We've reached Matchday 3 of the Group Stage, which means two teams won't be part of Euro 2012 anymore by this evening. If we're lucky, as fans, our Polish co-hosts won't be joining that group today.
I forget which ESPN commentator it was yesterday who said that the atmosphere around a big tournament finals like this always benefits the longer a host nation stays involved. I agree that it just seems to engage the neutral fans in every crowd a little more. After all, they're not just watching, they're scouting!
Sadly, I think Ukraine had their moment in the tournament in Match 1, and I don't see them advancing from Group D. That leaves it to Poland to represent for the hosts and keep that special buzz going for at least a few more days.
There are all kinds of hypotheticals inside of scenarios wrapped up with permutations of what can happen in Group A today. All four teams are alive, and some even have hopes of advancing with just a draw, but everyone will be playing to win. If everyone's got a chance to advance, that means everyone's got a chance to be eliminated, too.
I really don't know what will happen in the Russia/Greece match. Russia
should win based on form from the first two games, but history has shown the folly of betting against the Greeks in a Euro. I'll take Russia but not without reservations...I am fully back in the "
Arshavin is Awesome" camp, but I don't know if his teammates will continue playing so well.
Poland probably shouldn't be able to beat the Czechs, they have inferior talent and the Czechs looked like a completely different, much better team in Match 2 compared to Match 1. It's no stretch to assume them playing their best game so far against the hosts.
But I think we'll see a bit of magic today, with Poland winning their way to survival. I'm tipping Szczesny for a huge bounceback effort, a clean sheet, and elevation to national hero status.
