Judgment Is Coming

The law is back!!! Here's a look at the reboot movie of Judge Dredd called Dredd. He's a real badass judge and you do not want to piss him off.

Bo-Kyoung Next Off the Production Line

The next Park Ji-Sung or the next Shinji Kagawa - the hunt never stops for talented players all over the world as stars from Asia are increasingly in demand. What if, however, there was a player who was a bit of both? Kim Bo-Kyoung was identified by Park himself as a possible successor in the South Korean national team and, if that wasn't enough, the 22-year-old has filled the shoes of Kagawa at Cerezo Osaka, becoming the team's most important player and one of the best performers, if not the best, in the entire league in 2012. There are more where he came from.

Helping Korean and Osaka fans forget about Park and Kagawa is no mean feat, but Kim is not about to stop there. He's ambitious and wants to play in Europe. Links with Stoke and Sevilla have come and gone but a move is going to happen sooner rather than later.

The attacking midfielder, who can play on either wing or in the middle, made the headlines in his homeland last week with two goals in South Korea's 3-0 win over Lebanon in a vital 2014 World Cup qualifier. His second, when he collected the ball from just inside the opposition half, outsprinted the defence and shot home from just inside the area, seemed to confirm the feeling that he was a 'Park with goals'. It has finally confirmed his place in the Korean starting XI and, as he looks forward to a sustained run in the team, he really could become a star on the road to Brazil.

It has taken a little time for him to find his feet for the Taeguk Warriors but the immediate label of 'Second Park Ji-Sung' did not help and neither did the feeling he was lacking defensively. The comparisons with the Manchester United man are obvious and tempting. Not only did they start professional life in Japan's J2 league but Park famously ate frog juice while Kim ate eels and turtles. They are of similar build and physique and it has been said that they look alike.

There are differences, however. If Park has been called an intelligent player with excellent movement that creates space for others, Kim is more direct, attack-minded, and much better in front of goal. He is also, in the opinion of successive Korean national team coaches, more streetwise on the pitch. Impressive performances at the 2009 Under-20 World Cup when he starred in Korea's advance to the quarter-finals, caught the eye of Cerezo Osaka and he made the move to Kansai at the end of that year. At first, he was loaned to Oita Trinita, a friendly club on the Western island of Kyushu that had a strong Korean connection. Kim, straight out of university, had no problem adapting to life in the second tier of the J-League and, not long after Kagawa headed to Germany, he was in Osaka.

There, alongside the talented rising star of Hiroshi Kiyotake, Kim really started to show what he could do, earning plaudits not just for his goals but for his movement, quick thinking and pure footballing instinct. He has spoken of himself as being more of a creator of goals but his scoring rate is impressive. As the J-League season approaches the halfway stage, he is equal second top scorer in the league with seven goals from 13 games. He managed eight last year and, in two and a half seasons in Japan, he's averaged a goal every three games.

What really impresses is his ability to look like he always has time, even in a crowded penalty area. His smart cross to provide Korea's equaliser in a 4-1 win in Qatar earlier in June was a moment of true class. Such sureness of mind and touch has been evident in Japan for a while, but Kim's fame is set to spread. If, as expected, he impresses in the Olympics this summer, he will be heading west, probably to England. Even if he doesn't shine, Cerezo Osaka are resigned to losing him.

After famously receiving just €350,000 for Kagawa, the Flaming Pinks will be keen to get a better price when the offers start rolling in. Clubs in Japan have been reminded of the need to heed the lessons of the 'zero yen' transfers that saw a number of star players head to Europe without a cent going in the opposite direction. That penny does seem to have dropped as two of the brightest talents in the league of late have just moved to the Bundesliga for fees reported to be over €1 million.

Whether that is a fair price for Hiroshi Kiyotake and Hiroki Sakai remains to be seen but the smart money is on the fact the German clubs got the better of the deal once again, such is the potential of their new signings.

Kiyotake has just recently started to feature in the national team - not an easy feat when you look at the strength of the midfield. The 22-year-old is regarded as the next big thing when it comes to the Samurai Blue. The attacking midfielder with vision to kill for will be on display in the Olympics this summer and in the Bundesliga for Nurnberg next season. Many think he will not be there for long. Hiroki Sakai, the all-action right-back who came up through the ranks at Kashiwa Reysol, was one of the players of 2011 as the Sun Kings won the title. It was announced last week that he has signed deal with Hannover.

European clubs should not be too downhearted as there is still some serious young talent out East. Hideki Ishige was named the 2011 AFC Youth Player of the Year following his performances at the Under-17 World Cup when he helped Japan to the last eight.

is J-League club, Shimizu S-Pulse, are keeping the 17-year-old under wraps for the most part, with a league appearance here and a cup game there, but feel that the midfielder has everything - pace, technique, desire and determination - to be a star. Already, big European clubs have made enquiries but have been told to wait. Shimizu have promised the boy's parents to ease him into professional life gently and he is expected to make a big impact at next year's Under-20 World Cup.

