title since winning the European Championship final in 1964. Here also are images of El Nino celebrating after scoring what would be the game winner and of goalkeeper Iker Casillas lifting the European Championship trophy.
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tty Images
EURO 2008 and sent the Spaniards into this coming Sunday's title match at Vienna against three-time champions Germany. This is Spain's first final in a major tournament since losing the 1984 European final. They are gunning for their first Euro title since 1964.
nday's EURO 2008 final at Vienna.
s as Spain won their contest with Italy by winning the penalty kick shootout 4-2, after 120 scoreless minutes. Next up for the Spaniards, a semifinal encounter with Russia this coming Thursday in Vienna.
the winner or Sunday's Spain-Italy match this coming Thursday in Vienna. Pictured here are happy Russian players celebrating.
ictured here is Turkish goalkeeper Rustu Recber making the game winning save in the shootout. Turkey became the first team in European Championships history to register three come-from-behind wins.
ursday in EURO 2008 play. The Germans will play the winner of Friday's Croatia-Turkey match in next Wednesday's semifinal contest at Basel.
seen here mobbed by teammates) lifted Russia to a 2-0 win over Sweden to reach the quarterfinal round.
. The defending champions were the only team in the group stage field to lose all three of their games.
(54', seen here celebrating with Arjen Robben) and Robin van Persie (87') lifted the Netherlands to a 2-0 win over Romania. The Dutch swept all three of their group stage encounters while the loss eliminated the Romanians from the tournament.
and Daniele De Rossi (62'), defeated France 2-0, and, coupled with Romania's loss to the Netherlands, advanced to the quarterfinal round, where they will play Spain this coming Sunday in Vienna.
match as Germany defeated Austria 1-0 to advance to the quarterfinal round, where they will next play Portugal. That's the Chelsea star pictured here celebrating with Arne Friedrich.
the quarterfinals.
had scored at 75 minutes) allowed Turkey to bounce back from a two-goal second-half deficit to stun the Czech Republic 3-2 and earn a quarterfinal round berth. They will play Croatia this coming Friday.
Hakan Yakin (pictured here celebrating) scored both goals (71', PK-83') as already-eliminated Switzerland avoided going through their EURO 2008 campaign pointless and winless with a 2-0 win over quarterfinal round-bound Portugal, who rested several of their front-line players.
champions from the tournament.I wonder if these developments would have any effect on Steaua Bucharest's status.
penalty kick with nine minutes remaining to enable Italy to gain a 1-1 draw with Romania, allowing both teams to remain in contention for a quarterfinal round berth, heading into next Tuesday's concluding contests. Adrian Mutu scored in the 55th minute to put Romania ahead, only to see Christian Panucci equalize for the Azzurri one minute later.
Robben (72') , and Wesley Sneijder (90'+2) lifted the Netherlands to a 4-1 game two fistbeating of France. The Dutch assured themselves of winning Group C and, after next Tuesday's match with Romania, will play the second place team from Group D in the quarterfinals on June 21.Of course, the fact that the U.S. failed to score during their recent run of killer friendlies should be enough to temper any overconfidence. The Americans did show significantly more attacking verve in last Sunday's 0-0 draw with Argentina, yet the goals didn't come. According to midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who was among the more impressive performers against the Albiceleste, there is little worry in the U.S. camp.
"We're not panicking," Beasley said. "Obviously in the games it's been a little frustrating because we haven't been scoring goals. We know it will come ... We just need to be more patient in the final third. We know that if we compose ourselves around the goal then we'll be fine."
Bradley indicated that he expects Barbados to play a typical Caribbean style, with the Bajans combining physical play with a smattering of individual flair, especially through captain Norman Forde.
guided Croatia to a 2-1 victory over Germany to clinch a berth in the quarterfinal round.
berth in the quarterfinals. Roger Guerreiro provided Poland with their one score at 30 minutes.The New England Revolution have been drawn against Joe Public FC of Trinidad & Tobago, one of three qualifiers from the Caribbean region. Two-time Trinidad & Tobago Pro League champions, last in 2006, Joe Public FC are currently fifth in their domestic league, at the midway point of the campaign. They faced MLS competition once in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup -- an 8-0 quarterfinal thrashing by D.C. United in 1998, as United were on their way to becoming the first U.S. team to ever win the continental club championship.
Chivas USA have been drawn against Panamanian side Tauro FC, winners of Panama's Torneo ANAPROF Apertura last year, and runners-up in the Apertura in May. Tauro have won seven ANAPROF championship since the development of the professional league in 1988, most of any club.
In addition, Toronto FC could win advancement to the preliminary stage by winning the Canadian Championship, a round-robin that also includes the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps of the USL First Division. Toronto FC started their trek with a 1-0 victory in Montreal last month.
The other two MLS participants, D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo, have been seeded directly into the group stage, which will consist of four groups of four teams each and begin play in September. The groups will be announced on Mon., June 16.
This new tournament replaces the old CONCACAF Champions Cup, won recently by Mexican club Pachuca.
Ricardo Quaresma (90'+2') lifted Portugal to a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic, thus clinching a berth in the quarterfinal round.
nd Arda Turan (90'+2), came from behind to defeat Switzerland 2-1 to stay alive in the tournament-----and in the process, eliminated the co-hosts.
clubbing of Russia in the opening match for both national teams. Here's the Hat Trick man celebrating one of his tallies.
Austria:
Romanians' Gabriel Tamas and France's Florent Malouda battling for the ball.
ere celebrating), and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (79'), the Netherlands handed Italy their worst-ever European Championships defeat 3-0.
Lukas Podolski's double (20', 72') provided all the scoring as Germany blanked Poland 2-0. That's Cool Hand Luk pictured here.
scored the lone goal of the match (71') as the Czech Republic defeated co-host Switzerland 1-0 in the opening match of the Euro 2008 finals on Saturday. 
), defeated Turkey 2-0 in their Group A opener.The League Two club has been sanctioned for paying agents via a third party instead of through the Football League, but it was cleared of paying kickbacks.
The punishment imposed by a Football Association regulatory commission will see the club start next season with minus-15 points. It was also fined 50,000 pounds (C$29,000).
A five-year ban from football was imposed on former chairman Bill Tomlins, who was also fined along with three former directors. Six agents have been sanctioned and warned about their future conduct.
"There can be no doubt that Luton Town Football Club, between July 2004 and February 2007, was run with a flagrant disregard for the regulations laid down to protect the game," said commission chairman Peter Griffiths.
The win increased Australia's lead atop Group One, with seven points from three games. Iraq has just one point from three games, with the top two from the four-team group to progress to the next round. Qatar hosts China on Monday.
Iraq's preparations were hampered when it was suspended from international competition on Tuesday night and only reinstated on Thursday, three days ahead of the Brisbane match.
Football's world governing body conditionally and provisionally lifted the ban after the Iraqi government reinstated the national football federation that had been disbanded the previous week.
