The UEFA Champions League: A World of Heartbreak.

What we take solace in sometimes breaks our hearts beyond repair. The very competition which ingrained Real Madrid’s status in the history of football caused exactly that kind of hurt following Zinedine Zidane’s volley against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002. Prior to 2011, Real Madrid had been shown the exit door at the Round of 16 for six straight seasons in the Champions League until Jose Mourinho (aided by the luck of the draw) took them through to two semi-finals.

FC Dila Gori (N) vs Maritimo Match Preview

FC Dila Gori (N) vs Maritimo Match Preview

Result, Goals and more Details for the Match Marítimo vs FC Dila Gori on 23/8/12 at 21:00.
The Team Marítimo won the Game against FC Dila Gori with Result 1 : 0 (0 : 0) (1 : 0) .
 
The Soccer Game was played on 23/08/2012, 21:00 o`clock within the Tournament European League Playoffs.
It was part of the serveral Games from the European League Playoffs Tournament.
Status of the Game Marítimo vs FC Dila Gori is finished, Full Time (FT).
The European League Playoffs Football Match was played over the full regular Time.
The Result of this Match was added or updated on 23/08 at 22:56 to the Soccer Result Service.
 

	Final Result	1. Halftime	2. Halftime
Marítimo	1	0	1
FC Dila Gori	0	0	0

Before this Match Rio Ave played against Marítimo within the League Liga Zon Sagres
and lost with the Result 0:1 (0 : 0) (0 : 1)  and FC Dila Gori played within the League
against FC Chikhura Sachkhere and lost with the final Result 2:3 (1 : 1) (1 : 2) 
More about the Soccer Teams Marítimo and FC Dila Gori can be found in the Team Statistics.

FIFA Approves Use of Goal Line Technology

FIFA joins the 21st century!

FIFA, international football’s governing body, has announced that it will proceed with plans to implement goal line technology after nine months of rigorous testing. Development comes from two separate organizations. Hawk-eye, a camera-based technology well-known for its use in cricket and tennis, will work alongside the censor-based GoalRef technology of German and Danish origin.
Now that the door has been opened for use of such technologies, there is no doubt other tech developers will be interested in creating systems of their own.

FIFA already plans to implement the goal line technology at in Brazil for the Consideration Cup during the summer of 2013, as well as the World Cup Finals in 2014. The organization may option to retain use of the five-official system, which plants two additional referees at each goal-line to officiate. This system was put in place during this year’s Euro 2012 competition, but was met with some harsh criticism from owners, players, and fans due to goal controversy during the Ukraine v England match.

Several officials, including EUFA president Michel Platini, admittedly stated these goal-line refs are more in place to officiate penalty box behavior than reviewing the goal-line itself. Platini went on to question where we draw the line, fearing next we will hear demand for technology to encroach on offside calls and penalty kicks as well. The two systems can however work together for mutual benefit.
Officiating bodies seeking to implement these systems are advised to contact the manufacturer to discuss time-frames and prices prior to installation. All systems to be implemented will also need to be reviewed and approved by FIFA before finally being accepted for use in match play. Some officials estimate we will see these systems put in to use as soon as half-way through next season.
As good as it may sound, these systems come with a hefty price tag, leaving only the more wealthy clubs in a position to implement them.

Soccer-European season kicks off after 48-hour break

(Reuters) - The new European season kicked off with three embarrassingly one-sided matches and two goalless draws on Tuesday, less than 48 hours after Spain won Euro 2012.

Malta captain Michael Mifsud produced the outstanding performance of the evening with four goals as Valletta crushed hapless Lusitans of Andorra 8-0 in one of three Champions League first qualifying round first-leg ties.

Lusitans, who won the Andorran league for the first time last season, were quickly in trouble as Jonathan Caruana gave Valletta a fourth minute lead.

