Euro 2012 Football: Who will win the Cup?  (Latest)

-DR. ABDUL RUFF

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The European Championship is one of the most prestigious tournaments in football maybe it occupies second place after the FIFA tournament.  Powerhouse teams from all around the continent converged on Poland and Ukraine for Euro 2012 looking to emerge with the marquee title. Both the sponsor countries have left the completion without seeing the Quarters.   It wouldn't have been an easy journey for any team with several other contenders such as the Netherlands, France, Italy and England were expected to put up a strong fight as well. 

Portugal stormed into the Euro 2012 semi-finals with a deserved 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic on Thursday to face Spain. It was an impressive display from the Portuguese who were appearing in their fifth European Championship quarter-final in a row and will play Spain. Portugal's dominant second-half performance was the key to their special success. 

Spain and Germany met in the final four years ago and are favored once again, though Germany performs better. Spain have met Portugal 34 times - more than any other side - winning 16 times and losing just six. However, this will only be the third time that Spain and Portugal will have met outside of the Iberian Peninsula. Their last encounter, in November 2010 in Lisbon, ended 4-0 in favor of Portugal, which remains Spain's heaviest defeat since 1963. Spain have won just two of their last 12 games against Portugal. Indeed, 14 of Spain's 16 wins against Portugal occurred before 1960.

Germany have played in a semi-final in a major competition 17 times so far, making it to the final on 11 occasions. Germany are the only side to have won each of their four games at Euro 2012. They have now won their last 15 competitive games - an all-time record in DFB history.   Both have met 30 times in their history: Italy lead by 14 wins to seven, with nine draws completing the record. Germany boast the best attack at Euro 2012 (nine goals scored) while Italy have the second-best defense (two goals conceded). Italy has netted just four goals so far - no other side has reached the semi-finals scoring so few goals at the Euros since 1996. Germany has conceded, on average, only nine fouls per game, fewer than any other side at Euro 2012.

[Turkey's Cuneyt Cakir]

It is interesting Turkey a European nation has not participated in the tournament. Meanwhile, the UEFA announced on Monday that Turkey's Cuneyt Cakir will referee the Euro 2012 semi-final between holders Spain and Portugal in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Wednesday  and Frenchman Stephane Lannoy will be in charge of the other semi-final, Germany against Italy in Warsaw on Thursday.  

Eurasian Russia and many others were knocked out in the group games. And they have returned to their countries without seeing the Quarter finals.  Soon after the group stage four teams viz England, France, Czech and Greece left the field. Only Germany, Netherland, Italy and Portugal have reached the Quarter finals. The top two teams will advance to the knockout final rounds on July 01. It is presumed that Germany would be the cup winner of Euro-2012.