Hodgson will change team for Rooney

Roy Hodgson hailed his strikers for their goalscoring efforts in England's thrilling 3-2 win over Sweden on Friday night - but confirmed Wayne Rooney will return for the qualification decider with co-hosts Ukraine on Tuesday.

Hodgson's bold decision to select Andy Carroll paid off when the Liverpool man put England ahead with a first-half header. Then Danny Welbeck secured a famous win when he flicked home Theo Walcott's cross 12 minutes from time.

But Hodgson said: "I welcome those kind of selection problems, I was really pleased with the performance of the front players. But Wayne Rooney is a special player and, frankly, it will be hard to leave him out. I'm afraid you expect him to get back into the team when the suspension is served."

The statement merely underlined what a massive role Rooney is being afforded in the Hodgson era.

He must have gone through every emotion in the stands on Friday night though, as England established a winning position, tossed away the initiative with some chronic defending, and finally claimed a vital three points thanks to Hodgson's match-changing introduction of Theo Walcott.

"Theo's contribution was enormous," said Hodgson.

"To come on as a sub, score and set up the winner means he'll be very happy."

Two goals at the start of the second half from Olof Mellberg turned the game on its head, as well as earning the former Aston Villa defender a man-of-the-match award he did not want.

"It doesn't mean a lot," he said.

"It feels a little bit strange to win something when you lose a match and go out of a tournament."

Trapattoni: I'm here on merit

Giovanni Trapattoni insists he deserves to lead the Republic of Ireland into the World Cup qualifying campaign despite their poor showing at Euro 2012.

The 73-year-old Italian offered a defiant defence of his reign less than 24 hours after a 4-0 drubbing by reigning champions Spain confirmed Ireland's early exit from the competition.

He said: "I think we deserve to stay. We have a reason because we achieved qualification after 24 years. If you read the names when we came, see how many players are still in this team and how many players are still in the others. That is our right to stay. I have more enthusiasm to stay than you and your colleagues. The Irish people can decide."

He went on: "The people yesterday at 3-0 were still applauding, our people, and we must be proud. I repeated today to the players, we must be proud of this country and for our supporters.
"I know your jobs, after 40 years, I know the job of the reporter."

Trapattoni and his players will attempt to end their all-too-brief involvement in Poland and Ukraine with victory over the manager's native Italy in Poznan on Monday night, and he will then turn his attention to the task of taking the nation to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

He will do so amid speculation that some of his senior players may decide the time has come to retire from the international stage.

Keeper Shay Given is the elder statesman in a group of thirty-somethings which also includes central defender Richard Dunne, midfielder Damien Duff and skipper Robbie Keane, although Trapattoni revealed he has had no indication yet that any of them intend to call it a day.

He said: "At this moment, nobody has to me that they wish to retire. Maybe, but I don't know. I know our captain is proud.

"I don't know, but I think not. We can decide. At this moment, we have a squad which is good enough to continue in this new campaign."

England fight back for vital win

England need only a draw against Ukraine to reach the Euro 2012 quarter-finals after coming from behind to defeat Sweden 3-2 thanks to Danny Welbeck's superb winner in Kiev.

England were the better side in the first half and deservedly led through Andy Carroll's header only to be stunned by two Olof Mellberg goals after the break.

But substitute Theo Walcott levelled and then his cross was back-heeled home by Welbeck.

The first serious attempt on goal came from Scott Parker after Welbeck had teed up the Tottenham midfielder. His 25-yard shot contained plenty of power but Swedish keeper Andreas Isaksson was well positioned to parry away his attempt.

Carroll justified his selection with a superb header to put England ahead after 23 minutes. As against France, skipper Steven Gerrard was the goal creator with a right-wing cross and Carroll got in between Mellberg and Andreas Granqvist to power a header past Isaksson.

Sweden started the second half promisingly and after 49 minutes Mellberg brought them back on level terms after Carroll had fouled Kim Kallstrom just outside the box. Zlatan Ibrahimovic's free-kick hit the defensive wall but he lobbed the ball back into the danger area.

Mellberg was the first to react and, although the shot from the former Aston Villa player was parried by Hart, it hit Glen Johnson and found the target - despite the defender's desperate attempt to clear.

James Milner was booked for a late challenge on Martin Olsson and from the resulting free-kick Mellberg struck for the second time after 59 minutes. Sebastian Larsson delivered a deep centre and no-one picked up Mellberg, who headed past Joe Hart into the corner of the net.

England boss Roy Hodgson responded by taking off Milner and replacing him with Walcott. It was an inspired move with the Arsenal player equalising after 64 minutes. A Gerrard corner was only half cleared to Walcott, whose shot from just outside the box deceived Isaksson.

And after 77 minutes Welbeck restored England's lead with a superb back heel from inside the six yard area after Walcott had centred from the byline.

Russia in it to win, says Advocaat

Powerhouses Russia intend to win their final Group A match against Greece, coach Dick Advocaat said on Friday, as strikerAlan Dzagoev said the team's unruly fans should behave in the face of a threatened UEFA points penalty.

The Group A leaders know that a draw against bottom of the table Greece will be enough to earn them a berth in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, but plan to show their mettle, Advocaattold reporters on the eve of Saturday's match in Warsaw.

After a 4-1 demolition of the Czech Republic in their tournament opener last week, Russia were criticised for getting ahead of themselves, allowing co-hosts Poland to fight back against them in Tuesday's crunch match which ended 1-1.

"I think that whenever you play a game, you have to win and want to win," 64-year-old Advocaat said.

"We are very confident in ourselves and I'm sure the Greek coach will say the same thing."

Advocaat, who took over from compatriot Guus Hiddink in May 2010, has won plaudits for building a side with attractive, free-flowing play and blooding young talent such as CSKA Moscow's Dzagoev.

The 21-year-old has scored three goals so far at Euro 2012, with a double against the Czechs and one in the Poland game.

There is an outside chance that Russia could fail to advance if Greece win and there is a winner between the Czechs and Poland in Saturday's other match in the southwestern city of Wroclaw.

But Dzagoev said he wasn't reckoning on a nightmare.

"I'm really sure that we'll go through. We are very focused. We must go on the pitch and win this game. We don't feel relaxed. We simply must win. It's a simple thing," he said.

Russia face the spectre of a six-point deduction from their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign in the event of fan trouble.

Russia's two games have been marked by fans lighting flares and throwing fireworks, and European football's governing body UEFA made the points threat after hitting them with a 120,000-euro ($150,000, 96,000-pound) fine.

Advocaat, who has repeatedly refused to comment on off-pitch issues, was pressed on that but snapped: "Are you really going to ask me this type of question?"

Dzagoev, however, said supporters should reflect on the risks.

"Maybe they should be more calm. We don't need to lose six points in the next qualification, so we don't want anything bad for our national team," he said.

Dzagoev is one of the breakthrough names at Euro 2012, though he played down his skills.

"I don't think that I've played two good games. Yes, I scored in the second game, but it wasn't as good as the first game. I lost a lot of balls," he said.

The young striker is rumoured to be on the radar of the English Premier League, but he refused to be drawn.

"Of course, I have the desire to try myself in other clubs in Europe. But I'll think about it only after the tournament. Now I'm doing my own job here," he said.

Dzagoev is one of five CSKA Moscow players in Russia's 23-man squad, along with seven from Zenit St Petersburg, including captain Andrey Arshavin, on loan from Arsenal.

Questioned as to whether he relied too heavily on Arshavin, Advocaat said: "It has nothing to do with whether he's important or not. He's the captain.

"He did lose the ball a lot and that can cost you a game. But I left him on for the simple fact that he's a player that can score out of nothing. He's the type of player who can make a difference."

