Disastrous start for Russia

In their first match Russia lost to Spain 1:4.
Many mistakes in the back. Central defender Kolodin instead of clearing the ball tried to dribble it past Torres and was robbed by him. Torres squared to ball to Villa who coolly converted in empty net.
Russia could get a lifeline but Ziryanov hit the post after neat passing in the box.
At the end of the first half Russia conceded another unnecessary goal. Iniesta send a cutting pass through the center that put Villa one on one where he just connected with a ball sending it below advancing Akinfeev. It seemed that Russia goalkeeper could have done better in this situation.
In the second half Russia still have the possession but their attack lacked the creativity and sharpness that suspended Arshavin could add. Rolling the ball in midfield, passing back - that's the main impression of Russia's possession.
The subs Bystrov and replacing him Adamov never looked up to the task not bringing anything to the game. Torbinsky, another sub, looked a little better, won a free kick 30m in front of the goal but sent it over.
Villa scored his third bamboozling through Russian defense teasing Shirokov who turned to slow for lively Villa.
Pavluchenko converted a corner kick with a powerful header. A little consolation for Russia before conceding the fourth.
At the end another shot from Villa was parried in the path of another substitute Fabregas who easily nodded in with a header perhaps being in offside position.

Sweden beat defensive Greece 2:0 in another game in a group D.

HIDDINK: POGREBNYAK WILL STAY IN THE TEAM

Guus Hiddink is pleased with Russia’s gathering in Germany prior to the European championship.
Hiddink spoke about his team’s readiness ahead of friendly clash against Lithuania. The Dutch manager s glad with Russia’s preparation session which takes place in Germany.
"After the friendly game against Lithuania we will make for Austria where we will prepare for Euro-opener", said Hiddink.
"As for Pavel Pogrebnyak, I would like to mention that he won’t leave the team and I am not going to fins a replacement for him."
"I am pleased with players’ work at this training camp."
"We attained positive results against Kazakhstan and Serbia, but players shouldn’t relax ahead of crunch games."

Гус Хиддинк: "Я не намерен вызывать кого-либо на замену Погребняку"

Гус Хиддинк накануне заключительного контрольного матча сборной России против литовцев провел пресс-конференцию, в ходе которой отметил, что доволен работой игроков на немецком сборе.
- После матча с Литвой мы не будем возвращаться в гостиницу, а сразу отправимся в австрийский Леоганг для подготовки к матчу с Испанией. Что касается Павла Погребняка, то он усиленно работает с физиотерапевтом. Я не хочу, чтобы журналисты постоянно мучили его вопросами о здоровье. Не стоит загонять его в рамки одного матча. Даже если он не сможет сыграть с испанцами, он никуда не уедет. И хочу заметить, что я абсолютно точно не намерен вызывать кого-либо ему на замену, - цитирует главного тренера сборной сайт телеканала "Спорт". - Я очень доволен работой игроков на этом сборе, но должен заметить, что россияне не имеют преимущества из-за системы "весна - осень". В премьер-лиге было сыграно 11 туров, но футболисты, прибывшие на сбор, физикой меня не порадовали. Зато в матче с Сербией уже выглядели вполне прилично.
- Не могли бы вы сравнить процесс подготовки к турниру сборной Кореи, когда вы с ней работали, и нынешний?
- Тогда у нас было гораздо больше времени для подготовки. Убежден, что достичь такого уровня готовности сейчас сложно любой европейской сборной.
- Как вы думаете, какой тактики будет придерживаться сборная Испании 10 июня?
- Мы следим за сборной Испании, так же как и ее представители - за нами. Мне кажется, что независимо от того, как будут играть против нас испанцы, мы должны придерживаться своего стиля игры.
- В Испании считают, что главная звезда у сборной России на чемпионате Европы - ее главный тренер.
- Я работал в Испании, и поэтому меня там знают. Но надеюсь, что утром 11 июня в Испании будут известны имена российских футболистов благодаря хорошей игре.
Рассуждая о результате в контрольном матче со сборной Литвы, Гус Хиддинк отметил, что он важен, но не настолько, чтобы придавать ему огромное значение.
- Мы удачно сыграли со сборными Казахстана и Сербии. Главное, чтобы после побед у футболистов не было расслабленности. К тому же завтра в составе могут произойти определенные изменения, - приводит комментарий Хиддинка официальный сайт РФС

