UEFA EURO 2012 - Poland/Ukraine - Play-off's

[Waldo1639]

Qualifications for EURO 2012 by groups is done
Known participants are:
Poland
Ukraine
Germany
Russia
Italy
France
Netherlands
Greece
England
Denmark
Spain
Sweden (as best 2nd team of qualifications)
Play-off's
Croatia
Portugal
Czech Republic
Republic of Ireland​

"The eight-team lineup for Thursday's UEFA EURO 2012 play-off draw in Poland is confirmed with four places on offer in the ties on 11/12 and 15 November.

In the draw to be made from 13.00CET at the Sheraton Hotel in Krakow, Portugal, Croatia, the Republic of Ireland and the Czech Republic will be seeded according to their national team coefficients. Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina and first-time play-off entrants Estonia and Montenegro are the four unseeded teams.

The draw ceremony will be conducted by UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino and former Poland forward Zbigniew Boniek, one of the final tournament ambassadors. It will define the four pairings as well as the order of the home and away ties. The draw will be transmitted live on UEFA.com and Eurosport.

Already through to the finals, alongside co-hosts Poland and Ukraine, are holders Spain, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Greece, England, Denmark and best runners-up Sweden. The finals draw is on 2 December in Kyiv and the tournament runs from 8 June until 1 July next year in eight."
- UEFA.com


Play-off for Final Tournament - 1st leg - 11.11.2011

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Portugal 0-0
Turkey - Croatia 0-3
Czech Republic - Montenegro 2-0
Estonia - Republic of Ireland 0-4


Play-off for Final Tournament - 2nd leg - 15.11.2011

Portugal - Bosnia and Herzegovina 6-2 (0-0)
Croatia - Turkey 0-0 (3-0)
Montenegro - Czech Republic 0-1 (0-3)
Republic of Ireland - Estonia 1-1 (5-1)



For me those were really tough qualifications. Croatia showed very little. Serbia didn't qualified and Estonia and Montenegro are in play-offs which is positive surprise.

Germany won all matches - amazing. I watched them, great style, great individuals and great team chemistry.

I, as Croat, am very disappointed with what my national team showed. Slaven Bilić is obviously not capable to lead our team into great matches. After we lost against Tureky in Euro 2008, are road went down. Not a single good match. Guys like Modrić, Eduardo, Srna, Kranjčar, Lovren, Jelavić are more then good to do their job, but team chemistry is low, not motivated. I only hope that we will be qualified for Euro, cause missing World Cup was point break.

What's your thoughts about this qualifications and what to expect next?

Draw for Final Tournamet will be on December 2. 2011., Kyiv

Pot 1: Spain, Holland, Ukraine, Poland
Pot 2: Germany, England, Italy, Russia
Pot 3: Croatia, Portugal, Greece, Sweden
Pot 4: Ireland, France, Czech Republic, Denmark



Final Tournament Draw

GROUP A
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

GROUP B
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

GROUP C
Spain
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia

GROUP D
Ukraine
Sweden
France
England​

 

[1966+2006]

A final's group with Spain, Germany, Portugal and France, anyone?

 

[clash]

I don't usually care too much of international football, but ****! I still can't believe we made it to the play-off's. We'll most likely get ****ed up whoever we get but then again I was sure we'll get ****ed up by Serbia too.

 

[Waldo1639]

Today, Bosnian medias called Croatian intentional team a "circus team which can barely win Georgia". They are not far from true, but now I want them in play-offs!

 

[RobbieD_PL]

My Draw Prediction:
Croatia - Bosnia
Ireland - Estonia
Czech Rep - Montenegro
Portugal - Turkey

Teams I'd want to see through:
Bosnia
Estonia
Czech Rep
Portugal

 

[Waldo1639]

Turkey - Croatia - haha... We'll pay them back for Euro 2008!
Estonia - Ireland
Czech - Montenegro
Bosnia - Portugal - Looks familiar...


Robbie, you predicted two pairs correctly...

Turkey - Croatia - Oh, that will be tough. I say Croatia.
Estonia - Ireland - I would like to see Estonia, but it will be hard for them.
Czech - Montenegro - Czech Republic!
Bosnia - Portugal - Bosnia will pay them for last time... maybe...

 

[clash]

We got the easiest of the seeded teams but for us it's like being happy about having to play against Real instead of Barca, lol.

 

[Waldo1639]

I can't image what would be on Croatia - Turkey. It will be a war, literally. Medias are already raising the dust.

It was June 20. 2008. quarterfinal's, 119 min. Modrić took the ball, pass it to the head of Klasnić and... BUM! Goal!!! We were jumpinig around, celebrating and then... in almost not existing time... BANG!!! Senturk is raising his finger towards his mouth... and he silenced all Croats...
After that... penalties. Rakitić and Modrić missed... Turkey has won... tears, pain, and anger...

Good story, true story...

 

[Jethro Villa]

wait, are the play-offs drawn? we are playing against Turkey? oh, i want revenge !

 

[Waldo1639]

wait, are the play-offs drawn? we are palying against Turkey? oh, i want revenge !

Da, buraz, opet Turci...
If Bilić manage to made our team play better, to use our all potential, then they will fall... Motivation should not lack this time.

 

[Jethro Villa]

ma, valjda i sad sami igrači znaju da se trebaju motivirati protiv Turske jer znaju što je bilo prošli put

English: i guess the players should know themselfes that they have to motivate against Turkey because they know what happened last time...
sorry for my english :P

 

[RobbieD_PL]

That was really crazy how I correctly picked both newbie teams' playoffs. Let's hope I get the results rights too.

I still keep Portugal, but in the other tie that I didn't get I think that going by their respective form from qualification, Croatia will beat Turkey.

 

[Arnau]

A final's group with Spain, Germany, Portugal and France, anyone?

Could this happen?

 

[RobbieD_PL]

Yes. If Portugal or Croatia qualify then France will be in Pot 4. If both teams qualify from the playoffs, both France and Denmark will be in Pot 4. Also, If Croatia qualify they will be in Pot 2 and Russia will be in Pot 3.

 

[RobbieD_PL]

For the superstitious, Estonia finished their 2012 qualifying campaign with the same number of points as Latvia did to reach the playoffs in 2004 (16), also eerily earned with the same number of wins and draws (5 and 1). Also, this is the first time that Estonia has done better than fourth in any qualifying phase, which was also the case for Latvia when they made second spot to reach the playoffs for 2004.

 

[1966+2006]

I'd normally be rooting for a smaller footballing nation like Estonia. But Ireland really deserve to make it to a major tournament, again. Especially after the Henry incident.

 

[Waldo1639]

I would like to see Bosnia payback, even though Portugal is more attractive team...

 

[RobbieD_PL]

BTW, If Croatia had faced Montenegro in these playoffs, would Dejan Savićević still be considered what he was in Zagreb in 1999? XD

 

[Waldo1639]

haha... From majority would probably be... That's "Balkan" mentality. But he was a genius player.

 

[TheHurtBunnyLoo]

Im going for a Germany win in this tournament