France brave storm to bring Ukraine down to earth

France weathered a fierce thunderstorm that held up play for almost an hour to beat Euro 2012 co-hosts Ukraine 2-0 on Friday and claim top spot in Group D.

An almighty deluge at Donetsk's Donbass Arena forced the players off the pitch after only five minutes and when the skies cleared it was France who prevailed through quick-fire second-half goals by Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye.

It was France's first victory at a major tournament since their runners-up finish at the 2006 World Cup and it took Laurent Blanc's side a point above Ukraine ahead of the later game between England and Sweden in Kiev.

Les Bleus' unbeaten run now stands at 23 matches, while Ukraine must pick themselves up after a reality shock that cut through the euphoria sparked by their opening 2-1 success against the Swedes.

The first moment of drama occurred during the national anthems, as a sudden clap of thunder interrupted La Marseillaise.

The match began beneath a steady downpour but the rain quickly intensified, sending spectators scrambling for cover and obliging referee Bjorn Kuipers to order the players off the pitch for a delay that was to last 57 minutes.

When play resumed, it was France who took the initiative, despite the roars of encouragement from the banks of yellow-clad fans in the tribunes every time Ukraine crossed the halfway line.

Ukraine goalkeeper Andrei Pyatov fielded a curling shot fromKarim Benzema and blocked an effort from Menez at the back post, either side of a low shot from Andrei Yarmolenko at the other end that dribbled wide.

The arena shook with noise each time the ball came to Andrei Shevchenko, hero of the win against Sweden.

The 35-year-old threatened to raise the volume even further in the 34th minute, but Hugo Lloris was equal to his firmly struck half-volley.

With both defences betraying signs of unease, play swung from end to end, and Pyatov was obliged to produce a stunning one-handed save to claw away a Phillipe Mexes header that appeared destined for the top-right corner.

More enterprising than in their 1-1 draw with England, France remained on the front foot in the second period and Pyatov had to be alert to deny Menez again after he ran onto Benzema's beautifully weighted through-ball.

Shevchenko and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk both shot narrowly over within the space of a minute, before Menez finally scored the goal he had been threatening in the 53rd minute.

Franck Ribery was the catalyst, striding into Ukrainian territory on the left and picking out Benzema, whose pass allowed Menez to cut in from the right and beat Pyatov at his near post with a left-foot shot.

Within three minutes it was 2-0 and Benzema was again the provider, sliding a diagonal pass through the defence for Cabaye, who held off Oleg Gusev before drilling home his first international goal.

Cabaye almost claimed a stunning second in the 65th minute, his crisp shot cannoning back off an upright, before Blanc successfully took the sting out of the game with a string of substitutions.

A match that began with a torrent of rain ended with a barrage of boos, but the quarter-finals remain within sight for both sides.

Stoke favourites to land Owen

Michael Owen is expected to join Stoke later this month despite apparent interest from Everton.

Owen was released by Manchester United this summer after three years at Old Trafford which were scarred by injury problems. The 32-year-old confirmed he had no plans to retire, having previously stated his intention to remain in the top flight.

And, despite playing just 10 times since January 2011, Press Association Sport understands there has been plenty of interest in Owen, with Stoke now looking like the preferred option for England's fourth highest scorer.

It does seem like an obvious move. Manager Tony Pulis recently admitted an interest in Owen "along with a number of other players", and Stoke is barely 30 miles from the striker's plush Manor House Stables complex which, under the guidance of trainer Tom Dascombe, is quickly gaining an impressive reputation in racing circles.

There is some competition from Everton, although whether Owen would be willing to join the Goodison Park outfit given his status as a former Liverpool player is open to debate.

Some uncertainty at the Merseyside outfit lingers anyway as David Moyes remains among the favourites to fill the managerial vacancy at Tottenham, even though his odds have drifted from the immediate aftermath of Harry Redknapp's exit.

The arrival of Owen would represent a further move away from the perception of Pulis having a long-ball team.

Although they tended to rely on the aerial threat of Ricardo Fuller when they returned to the top flight in 2008, Peter Crouch has never been viewed as a target man despite his height and he spent much of last season in tandem with Jonathan Walters.

Fitness permitting, Pulis would presumably be looking for Owen's predatory instincts to maximise the goal threat of a side who found the net just 36 times last term, the worst record in the entire Premier League.

Retirement an option for Hargreaves

Owen Hargreaves is considering whether to call time on his career.

Hargreaves caused a minor sensation last summer when he signed a one-year contract with Manchester City following his release by Manchester United. Plagued by injury for the previous three seasons, it appeared Hargreaves had won his fitness battle when he made a goalscoring Blues debut against Birmingham in the Carling Cup in September.

However, the 31-year-old made just three more appearances for City and after being released by the club, Hargreaves admitted retirement was one of the options he is thinking about. He said: "I don't want to chase something. If I get the right fit I will go for it. But I am not forced to do anything and if I can't get back to the level I used to, I don't want to play."

"I am a football player," Hargreaves said. "That is how I am identified as an individual.
"I was pretty humbled in the sense that was taken away from me. Now it is about taking the next step and deciding what I want to do.

"But the really satisfying thing is that I have put myself in a position where I can actually think about it.

"Maybe I will never be in a Champions League final or semi-final again but to get to where I am now is a huge achievement."

Following old team-mate Gary Neville into coaching appeals, and Hargreaves speaks well enough for a career in the media should he so wish.

"No matter what happens from this point forward, I can hold my head up high," he said.
"I wanted to finish on a better note than that Wolves game. To have done that would have been awful. I couldn't face that."

Hodgson calls for patience

England manager Roy Hodgson has pleaded for patience as the Three Lions take the first tentative steps towards being the team he expects them to be.

Although the reaction to Monday's draw with France was largely positive, a vast discrepancy in possession was noted and, against a significantly inferior Sweden outfit in Kiev on Friday, far more is expected.

But Hodgson hopes the realisation he is only three weeks and four games into his new role helps temper the demand for excellence, and he said: "One would hope people will be patient. I am satisfied with what I think we are achieving only three weeks into the job."

He added: "Maybe I can't satisfy everyone and other people would like to see more.

"I am realistic and pragmatic. Five, six or seven training sessions into the job we are making a fist of it.

"I am sure we will get better. Just a simple thing like the return of Wayne Rooney will make us into a stronger team and a bigger threat."

Rooney is missing on Friday, completing the final game of his two-match suspension.

It robs England of their talisman as they prepare to face a Sweden side whose hopes appear to rely on their own star man, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

And despite the often sceptical view taken towards the AC Milan man in England, Hodgson is more than aware of the threat he can pose.

"I have seen quite a lot of him over the years - first of all in 2000 the year after Malmo had been relegated for the only time in their history," said Hodgson. "Twelve years ago, as a fairly young precocious talent, he made sure they got straight back up again I thought he was going to be something special then and of course everything he has done since then has proved it."

Trapattoni: We'll give Italy a game

Giovanni Trapattoni has warned Italy not to expect any favours as Ireland attempt to bow out of Euro 2012 with pride restored having been beaten 4-0 by Spain.

The two sides will meet in Poznan on Monday evening with the Republic's fate already decided, but with Trapattoni's native country knowing only a win will give them a chance of reaching the quarter-finals after drawing their first two Group C games. Even then, a draw between Spain and Croatia could send Cesare Prandelli's men home.

Trapattoni said: "We have to approach the game with Italy and make sure that Ireland finish the game with our heads held high. If Italy go through, it has to be because they played well and with the right attitude."

Spain eased themselves to the brink of qualification with a powerful display against an Ireland team which wilted in the face of a relentless assault.

Once again, they conceded early as Fernando Torres marked his return to the starting line-up with a fourth-minute opener, and they were made to pay for defensive fragility as David Silva and then Torres extended the lead.

Substitute Cesc Fabregas wrapped up the points seven minutes from time with his second goal of the tournament to ensure the Republic's involvement will come to an end on Monday night.