When it comes to midfielders, Japan is something of a breeding ground and standing out is not easy. If there is a weakness going into the 2014 World Cup, it could be in central defence. Mizuki Hamada was born in the United States and has represented both that country and Japan at youth level. Commanding at the back and good on the ball, there are hopes that the 22-year-old can make the breakthrough into the senior team in the not too distant future. Japan's Olympic team is bursting with young talent - there is an interesting question as to just where that team would rank among Asia's senior sides - and there are sure to be scores of scouts at English stadiums this summer.

They could also do worse that keep an eye on South Korea, too - especially the player who has helped to make the departures of Park Ji-Sung and Shinji Kagawa a little less painful.

Ronaldo's Platform to Sparkle

He played on the left. He played on the right. He sometimes played as a centre forward. He powered Portugal into Euro 2012’s semi-finals.

Sixteen years ago this Saturday at Euro '96, Karel Poborsky's unique lob sunk a Portuguese team of whom so much had been expected since winning the World Youth Championships in 1991. Euro 2004 saw both teams felled by the same blunt sword when the Czechs lost to Greece in the semis. In turn, Portugal lost in that tournament's final, a night when Cristiano Ronaldo shed teenage tears in front of a largely unsympathetic world.

The Czechs' task this time was not to stop an entire 'golden generation' but Portugal’s one shining star, their golden shot at glory. Stopping Cristiano Ronaldo in international form of the type not seen since the 2006 World Cup was simply too much for them.

The time when Ronaldo was rendered peripheral and frustrated by the drudgery of Carlos Queiroz's tactics is in the past. "You can go ask Queiroz," was Ronaldo's tart reply when asked why Portugal played so badly in South Africa. At Euro 2012, Paulo Bento has provided him a platform. If Portugal are to mount any challenge for this tournament then they can only do so by getting the best from Ronaldo. Making him feel comfortable, highly valued and not overworked or isolated is key to a sense of well-being from which he - almost alone - can provide victory. Bento may publicly shrink from talk of a one-man team, but this was a one-man game.

The Czechs' aim was to strike when their opponents became frustrated. Ronaldo, though, was truly irrepressible, the quality of his performance wrecking any Czech plan, his work-rate as redoubtable as any of theirs, his quality a planet apart, let alone a continent.

Ronaldo's first touch was a failed feint met with derision from Czech fans. After eight minutes, he flounced at a misplaced pass, for which he was again roundly mocked. He would soon provide Czech fans much to be concerned about. A 25th minute exchange of passes with Moutinho saw him shrug off Kadlec using his brawn, but Petr Cech saved. A minute later, five defenders surrounded him as he powered on to a pass from Moutinho again. Even Ronaldo cannot fly through such numbers. An overhead kick was swiftly attempted, but missed. Then came a free-kick that was hit well enough but flew wide.

The 42nd minute saw him pirouette, and begin a Portuguese attack, burst out to the right of the area in expectation but then not receive the ball. This time, he did not look quite so annoyed not to be in receipt. It was becoming clear that the moment might arrive soon. The momentum was with him. A movement into a more central role than the left-wing thrust position he has played from so far during Euro 2012 brought the first half's moment of near-gold.

As with the overhead kick, the ball arrived via unlikely crossing king Pepe but this time Ronaldo controlled the ball, flicked it over his shoulder and rattled Cech's left-hand post.

The Czech plan had been to attack down Portugal's left, where Ronaldo was figuratively supposed to be and would be expected to do little defending. Fabio Coentrao, the Real Madrid colleague hardly acclaimed for his defensive attributes, would have to get through an awful amount of work against the hard-running of Petr Jiracek and the overlaps of Theodor Gebre Selassie. However, such an attacking method relied on actual possession of the ball.

Once Ronaldo had settled in, there were to be no raids down the right. The second half saw Ronaldo seize yet tighter control. He hit the right-hand post with a free-kick. By that time, he had resumed his left-wing role, as Hugo Almeida, on for hamstrung Helder Postiga, played at centre forward. Ronaldo then linked with Raul Meireles to fire over after making a powerful burst.

Such efforts were rehearsals for a moment that was always going to come. It arrived via a cross from Joao Moutinho. Ronaldo was given the chance to show off the facet that he far outstrips Lionel Messi in; he can head the ball as well as a Tommy Lawton, Nat Lofthouse or Alan Shearer. Ronaldo's power left Cech helpless, and the Czechs hopeless. There was to be no way back.

Donetsk and France or Spain await Portugal. The hero was happy to concede credit for his team's progress. The individualist spoke as a collective. "Our aim is to reach the final," Ronaldo said. "And the chances are 50-50 and we just have to believe. We controlled the game for more than 50 minutes. We had a great unity on the pitch and that is why we have reached our goal and I would like to congratulate the whole team."

