boca is smiling to the future :D

Boca Juniors successfully passed a heavy week! They played an intelligent match versus River Plate. You had to see Riquelme. He was not the man of the match. He wasnt even playing at 100%. But Riquelme in his 60% is more than enough to be decisive. You had to watch him placing Boca players in River box before kicking a corner. He arranged them the way he wanted. He shouted some to go outside the box, so some River players would follow them and leave enough space free so good head scorers can connect the ball. And that was it! Riquelme placed a nicely shot ball right to Battaglia’s head and GOAL! Battaglia is well known for marking and scoring vs. River! Now once again he made it!

Those who ended losing this match would have been seriously hurt for facing the following Libertadores match. Boca’s fist to the jaw left River groggy for a fatal defeat against San Lorenzo last Thursday! River was winning 2-0 and San Lorenzo was left with 9 men only!!! If you dont know why River Plate are called the chickens now you can clearly see why: THEY ENDED TYING THE MATCH 2-2, which left them OUT of the CUP!!! (first match ended 2-1 for San Lorenzo). River started playing really rough. San Lorenzo was fooled and followed the rough game. But suffered the consequences. Two men were showed the red card. River had the match in their pockets. But incredibly San Lorenzo grabbed strength from nowhere to put the match 2-2 in just ten minutes with 9 men only! Amazing! Important facts: San Lorenzo have in their squad many ex River players. River managment is awful this last years. They did not manage to make grown up players come back to River (as Boca did with many of their stars, including Palermo and Riquelme). Instead, San Lorenzo prepared well for this Cup, bringing formerly River Plate number 10 D’Alessandro from Zaragoza. And San Lorenzo’s coach is the most successful River coach at this time. You have to see him shouting goal!! It was incredible to see how River past players and coach were sending them off!!
What a week for River! If Boca left them shocked then this was the final Knock-Out! River still is on top of local tournament. But there are NO EXCUSES. They LOST LIKE GALLINAS!!

Meanwhile, BOCA did a superb job in Brazil. Winning 2-1 over a difficult rival in a stadium none Argentinian team have won since 35 years ago. Boca played smart. Palacio finally aimed well and scored the fisrt goal. Then Palermo (best header in the whole world) smashed it with the head to score the second one. Boca not only beat a Brazilian team out of the cup. Boca beat the ghost of a possible difficult week.

Boca smiles to the future
Boca is just one point away of being top of tournament. Next match vs one of the three teams on top Estudiantes is important to climb up. Will Boca save players for Libertadores Quaterfinals being played next Wednesday?? It is uncertain. Boca is facing ATLAS once again. The Mexican team that let Boca pass to the Cup playoffs.
The certain thing is while River cries, Boca smiles

Header to GOAL!

GOAL!

Riquelme controling the game