The Kyiv Post’s editors and reporters have picked their favorites for Euro 2012.
Mark Rachkevych, James Marson and Matt Pentz are sports enthusiasts who like to think they know what they’re talking about. They chose the winners based on detailed knowledge of players and teams. Brian Bonner, the Kyiv Post’s chief editor, picked his winners based on “gut feeling” and economic performance.
Group A
James
Winner – Russia. After making the semifinals at Euro 2008, Russia has the players and experience to win the group.
Runner-up – Poland. Group A is the weakest group, which gives the co-host a strong chance of reaching the quarterfinals.
Mark
Winner – Russia. The Russians will come out on top despite two important matches against Poland and the Czech Republic, both of which carry historical significance for the smaller countries.
Runner-up – Poland. History is on Poland’s side. The host country failed to advance only once in the Euro (in 2008) so I expect the Poles to be fueled by national pride and the skills of their Borussia Dortmund players.
Matt
Winner – Russia. Russia has fallen a long way since their stunning run to the Euro quarterfinals in 2008, and their strong generation of players is either at or toward the end oftheir primes. For now, though, Russia has too much talent not to top this group.
Runner-up – Poland. The co-host will ride the wave of home support and three Borussia Dortmund standouts into the knockout stages. Striker Robert Lewandowskiandwinger JakubBłaszczykowski will spearhead what can, at times, be a dangerous Polish attack, while right backŁukasz Piszczek will need to be at the top of his game to marshal a shaky back line.
Brian
Winner – Poland; runner- up – Czech Republic.
I’m taking Poland for first place and the Czech Republic for second place, based on the fact that these are the two strongest economies among European Union nations in the group.
Group B
James
Winner – Germany. Even when they’re bad, the Germans are good. And this team is very good, so it’ll have no problems, even in a tough group.
Runner-up – Netherlands. Portugal could make it through, but it’s hard to see how the Dutch could fail to qualify with players like Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie up front.
Mark
Winner – Germany. The Germans are almost too good. They’re clinical, combinative play will be too much for Group B.
Runner-up – Netherlands. The Dutch are always close to the soccer summit. They should make it out for a re-match with Germany in the finals.
Matt
Winner – Germany. This team perfectly blends youth and experience, attack and defense. This squad has an attacking flair not normally seen fromDie Mannschaft and will be eager to turn that potential into a trophy. Even in a group as loaded as this, Germany shouldn’t been too stretched to make it to the quarters.
Runner-up – Netherlands. The Dutch front four could start in just about any club side in the world – it is a measure of their attacking prowess that Rafael van der Vaart will likely be coming off the bench. The back line is a different story, but the strik force is enough to send them through.
Brian
Winner – Germany, runner-up – Netherlands. These picks are based largely on the strength of the two economies, plus I also heard good things about these teams.
Group C
James
Winner – Spain. Defending world and European champion. Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas. No further comment.
Runner-up – Croatia. Italy is in disarray amid match-fixing allegations and following a 3-0 loss to Russia. Fingers crossed for Ukraine’s adopted hero – Shakhtar Donetsk’s and Croatia’s captain Dario Srna.
Mark
Winner – Spain. They’re getting to be predicable, and everyone has studied how Chelsea beat Barcelona, whose DNA runs strong in the national team. But I don’t expect the Spaniards to rest on their laurels.
Runner-up – Italy. This is a young, dynamic team that has rediscovered its mojo. Watch out for the Italians. They might go further than many people think.
Matt
Winner – Spain. Spain may be lacking in hunger after winning two straight major tournaments, but the motivation to avoid France in the quarter-finals should be enough to light a fire. Expect La Furia Roja to stutter through the mediocre group but to have their talent carry them to the top.
Runner-up – Ireland. The Irish will out catenaccio Italy to sneak into the knockout rounds. The strong emphasis on defense may have been born in the Mediterranean nation, but it is the Irish who perfected it during their qualification campaign. Outside of the favored Spanish, this group is up for grabs, and the practical style of grinding out results will carry Ireland through.
Brian
Winner – Spain, runner-up – Italy. This is largely a grouping of sick economies, so I will take the traditional powerhouses Spain to take first place and Italy second place.
Group D
James
Winner – France. France is looking dangerous coming into the tournament, including a win against Germany in Germany in February.
Runner-up – Ukraine. England is a mess; Sweden is O.K. but not great. This is Ukraine’s chance. Ukrayina vpered! Go Ukraine!