And he may well thank them. Portugal possess the best player in Europe and now his team-mates and coach have provided him the system with which to compound that status.

Ronaldo aka O Fenomeno

Football fans all over the world will always remember Luis Nazario de Lima aka Ronaldo of Brazil. A 3 time FIFA World Player of the Year, only major injuries stopped his already glittering football career and legendary status. I for one, was sad to see him leave the game at 2011. Have a look at the preparation of his last game for his beloved nation, courtesy of Nike.



The Amazing Spider-Man Premiere Special

Here's an exclusive premiere event for The Amazing Spider-Man movie. It has great interviews and new snippets as well. Enjoy the premiere special folks!!!



Monsters University

A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at the University of Fear -- when they weren't necessarily the best of friends. This is a must watch!!!

The Amazing Spider-Man

I was a bit skeptical about Marvel doing a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise but it kind of grew on me that this has a different take into the life of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy (yeah, no Mary Jane). Here's a bit of a summary of the upcoming reboot.

Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

What Football Does To The World

Nuhazet, a nine-year-old boy from Las Palmas, Spain, has been battling cancer since before his second birthday. When he met Cristiano Ronaldo before Real Madrid's final match of the season last month, it was supposed to be the fulfillment of a final wish for a young boy who had already endured a lifetime of suffering, but it turned into the start of a renewed fight backed by Ronaldo and his agent, Jorge Mendes.

A story on Canarias Investiga reports that in March, an MRI revealed that Nuhazet's cancer had spread to three different parts of his spine. Doctors told the boy's parents that there was nothing they could do and recommended they stop treatment so Nuhazet wouldn't suffer any more than was necessary. His parents asked if there was anything anywhere in the world that could be done to help Nuhazet, but they were told that the only treatment options left were experimental.

So to fulfill one of Nuhazet's dreams, his cousin enlisted the help of some influential friends and got the attention of Jorge Mendes, one of the most powerful agents in football. They arranged a trip from the family's home in the Canary Islands to Madrid for Real Madrid's final match of the season against Mallorca.

The day of the game, Mendes and the family surprised Nuhazet with a special meeting with Ronaldo, who made a few jokes, took some pictures and promised the boy that if he scored a goal that day, he would dedicate it to him. After the meeting, Nuhazet went to watch the match from Ronaldo's private box with his family and Cristiano's swimsuit model girlfriend, Irina Shayk.

Real Madrid beat Mallorca 4-1 and lifted the Liga trophy for the first time in four years. Ronaldo scored the first goal of the game and dedicated it to Nuhazet. As perfect as the day was, that was supposed to be all there was to it. But the following day, Mendes had Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who weeks later lost his wife to a long fight against lung cancer, personally call doctors at Sanchinarro Hospital. They quickly saw Nuhazet and started a new course of treatment that included a personalized drug from the United States with Ronaldo and Mendes paying for everything.

This story is reminiscent of reports that Lionel Messi decided to pay for the medical costs of 12-year-old Waleed Kashash, who suffers from growth hormone deficiency (which Messi also had as a child), until Waleed turns 18. Those reports were later found to be untrue, but Messi was already widely seen as a kind and generous person. For an idolized and reviled athlete with a reputation for being selfish, vain and egotistical like Cristiano Ronaldo -- himself the father of a two-year-old son -- it's important to remember that the parts of life on public display are rarely enough to provide the complete image of an actual human being.

You can call this a PR stunt and debate whether it makes Ronaldo more likable, but the important thing is that Nuhazet is still undergoing treatment and could return home in a few weeks as he awaits his custom medication. And it all started with a trip to a football match. 

Lacklustre Dutch Get What Was Due

There are many debacles littering the overstuffed pantheon of Dutch football failures: three World Cup final appearances for the best country that’s never won one, player/management mutiny aplenty, many penalty shootout-related eliminations and a long list of heartbreakers. But a special wing is dedicated to the most grievous episodes – the very worst of collapses. Like World Cup 1990, when the Netherlands were favoured to follow up their Euro ’88 victory but crashed out in the second round to a vengeful West Germany. Or the 2002 World Cup that the golden Ajax generation of the mid-'90s (at the height of its powers) failed to qualify for outright. It’s in that sad space that Netherlands’ Euro 2012 campaign will take residence.

Only for a brief flurry did the Oranje look like they would pull of a nigh-on impossible task on Sunday. If it was to overcome losses against Germany (2-1) and Denmark (1-0) and improbably advance to the quarter-finals of the European Championship they would have to win by at least two goals against Portugal, a team Netherlands have beaten just once in ten prior games. Oh, and Germany would need to beat the headstrong Danes too.