Trapattoni said: "Spain demonstrated, even if we knew it already, that they are a team that can win, they showed they are a side which because of their technical ability, they don't actually use up a lot of energy at all.

"It's like an orchestra they involve everyone in the way they move the ball. Vicente knows his players very well and they all play for the two biggest sides in Spain and that's a huge advantage for them.

"When I was in charge at Juventus and the national team took seven or eight players from Juventus, Italy won the World Cup, and the Italy team was great because the players knew already what they had to do.

"They could do it with their eyes closed, and that's exactly what Spain are like at the moment."

England game delayed

The kick-off in England's Euro 2012 game against Sweden in Kiev on Friday night has been put back by 15 minutes to 2000 BST.

The Football Association confirmed on their official Twitter feed the kick-off had been delayed at UEFA's request.

The decision comes after play was suspended for an hour in the earlier Group D game between Ukraine and France in Donetsk because of a thunderstorm and torrential rain.

Croatia well primed to test Italy, warns Prandelli

Croatia's ability to vary their tactics, their intensity and their physical prowess make them a very different prospect to facing Spain, Italy coach Cesare Prandelli warned on Wednesday.

Italy came into the tournament on the back of a match-fixing scandal back home and three consecutive friendly defeats in which they failed to score but surpassed expectations in their 1-1 draw with Spain on Sunday.

However, after watching Croatia's performance in their 3-1 win over Ireland, Prandelli said Thursday's opponents were possibly more dangerous than the European and world champions.

"They're a very well organised team, a characteristic is that they always want to get high up the pitch and they're a team which can change their system during the game," he warned.

"They can play with two centre halves and two central midfielders, or a diamond system, or three midfielders behind a striker.

"We've followed them for a while, and they can change their system, they know each other very well, they have great intensity in their game and they're very difficult to overcome from a physical perspective.

"We saw the video and talked about it and we know we're going to struggle a bit more because of the way they play football."

However, Prandelli rejected a suggestion from his rival coach Slaven Bilic, who claimed in an earlier news conference than Croatia playmaker Luka Modric was a better playmaker than Italy's Andrea Pirlo.

"Modric is a great player but to say he's better than Andrea, he needs to start winning some trophies because players are remembered for what they have won in medals," said Prandelli.

Prandelli singled out Antonio Cassano for praise and refused to comment on the controversial striker's comments the day before.

Cassano, back in action after undergoing a minor heart operation last October, said he hoped there were no homosexuals in the national team, later apologising for the remark.

"We're not going to keep talking about this, we've got to smile and focus on the questions to do with tomorrow's game," said Prandelli.

"Sincerely, he gave his all against Spain, he's only 70 percent fit but he gives 100 percent. He set up the chance, he succeeded in his dribbling and I hope he continues this way."

Portugal beat Denmark 3-2 in thriller

Silvestre Varela came off the bench to score an 87th-minute winner as Portugal beat Denmark 3-2 in a Euro 2012 thriller on Wednesday and put themselves right back in the Group B mix.

Portugal, beaten 1-0 by Germany in their opener, went ahead after 24 minutes when Pepe glanced in a header from a corner and doubled their lead in the 36th with simple finish by Helder Postiga from a low Nani cross.

Nicklas Bendtner pulled one back in the 41st minute and, after Cristiano Ronaldo had missed a glorious chance to make it 3-1, looked to have secured a point for the Danes when he headed his second after 80.

Varela had the final word, however, when, at the second attempt, he smashed in the winner three minutes after coming on.

Portugal and Denmark have three points, as do Germany, who take on pointless Netherlands in Kharkiv in the other Group B game later on Wednesday.

Hobbling Rosicky not giving up

Czech Republic captain Tomas Rosicky said he could barely stand on his injured foot but was still hoping to play in his team's final Euro 2012 Group A match against Poland on Saturday.

Rosicky went to hospital for a scan on his Achilles on Wednesday along with keeper Petr Cech who has a sore shoulder, a day after the Czechs' beat Greece 2-1 in Group A to revive their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

Playmaker Rosicky said he got hit in the same spot where he had experienced pain at the end of his club season with Arsenal but was happy the scan showed no damage to the tendon.

"I played three matches with this at the end of the season but it has not been as painful as it is now," Rosicky said in an interview on Czech television.

"I can barely stand on the foot but I am not giving up. If it is at least a little possible, I will play."
Both Rosicky and Cech have a 75 percent chance of playing against Poland, according to team doctor Petr Krejci.

"There is a good chance that with the help of intensive treatment we would get them both ready to play," he said.

Welbeck looking to build on France draw

England forward Danny Welbeck is aware the team need to build on their draw with France as they prepare for their next Euro 2012 group match against Sweden.

Roy Hodgson's men began their campaign in Ukraine with a 1-1 result against the fancied French, while Sweden were beaten 2-1 by the hosts. The Scandinavians have throughout the years proven to be something of a bogey team for England, but Welbeck is hopeful of an improved performance.

"I think the France game, as a start for us, we set out our platform," the Manchester United player told a press conference in Krakow. "We really want to build on that from now on. I think we can improve a lot more."

He added: "Looking at it from a neutral point of view it will be a fine game to watch. Once the game is opened up, there will be a few goalscoring opportunities carved out."

Welbeck, who is making his debut in a tournament finals, is hoping the heat will not be too much of a factor in Kiev on Friday night.

Warm temperatures and high humidity have had an impact on players so far, but Welbeck is hoping a later kick-off will work in their favour.

"The heat is going to take something out of you," he said. "The second half (against France) was a bit cooler, and our second and third games are at a later time so that will be a bit better for us.

"We have a great medical team telling us to keep hydrated, drinking at all times and we've had good advice all the way throughout the tournament."

Welbeck is also looking forward to welcoming United team-mate Wayne Rooney back to the side for the final group game against Ukraine next week.

Rooney will serve the second of a two-match ban against the Swedes, and Welbeck said: "We all know the passion Wayne has for football. He's itching to get out on the pitch. It will be better for us once his suspension is done and he can come in and play for us against Ukraine."

Kagawa wants central United role

Borussia Dortmund and Kagawa have agreed terms with United and the player only needs to pass a medical and obtain a work permit to become manager Alex Ferguson's first big signing of the close season.

The Japanese midfield playmaker, playing in a more advanced role, has been in superb form for his country in their three recent World Cup qualifiers, scoring once and providing numerous assists to leave Japan top of their pool.

He can also play down the left, but Kagawa is eyeing a more central role at United, who narrowly lost out on the title to Manchester City in May.

"I want to play (in the hole)," Kagawa told the Kyodo news agency on Wednesday. "I feel like that's where I play my best football. I plan on working hard so I can win my place at the position.

"They're one of the biggest clubs in the world, and I was given a chance to play for them. I took a lot of things into consideration, like the fact that they've got a deep squad, their style of football and it wasn't an easy decision.

"But I wanted the challenge."

United have been linked with numerous central midfielders in recent seasons to help complement the attacking threat they pose down the flanks with Nani, Ashley Young and Antonio Valencia.

Despite being strongly linked with Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder and Tottenham Hotspur's Luka Modric, United failed to sign anyone and tempted Paul Scholes out of retirement to fill the role last season.

Kagawa said that once he had heard of United's interest, the chance to join the English Premier League was too good to turn down.

"When you look at the football scene, it's the best league in the world. You've got the world's biggest clubs like (Manchester) City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea all in the same league which is fascinating.

"In the Bundesliga, the only games that compare are the ones against Bayern (Munich). I feel like I'd be able to gain so much by playing big games on a regular basis, including the Champions League. I can't help but be excited."

Kagawa had been linked with other clubs but the chance to work with Ferguson was appealing, the 23-year-old who scored 21 goals in 49 league games in Germany, explained.