Mark
Winner – France. Who else? Blanc has molded a fine team that has a lot of depth and which is dangerous in open-field play. Not many can match up to their style of play, and should they choose to go head-to-head in open field, look for France to punish them for that mistake.
Runner-up – England. New coach Roy Hodgson has given the team a lot of confidence simply for being English. Maybe this is what the group of underachievers need…is an English coach again?
Matt
Winner – France. Don’t look now, but France has emerged from the ashes of World Cup 2010 as a dark horse title candidate. Unbeaten in 21 matches, a new generation of Les Blues looks headed for a bright future. Expect France to roll through the group, clinching top spot by the final day and leaving the others to fight for second.
Runner-up – Sweden. Sweden has the best setup of the group. A draw in their opener against Ukraine will set up a likely winner-take-all showdown with England on match day two. Fortunately for the Swedes, they’ll be playing an English side without Wayne Rooney – who will then return to eliminate the hosts on the final day.
Brian
Winner – Ukraine, runner-up – Sweden. I am going with Ukraine in first place for purely hometown sentimental reasons, and Sweden in second place on the strength of its economy. Favored France and England are in for a wake-up call, France because of its lethargic socialist economy and England because it is in recession again.
Quarterfinal winners:
James
Netherlands – The Dutch will avenge their quarterfinal defeat of 2008.
Germany – Poland will have no chance.
Spain – The heart wants Ukraine to win, the head says no way.
France – Les Bleus will complete a quartet of traditional powers in the semis by seeing off Croatia.
Mark
Netherlands – The Oranje will overpower the Russians.
Germany – The Germans will methodically dismantle the Poles.
France – France will beat Italy on penalties, a reversal of fortune of their 2006 World Cup final match.
Spain – England could upset them the Chelsea way, but the Spaniards will make enough adjustments on the wings.
Matt
Poland – Poland will stun Germany in front of one of what will have to be one of the great atmospheres in football history. Poland has never between their rivals, but the stars are aligned for the Poles.
Netherlands – The Dutch will take advantage of a fortuitous draw out of the second spot and comprehensively knock Russia out. The Russians look far from ready for hosting World Cup 2018.
Spain – The reigning champ will survive a scare from the confident Swedes, with the defending champions looking far from their best but scraping through in extra time.
France – The French will win one of the most exciting games of the round. Ireland’s resolution will hold for normal time before breaking as fatigue takes hold.
Brian
Germany – Germany will beat the Czech Republic because it’s a much more powerful nation.
Poland – Ukraine’s neighbor will beat Netherlands because it’s a co-host city with a good economy.
Sweden – The Swedes will beat Spain, because the Spanish economy is tanking and consumed by debt fears.
Ukraine – The Yellow-Blues will beat Italy because of homefield advantage, and Italy’s economy also is flagging.
Semifinal winners
James
Spain – Netherlands is good. Spain is better.
Germany – Who cares what happened in the friendly earlier this year? The Germans know how to fin semifinals.
Mark
Netherlands – The Dutch will avenge Spain for their 2010 World Cup final loss.
Germany – It’ll be a beautiful game against France, but the French won’t penetrate Germany’s defense with The National Team’s superior firepower.
Matt
Netherlands – The Dutch will win the rematch of the World Cup 2010 final in comprehensive fashion. Manager Bert van Marwijk finally lets his attack off the leash and the Dutch run uncontested through the tired Spanish defense.
France – Les Bleus will end the co-host’s miracle run in the game of the tournament before an ear-shattering crowd in Warsaw. A back-and-forth game will be decided 3-2 by a late France strike.
Brian
Germany and Poland – I see Germany advancing to the final match by beating Ukraine, with Poland beating Sweden.
Champion
James
Germany – Germany has the defensive qualities to block out Spain, and the firepower to avenge its semifinal defeat at the 2010 World Cup.
Mark
Netherlands – This is based on a gut feeling. I think the Dutch will win dramatically, with Sneijder and Huntelaar providing crucial goals.
Matt
Netherlands – After decades of wowing the world with flowing, attacking football, the Netherlands went in the opposite direction at the 2010 World Cup. The Dutch won few admirers with their gritty, defensive style of play, but rode it all the way to the final. The resulting blowback from the Dutch public, which has long demanded an aesthetically pleasing game, has forced him to rethink his tactics. The result is a perfect balance between old and new, resiliency and style that will be too much for the young French.
Brian
Germany – Germany will beat Poland for the championship because, historically, Germany beats Poland.
