Why always you Mario? I wonder, but for now it’s nearly the end of the group stages. Yes, the shit teams are going home which means we have a competition of quality, and Greece, to look forward to in the next few days. You can now add Spain and Italy into the quarter finals, which suprises nobody as the two favourites of Group C beat Croatia and Republic of Ireland respectively.
Spain played out a nervy performance against a defiant and vibrant Croatian side with a 1-0 win. A late Jesus Navas goal from a brilliant lobbed through ball by Cesc Fabregas put the favourites through, but Croatia looked like scoring more regularly than the Spanish but it was always going to be Spain.
As for the other game in group C, it was more a walkover as Italy demolished the poor Irish 2-0. Ireland never turned up for a bit of pride as Italy took control as striker Antonio Cassano headed them into a first half lead on the stroke of half time, before THAT man Mario Balotelli scored an acrobatic volley from a corner, whilst in his celebrations shouting something that forced his teammate to gag him. Always have to do something don’t you Mario?
So no shocks in Group C, but Slaven Billic can leave Croatia with pride. As for Trapattoni, well Italians managing British teams never worked out too well ey?
By Jason Barr