Former Kaiserslautern, Lillestrom, Coventry City and Barnsley forward Mifsud and Brazilian striker Jhonnattann, signed from Volta Redonda earlier this year, added two goals apiece as the hosts raced to a 5-0 lead after only 23 minutes.

Mifsud made it 6-0 and completed his hat-trick on the stroke of halftime and added another to his tally with a solo goal in the 70th minute before Edmond Agius rounded off the scoring two minutes later.
Luxemburg's FC Dudelange, who got the 2012-13 season rolling as their game kicked off first, thumped San Marino's Tre Penne 7-0 while Northern Ireland's Linfield were held to a goalless draw by B36 Torshavn from the Faroe Islands.

Dudelange's match kicked off only two days after Spain lifted the Euro 2012 trophy in Kiev to bring the curtain down on the previous season.

Sofian Benzouien and Aurelien Joachim both scored twice for the Luxemburg side who have been domestic champions 10 times in the last 13 seasons.

The Champions League will take nearly 10 months to complete, with four qualifying rounds, a group stage and three more rounds of of knockout games, before ending on May 25 with the final at Wembley.
There were also two games in the mind-bogglingly complex Europa League where Gomel won 6-0 at Vikingur in a meeting of the teams who finished third in Belarus and Faroe Islands respectively.

Portadown of Northern Ireland drew 0-0 at Macedonia's Shkendija in the other match, with 35 further ties to be played on Thursday.

Defending champions Spain win Euro 2012 to complete historic treble

(CNN) -- Defending champions Spain claimed an historic third successive major international trophy with a 4-0 rout of Italy in the Euro 2012 final in Kiev Sunday.

It was a breathtaking display from the 2010 World Cup winners, with victory all but sealed by halftime as goals from David Silva and Jordi Alba gave them a 2-0 lead.

Substitutes Fernando Torres and Juan Mata rounded off the emphatic win with two late strikes.

Victory in the final also represents a triumph for 61-year-old coach Vicente Del Bosque, the first man to lead teams to the World Cup, European Championships and European Champions League crowns, the latter with Real Madrid in 2000 and 2002.

"This success in Spanish football is something historic, and now we have to look to the future and try to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil," he told gathered reporters.

But for Italy and their coach Cesare Prandelli it was a bitter end to a tournament which they had earlier graced with their imaginative performances.

"We came up against a terrific side," Prandelli admitted.

Euro 2012 LIVE: Spain vs Italy

La Roja shone brightly from the start and with a cutting edge, despite again starting the match without a recognized striker.

Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez brushed the crossbar with a fierce shot in the 10th minute after dazzling interplay but it did not take long for the pressure to pay off.

Xavi's club teammate Andres Iniesta threaded a perfect pass through for Cesc Fabregas to cross for David Silva to head home on 14 minutes.

Italy, who caused such a shock with a 2-1 win over Germany in the semifinals, responded with a pair of Antonio Cassano efforts, but with Mario Balotelli unable to make much impression they always looked second best.

Spain went further ahead just before halftime and the goal was typical off their all round teamwork.

Defender Jordi Alba exchanged passes with Xavi and burst through the center of the Italian defense before easily beating Gianluigi Buffon.

After the break, Italy responded with a pair of chances for Antonio di Natali, the first a header, the second with a clearer sight of goal only to be denied twice in quick succession by Spain captain Iker Casillas.

Italian hopes of a comeback took a further dent when their final substitute, Thiago Motta, lasted only five minutes before being stretchered off.

Against a tiring team with only 10 men, Spain eventually took full advantage after the introduction of Chelsea's Torres.

Xavi found him with another superb pass and he slotted home the third on 84 minutes, becoming the first man to score in two successive European Championship finals.

He had grabbed the only goal of the 2008 final win over Germany.

Torres then cleverly set up his club teammate Mata to score with virtually his first touch of the ball.

In doing so, Torres clinched the tournament's Golden Boot for his joint leading three goals and that final assist.