Up until the 11th minute – when Rafael Van der Vaart, making a start in place of captain Mark van Bommel at long last, cut inside off an out-of-character lay-off from Arjen Robben and curled the ball past Rui Patricio – the Dutch commanded the game.

But once Cristiano Ronaldo and his cohorts started galloping at the flotsam posing as a Dutch defence, Portugal roundly overran their opponents. Nani and Co set about creating a host of chances and looked more Dutch than the Dutch themselves: exploiting the wings, making sharp runs, moving dynamically and interchanging positions with speed and panache.

In the 28th minute, Ronaldo made his mark. The Real Madrid star, who had already wasted several gilt-edged chances, ran onto the end of a seeing-eye pass by Joao Pereira and easily slotted it past Maarten Stekelenburg. And thus the Dutch were undone, finally and irrevocably.

Portugal were merciful on the foe they had knocked out of Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006 too, not scoring a second until the 74th, when a perfect cross from Nani left Ronaldo open again to coolly put the 2-1 final score on the board. Had the Portuguese been an ounce more precise, they might well have hung a half dozen past the Dutch on the night.

All that had ailed and troubled the Netherlands throughout this nightmare run was magnified on Sunday. The defence, who tellingly never lined up with the same personnel twice in the three-game group stage, were shambolic. Consequently, the two deep midfielders were forced back to help out, pulling the Dutch formation – a six-man defence and four-man attack – out of sync. Even the simplest of passes started missing intended targets like ships in the night; the wings were again underused; the form of the strikers was again poor. Beside the ever out-of-sorts Robin van Persie, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar – inserted at Ibrahim Afellay’s expense – was invisible and didn’t shoot meaningfully until the final minutes of the game. It all underscored the utter lack of chemistry on the field.

Then there was the ruinous team atmosphere off the field. Wesley Sneijder acknowledged that there was strife – which he has often been blamed of being central to in the past – ahead of the tournament and suggested the team rid itself of “pathetic egos”. Van Bommel too admitted that the “atmosphere has been better”. Manager Bert van Marwijk, meanwhile, strangely alluded to the tension by saying he could only wish the atmosphere was as bad as it was rumoured to be for Spain, who'd just won their last game 4-0 over Ireland.

Theories abound that Sneijder and Van Persie had taken up their feud once again. Ever since the duo represented the youth national teams in their teenage years, they’d bickered over who was top dog while they made the climb towards starring for the senior national team. When Robben joined them there, another difficult character was added to the mix, making for a combustible nucleus that forever threatened to torpedo the Dutch. Typical thereof was Robben’s petulant, shirt-less walk back to the bench after his substitution against Germany; Robben took the long way back, climbing over the advertising boards and making clear his dismay. As were the many instances of the Oranje players jawing back and forth throughout their three games.

At this Euro, we saw Netherlands at their Mr Hydest. Their long-time issues, buried in 2010 when the Dutch galvanised to reach the World Cup final, resurfaced with ruinous effect.

And what a pity, too. The peak of another golden generation may have gone to waste: Sneijder hasn’t quite been his dominant self as a playmaker since his 2009-10 season at Inter Milan; Van Persie is at the absolute height of his powers and yet it's unclear how long he’ll be able to sustain this form; every tumble the brittle Robben takes could be his last. As midfielder Nigel de Jong put it, this was his generation’s best chance given that World Cup 2014 will be hard to win on South American soil. Thus three extraordinary talents are unlikely to complete their remarkable careers with an international prize.

This generation will be affixed with a label of infamy, one that is all too familiar to their Dutch predecessors who fell victim to in-fighting with similar regularity. For the first time since 1984, the side have failed to make it into the quarter-finals of the European Championship. For the first time in 12 major tournaments they have entered, Netherlands have not made it out of the group stage. And in so doing, these Dutch players have tainted their World Cup runner-up medals too.

Even a more pragmatic playing style, infuriatingly doing away with the free-wheeling offence in favour of holding midfielders and all-round balance, wasn’t able to overturn 40 years of structural underperformance. The more things change for Oranje, the more they stay the same.

After the final whistle, there was no dishevelment registered on the faces of the Dutch, no surprise. After three lacklustre losses, the Dutch merely got what was due.

Ronaldo Answers Portugal Call

The final line of the Portuguese national anthem triumphantly proclaims “against the cannons, march, march”, and facing a Netherlands team packed with its heaviest artillery, Paulo Bento’s side forged a path to victory the in Battle of Kharkiv. The war, too, was won as progress to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals was secured. While German celebrations await Lviv, its Eastern brother will be alive with the sound of fado.

Kharkiv has been the adopted home of 30,000 Oranje fans for the past ten days, but those most colourful of supporters were forced to endure another pallid display as their team waved the white flag for the third successive game. The Dutch may boast an embarrassment of attacking riches, but they do not have the richest attacking talent in Europe. This was the night that Cristiano Ronaldo belatedly announced his arrival at Euro 2012.

