European Teams Have Mixed Results
Four of the teams with a realistic chance to win the 16-nation European Championship, which starts in Portugal next weekend, played their final warm-up matches Saturday -- with mixed results.
England, Portugal and Spain all won, but the Netherlands suffered another setback, this time losing to Ireland, 1-0, at Amsterdam.
A goal by Robbie Keane just before halftime undid the Dutch, who in their previous game had lost to Belgium by the same score.
“We played a very poor match and it was clear that my team performed not as they were supposed to,” said Dutch Coach Dick Advocaat.
England, powered by two goals from teenage striker Wayne Rooney and two from Darius Vassell, rolled over Iceland, 6-1, at Manchester, where Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge also scored for Coach Sven Goran Eriksson’s squad.
Portugal romped past Lithuania, 4-1, at Setabul, as Fernando Couto, Pauleta Resendes, Nuno Gomes and Helder Postiga each scored for the Euro 2004 host.
Spain had an equally easy time of it against a similarly outclassed opponent as it routed Andorra, 4-0, at Getafe. Fernando Morientes, Ruben Baraja, Cesar and Juan Carlos Valeron each scored.
Sweden tuned up with a classy 3-1 victory over Poland at Stockholm behind goals by Henrik Larsson, Andreas Jakobsson and Marcus Allback.
In a match involving two teams headed for the June 12-July 4 tournament, Croatia overcame Denmark, 2-1, at Copenhagen. Croatia got goals from Tomislav Sokota and Ivica Olic before the Danes regrouped in the second half, when Ebbe Sand scored for them.
“If we play like we did in the first half, we don’t belong in Portugal,” said Danish Coach Morten Olsen.
*
Olympic Qualifying
Italy and Serbia and Montenegro qualified for the Athens Olympics on Saturday by winning their semifinal games at the European under-21 championships in Germany.
Two goals by Alberto Gilardino and another by Gianpiero Pinzi earned the Italians a 3-1 victory over Portugal and a berth in Athens. Serbia and Montenegro’s route was more difficult. It tied Sweden, 1-1, on a last-minute goal by Milos Maric, then advanced to the final, 6-5 on penalty kicks.
Haralampos Stefanidis, who had scored Sweden’s goal in regulation, missed the decisive penalty kick, thereby clinching a place in Athens for Serbia and Montenegro.
*
Chivas in Final
Chivas of Guadalajara advanced to the championship final of the Mexican league when it defeated Toluca, 2-0, at Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara.
Ramon Morales gave Chivas the lead in the 60th minute and Ramon Ramirez made sure of the victory with a goal seven minutes from the end.
Chivas goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez stopped a penalty kick by Israel Lopez in the 80th minute.
In the final, Chivas will play the winner of today’s other semifinal series involving the Pumas of UNAM and Cruz Azul.
The first game in that series ended 0-0 at Cruz Azul, so Pumas needs only a tie at home to advance because of its better finish in the regular season.
*
Cienfuegos Honored
A tearful Maurcio Cienfuegos was carried off the Home Depot Center field on the shoulders of former Galaxy teammate Jose Vasquez after playing in an emotional farewell match organized in his honor.
A team of El Salvador national team veterans defeated a Galaxy alumni team, 4-3, in a friendly, with Cienfuegos scoring the winning goal on a penalty kick after playing one half for each team.
The game attracted several thousand Salvadoran fans who came to recognize one of their own, a former El Salvador national team standout who had a tremendous influence during his eight seasons in Major League Soccer.
“I will remember that forever,” Cienfuegos said. “This is a priceless day for me.... I leave the game in peace. I have reached all the objectives I had set out for myself in soccer. I go satisfied.
“There may be some tears in my eyes, but they are tears of joy.”
*
-- Compiled by Grahame L. Jones