"There was some talking going on with other clubs, but Manchester were the first to make me a formal offer and the more I talked to them, the more I felt Manchester was the place for me to be.

"I met (Ferguson) and contacted him a few times afterwards. I thought we hit it off, which meant a lot to me. He told me, 'Don't worry about a thing, trust me. I would love it if you could take on this huge challenge'."

"And when a legendary man like him says that to you, it carries a lot of weight."

Dutch-German rivalry gets flying start

The Dutch-German soccer rivalry got off to a flying start before the two teams meet in Euro 2012 Group B later on Wednesday with two Dutch planes delaying the arrival of German media as well as friends and family of the players.

The Dutch airplanes, parked without passengers, at Kharkiv airport were refusing to give up their stairs for a German plane carrying reporters to the match, leaving them for more than 20 minutes waiting in scorching heat inside the plane on the tarmac.

"It seems the two Dutch planes are playing a game with us and do not want to give up the stairs," the pilot of the German media flight told passengers.

Airport staff eventually provided stairs for the sweat-drenched Germans.

The two nations have enjoyed a long-standing soccer rivalry since the emergence of the Dutch as a global football powerhouse in the 1970s, particularly after Germany's 2-1 final victory at the 1974 World Cup.

The 1990 World Cup round-of-16 win for the West Germans included an infamous incident where Dutchman Frank Rijkaard spat at German Rudi Voeller and both players were sent off.

No pressure on me - Van Marwijk

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk shrugged off the pressure as his side faces a date with destiny against Germany as anything but a win would realistically end their participation in Euro 2012.


The media back home have been critical of the former Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund coach, claiming he has lost the faith of the dressing room and is employing the wrong tactics, and the wrong players. He was involved in a heated exchange with one Dutch television journalist at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, prompting UEFA's media officer to intervene.

Van Marwijk, undeterred, requested that the exchange be allowed to continue by inviting one more question from the reporter, as he said: "This is part of the job. I don't feel the pressure too much."

But he will have sterner questions to field should Holland indeed fail to beat a well-drilled, disciplined Germany in Wednesday night's make-or-break Group B fixture.

"I don't know what the atmosphere is like back in Holland because we are here in Ukraine," said Van Marwijk abruptly. "Of course there is tension here, but positive tension we are looking forward to the game.

"Of course things are tense when we lose and we get irritated at times, us too, but that is where we are going to have to draw our motivation from. I believe in my players, of course I do."

Germany coach Joachim Low is under no illusions about the strength of the 2010 World Cup runners-up as he fears a backlash.

Victory would take his side into the last eight and render their final group fixture against Denmark cosmetic, but he is not jumping to any conclusions, even if Germany crushed Holland 3-0 last time they met in a friendly match in November.

"Of course we are going to be put under pressure," he said. "Our defence will be put to the test and it will be important that we win our tackles.

"We are going to have to be armed and ready for what they throw at us."

Russia remain in top five

Russia looked set to become the first team to book their place in the quarter-finals after Alan Dzagoev's first-half opener.

But a stunning equaliser from Polish captain Jakub Blaszczykowski sees Russia needing a point from Saturday's game with Greece to reach the last eight.

The co-hosts drop one place to 13 as they now need to beat the Czech Republic to progress.
The Czechs took advantage of a makeshift Greek defence to score two quickfire goals in the first six minutes and held on for a 2-1 win in Group A's earlier match against Greece.

A point against Poland would see the 1996 finalists reach the quarters and they climb four places to 11.

The Greeks, full of confidence after clawing back for a 1-1 draw in their opening match against Poland, could not overcome the loss of the two defenders who had anchored a usually stingy defence.  

They drop two spots to 13 but are still alive, if they beat Russia they will progress at the expense of Dick Advocaat's side and the rankings will be turned on their head.

Leave your views in the comments below as we update the rankings each evening during the tournament.

Spirited Poland hold Russia

Alan Dzagoev’s deft header had given Russia the half-time lead after an enthralling opening 45 minutes saw the Poles create several good chances only to be denied by fine goalkeeping from Vyacheslav Malafeev, the width of a goalpost and some desperate defending.

But Franciszek Smuda’s side continued to be adventurous on the break in the second half and they were rewarded in style when skipper Blaszczykowski unleashed a ferocious left-footed curler past Malafeev and inside the far post, having bought the space with a fine touch off the impressive Ludovic Obraniak’s pass from the right.

The result leaves Russia top of Group A with four points, needing just a draw against Greece to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals.

Poland, meanwhile, need a win against local rivals Czech Republic on June 16 in what promises to be a thrilling do-or-die encounter in Wroclaw.

Speaking of local rivalry, there had been plenty of tension in the build-up to this match, which coincided with Russia’s Independence Day. A celebratory march through Warsaw by visiting fans had sparked violence beforehand, with local hooligans and Russian supporters clashing in ugly scenes that saw police wade in amidst several injuries and arrests.

There was also an air of animosity as rival fans booed each other’s anthems, with the usual Eastern European rivalry with Russia heightened by the death of Poland's president Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in Russian airspace two years ago.

On the pitch it was an entirely different matter as two attack-minded sides with contrasting styles did battle in a largely sportsmanlike encounter.

Russia did most of their work with the ball, while Poland defended stoutly and used their pacy wide-men on the break.

Initially that approach seemed to benefit the Poles as, with Aleksandr Kerzhakov a blunt instrument for Russia up front, the early chances fell to the hosts.

Dick Advoccat’s side were saved by a fine Malefeev stop to keep out Sebastian Boenisch’s close-range header from Obraniak’s pinpoint free-kick, while star man Robert Lewandowski went agonisingly close with a flick and volley.

When the French-born Obraniak’s fine low ball flashed across the face of goal with Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski unable to convert, it looked like it might not be Poland’s night.

That theory gained momentum when, after a needless shove by Marcin Wasilewski on Yuri Zhirkov, Arshavin’s excellent curling cross was nodded home by the 21-year-old Dzagoev, who has three goals in his first two matches at a major finals.

It was Russia’s first real chance, although they had been denied by some fine tackles from the imperious Damien Perquis, another naturalised Frenchman, and some weak forward play by Kerzhakov, who was replaced by Roman Pavlyuchenko.


The second half saw Poland adopt a more direct strategy, one which paid off. Lewandowski was twice denied by Malafeev’s sprawling frame, while Perquis headed just over from a corner. Russia, meanwhile, were suddenly forced to resort to the counter-attack, from which Arshavin scuffed a low finish wide after a mazy dribble.

When Poland’s leveller came it was deserved and it was a beauty. Swiftly countering after a spell of Russian possession, Obraniak hared down the right before feeding a low ball to Blaszczykowski.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder, whose tragic upbringing dominated pre-tournament headlines, was running at full pace yet cut the ball in with his right foot before unleashing a glorious effort that swerved wide of the diving Malafeev before nestling inside the far post to provoke scenes of joy on the pitch and stands.

That came just before the hour mark and the match lost some of its spark from thereon in. Russia seemed content to hog possession and limit Poland’s counter-attacks, safe in the knowledge they were still in the group driving seat, while Smuda’s men focused on preventing a recurrence of their implosion against the Greeks.

There were half chances for Dzagoev and Eugen Polanski, but neither keeper was truly tested, although the latter stages did see a more frantic approach adopted when Poland won a series of free-kicks.

But a draw was the fair result, one which sees Poland with a fighting chance of progress if they play like this against an unimpressive Czech side, there is no reason why they cannot make history again.

Welbeck: No regrets over choosing England

Striker Danny Welbeck has no regrets about choosing to play for England ahead of Ghana as he prepares to participate in his first major tournament at Euro 2012.

Manchester born Welbeck has Ghanian parents but believes it was a "natural progression" for him to move into the senior England squad after playing at various youth levels.