He may have failed to find the net in his opening two games, but what Ronaldo did find was the unwavering support of his manager. Bento has always brought the best out of his captain – his seven goals under him in qualifying testify as much – and once more he flourished for the man who gave him his professional debut at Sporting. That Ronaldo’s maiden goal of this European Championship was set up by another Bento boy in Joao Pereira, whose international bow came in the first match of his reign, would have also been gratifying.

As former Real Madrid midfielder Christian Karembeu handed current the Blanco the official UEFA man of the match trophy, he spoke of the Portuguese “doing his talking on the pitch”. Ronaldo, though, played down his contributions by insisting that “without the team, we wouldn't have won”; Bento, too, was not in the mood to lavish praise on his star turn.

“I am satisfied that we have achieved our aim and that we did that brilliantly with a great united organisation in these three games,” he said. “In some games, players show more of their individual quality but it is the team I am proud of... We have shown in the two games [against Denmark and Netherlands] that we can have the capability to react, we will not let up. We have always had this philosophy that it’s possible to turn things around. Now we have achieved an important aim for the team and the whole country.”

That achievement had initially looked unlikely after Rafael van der Vaart scored on his 99th appearance for his country. It seemed Bert van Marwijk’s decision to start the Tottenham playmaker in the place of captain, and son-in-law, Mark van Bommel had been vindicated. But aside from his beautifully curled opener, Van der Vaart’s influence was limited, as was that of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was an anonymous presence up front.

Just two years ago, this Netherlands side emulated their legendary predecessors of 1978 by reaching the World Cup final, but in Kharkiv they drew a more unfavourable parallel with that team. The ’78 vintage, too, turned sour as the 1980 European Championship brought group-stage elimination and, spookily, even a defeat to Germany in the second fixture. For Johnny Rep, Arie Haan and the Van der Kerkhof twins, read Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder; World Cup finalists to continental also-rans and the only Netherlands teams to fail to advance from a European Championship group.

Portugal, in contrast, maintained their impressive record of never failing to reach the knockout stage of the European Championship, this time booking a quarter-final with Czech Republic in Warsaw. It was also another victory over Netherlands, the third time in the past five major tournaments that the Iberians have been responsible for their exit. Though a repeat of the ugly clash that saw 20 cards in Dusseldorf at the 2006 World Cup was occasionally threatened with some robust challenges – notably from Jetro Willems and an apparent elbow by Robin van Persie on Pepe – but this was not a match won by sheer brute force. It was the irrepressible talent of a nation's talisman

Ronaldo's name was the only one on the lips of the Kharkiv locals who flocked to the city's final game and, on a Sunday night in Freedom Square, the Portuguese tributes to him may be heard as far afield as northern Poland.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Cristiano Ronaldo. When his country really needed him, he answered the call in devastating style. Yes, there were misses again, but there was no frustration, only focus. His perseverance bore fruit with two well-taken goals, the second of which showed the sort of swagger that helped Real Madrid to the Spanish title, as he stopped with the ball when most would have shot. Should Portugal’s progress continue, the FIFA Ballon d’Or award could well be coming back to casa Cristiano.

PORTUGAL VERDICT: More physical and more ambitious than their opponents, Portugal were deserving winners. Ronaldo and Nani were direct with the ball at their feet, while full backs Fabio Coentrao and Joao Pereira were always a danger bombing down the flanks, and Miguel Veloso once again excelled as the enforcer. A quarter-final tie against Czech Republic appears favourable, though Bento brushed off the “favourites” tag and drew comparisons with his own side, who also showed “resilience” in responding after an opening defeat.

NETHERLANDS VERDICT: Out with a whimper, it seems the “pathetic egos” that Wesley Sneijder cryptically described earlier this week may well have been responsible for an embarrassing tournament. Unrest in the Netherlands camp is hardly a new concept, but lessons have not been learnt and it seems that the exploits in South Africa were merely a false dawn as the perpetual underachievers lived up to their reputation.

FAREWELL KHARKIV: Netherlands fans deserve a final mention for creating an unforgettable atmosphere in Kharkiv, a city that does not count tourism as a central economic contributor. Welcomed by locals with open arms, the Dutch were a vibrant presence, bringing character and business to the city’s service sector.

UEFA Euro 2012

The UEFA Euro 2012 kicked off last friday and all of Match Day 1 has been completed last night. Here's a recap of the matches.

Group A: Poland 1-1 Greece

Both teams ended with ten men as Dimitris Salpingidis spoiled the party for the co-hosts, who escaped with a point after Przemysław Tytoń's penalty save.

The home party looked in full swing at half-time after a first period of Polish dominance brought a Robert Lewandowski goal, but Greece, down to ten men after Sokratis Papastathopoulos's dismissal, responded with a 51st-minute equaliser from substitute Dimitris Salpingidis.