It left Casillas to lift the trophy in the magnificent Olympic Stadium, the Real Madrid goalkeeper reveling in yet another showpiece triumph for a team many are calling the greatest in history.

"This is such a truly wonderful moment. The second goal from Jordi (Alba) clinched it really," he told Telecinco television.

"It's been four marvelous years. You might think that a 4-0 margin against Italy means it was easy -- but we have been gradually stepping up as the tournament went along."

Sunday's final set the seal on three weeks of competition in Ukraine and Poland at eight match venues and involving 16 teams.

Twenty four national sides will take their place in the next finals in France in 2016 and they will do well to match the overall high standard of attacking play in Euro 2012.

Incidents of racist chanting and violent clashes between supporters from Poland and Russia marred the group stages, but fears of widespread fan violence proved just fears.

Ukraine's alleged mistreatment of jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko also led to threats of a boycott by European political leaders, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended their quarterfinal victory over Greece.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and his Spanish counterpart Mariano Rayoy were guests at the final, a welcome distraction perhaps from the economic turmoil engulfing their austerity-hit countries in the Eurozone crisis.

More controversially, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was also among the dignitaries, despite being the subject of a European Union travel ban.

His invite sparked a protest from a feminist group in Kiev before the final.

Euro 2012 Germany vs Italy: Live Report

AFP IS CLOSING THIS LIVE REPORT AFTER Italy upset the odds as two goals from Mario Balotelli saw them beat Germany 2-1 in the second Euro 2012 semi-final in Warsaw.

The enigmatic Manchester City striker powered home a header from an Antonio Cassano cross after 20 minutes to send the Azzurri into the lead, before doubling their advantage with a resounding right-footed strike 16 minutes later.

"He (Balotelli) was excellent, just like the entire team were," said coach Cesare Prandelli after what was Italy's third win over Germany in a major tournament semi-final.

"I really believe that a team needs to have an idea in the way they play and he really subscribed to this playing style. He was high up the pitch and available and I think he put in a very good performance this evening."

A much-fancied Germany team struggled to contain Italy's attacks in the first half and found their defenders in miserly mood at the other end, despite an improvement when Marco Reus and Miroslav Klose were brought on at the interval.

A penalty converted by Real Madrid's Mesut Ozil two minutes into injury-time after Federico Balzaretti's hand-ball was scant consolation for Joechim Loew's side.

Read on to find out how all the action unfolded in the National Stadium in Poland's capital and join us again on Sunday as the Italians take on defending champions Spain in the final in Kiev.

2055 GMT: Scenes of unbridled joy amongst Italy fans - the famous Tifosi - are beaming in from Rome - flares have been lit, flags are being waved and they are looking forward to a shot at glory in Sunday's final.

2046 GMT: Italy's players are dancing with delight on the pitch, and why not -- not many people backed them to get past a Germany side that had won their last 15 competitive games.

That's now eight times Germany have played Italy in major championships and failed to win - what's the Italian for bogey team?

ITALY WILL PLAY SPAIN IN THE EURO 2012 FINAL IN KIEV ON SUNDAY!

90 + 5 mins: FULL-TIME: Germany 1 Italy 2

90 + 3: YELLOW CARD - Germany's Hummels in the book for dissent after a dramatic Italian dive.

More from Barnaby in Warsaw: "Loew's chewing his lips, Ozil's hanging his head, Neuer's coming up for corners with five minutes left. Germany have lost their heads and Italy are in total command? until they give away a penalty. Spanner, works??

90 + 2 mins: GOAL! Germany 1 Italy 2 - Penalty after a Balzaretti hand-ball and Ozil smashes it home! Lifeline for Germany!

90 mins: Germany's 'keeper Neuer went forward for a corner there - it falls to Ozil on the edge of the area but he can only fire wide.

88 mins: YELLOW CARD - Italy's Thiago Motta

85 mins: It opened up in the area for Germany's Reus there but Balzaretti gets across to block him. He punched the air with delight at that intervention.