That faith has been justified and at the weekend Welbeck scored his first senior England goal against Belgium in the final warm-up international at Wembley before the Euros get under way
Welbeck said: "It (the chance to play for Ghana) was basically when I was 14. But I'd been playing for England at Under-16s so felt it was a natural progression to move up into the senior squad.

"I played for England at Under-16s, 17s, 18s, 19s, 21s and it was so natural for me to make that move into the senior squad and I was delighted when I did that.

"Now to get that first goal for England is something I've been looking forward to since I was a little kid. I'm looking to build on that and get more goals under my belt and more caps as well."

United swoop for Powell

Manchester United have completed the capture of England Under-18 international Nick Powell from Crewe on a four-year deal.

The Red Devils have been monitoring Powell for some time and have beaten off interest from Everton to sign him.

United have confirmed the youngster has passed a medical and will join the club at the beginning of July.

"We have scouted Nick for months now," said manager Sir Alex Ferguson. "He is an exceptional talent and has been schooled well at Crewe.

"I'm delighted he has chosen to come to United. He has a lot to offer and we are all looking forward to working with him."

Asian clubs queue up for Cahill

The future of Everton midfielder Tim Cahill remains unclear after clubs in Saudi Arabia and China became the latest to make a move for the Australia international.


Reports have suggested Saudi club Al Hilal have made a multi-million pound offer to lure the midfielder to the Middle East while Press Association Sport understands Chinese side Guizho Renhe have made an official approach to the 32-year-old.

Last week Cahill turned down turned down a 16 million dollar (£10.3million) three-year deal from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia.

The midfielder, who played a starring role in Australia's 1-1 draw in Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against group leaders Japan, has made no secret of his desire to one day play in the Middle East.

He has two years remaining on his contract at Goodison Park and is happy at the club he joined in 2004 but it is believed he would consider a move overseas.

Cassano causes stir with Milan and gay comments

Italy forward Antonio Cassano caused a stir at Euro 2012 on Tuesday when he hinted he could be leaving AC Milan and said he hoped there were no homosexuals in the national team.

Milan are in talks to sell defender Thiago Silva to megarich Paris St Germain and Cassano said his side may struggle to compete at the very top if they cash in on the Brazilian.

"To lose Thiago is hard, hard. It is impossible to replace him. Without Thiago, it is 50 percent of our team. It's a crime to lose Thiago," the famously outspoken 29-year-old told a news conference.
"At end of the Euros I will see if I remain at Milan or I leave. I don't know."

He also caused controversy when asked about media reports there were two "secret" gays in the Italy squad.

"That's their problem. I hope there isn't one in the national team," he said.
Very few homosexuals have ever come out in European soccer.

Czechs bounce back with victory

The Czech Republic got their Euro 2012 campaign back on track with a 2-1 victory over Greece in Wroclaw.

Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar scored their goals inside the opening six minutes as Michal Bilek's side bounced back from their 4-1 defeat to Russia in their opening game.

Surprise Euro 2004 winners Greece were handed a lifeline when Theofanis Gekas capitalised on a Petr Cech blunder eight minutes after the break but they were unable to force an equaliser and now face a struggle to reach the quarter-finals with one point from two games.

The Greeks were without two key defenders, Avraam Papadopoulos, out of the tournament with a knee injury, and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who was suspended, and the Czechs raced into the fastest 2-0 lead in European Championship history.

Wolfsburg wideman Jiracek nipped in ahead of left-back Jose Holebas to slot home the fourth fastest goal in European Championship history after just 134 seconds following a slide rule pass from Tomas Hübschman.

Keeper Kostas Chalkias got a hand to the effort but couldn't keep it out and he was also culpable for the second as was floundering defender Holebas.

Czech right-back Theodor Gebre Selassie got to the by-line with ease and his cut back went under the hand of the one-time Portsmouth custodian and was smuggled into the back of the net by Pilar.

Viktoria Plzen youngster Pilar was almost on his knees as he got between Vassilis Torosidis and Kostas Katsouranis to bundle the ball home.

Chalkias then went off injured and his replacement Michail Sifakis pushed a Tomas Rosicky effort past the post with the Arsenal man plus dangerous wingers Pilar and Jiracek off-target with further first-half attempts.

It was scarcely believable that Greece had lost only once in 22 matches under coach Fernando Santos on their first-half showing but they could have pulled one back when Georgios Fotakis nodded home only for the offside flag to be raised by the narrowest of margins.

Greece clawed their way back against Poland for a 1-1 draw in the tournament opener after conceding an early goal and they were back in the game on 53 minutes thanks to a howler from Chelsea custodian Cech.

A harmless ball from Georgios Samaras into the area was fumbled by Cech, who raced off his line but then turned his head away as he feared a collision with Tomas Sivok, and Gekas passed the ball into the empty net.

The Czechs' attacking threat relented and Cech must have been fearing a repeat of Euro 2008 when his mistakes saw his country eliminated after a late capitulation against Turkey but they were rarely put under pressure by a team that netted just 14 times in 10 qualifying matches, the lowest tally among the finalists.

Sivok blocked Kyriakos Papadopoulos' shot and Giorgios Karagounis teed up Giannis Maniatis whose 30-yard strike was well wide.

But they failed to carve out a real chance in open play and did not look like getting behind the Czech full-backs as they relied on high balls from deep which were comfortably dealt with by Sivok.

The Czechs went to Cech at full-time as they recorded their first win and will now be hoping for a repeat of 1996 when they reached the final despite losing their opening match.

Gaston Ramirez set for Bologna exit

Bologna are in negotiations with "an important foreign club" over the sale of playmaker Gaston Ramirez, according to the club's sporting director.


The Uruguay international has caught the eye of several top clubs after a dazzling season in Serie A, in which he scored eight goals and created four more as Bologna finished comfortably in ninth place.

Italian champions Juventus are said to be interested, but Roberto Zanzi revealed that their highly-coveted attacker will be leaving the country if he is to be sold.

"We are negotiating with an important foreign club for Ramirez," Zanzi said to Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino. "But their offer does not satisfy us.

"The deal is by no means close to completion."

Premier League duo Manchester city and Liverpool are reported to be interested in the 21-year-old who has been valued at £20 million by Bologna, where he is contracted until 2016.

Parker praises England commitment

Scott Parker praised England's big hearts and commitment after they held France to a 1-1 draw in their opening Euro 2012 clash.

But the Tottenham midfielder is unsure whether such qualities alone will be sufficient to win tournaments. Midfielder Parker played a key part in helping to stifle the threat of France who dominated possession and were the better side during the second half.

Parker said: "I think it was a good result and something for us to build on. We did pretty well. The one thing we showed was a lot of big hearts, courage and commitment. Whether that wins you tournaments, I don't know. But it is a base for us to build on and hopefully we can do that."

He added: "We were disappointed to concede against a good French team but sometimes they are going to stretch you a bit. They have very good individuals who get into pockets all over the pitch.

"We probably would have taken the point beforehand. It was hot and difficult and they are a very good team.

"The manager was very positive afterwards. That's the way it has to be. The only way you get going in life is by being positive and looking for the ups rather than the downs."

Now England will look to build on their encouraging start against Sweden in Kiev on Friday and then host nation Ukraine in Donetsk on Tuesday. Parker knows there is room for improvement with England only posing a spasmodic threat in attack.

He said: "I'm sure we will do a bit more work leading into the Sweden game on things we could do a little better. Hopefully we can get a little bit more going forward and go from there.

"On paper France were the favourites in the group and now we will go into the other two games and try and get a result there. But Sweden will be difficult. We've not got the best of records in competition against Sweden so it will be tough."

