ENG: Alan Shearer (23).

SWI: Kubilay Turkyilmaz (83 pen).

ENG: Seaman; Neville, Pearce, Ince, Adams; Southgate, Gascoigne (Platt, 74), Anderton, McManaman (Stone, 67); Sheringham (Barmby, 67), Shearer.

SWI: PASCOLO; Jeanneret, Quentin, Henchoz, Vega; Geiger (Koller, 68), Grassi, Sforza, Bonvin (Chapuisat, 67); Vogel, Turkyilmaz.

REFEREE: Manuel Diaz Vega (Spain).

AUDIENCE: 76.567, Wembley, London.

YELLOW CARDS: Neville, Adams (England); Vogel, Quentin, Grassi, Vega (Switzerland).

RED CARDS: NONE.

My forecasts before this tournament confined with the insanity, as I was permanently reminded on the Internet. "Croatia??? Italy falling behind Russia? Denmark out??? England falling behind Scotland??? Are you crazy, man?" And, as the psychologists say, when something is said constantly, you start to believe it. Yesterday, however, my first forecast proved totally right - 1:1 in an opener, exactly as I predicted. 3 factors are mostly responsible for it - Marco Pascolo, the stupid mistake of Stuart Pearce and most of all, an incredible loss of concentration by Teddy Sheringham.

The game wasn't that spectacular, but brought us two goals and several goal opportunities; however, it didn't break the tradition by which the openers usually end with a draw. And I can't help feeling sorry for the English team. It pressed constantly at their home stadium, but the players of Terry Venables were able to achieve just a disappointing draw against a pretty weak and confused squad of Switzerland. What will come next?

Marco Pascolo, "The Man Of The Game", had to show his skills after just several seconds of play, flying to catch the dangerous header of Garry Neville. Several minutes have passed, and we felt the English goal in the air. Stuart Pierce missed, shooting high (14), and Marco Pascolo performed a bright double save (21) from the shots of Darren Anderton and Garry Neville, but then it came. Paul Ince made a brilliant pass to Alan Shearer who turned around, advanced two steps and shot an unstoppable bomb to kiss the net under the bar. The best English striker of the last years finally proved his fantastic skill on the International level, too. 1:0.

A free kick of Pearce (31) was collected by Pascolo, and Shearer (35) headed a very dangerous ball near the post; on the other hand, Marco Grassi (39) hit the bar from 2 meters. Kubilay Turkyilmaz was then the only man of Switzerland to be noticed besides Pascolo, but this was the only opportunity of Switzerland during the 1st half. England possessed the ball 71% of the time (!); afterwards we've seen it hadn't been enough.

42: "The Miss Of The Game", or probably "The Save Of The Game". A free kick was performed, and Sheringham found himself 2 meters diagonally from the net; however, he headed it badly to see another sparkling save of Pascolo. Anderton was on the rebound from 20 meters, the ball hit a defender and deflected to Sheringham, who stood 5 meters before the empty net and the lying keeper; however, his reaction was slow, his shot was weak, and another defender cleared it away. This miss cost Sheringham a place on the pitch - he was substituted early in the 2nd half.

The 2nd half was played in the same direction, though the Swiss tried more. Ramon Vega (46) shot high, and Kubilay Turkyilmaz (60) found Seaman well-prepared. On the other hand, two great far-rangers of Shearer (47, 55) whistled near the right post of Pascolo. The great miss was registered after 78 minutes, when the substitutes' move, Nick Barmby et Steve Stone, saw the latter's header missing an empty frame from 5 meters.

A free kick performed by the Swiss found Vogel 20 meters from the net with a bright effort; Seaman was slow with his reaction, and the stadium stopped breathing, but the ball was too curved and missed the frame at the last second, nearly touching England's left post. But after a moment, it came. Marco Grassi threw the ball to himself into the box, and Stuart Pearce handplayed to block it, I believe, unintentiously. Turkyilmaz sent the penalty calmly to the right post of his and in, while Seaman rushed to his right. 1:1, a complete contradiction to what had happened on the pitch in reality.

Both teams could score a winner, but failed. A mighty shot of Paul Ince from 25 meters (86) met a spectacular save of a flying Marco Pascolo, and on the other hand, Vogel shot from 10 meters after a preparation work of Chapuisat, in the last minute, and David Seaman closed his right low corner perfectly. The Reds failed to make the sensation complete, but they should not be disappointed. England is a disappointed, and a disappointing, squad.

Main Page	Soccer Page	EURO'96