82 mins: Surely Antonio Di Natale has to kill the game off now - Balotelli puts him through and he's one-on-one with Neuer but can only side-foot the ball into the side-netting. Wasteful.

Federico Balzaretti then thinks he has scored after curling it around Neuer but he's flagged offside.

YELLOW CARD - Italy's Danielle De Rossi in the book.

77 mins: This from AFP's Barnaby Chesterman at Warsaw's National Stadium: "Old habits die hard and Italy are taking no chances here. They've switched to a five-man midfield, taking off both forwards and trequartista Montolivo. They certainly don't intend to try to kill off this game."

And for those who don't know, a trequartista is a playmaker...

75 mins: Germany centre-back Holger Badstuber stumbles in the area and Claudio Marchisio has a chance to finish Germany off - but he drags his shot wide of Neueer's lefthand upright. Excellent chance.

71 mins: SUBSTITUTION - Bayern striker Thomas Mueller on for Jerome Boateng - Loew has gone for it with that change.

69 mins: SUBSTITUTION - Antonio Di Natale replaces Mario Balotelli. The striker had pulled up with cramp and was chuntering as he went off but he's put Italy in charge of this game.

67 mins: Claudio Marchisio plays it into Alessandro Diamante who returns the favour with a measured pass but the midfielder can only slice wide of Neuer's goal. That would have sealed it for Italy.

64 mins: SUBSTITUTION - Cesare Prandelli makes a change for Italy - defensive midfielder Thiago Motta on for playmaker Riccardo Montolivo.

62 mins: Germany are knocking at the door here - Kroos curls in a delightful right-footed free-kick from outside the area and forces Buffon to palm it onto the crossbar. Good effort.

60 mins: Balotelli has got the bit between his teeth - he cuts in from the righthand touchline and fires in a powerful right-footed shot but it's well wide of Neuer's goal.

57 mins: SUBSTITUTION - Italy's Antonio Cassano is replaced by Alessandro Diamante who is earning just his fourth cap.

52 mins: Another opening for the Germans - Ozil makes a thrusting run to the right-hand touchline and pulls it back to Khedira but he's crowded out by Italian defenders.

49 mins: Great chance for Germany's captain Philipp Lahm on the edge of the area... but he blazes over! He played a lovely one-two to set the chance up.

Joachim Loew's side have started this half with more conviction but can't afford to miss too many of those if they're going to get back into this.

46 mins: Promising early run at the Italian defence from Reus, who cuts in on his left foot on the edge of the area but can only mishit a tame shot.

1949 GMT: SUBSTITUTIONS - Two changes for Germany for the second half - Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus on for Lukas Podolksi and Mario Gomez.

We're under way again in Warsaw...

1945 GMT: Just to put the 2-0 scoreline into some kind of context, my colleague Ryland James at the game in Warsaw has sent me this little nugget:

"This is the first time Germany have been behind at a European championships game since the Euo 2008 final.

"That includes 10 qualifiers, three group matches and the quarter-final win over Greece."

1936 GMT: News from Berlin -- AFP's Raphaelle Logerot in the fan zone at the Brandenburg Gate: "Some German fans have stood up and walked out of the zone, disgusted by that second goal from Balotelli."

45 +2 mins: HALF-TIME Germany 0 Italy 2

36 mins: GOAL! Germany 0 Italy 2 - a screamer from Balotelli and Italy have doubled their lead!

A simple ball over the top from Montolivo splits the two German centre-backs and picks out Balotelli, who bears down on goal leaving Philipp Lahm in his wake before lashing a vicious shot past a stationary Manuel Neuer.

Joachim Loew on the Germany bench looks shell-shocked.

YELLOW CARD - Balotelli was booked for taking off his shirt to celebrate the goal but I doubt he's too bothered after that pearler...