Parker, who was troubled by an Achilles injury ahead of the tournament, was substituted during the second half, but he insisted: "I'm fine really. I had a bit of fatigue and cramp and I just didn't want to put the team or myself in a vulnerable position."

We need to build on draw - Gerrard

Captain Steven Gerrard believes England should take advantage of their draw against France in their opening Euro 2012 clash by beating Sweden in Kiev on Friday evening.

Gerrard is confident in England's ability to topple the Swedes despite having failed to beat them in a competitive fixture for more than 40 years. The midfielder insists the belief and confidence in the squad is in sharp contrast to the mood after being held 1-1 by USA in the opening World Cup encounter in South Africa two years ago.

Gerrard said: "We are not getting carried away and we just need to build on each game and the France game has gone now. We've got out of it partly what we wanted. We will analyse the game and what we did wrong and right and we go for the Swedes now."

He added: "We need to get three points against them and then the point against France becomes very important. I don't want to disrespect the other two teams. Of course, on paper France are favourites in the group.

"The Swedes are difficult and I don't think we've beaten them for a long time in a competitive game. We will respect them but, with all respect, it's a game we should win."

Gerrard admitted: "The difference now to two years ago is we came off that game against the USA deflated with no belief and confidence.

"I think after getting a point against France, in the dressing room there was a lot of belief and confidence and a lot of togetherness and that is what you need."

Gerrard is unsurprised how quickly the players have bought into the philosophies of new head coach Roy Hodgson and showed strong defensive qualities against France.

He said: "Of course, we haven't been together so long and the lads have taken the tactics on board really quickly.

"I'm not surprised how quickly we have adapted to the discipline required because I know the manager really well (from Liverpool) and he puts the message across really well."

'Invincible' Wiltord retires

Former France and Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.


Wiltord was part of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' side of 2003-04, which went won the Premier League that season by going the entire campaign unbeaten.

During his four years in north London after joining from Bordeaux for a then club-record £13 million, Wiltord also the league and cup double in 2001-02 and helped the Gunners retain the FA Cup the following year.

In the international arena, Wiltord scored 26 goals in 92 appearances for Les Bleus, none more memorable than the one he netted in the dying moments of normal time in the Euro 200 final against Italy to level the match at 1-1. David Trezeguet scored a golden goal in extra time which crowned France as European champions to go with the World Cup they won two years earlier.

The French Football Federation said in a statement: "All of our football fans who were following the final of the European Championship on the evening of July 2 in Rotterdam as supporters of France will long remember Sylvain Wiltord's equalising goal in added time before the French won in extra-time.

"This memory will remain etched in the history of our sport, because he made a big contribution to winning the European title."

Wiltord won three Ligue 1 titles with Lyon upon his return to France in 2004. He spent last season at second-division side Nantes.

Thiago Silva agent claims PSG talks

AC Milan have held talks with Paris Saint-Germain over the sale of defender Thiago Silva, according to the player's agent.


Paolo Tonietto has claimed that a deal for the Brazilian, which is reported to be worth as much as £40 million, is in the works.

"Negotiations have existed between Milan and Paris St Germain," Tonietto told tuttomercatoweb.com. "But I don't know if Milan will sell him.

"Should Milan decide to sell him, it would be the best time for Thiago to change clubs."

Earlier on Tuesday Milan moved to play down talk that they are planning to let their star centre-back leave after three years at the San Siro, with sporting director Ariedo Braida telling Sky Italia: "Be calm, we will not sell Thiago."

However, that has not stopped the 27-year-old being linked with clubs such as Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona as well as PSG.

"The top clubs in Europe have expressed to AC Milan an interest in Thiago," Tonietto added. "But almost all of them thought that Milan would never sell him, also because we are talking about one of the most important elements of Milan's squad."

Korea cruise to Lebanon win

Midfielder Kim Bo-kyung scored twice as South Korea strolled to a 3-0 victory over Lebanon in Goyang to make it two wins from two in the fourth round of World Cup qualifiers.


The Koreans are top of Group A after their victory over Lebanon, ranked 143rd in the world by FIFA and appearing in the fourth stage of World Cup qualifying in Asia for the first time.

The Lebanese had stunned the Koreans 2-1 in Beirut in the previous round, but there was no repeat on Tuesday when the visitors struggled to get the ball, let alone create chances.

The two-time Asian champions opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Kim's long-range effort found its way past visiting goalkeeper Ziad El Samad.

The Koreans, who thumped Qatar 4-1 in their opening fourth round match in Doha on Friday, played with little urgency and had to wait until early in the second half to extend their lead.

From a Lebanese corner, the Koreans broke away and Kim was left in acres of space to run through and slot home left-footed in the 47th minute.

Substitute Koo Ja-cheol wrapped up the scoring a minute before the final whistle. Hussein Dakik attempted to bring the ball out of Lebanon's penalty area but Koo dispossessed the midfielder before unleashing a powerful drive.

The home side are aiming to reach their eighth consecutive World Cup finals. Lebanon remain bottom of the five-team pool, on one point, after their home draw with Uzbekistan on Friday and an opening loss to Qatar.

Busquets bristles over pitch excuse

Spain's Sergio Busquets showed a rare flash of irritation on Tuesday that suggested the world and European champions may be feeling the pressure after Sunday's 1-1 Euro 2012 draw with Italy.

When a reporter implied Spain's complaints about the slow pitch in Gdansk were designed to draw attention away from a disappointing performance, the normally serene midfielder used an example from basketball to illustrate his response.

"Do you understand or not?," he asked tersely. "It's not an excuse."

Spain struggled to get their slick passing game going against a well-organised Italy and coach Vicente del Bosque and his players said their request for the pitch to be watered had been rejected.

"It's the reality that it can help one team more than the other," Busquets said. "I'll give you an example if you like."

Playing on a heavy pitch that restricted Spain's passing game was like moving the three-point line in basketball further away so that the team with the better long-range shooters suffered, he said.

Polish FA chief Grzegorz Lato dismissed Spain's complaints on Monday and UEFA said there had been a clear intention to water the grass as much as possible but only up to the point before the additional watering could cause a damage.

"The same procedure is used for all matches in the tournament with a view to find a balance between protecting the pitch and meeting demands of the participating teams," the governing body said.

Busquets said it was up to UEFA to make sure pitches were suitable for entertaining, ball-playing sides like the Spanish and that he hoped for an improvement for Thursday's Group C match against Ireland at the same Gdansk venue.

"Our game is based on quick, one-touch passing and it was difficult to do that on a pitch that had not been watered," he said.

"Italy said they did not want it watered and that is to be respected but it is UEFA that needs to be in charge of the situation in terms of the spectacle.

"Hopefully, for the next match the pitch will favour us a bit more. It's the same for both teams but clearly it affects us more."

Ukraine must keep their heads as France loom

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin must keep his young players' feet firmly on the ground at Euro 2012 after victory over Sweden put them top of Group D and sent the co-host nation into raptures.

He also has some work to do to before Ukraine's next test on Friday against former world and European champions France, who drew their opening match against England 1-1.

"We haven't thought about the game against France. I don't know whether I will change the starting lineup or not," Blokhin said of the France clash in Donetsk.

Andriy Shevchenko's two second-half goals on Monday sparked national celebrations that temporarily diverted attention from economic problems and political tension in Ukraine.

The performance was a huge improvement and raised expectations after an unimpressive build-up to the tournament in which Blokhin said his players could not shoot straight or tackle properly.

But he sought to bring them back down to earth by saying he was unhappy with the way they played towards the end of the match, when Sweden squandered several chances to draw level.

"I was disappointed with our performance in the final stages because players did not stick to the agreed game plan," said Blokhin, a former European Footballer of the Year who is never shy of criticising his players.

"We've taken advantage of the draw between France and England but need to play some good football against them to prove we can qualify from the group."

