MATCH REPORT
Italy 2 - 1 Sweden
Di Biagio 39Larsson 77
Del Piero 88
And the Italians complete their demolition of the rest of Group C...but not without a bit of bother....Showing 7 changes from the side that disposed of Belgium on Wednesday, they were under pressure for much of the first half, but Sweden couldn't take their chances and succumbed to a sucker-punch on 39, Del Piero's corner being headed in by Luigi Di Biagio while completely free at the near-post....Celtic's Henrik Larsson equalised with just under a quarter of an hour to go after he rounded Toldo and slid home after beating the offside trap...and then with Sweden pressing for a winner that would have given them a faint hope of qualification Del Piero strode up the pitch, taking full advantage of the gaps that were appearing at the back....game, set and match to Italy, now we just wait to see who they'll face in Brussels on Saturday.....
MATCH REPORT
Belgium 0 - 2 Turkey
Sükür 45, 70
Well well well, the first proper 'shock' of the tournament; with the co-hosts only needing a draw to proceed to a meeting with Portugal they proceeded to self-destruct....or rather their goalie did...firstly, he horribly misjudged a high-bouncing ball and allowed Hakan Sükür to outjump him and head into the net right on the stroke of half-time, and then he got himself sent off for an assault on a Turkish forward late on in the game...in between, Sükür had doubled his tally for the game (and the tournament!) by side-footing into the top corner after the Belgian offside trap had been sprung as they were pushing for an equaliser, and the Belgian attack had wasted countless chances to score, and even when they did, through the erstwhile handballer Emile Mpenza, it was judged narrowly offside...C'est la vie, c'est la vie....Turkey meet Portugal in Amsterdam on Saturday....