34 mins: Big chance for Italy to make it 2-0... but Montolivo's wasted it! Cassano found him with a cunning pass into the area but he tries to cut onto his right foot rather than shooting first time with his left and is tackled.

28 mins: Italy are getting a good deal of possession in midfield - Pirlo is central to some tidy passing moves as he was against England in the quarter-final.

Forgot to mention that Lukas Podolski has come back into Germany's starting line-up on the left wing at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen's Andre Schuerrle, who played in their 4-2 win over Greece in last Friday.

26 mins: Powerful centre-forward play from Germany's Mario Gomez, winning a long ball which he controls and rolls to Mesut Ozil only to see the midfielder fire in a tame shot that doesn't trouble Buffon.

20 mins: GOAL! Germany 0 Italy 1 - a towering header from Balotelli and Italy are in front!

Italy worked it well down the left, Antonio Cassano beat two defenders before getting a good cross to Balotelli in the middle who rose highest to power a header home from six yards out.

Simple but deadly.

12 mins: Sami Khedira passes it out to Jerome Boateng on the right, who whips in a low cross and Buffon can only fumble it awkwardly against defender Andrea Barzagli - he is relieved to see the ball roll just past his righthand post.

More early uncertainty from the veteran Italian shot-stopper.

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos fires in a powerful shot rom the resulting corner that Buffon parries away.

10 mins: A reminder that Germany have won their last 15 competitive games, a new world record according to UEFA. So the Italians are going to have to spring a real shock to get past them...

6 mins: Nervous moments for Italy there though - a corner is whipped in from the left and Mats Hummels knees it towards goal. It beats 'keeper Gianluigi Buffon but Andrea Pirlo is on the post to clear it. Lucky escape!

3 mins: Riccardo Montolivo steals possession in the Germany half and tries to slips it through to Mario Balotelli - but it's just out of the striker's reach in the area... Promising opening for the Italians.

1847 GMT: KICK-OFF: We're under way in Warsaw...

1844 GMT: Both captains, Gianluigi Buffon and Phillippe Lahm talk to the fans over the PA about the importance of UEFA's 'Respect Diversity' message, which is received to resounding applause.

1840 GMT: Both sets of players have filed out and are lined up for the national anthems - Italy's tub-thumping one first, 'Il Canto degli Italiani'...

1830 GMT: "As soon as he came onto the pitch, Mario Balotelli went over the corner of the stadium where his friends - and his brother Enoch - are sitting to greet them," my colleague Emmanuel Barranguet writes from the National Stadium.

Balotelli has friends? Remarkable (nb - I'm sure he's just misunderstood...)

1820 GMT: ...and this has just landed from AFP reporter Laurent Geslin in Berlin: "The atmosphere is building around the famous Brandenburg Gate as small groups of swap thoughts about the upcoming match as a few beers are sunk.

"Germany's fans seem certain that 'Die Mannschaft' are going to win... 'You have to be optimistic and ignore the statistics which point to an Italian victory,' says Dennis Schiller a 25-year-old Berlin-born entrepreneur, referring to the surprising fact that Germany have yet to beat Italy in seven meetings at major championships.

'Tonight it's Germany's turn as they have the better team - we've never had such a good team.'

1810 GMT: My colleague Françoise Kadri has sent me this little snippet about the atmosphere that's building among fans in Rome's Piazza del Popolo (or People's Square): "There are already hundreds of (exclusively) Italian supporters, mostly young men, getting excited in the build-up to kick-off.

"We're in the middle of a heat wave here and it's nearly thirty degrees at 8pm local time! There are lots of trumpets, Italian flags being waved and faces -- not to mention several torsos - painted in the red white and green of Italy..."

