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Old 2004-06-14, 20:32   Link #110
Scrumhalf
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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The Euro 2004 Football Championships.


Best of the day - June 14
We look at the best action from today's games in Euro 2004.
by Graeme Bailey - Last Updated 14 Jun 2004

Player of the day - Henrik Larsson

The Celtic legend showed why the Swedes were so desperate to get him back into the international fold.

Two superb finishes helped Sweden to a comfortable victory over Bulgaria - the first of which was brilliant, but more of that later!

The two goalkeepers from the opening match, Thomas Sorensen and Gianluigi Buffon, both produced tremendous displays in the opening game, but Larsson was clearly the Player of the day.



Goal of the day - Henrik Larsson

Larsson had been fairly quiet until just before the hour mark when he grabbed two goals in 60 seconds - the first of which takes our Goal of the day accolade.

The move was sublime as Erik Edman broke down the left and crossed deep into the back post for Larsson to dive brilliantly to connect with the header and direct it towards goal.

The goal was true magic and only a few players in the world could have scored it, luckily for Sweden one of those is Larsson.

Save of the day - Thomas Sorensen



Aston Villa star Thomas Sorensen was in the running for our Player of the day after a wonderful performance in Denmark's 0-0 draw with Italy.

A host of saves made by Sorensen could have been named as our Save of the day.

The one which we went for was his second in a brilliant double save he made in denying Alessandro Del Piero and then Francesco Totti.

Del Piero tested Sorensen from 12 yards, and just moments later Totti drilled a deflected effort at goal - but somehow Sorensen managed to scoop his right hand behind himself and stop the ball from crossing the line.

Pass of the day - Erik Edman



The Heerenveen full back had a very solid game and he came up with the brilliant ball which turned the game.

Sweden had been under pressure at just 1-0 up when Edman broke down the left and spotted Larsson on the back post.

He crossed deep and with superb accuracy which allowed Larsson to dive and convert with great aplomb.

Miss of the day - Zoran Jankovic



Things could have been so different for the Bulgarians had Jankovic converted his great chance.

The chance came at 1-0 and Bulgaria were very much on top.

Martin Petrov created the opportunity and crossed for Jankovic, but he headed wide from just six yards - a miss that proved very costly.

Dive of the day - Henrik Larsson

Not in the normal sense of the phrase, our Dive of the day is actually a positive thing.

This was not an attempt to win a free kick/penalty - rather it was Larsson's efforts in scoring his first goal, a brilliant full stretch dive to head home.

Tactic of the day - Morten Olsen



For once Mr Larsson misses out, the honour for Tactic of the day goes to Dane Morten Olsen.

The veteran coach made a great choice in playing Thomas Helveg at full back and bringing Daniel Jensen in to play in midfield.

Playing Helveg at full back added an extra attacking dimension to the Danes' play and Italy could not cope with his marauding runs.

Celebration of the day - Henrik Larsson

It could only be one man after his brilliant comeback for Sweden. Celtic fans will never again see Larsson in the famous green and white with his arms out accompanied by his big tongue - but the Swedish fans surely will!

http://www.euro2004.com/

http://www.football365.com/

http://www.soccernet.com/
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