Van der Sar heroics win the penalty shootout and the trophy

Moscow - May 28. Manchester United were crowned kings of Europe for thethird time on Wednesday when they beat Chelsea 6-5 on penalties after abreathless all-English Champions League final had finished 1-1 after extratime.
United's 37-year-old goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, appearing in his thirdfinal 13 years after his first with Ajax Amsterdam, saved the decisive spotkick from substitute Nicolas Anelka.
The victory completed a famous double for the Old Trafford team who pippedChelsea to the Premier League title 10 days ago.
It was an emotional triumph for United, coming 50 years after the Munich airdisaster, and there was a huge cheer for one of the survivors, BobbyCharlton, when he joined the team at the presentation of the trophy helifted in 1968 before Alex Ferguson led the team to a second success in1999.
"We've had fate on our side all season and I felt that fate played its handwith John Terry slipping," Ferguson said of the Chelsea captain's penaltymiss.
HEARTBREAKING NIGHT
It was a heartbreaking night for Terry, who had the chance to take thetrophy to Stamford Bridge for the first time but sent what would have beenthe winning penalty against the outside of the post.
"John Terry's a man's man, not many centre halves will stand up and say Iwill take the last penalty because everybody knows that's the thing it canhang on," said Frank Lampard, whose equalizer had cancelled out CristianoRonaldo's opener.
United's Portugal winger had been inexplicably left unmarked to head home acurled right-wing cross from fullback Wes Brown for the 42nd goal of hisall-conquering season.
The goal brought the game to life as Van der Sar prevented a Rio Ferdinandown goal with a terrific instinctive save while Chelsea's Petr Cech kept outCarlos Tevez's stooping header and then tipped over Michael Carrick'sfollow-up drive.
Chelsea had shown little but leveled when Essien's long-range shot wasdeflected into the path of Lampard, who duly dispatched it from six meters.
The Londoners looked much more energized in the second half as MichaelEssien and Michael Ballack fired shots just over.
The patient, European-style approach of the opening quarter had beenreplaced by football with a Premier League trademark -- high-paced andphysical, with a sprinkling of errors and battered bodies littering thetemporary turf.
Didier Drogba was among them 12 minutes from time, but as he has so oftenbefore, made a miraculous recovery to curl a 20 meter shot against a post.
Ryan Giggs, the only survivor from United's treble-winning 1999 final team,came off the bench in the 87th minute for his 759th appearance, breakingCharlton's club record.
But he could not fashion a repeat of the storied last-gasp victory of thatyear and the game went into extra time.
Chelsea maintained their momentum and Lampard scooped a shot against the barwithin four minutes of the restart but they needed Terry to deny Giggs afairytale goal by heading the winger's shot over the bar with Cech beaten.
As the clock ticked down -- towards 2 am local time -- tempers boiled overand Drogba was sent off for slapping Nemanja Vidic.
The shootout first went Chelsea's way as Ronaldo, who had missed a penaltyearly in the semi-final against Barcelona, saw his effort saved.
Ballack, Juliano Belletti, Lampard and Ashley Cole all scored for Chelseabut when Terry failed the momentum shifted.
Anderson and Giggs netted for United and, although Salomon Kalou was ontarget for Chelsea, Van der Sar blocked Anelka's effort to secure the giantsilver trophy once again.
Manchester United, the winners of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League will nowface the winners of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup, Zenit St. Petersburg ofRussia.from Saint Petersburg in a match for 2008 UEFA Super Cup. The matchwill be played on 29 August 2008 at the Stade Louis II in Monaco.