He also complained that Sweden carried on playing when Evhen Selin was down injured and Zlatan Ibrahimovic went on to score the opening goal.

"They didn't kick the ball out as our player was laying on the pitch and scored a goal. This is not fair play," he said.

Shevchenko, now 35, avoided criticising the Swedes but agreed it was vital not to get carried away after the carnival atmosphere in the capital Kiev.

"We mustn't be euphoric. We have two more games to play in the group," he said.


Ukraine looked well-organised for most of the match, giving Sweden little time on the ball, making their physical presence felt and trying to catch their opponents on the counter-attack. They also targeted Sweden's weakness from dead ball situations.

"We knew the Swedes had conceded a lot of goals at set pieces and worked on it. And it paid off once," midfielder Serhiy Nazarenko said of Shevchenko's second goal, a near-post header from a corner.

Blokhin may still be concerned by occasional lapses of concentration and a defence that allowed Sweden enough chances to feel they deserved a draw.

But he will be heartened by the impact made by senior players such as Shevchenko, Anatoly Tymoshchuk and Andriy Voronin, whose influence grew as the match wore on.

Their steadying influence on the younger players will also be vital as they try to go further than in 2006, when they reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

"We did not expect easy games at the tournament and still have two very difficult games to play," Tymoshchuk said, trying to manage the nation's spiralling expectations.

Paraguay sack coach as World Cup campaign comes off rails

Paraguay have sacked coach Francisco Arce and are searching for his replacement after their chances of reaching the 2014 World Cup finals have been by severely hampered by a poor start to regional qualification.

The 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists are second bottom in the nine-team South American group on four points from five matches, having lost 3-1 away to Bolivia on Saturday, despite three weeks of preparation for the high altitude of La Paz.

"It is one of the hardest decisions I've had to take along with the board. Things did not work out as one wanted and it's a shame," Paraguayan FA (APF) president Juan Angel Napout told reporters after announcing the decision on Monday.

Napout, who appointed Arce last year, added: "We worked hard but there is a reality in football that is results. There is no (new) coach yet, we're going to take our time to search."

Arce, a 41-year-old former defender who played at two World Cups but had limited coaching experience, was appointed when Argentine Gerardo Martino quit after last year's Copa America in which Paraguay reached the final.

Paraguay had high hopes against Bolivia, who had not won any of their first five qualifiers and failed to take advantage of playing their home matches at 3,600 metres above sea level.

Arce, whose team had a bye the previous weekend, took his squad to La Paz three weeks ahead of the match at the Hernando Siles stadium looking to meet Bolivia on equal terms.


The plan failed spectacularly as Bolivia, who had lost their two previous home matches and only picked up a solitary point in a surprise 1-1 draw away at Argentina, romped to victory, even missing a penalty in the process.

Paraguay have qualified for the last four World Cups and, with Martino at the helm, reached the quarter-finals for the first time in South Africa in 2010.

The APF are acting while there is still enough time to put Paraguay back on track with 11 matches still to play in the marathon qualifying campaign that resumes in September when they face a daunting trip to Argentina.

The top four in the group will automatically qualify for the finals in Brazil, with the fifth-placed team going into a playoff against an Asian team at the end of next year.

Ecuador currently occupy fourth place on nine points from five matches, one ahead of Venezuela, who have played six.

The new coach will have a friendly against China on Aug. 15 to prepare his team for the visit to their fierce rivals in Cordoba on Sept. 7, a clash that has always had a special flavour for Paraguayans even if they have never won it away.

Arce is the second coach to lose his job during the qualifiers after Colombia's Leonel Alvarez was sacked last November after three matches and replaced by Argentine Jose Pekerman.

Arsenal close on Giroud

Arsenal are closing in on France striker Olivier Giroud, according to his club Montpellier.

The 25-year-old scored 25 goals last season to help Montpellier win the Ligue 1 title, igniting the interest of several top clubs.

But Montpellier manager Rene Girard insists it is Gunners manager Arsene Wenger who is leading the chase, and told French radio station RMC: "Arsenal are very interested and Giroud wants to play in England, if Arsene agrees with the president, he will sign for them."

Giroud is to consider his future after Euro 2012 with Arsenal favourites to make their second signing of the summer following the acquisition of Germany marksman Lukas Podolski.

Nasri revels in deceiving Hart

France midfielder Samir Nasri revealed he deceived Manchester City team-mate Joe Hart in order to score his equaliser in Monday night's Euro 2012 draw in Donetsk.

Nasri was crowned official UEFA man of the match after the 1-1 draw with England. It was the midfielder's strike just before half-time that earned his side a point after another City man, Joleon Lescott, had put England ahead after 30 minutes.

"When Franck Ribery gave me the ball, the England defence was really low (sitting back)," said Nasri.

"I decided to take a shot but Joe Hart knows me from Manchester City and knows that in that situation, I normally open my foot. This time I closed it a little bit so I am happy with how it worked out."

Although Nasri was disappointed France only collected a point, he accepts it is already a vast improvement on the debacle that unfolded in South Africa two years ago.

Laurent Blanc's men have taken their unbeaten run to 22 games and are in good heart ahead of a meeting with co-hosts Ukraine in Donetsk on Friday.

"We are making a lot of progress," he said. "We have come from nothing in 2010, when we made a lot of mistakes. Today we are more mature. We can do something with this group."

Nasri played down the large ice-pack he had strapped to his knee, insisting it was "nothing serious".
He also said England would be a far better side once Wayne Rooney has completed his two-match suspension.

"That will make a big difference," he said. "He is a top-class player, someone who can make a difference in a big game.

"He proves that every single week for Manchester United. It will have a big impact when he comes back for the last game of the group stage."

Lescott happy with England display

England goal hero Joleon Lescott praised the resilience of Roy Hodgson's side in opening their Euro 2012 campaign with a 1-1 draw against France in Donetsk.

Lescott put England ahead after half an hour only for his Manchester City team-mate Samir Nasri to salvage a point with an equaliser nine minutes later. But England showed plenty of determination and organisational qualities to collect a vital point ahead of matches with Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine.

Lescott said: "It was a really good collective performance. It was a really hard game to start off with. We had to be organised and you know what you get with an English team. There will be plenty of pride and passion but I think we also looked good going forward and we can build on this."

He added: "We had a gameplan today and we are confident going into every game. We should be confident of getting a win. But our work ethic was important tonight.

"Scott (Parker) and Steven (Gerrard) played really well and solid. James (Milner) and Alex (Oxlade-Chamberlain) as well. No matter how we played, it was important we did not lose the game and it gives us a good position to get into the next game."

Lescott netted his first international goal from a pinpoint free-kick by skipper Steven Gerrard.
He said: "It is always nice to score and this was extra special. It is the sort of goal you dream about.

But the delivery was of such good quality that it made it easy to hit the target."

Patrice Evra was disappointed at France's failure to clinch victory but defended England's tactics even though he likened them to Chelsea's Champions League performance against Barcelona.

The Manchester United defender said: "We are frustrated because I think we played much better but in the end it is a draw. It felt like there were 15 bodies on the pitch at times and it was really difficult for us to find the space.

"I think they played the way Chelsea did against Barcelona. People laugh. Maybe they want England to play more football but, in the end, if they win the tournament playing like that, they will be happy."

Hodgson encouraged by battling draw

England boss Roy Hodgson insisted his side remained a work in progress after a battling 1-1 Euro 2012 draw with France in Donetsk.

Joleon Lescott put the Three Lions ahead with a header from point-blank range after half an hour but Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri levelled before the break forcing England onto the back foot for most of the second period. However, France were unable to break their defences a second time, allowing Hodgson's side to collect what could turn out to be a valuable point.

"I've had three games," he said. "I am satisfied with those three games but you don't become a really good team in three matches and 10 training sessions. The French have gone 22 games unbeaten.