They might have won the game too when Wojciech Szczęsny brought down Salpingidis to earn himself a red card and give Greece a 71st-minute penalty. However, Giorgos Karagounis, a scorer when Greece beat Portugal in the UEFA Euro 2004 opener, failed to repeat history as Przemysław Tytoń saved his kick.

Russia 4-1 Czech Replublic

Alan Dzagoev scored twice as Russia swept to a convincing victory over the Czech Republic in Wroclaw and leave his nation atop Group A after the opening games in the section.

Dick Advocaat had reiterated his belief that Russia are contenders to win the tournament in his pre-match press conference. With the way his team performed in their opening game in brushing aside the Czech Republic 4-1, the Dutchman will not have changed his mind.

Group B: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark

The Oranje spurned chance after chance but Michael Krohn-Dehli's fine first-half finish was enough for the Danes to throw Group B wide open.

Through a combination of sheer defiance and one clinical finish, Denmark defeated the Netherlands for the first time in nine attempts, and 45 years, to throw UEFA Euro 2012 Group B wide open.

Germany 1-0 Portugal

Joachim Löw was delighted with Germany's start in a competition he equates to a Formula 1 race, though he admits he was moments from bringing Mario Gomez in for a pit stop.

Joachim Löw was delighted to kick off with a win as Mario Gomez's goal proved to be enough to win Germany their Group B opener against Portugal, but while the result was a disappointment for his opposite number, Paulo Bento could not fault his side's commitment.

Group C: Spain 1-1 Italy

Cesc Fàbregas earned the defending champions a point in Gdansk by cancelling out substitute Antonio Di Natale's goal for Italy.

Spain and Italy shared the spoils after an enthralling opening Group C encounter at the Arena Gdansk produced a 1-1 draw. This was one of the most anticipated games of the UEFA Euro 2012 group stage and it did not disappoint with substitute Antonio Di Natale giving Cesare Prandelli's side a 61st-minute lead before Cesc Fàbregas levelled proceedings shortly afterwards.

Republic of Ireland 1-3 Croatia

Mario Mandžukić struck twice as Croatia opened their UEFA Euro 2012 campaign with a stylish victory against the Republic of Ireland.

A match played in incessant rain for long periods produced anything but a damp squib. Mandžukić, a focal point for Croatia throughout, struck as early as the third minute – the sixth-fastest goal in Euro history. Ireland rallied to level through centre-back Sean St Ledger, but Mandžukić grabbed his second after Nikica Jelavić had reclaimed the lead and Croatia never looked like slipping up from there.

Group D: France 1-1 England

France coach Laurent Blanc admitted to "mixed feelings" after the 1-1 draw with England, happy at least that his side did not lose, while Roy Hodgson said he was "obviously pleased".

France coach Laurent Blanc admitted to "mixed feelings" at the end of his side's 1-1 draw with England in their opening Group D encounter in Donetsk. "We're disappointed not to have won it but glad not to have lost," he said, before praising Samir Nasri for his equaliser. Opposite number Roy Hodgson expressed satisfaction with a hard-fought point, hoping the game will give his charges "a good platform" to go on at UEFA Euro 2012.

Ukraine 2-1 Sweden

Andriy Shevchenko called on his old predatory powers as he struck twice to earn the co-hosts a come-from-behind win on a famous night for Ukraine.

Ukraine made a dream start to UEFA Euro 2012 as a quickfire double from their captain, Andriy Shevchenko, earned a famous comeback victory against Sweden.

The Summer of Samsung?

As you'd expect, today's Apple WWDC keynote drew big crowds of Apple fans eager for hardware and software news. Yet, you might be surprised that even the most devout Android enthusiasts were watching along to see what the "competition" was doing.

After two hours crammed full of products and services, we came away with some wonderful stuff. What we didn't get, though, is a new iPhone or any promise of when one might come. And while that's surely disappointing for some, it opens the way for a sunny Android summer, dominated largely by Samsung.

Outside of Apple, there are few handset manufacturers able to garner such stratospheric buzz for the release of a new smartphone. Part of it has to do with Android's sheer volume of handsets (there's almost a new one every week), but also no other company has mastered Apple's art of building hype. Samsung, however, is on to something. While nearly every other Android device generated just a bit of Internet buzz, Samsung's Galaxy S III stands to generate iPhone levels of excitement.

Indeed, no other Android phones thus far has produced months of speculation and rumors or this level of enthusiasm. Sure, they were popular, but the Motorola Droid, the HTC Evo, and not the first Android ever, the T-Mobile G1, didn't exactly send people into a frenzy or the rumor mill into overtime.

