Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 10, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B4 SPORTS EURO 2012 B4 SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2012 AT A GLANCE GROUP A GP W D L GF GA Pts Russia 1 1 0 0 4 1 3 Poland 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Greece 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Czech Rep 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 Friday, June 8 Warsaw, Poland Poland 1, Greece 1 Wroclaw, Poland Russia 4, Czech Republic 1 Tuesday, June 12 Czech Republic vs. Greece, 11 a. m. Warsaw, Poland Russia vs. Poland, 1: 45 p. m. Saturday, June 16 Russia vs. Greece, 1: 45 p. m. Wroclaw, Poland Poland vs. Czech Republic, 1: 45 p. m. GROUP B GP W D L GF GA Pts Denmark 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Germany 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Netherlands1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Portugal 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Saturday, June 9 Kharkiv, Ukraine Denmark 1, Netherlands 0 Lviv, Ukraine Germany 1, Portugal 0 Wednesday, June 13 Portugal vs. Denmark, 11 a. m. Kharkiv, Ukraine Germany vs. Netherlands, 1: 45 p. m. Sunday, June 17 Germany vs. Denmark, 1: 45 p. m. Kharkiv, Ukraine Netherlands vs. Portugal, 1: 45 p. m. GROUP C GP W D L GF GA Pts Croatia 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ireland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Spain 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sunday, June 10 Gdansk, Poland Italy vs. Spain, 11 a. m. Poznan, Poland Croatia vs. Ireland, 1: 45 p. m. Thursday, June 14 Croatia vs. Italy, 11 a. m. Gdansk, Poland Ireland vs. Spain, 1: 45 p. m. Monday, June 18 Ireland vs. Italy, 1: 45 p. m. Gdansk, Poland Spain vs. Croatia, 1: 45 p. m. GROUP D GP W D L GF GA Pts England 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sweden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ukraine 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Monday, June 11 Donetsk, Ukraine England vs. France, 11 a. m. Kyiv, Ukraine Sweden vs. Ukraine, 1: 45 p. m. Friday, June 15 France vs. Ukraine, 11 a. m. Kyiv, Ukraine England vs. Sweden, 1: 45 p. m. Tuesday, June 19 Kyiv, Ukraine France vs. Sweden, 1: 45 p. m. Donetsk, Ukraine Ukraine vs. England, 1: 45 p. m. QUARTER- FINALS Thursday, June 21 Match 25 Warsaw, Poland Group A winner vs. Group B runner- up, 1: 45 p. m. Friday, June 22 Match 26 Gdansk, Poland Group B winner vs. Group A runner- up, 1: 45 p. m. Saturday, June 23 Match 27 Donetsk, Ukraine Group C winner vs. Group D runner- up, 1: 45 p. m. Sunday, June 24 Match 28 Kyiv, Ukraine Group D winner vs. Group C runner- up, 1: 45 p. m. SEMIFINALS Wednesday, June 27 Donetsk, Ukraine Match 25 winner vs. Match 27 winner, 1: 45 p. m. Thursday, June 28 Match 26 winner vs. Match 28 winner, 1: 45 p. m. FINAL Sunday, July 1 Kyiv, Ukraine Semifinal winner vs. Semifinal winner, 1: 45 p. m. K YIV, Ukraine - The Olympic Stadium will turn into a raucous sea of blue and yellow Monday when Ukraine takes on Sweden at the European Championship. Both teams sport the same colours, but there's no doubt who'll be feeling the most support from the crowd. Whether that will be a help or hindrance remains to be seen. Ukraine is feeling the immense pressure that comes with hosting its first major tournament, and knows the home fans will accept nothing less than a win. Sweden coach Erik Hamren believes the host usually does well in its opening game, with home- field advantage potentially offsetting whatever edge the Swedes may have in skill. Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin has called on the national press " not to raise expectations too high," despite being fully aware of the meaning this tournament has for the 45 million fans in the country. " As Ukraine is the host, then you are expected to win," Blokhin said through a translator. " I understand my full responsibility. I know what the country expects from us... " Veteran Sweden defender Olof Mellberg still remembers playing co- host Belgium in Sweden's opening game at Euro 2000, which resulted in a 2- 1 loss. Mellberg, now entering his sixth major tournament, said taking the crowd out of the game quickly could be decisive. " There's a lot of pressure on everyone, us too," Mellberg said. " But of course, if the home nation gets a good start and gets support from the crowd, that's often an extra benefit. We'll try to make sure they don't get that." Adding to the pressure, this is a game that both teams need to win to have a realistic chance of advancing from Group D, which also includes France and England. Even a draw will be seen as a setback for both teams, as they will then likely have to win at least one of the games against the two group favourites. Get a win on Monday, though, and two draws in the remaining games could be enough to go through. Blokhin went so far as to say that the team that loses Monday's match is virtually out of the competition. - The Associated Press MATTHIAS SCHRADER / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Soccer shocker John Heitinga from the Netherlands ( left) and Denmark's Daniel Agger jump for the ball during a Euro 2012 Group B match in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Saturday. The Danes pulled off a stunning 1- 0 victory on a goal by Michael Krohn- Dehli. LVIV, Ukraine - After the final whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo strode abruptly off the field, pulling off his captain's armband and brushing aside his coach. While other Portuguese players stayed on to salute their fans after a 1- 0 loss to Germany at Arena Lviv on Saturday, Ronaldo was already way down the tunnel. Miserable and inconsolable, the world's most expensive player was the picture of frustration after his first match at this year's European Championship. Subdued for all but a handful of dazzling moments in a game that had few, Ronaldo mostly failed to provide the spark he has often produced for Real Madrid. " No games go perfectly," Ronaldo said. " I'd have liked to have had more possession but it just wasn't possible." That absence of possession as the German defence efficiently closed him down may go some way to explaining Ronaldo's apparent rage in the final minutes of the match as Portugal battled for an equalizer. Ronaldo set up three chances, but none went in. Ronaldo prowled down the left flank but often was left rolling his eyes, blowing his cheeks and looking skywards as he was starved of possession. In the last minute, Ronaldo approached his team bench to ask for water. None of the staff got up to offer him some. Ronaldo shouted in anger, gesticulated and, when he was given a bottle, stood drinking with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. " Everyone knows the class of Ronaldo," Germany defender Jerome Boateng said. " You can't shut him down completely but we did well as a team. I think he had no more than two or three shots at goal." Ronaldo has yet to shine on the international stage and, at 27, this could be his last big chance. He came to prominence at Euro 2004, where he began moving into the role occupied by Luis Figo. Portugal reached the final in that tournament, and made it to the semifinals at the 2006 World Cup, but Ronaldo's best moments and claim to stardom have come from his time at Manchester United and now Real Madrid. The Lviv encounter with Germany was one of the most eagerly anticipated matches in the Euro 2012 group stage. Like Ronaldo, it failed to live up to expectations. To make things worse, longtime Barcelona rival Lionel Messi produced a hat trick Saturday to help Argentina to a 4- 3 win over Brazil. Messi has beaten Ronaldo to FIFA's world player of the year award three years in a row since the Portuguese forward's 2008 trophy. He also outscored Ronaldo in the Spanish league last season as the pair battled for supremacy. - The Associated Press Pressure's on host Ukraine By Mattias Karen Eyes of nation on crucial contest vs. Sweden Ronaldo stomps off in high dudgeon By Barry Hatton B_ 04_ Jun- 10- 12_ FP_ 01. indd B4 6/ 9/ 12 8: 49: 35 PM ;