Zenit lift UEFA Cup after 2-0 win over Rangers

Manchester - May 21. Russian champions Zenit St Petersburg won their firstEuropean silverware when second-half goals from Igor Denisov and KonstantinZyrianov secured a 2-0 victory over Rangers in the UEFA Cup final onWednesday.
Denisov slotted home after 72 minutes and fellow midfielder Zyrianov sealedvictory with a close range effort in stoppage time at the City of Manchesterstadium to secure the trophy for Zenit in their first European final.
It was the second UEFA Cup success by a Russian side in four seasonsfollowing CSKA Moscow's triumph in 2005.
"Winning a prize like this does not come often in your life," Zenit coachDick Advocaat told a news conference. "We are very proud that Zenit wontonight and after the way we played in this tournament, we really deservedit."
Rangers supporters traveled south from Glasgow in their thousands, easilyoutnumbering the Zenit fans inside the stadium and thronging the city centreto watch on big screens.
However, trouble flared when one screen broke down and riot police had tomove in to restore order under a hail of bottles. A total of 30 fans werearrested during the evening and one Russian fan was stabbed in the backafter the match.
On the pitch, the defeat suffered by Rangers ended their quest for anunlikely quadruple with the Scottish League Cup winners still contesting theleague title and also lining up in the Scottish FA Cup final later thismonth.
"I cannot speak highly enough of the group of players we have," said Rangersmanager Walter Smith. "We didn't think this season would lead to a Europeanfinal. Obviously, we're disappointed to lose after a good campaign for us."
Zenit failed to reproduce their impressive demolition of competitionfavourites Bayern Munich in the semi-finals but their attacking qualities,honed by Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, were too much for a spirited Rangersside.
Zenit gave an early demonstration of their counter-attacking prowess whencaptain Anatoly Tymoschuk robbed a hesitant Brahim Hemdani in midfield and aswift break ended with Andrei Arshavin shooting narrowly wide.
Rangers quickly settled though and Zenit's Victor Fayzulin made a well-timedinterception to clear Jean-Claude Darcheville's dangerous cross into thegoalmouth in a decent opening for both sides.
The Russian side enjoyed plenty of possession with Tymoschuk at the heart ofsome intricate passing moves. Fayzulin headed over an Arshavin cross, thenAlexander Anyukov tested Rangers goalkeeper Neil Alexander with a raspingdrive.
Rangers were content to soak up the pressure, showing little attackingintent of their own as Zenit probed away with Arshavin a menacing presenceon the left flank.
Walter Smith's side conceded only two goals in eight games en route to thefinal and their organized defense held firm.
Zenit's Turkish forward Fatih Tekke, handed a place up front by Advocaat inplace of suspended striker Pavel Pogrebnyak, was given no opportunity togain from a succession of Arshavin crosses into the danger area.
Rangers were the first to threaten after the break when they at last createda clear opening, Darcheville getting ahead of his marker to fire a low shotthat was parried by Vyacheslav Malafeev.
In the ensuing scramble Rangers were adamant they should have been awarded apenalty by Swedish referee Peter Frojdfeldt when Barry Ferguson's flickappeared to strike the arm of Denisov.
Rangers were pushing further forward but in doing so left themselves exposedto Zenit's swift counter-attacks which on 64 minutes nearly brought thebreakthrough.
Alexander rushed out of goal to intercept a long clearance downfield butArshavin was first to the ball. Rangers were fortunate to have two defendersalive to the danger and Sasa Papac got back to clear Arshavin's curlingstrike off the line.
Zenit finally found a way to beat Alexander when Denisov and playmakerArshavin split the Rangers defense through the middle with the formerslotting the ball home from eight meters.
Konstantin Zyrianov hit the post from close range a few minutes later beforethe midfielder converted Tekke's cross in added time after a fine passingmove to spark a Russian party.
Arshavin got man of the match award for outstanding performance.