Thanks to a unified brand and singular form factor across five major carriers, however, things look pretty rosy for the Galaxy S III. The handset, which features cutting edge smartphone technology and a sprinkling of Samsung's own innovation, will have people talking this summer just as they've been talking about it already for several months. And with the next iPhone not expected until fall, Samsung could steal away a number of iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 owners who are off their contract and waiting to upgrade.

What's more, as one of the biggest sponsors for the London 2012 Olympic Games, Samsung will be investing millions of dollars to show off their new baby. For consumers living in the United States, the timing of the event falls within days (or weeks) of the phone hitting various carriers. If done right, Samsung will have users flocking to their respective wireless provider, asking for "the one on TV".

Consider also the silence from Samsung's competitors. Of its two main competitors in the Android wars, Motorola has been nearly silent since the Droid Razr Maxx hit, and HTC hasn't broken the bank rolling out the One X. Depending on what you believe, the One X might be the only handset worthy of knocking the crown from the Galaxy S III, but it's only available with AT&T and Samsung is playing a better marketing game.

To really see Android's response to Apple, we'll have to wait for Google's annual developer conference, Google I/O, which kicks off in two weeks. With Jelly Bean and a Nexus 7 tablet rumored for the three day event, Google is poised to build on Android's momentum. At the moment, however, nothing has as much momentum right now as the Galaxy S III. And until the next iPhone is a reality, I don't see anything coming over the horizon that looks to get in Samsung's way right now, including offerings from other Android handset makers.

Italy's Defensive Line Grounds To A Halt

 There was, of course, one positive, with Federico Balzaretti proving himself an able deputy for Domenico Criscito on the left-hand side. But there really is no accounting for the kind of calamitous performance produced by right-back Christian Maggio, who made more mistakes than a dyslexic during an eye exam.

However, one cannot attribute the defensive deficiencies so ruthlessly exploited by Russia solely to individual errors. Indeed, Italy were repeatedly ripped to shreds by the intricate link-up play and intelligent running of Andrei Arshavin and his accomplices.

Prandelli was clearly more disturbed by what he saw in Zurich than he initially let on because he is now considering switching to a back three for the first time in his two-year tenure. Not only that, the former Viola boss is giving serious thought to starting Daniele De Rossi in defence.

De Rossi, of course, was utilised on several occasions as a centre-half by Roma last season, but that Prandelli is actually genuinely entertaining the idea of selecting a midfielder at the back against Spain this weekend - the biggest game of his coaching career - is not only a major risk, it is also a damning indictment of the quality of the centre-backs currently available to the Azzurri boss.

Admittedly, Andrea Barzagli's absence has left a major void in Italy's rearguard, given the Juventus man is coming off a terrific domestic campaign, but it is staggering that a country so renowned for producing world-class defenders does not have a single worthy replacement. There was even talk of Andrea Ranocchia being called up. Ranocchia!

How on earth has it come to this? Just six years ago, Italy travelled to Germany with a first-choice central defensive pairing of Fabio Cannavaro and Alessandro Nesta, two of the finest centre-halves of the modern era, and although the latter succumbed to injury, the Azzurri lifted the World Cup after conceding just two goals, one of which was an own goal, while the other came from the penalty spot.

Of course, Cannavaro and Nesta's time with the Nazionale overlapped with that of Paolo Maldini, one of the greatest defenders ever to play the game.

Maldini spent a large chunk of his Milan career playing alongside legendary libero Franco Baresi. We could go on: Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea, Giuseppe Bergomi, Giacinto Facchetti, Tarcisio Burgnich ... the list is almost endless. But the point is that Italy, the home of catenaccio, has an unrivalled history of producing outstanding defenders. Sound defensive play is as Italian as pasta, pizza and puffy jackets.

And yet the Azzurri are going into their Euro 2012 opener against reigning champions Spain in Gdansk with serious doubts over the formation and make-up of their back line. It is a worrying state of affairs, and not just in terms of Italy's hopes of subduing a side with a wonderful aptitude for prising open the most well-drilled defences.

No, the real concern is that there are no obvious successors to the likes of Cannavaro, Nesta and Maldini out there. While this season has seen the emergence of fresh-faced forwards such as Mattia Destro and Fabio Borini, and a promising Pirlo-like playmaker in the form of Marco Verratti, there have been no up-and-coming defenders pushing for inclusion in the Azzurri panel, particularly in light of Davide Santon's disappointing regression after such a promising start to his career. That is an ominous sign for the Italian game.

In that context, the Azzurri really could do with the kind of backs-to-the-wall performance against Spain in Gdansk on Sunday evening which has become their trademark; one which not only significantly boosts their hopes of emerging from a tricky group, but also reminds the watching world that when it comes to the art of defending, Italy remain its finest exponents.

Kagawa Is NO Consolation Prize

Coming just a day after Chelsea announced the signing of Eden Hazard, the timing of Manchester United's confirmation they had struck a deal for Shinji Kagawa yesterday lent itself to suggestions that the Japan star was very much a Plan B for Sir Alex Ferguson.