1804 GMT: The starting line-ups for the game are in - it looks like Mario Gomez has reclaimed his striker's spot from Miroslav Klose while Toni Kroos also comes in:

Germany (4-2-3-1)

Manuel Neuer; Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Holger Badstuber, Philipp Lahm (capt); Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger; Lukas Podolski, Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos; Mario Gomez

Coach: Joachim Loew

Italy (4-3-1-2)

Gianluigi Buffon (capt); Federico Balzaretti, Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini; Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Daniele De Rossi; Riccardo Montolivo; Mario Balotelli, Antonio Cassano

Coach: Cesare Prandelli

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (FRA)

1750 GMT: AFP's Emmanuel Barranguet has been in touch from Warsaw: "On the streets of the city on Thursday afternoon, hundreds of Germany fans have been teasing their Italian counterparts by singing "Arrivederci Italia!" to the Seven Nation Army tune ("Po popo po popo pooooo...")

In the face of such inventive musical mockery the 'tifosi' may as well pack up and go home...

WELCOME TO AFP'S LIVE REPORT on the second semi-final of the Euro 2012 football championships which sees Germany take on Italy for the right to play Spain in Sunday's final in Kiev.

Kick-off at the National Stadium in the Poland's capital Warsaw is just over hour away at 1845 GMT - stay with us for all the team news and build-up with input from our reporters at the game Barnaby Chesterman and Ryland James. -- AFP

Semi-finals. Portugal - Spain

In the semi-finals UEFA EURO 2012 in Donetsk, European and world champions from Spain could not print the gate of contenders from Portugal for 120 minutes. However, in the penalty shoot-out proved to be more successful competitors and earned a ticket to the finals.
In terms of Paulo Bento was not able to surprise his counterpart does, but Vicente Del Bosque a surprise. In the "basis" for the position of center-forward Fernando Torres does not appear, or Cesc Fabregas, and Alvaro Negredo. The Spaniards entered the match with mourning ribbons in memory of Miki Roque, 23-year-old defender, "Betis", who died of cancer, the official site of UEFA.
But with the starting whistle the game with the composition and the thought of the tragedy have gone away - in the first place out of His Majesty the football. Contrary to expectations, the Portuguese did not play a "number two" from the very beginning, and pressed the Spaniards to the gate, one after another, by submitting a couple of corners. However, it quickly returned to normal - Spanish "tick-tock" went to the move, European and world champions took possession of the ball, and most of all for some time in the spotlight turned out to Pepe, who had to work up a sweat in the center of the Portuguese defense.
Spanish perepas nearly led to big trouble for Rui Patricia is the ninth minute when Alvaro Arbeloa punched over the crossbar, ending mnogohodovku, which originated on the left flank. Characteristically, in a potentially goal-attack has participated almost the entire Spanish team. Ronaldo said Portugal shed from the left flank, but, again, speaks volumes, gave the captain to Nani, who was surrounded by four defenders.
Yet already in the debut it was clear that far from the Spaniards in order to feel as comfortable as in the quarterfinals against France. At times world and European champions simply outplayed, and keep the ball in the corporate style they could not always. But these episodes were enough to create moments. For example, in the 29th minute, Andres Iniesta struck a blow with a dangerous free kick almost on the border standing ball and almost hit the target.
Of course, on the edge of the injection response was Ronaldo. The ball after it hit another from the penalty literally licked the bar, and attack the Portuguese to be not less acute. Then the game settled down, and the remainder of the first half was a completely equal to the positional struggle, a kind of chess. In the first half, Spain showed the lowest for itself in the UEFA EURO 2012 the percentage of accurate transmission.
The second half began in similar vein, which was completed first. The Spaniards did not work to dominate the same way as in all previous matches at Euro 2012, with the exception of the game with Italy, but Portuguese is still unable to create enough about them to the gate intensity. From polumomentov the first half of the second half, it may be noted that a couple of really scathing attacks Hugo Almeida missed the target.
Already at the end of hours of play Del Bosque left to fight Cesc Fabregas and Jesus Navas instead of Negredo and David Silva. Tangible dividends to no avail - can recall except that a tight kick Xavi straight at the goalkeeper in the 65th minute. Once again, the entire Portugal Ronaldo answered - in the 73rd minute penalty it could be very dangerous, but the ball flew over the crossbar. The same thing happened after the "standard" in the 85th minute - again higher. As a result - equal to almost no points a game in which the Portuguese looked at least as good a formidable opponent.
The moment of truth could come to pass in the 90th minute - in the course of four to three counter-attacks, which could well prove to be scoring, Raul Meireles gave a pass is not too convenient Ronaldo, who on the run from the border sent the ball into the heavens. The match went to the endgame - the extra time, which does not help figuring out who among semifinalists stronger.
Until I came 104th minute when Rui Patricia pulled Iniesta strike that hit a few meters, it seemed certain. To reinforce the impression, in the end of the first additional half-time with a penalty kick shot Ramos - in centimeters from the cross. Ten minutes before the end of the meeting was the moment of Navas, but his kick from an acute angle took Rui Patricia.
The result - a series of penalties, and even the first two shots did goalkeeping heroes. First, Rui Patricia did not give Xavi Alonso to score and then Iker Casillas has done the same thing with Jose Moutinho. The following are not scoring defender of "Zenith" Bruno Alves, shot in the woodwork. After that, Fabregas of Spain recorded a victory in the hardest for the world and European champions match.

