MATCH REPORT
Yugoslavia 3 - 4 Spain
Milosevic 30 Alfonso 38, 90
Govedarica 51 Munitis 52
Komjlenovic 75 Mendieta pen 90
And another crazy, crazy game...this one had nearly everything...Yugoslavia going ahead on the half-hour through Savo Milosevic's fourth goal of the tournament, only to see Alfonso cancel it out before half-time....Then a beautiful shot in off the bar from Govedarica gave Yugoslavia the lead again....only for Munitis to cancel it out within seconds of the restart, curling a fine shot in off the post from the edge of the box......With a quarter of an hour to go the Yugoslavs took the lead for the third time, and that seemed to be that as the game ticked over into stoppage time, with Spain needing to score twice to progress to the last eight....and of course, they did just that....the second dodgiest penalty of the tournament was awarded to them after 92 minutes, which Mendieta rolled in nervelessly....and then a long hoof from Guardiola, a knock-down to the feet of Alfonso, and Norway had been eliminated in the blink of an eye.....good job, really, as their game was.....
MATCH REPORT
Norway 0 - 0 Slovenia
Rubbish....total, utter and absolute....serves 'em right...(!)
MATCH REPORT
Denmark 0 - 2 Czech Rep.
Smicer 64, 67
Denmark attain the unwanted distinction of being the only team to fail to score in the group stages...and Vladimir Smicer attains the much sought-after honour of being the top-scoring Liverpool player....that's something to boast about in July....(!)
MATCH REPORT
France 2 - 3 Netherlands
Dugarry 8 Kluivert 14
Trezeguet 30R. De Boer 51
Zenden 59
With qualification already ensured, both teams had nothing to lose...and the French approached the game as such, resting no less than 8 key players...and still giving the Dutch their sternest test of the tournament....A mistake by Westerveld let in Dugarry for the opener, but this was wonderfully cancelled out by Patrick Kluivert with a rasping shot into the bottom corner, a 'supergoal' according to the German commentator...1-1 at half-time then, and the fun and games continued into the second half...Trezeguet put France back into the lead, only for Ronald De Boer to spank a free kick in off the underside of the bar, via Lama's outstretched right hand....then just eight minutes later Boudewijn Zenden ensured that Holland retained the right to stay in their own country for the quarter-final, and everyone went home happy...apart from the two second-string goalies...who showed why they are regarded as such....