Certainly Hazard told everyone that his choice boiled down to United or Chelsea, while subsequent reports have claimed United were left furious by the Belgium international's decision to move to a posh abode in Cobham rather than the leafy surrounds of Alderley Edge.

However, even given these circumstances, it would be very wrong indeed to label Kagawa as some kind of consolation prize for United. Certainly they were not his second-choice: the midfielder has sought for some time to make his mark in England and at United in particular. As Dortmund coach Juergen Klopp said recently: "We cannot take away Shinji's childhood and his Japanese culture. Where Shinji was born our league means nothing — there is only the English Premier League."

While the player himself must be thrilled at his move, the arrival on English shores of the Japan playmaker - who helped inspire Dortmund to the Bundesliga title in 2010-11 and then a double in 2011-12 - is also a genuinely exciting development for all those who follow football in this country.

 

Fleet of foot, fluid in his movement and fluent in his passing, Kagawa is every inch the modern playmaker, his versatility lending him the ability to play anywhere across the line of three that will presumably sit behind Wayne Rooney next season.

Though Hazard was indisputably the best player in the French league last season, Kagawa was arguably the most dangerous attacker in a superior league in the Bundesliga. Indeed, his stats were superior to even Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, two figures who possess a much greater public profile, for now at least.

Kagawa scored 17 goals and claimed 13 assists in all competitions last season to better the stats of the two Bayern stars. In a further indication of his thrilling style, only German wunderkind Mario Goetze tried to take on his man more than Kagawa in the Dortmund team last season.

 

He will supply the creativity and unpredictability that has been sorely missing from the United side for a few years now, and certainly since the front three that previously boasted Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo disassembled. If, as expected, he drops in behind Rooney in a number 10 role, he should provide United with far more penetration than they have been used to of late.

 

As Koki Harada of Tokyo Chunichi Sports told United's website yesterday: "United have no similar players. He's a bit like Samir Nasri or Luka Modric and creates lots of chances, but scores more goals than either of them. His best position is just behind the striker, where he played at Dortmund, but he can also play on the left, though he's not the quickest of players. I can see Sir Alex tinkering with his formation to play him in a 4-3-2-1."

 

United have lacked this kind of player for some time. Having tried so hard and failed to sign Wesley Sneijder last summer they tried to kid themselves that Tom Cleverley was the answer, only to be left disappointed by his injury problems and being forced to coax Paul Scholes out of retirement in an effort to add some genuine threat to the centre of their midfield.

 

In fact, it is arguable that United haven't had this sort of player since Scholes in his goalscoring pomp - a prospect that should enthuse all United supporters turned off by the less spectacular contributions of Anderson and Michael Carrick in recent seasons. Put simply, the energetic and exciting playmaker should, in theory, add a whole new dimension to United's play next season.

 

That is why it has proven particularly disappointing to witness from some corners a cynical reaction to his imminent arrival at Old Trafford. As ever when a player from East Asia arrives in the Premier League there are those who seek to paint it as a marketing ploy, an opportunity to flog more shirts in a growing foreign market.

 

Okay, so United do have form in this regard - remember China's Dong Fangzhuo, recipient of the most undeserved guard of honour in Premier League history when he strolled out at Stamford Bridge on the penultimate day of the 2006-07 season? He made a grand total of three appearances in four-and-a-half years.

But when Sir Alex Ferguson played Park Ji-sung in the 2009 Champions League final it wasn't a strategic ploy to increase United's market share of replica shirts in South Korea, it was because the midfielder deserved to play.

Though Kagawa will of course increase United's presence in Japan and will be followed by a gang of dozens of reporters from his homeland at every game he plays, he too should be judged on his own merits, and there are plenty of those.

He might not be Eden Hazard, but Kagawa is one of the best players in one of Europe's elite leagues and - a detail surely not overlooked by the Glazers - cost just half the price.

To describe him as a Plan B would be an insult. He is every inch a Grade A player.

Charity Legends Match

Fabrice Muamba was a guest at Sunday night's charity Corazon Classic Match between Real Madrid and Manchester United veterans teams at the Bernabeu.The Bolton midfielder, who suffered a cardiac arrest in an FA Cup tie at Tottenham in March, was given an ovation by both star-studded sides and spectators as he carried the match ball out for the kick-off.

The third edition of the Corazon Classic Match, from which the proceeds will go to Real's Foundation academies in Africa, saw Madrid beat their United counterparts 3-2 in front of a crowd of around 60,000.

Madrid's goals came from Fernando Morientes, Luis Figo and Fernando Redondo, with United's scorers being Lee Sharpe and Teddy Sheringham.Also involved in the match were the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Roberto Carlos, Emilio Butragueno, Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Edwin van der Sar.