UEFA Euro 2012 Semifinals

 Can anyone stop Spain? After winning the UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, Spain looks poised to win their third straight major international tournament and cement the place in history as the greatest national team of all-time.
Spain has been playing in their typical Spanish style; steady as a rock. Aside from a 4-0 thrashing they dished out to a weak Irish squad, Spain has muddied along with a 1-1 tie against Italy and a 1-0 win against Croatia before defeating France 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
Meeting Spain in the semifinals is Portugal. After slipping 0-1 to Germany in their opening match; Portugal has been a runaway freight train. The Portuguese squad has won three straight, including wins over Denmark (3-2) and Netherlands (2-1) in the group stage and Czech Republic (1-0) in the quarterfinals.
Spain will be the clear cut favorite in the semifinals. As defending Euro and World Cup champs, they have earned the right to be called "world's best" until they can be defeated. But one can't help but think that perhaps now is Portugal's time. After many disappointing performances in recent major tournaments, this might be their time to breakthrough and make their mark on the world stage.
Here is the information you need to know for the first semifinal match between Spain and Portugal:

Event: UEFA Euro 2012 Semifinals
Stadium: Donbass Arena - Donetsk, Ukraine
Date: Wednesday, June 28

Time: 2:45 AM GMT(+8:00)
Teams: Spanish National Team vs. Portuguese National Team
Winner: Advances to the finals to face the winner of the Germany-Italy semifinal match

Semifinal 2 - Germany vs. Italy
Germany is on a roll. After dominating the group stage with impressive wins over Portugal (1-0), Netherlands (2-1) and Denmark (2-1), the Germans took their play to a whole other level by crushing a feisty Greece squad 4-2 in the quarterfinal round.
Waiting Germany in the semifinal round is Italy. The Italians have had a tougher time making it this far in the tournament. Italy tied both Spain and Croatia with 1-1 scores and beat a hapless Irish team 2-0 to advance to the knockout stage. In their quarterfinal against England, Italy played well but needed to come from behind in PKs to advance onward.
Germany will be the clear favorite in this match, but Italy will be tricky. Expect the Italians to sit back and play a ball-controlling style to counter the impressive team speed of Germany. Even if Italy plays well, it is hard to imagine anything but a Germany - Spain final.
Here is the information you need to know for the second semifinal match between Germany and Italy:
Event: UEFA Euro 2012 Semifinals
Stadium: National Stadium - Warsaw, Poland
Date: Thursday, June 29
Time: 2:45 AM GMT(+8:00)
Teams: German National Team vs. Italian National Team
Winner: Advances to the finals to face the winner of the Spain-Portugal semifinal match