They've not done that overnight. The longer we play together, the better we'll become too."

Hodgson cannot be criticised for the boldness of his team selection. Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck impressed on his first competitive start and Hodgson's decision to hand 18-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the biggest match of his young life was fully justified.

"He deserved it," said Hodgson. "The way he's played since coming into the squad, the performance he gave against Belgium, the ability he has to skip past defenders, which is an important ability to have, is excellent.

"I said to him before the game that this was a big occasion, but there'll be so many more big occasions in the rest of his career so he shouldn't hang himself on this occasion.

"I just wanted him to play to the best of his ability, and remember he had plenty of games for England ahead of him."

Thankfully Hodgson was able to report no fresh injury concerns, other than a snapped Achilles tendon for goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence.

However, as so many of his squad lack recent match practice, he does believe their overall fitness will improve as a result of playing in such searing heat.

"There is no doubt the heat has an effect," he said, "And the earlier you play, the more effect it has. Our team felt the heat, but the French felt it as well. We all have to come to terms with it."

Shevchenko seizes his moment for Ukraine

A goal down to Sweden in their first European Championship match after a depressing build-up to the tournament, Ukraine needed a miracle to turn their fortunes around.
Their greatest footballing hero duly provided it.
With over 70,000 fans bathing Kiev's biggest footballing cathedral in a sea of yellow, Andriy Shevchenko's two goals gave Ukraine a precious 2-1 victory and a glimpse of the promsied land.
There were plenty of doubters along the way and the 35-year-old was not even certain of a place in Oleg Blokhin's squad, let alone the chance to start in front of his adoring fans.

A student of coach Valeriy Lobanovskyi at Dynamo Kiev, his exploits together with fellow striker Serhiy Rebrov wrote the city's name large in the Champions League era and won him a dream move to AC Milan.

In Italy he became one of the most feared strikers in Europe but a move to Chelsea did not work out well and a return to Milan on loan which did not yield a league goal saw his reputation fall further.

With the European Championships on home soil looming, Shevchenko went back to Kiev and the club where he made his name, desperately seeking the form and fitness that would give him one last stage to perform on.

Despite knee and back problems, he did just about enough to win the confidence of coach Blokhin, himself a former Dynamo Kiev great, and that stage was set for one last drama.

But an hour before kickoff, few could have expected what was to come as Shevchenko looked like he was struggling to deal with his emotions and the expectations of the home fans.

Picked to start, he went to inspect the pitch and as the pockets of Ukrainian fans in the stadium began chanting his name, it looked like the moment he had longed for might prove too much for him.

He fluffed his lines a few times early in the first half, dragging a shot wide when he should have scored and wasting another good chance.

Sweden had also brought their own big name with them and when he scored in the second half, it looked like it would be Zlatan Ibrahimovic's night.

After a shaky start, the powerful Swedish forward started to grow into the game and he almost put them ahead when he shaved a post with a header at the end of the first half.

Ibrahimovic followed Shevchenko to Milan and he put the Swedes ahead in the 52nd minute when he turned in Kim Kallstrom's pass.

It was Shevchenko's moment and he rolled back the years with a vintage performance, poaching two stunning headers to turn the game in favour of the hosts.

As he was replaced in the 82nd minute, the Kiev crowd rose as one to worship their hero and he and Blokhin embraced warmly at the final whistle.

“"If I dreamed one last night, I couldn't have dreamed a better one than tonight," Shevchenko told a news conference

Patience with Nasri pays off for Blanc

France coach Laurent Blanc's patience with the much criticised Samir Nasri paid off on Monday after the midfielder equalised in a 1-1 draw with England in their Euro 2012 Group D opener.

"Samir has always been up there with other talented players, and you have to be a bit more patient with these kinds of players," said Blanc after Nasri's man of the match performance.

"If they share your philosophy and your opinion, then they will give you the right response on the pitch. It is great for him and great for us."

Nasri's superb shot from outside the area flew past England keeper Joe Hart, his Manchester City team mate, to bring France level after England had taken the lead through Joleon Lescott.

The match, played in humid conditions at a less than full Donbass Arena, saw the more inventive French extend their unbeaten run to 22 matches against a gritty England side.

"We took a while to get into the game, and as is often the way we got punished. But that helped us get into the game ironically," Blanc added.

"The fact it was very hot made it harder for the attacking side and France attacked a lot more than England. We're not entirely thrilled but we're not entirely disappointed either."


The 24-year-old Nasri's familiarity with club mate Hart helped him spring a surprise that caught the keeper off guard.

"Franck Ribery gave me the ball back and the England defence was really deep. Joe knows me well and knows that I usually open up my body to shoot but this time I decided to go inside, use the instep and it worked," the 24-year-old Nasri said.

He gestured and appeared to shout "shut your mouth" after his goal, a possible response to the French media who have been critical of him, but Blanc would not be drawn into the reasons.

"That is something personal. I won't get involved in that," he said. "Samir was very happy to have scored a goal, happy to have played a good match."

Blanc also praised fellow midfielder Alou Diarra.

"Diarra was fantastic. Because he was at fault for the goal he worked very hard, and then we had a much more aggressive side, and that is a very important ingredient in a match."

"We're disappointed because we prepared to win this game, but we need to be realistic. We could have lost this game had we not reacted... the side which played the most football was France."

They now face a tricky match against Ukraine in Donetsk on Friday after the co-hosts beat Sweden 2-1 in their first game.

Sparkling Shevchenko gets Ukraine rocking

Andriy Shevchenko rolled back the years with a sparkling performance to lead co-hosts Ukraine to a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Sweden in their opening Euro 2012 Group D game on Monday.

The 35-year-old Shevchenko, who battled nagging injuries to claim his place in the starting line-up, twice headed the ball past Andreas Isaksson to cancel out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 52nd-minute strike.
"Every game is like a final for us," Shevchenko told reporters. "We showed our character and now have good chances to qualify from the group.
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Ukraine, taking part in their first European Championship, moved top of Group D with three points, ahead of France and England who fought out a 1-1 draw in Donetsk.

Sweden looked on course for a routine win after a slow start when Ibrahimovic, only standing out up to that point by virtue of his white and pink boots, put his team in front.

Fielded in a free role as a playmaker, Ibrahimovic casually diverted a Kim Kallstrom pass into the net seven minutes into the second half.

Shevchenko, however, hit back three minutes later for Ukraine with a diving header from an Anatoliy Yarmolenko cross as a packed Olympic stadium burst into a huge roar.

"Sheva, Sheva!," chanted the crowd and they had not seen the last of their hero on an electric night.

The striker doubled his tally in the 61st minute when he headed home from a corner at the near post after losing his marker Ibrahimovic. He was later substituted and left the pitch to a standing ovation before being named man of the match.

Surprisingly it was Ukraine who imposed a possessive pattern in the early stages with neat quick passing around the box but the Swedish defence remained composed.

Sweden, however, looked nothing like the team who scored 31 goals in their qualifying campaign and almost fell behind midway through the first half just when they seemed set to gain control.

Shevchenko started a sharp counter-attack and was also on the end of it but, after being perfectly set up by Yarmolenko, he fired an angled shot narrowly wide as coach Oleg Blokhin held his head in disbelief.

Ibrahimovic was too laid back when his downward header bounced on to the far post just before the break and the miss was to proved costly, though substitute Johan Elmander missed a glorious chance to equalise in the last minute when he blazed the ball wildly over the crossbar.

"The first half wasn't good enough," said Sweden coach Erik Hamren.

"Both teams were very nervous, a lot of technical faults. We started the second half better, being more aggressive, winning the ball higher up. We put pressure on them, and that's what led to the chance where we scored.

"You also have an opponent who was really good - Shevchenko did really really well in the box, he was strong," Hamren added.