UEFA Euro 2008 Group C

Group C of UEFA Euro 2008 is one of four groups of competing nations at UEFA Euro 2008. The first of three rounds of matches took place on 9 June, and finished on 17 June. All six group matches were played at venues in Switzerland, in Zürich and Berne. The group is composed of 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists Italy and France, as well as the Netherlands and Romania. At the time of the draw, these countries' respective Elo rankings among European teams were 1st, 2nd, 4th and 8th, and as such the group has been dubbed the competition's "group of death".[1][2] Nevertheless, despite the strength of the four teams, Group C was the only group at Euro 2008 from which no team made it past the quarter-finals; Italy went out in the penalty shoot-out against Spain and the Netherlands lost against Russia.

A free kick in the match between Netherlands and Italy on 9 June

The Netherlands became the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals from Group C. In their first match, they beat the world champions, Italy, 3–0 in a display of counter-attacking football. Then, in their second game, they also beat the 2006 World Cup runners-up, France, 4–1. This left the French in a difficult position, having already played out a scoreless draw against Romania in the group's opening match. Romania also played out a draw against Italy in their second match, leaving them in second place going into the final round of group matches.

Italy finished as the second quarter-finalists, after they beat France 2–0 in their final game. French defender Eric Abidal was sent off just over a quarter of the way through the game for a foul on Luca Toni in the area; Andrea Pirlo converted the resulting penalty. Daniele De Rossi added the second goal from a deflected free kick just after the hour mark. Because of the Italian win, Romania had to beat the Netherlands to qualify for the quarters, but they were undone by a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar goal just after half-time, before Robin van Persie scored his second of the tournament three minutes from the end.[3]

Teams
Draw position Team Pot Method of
qualification		 Date of
qualification		 Finals
appearance		 Last
appearance		 Previous best
performance		 UEFA Rankings FIFA Rankings
June 2008
November 2007[nb 1] May 2008[nb 2]
C1 Netherlands1Group G runner-up17 November 20078th2004Winners (1988)1610
C2 Italy2Group B winner17 November 20077th2004Winners (1968)313
C3 Romania3Group G winner17 October 20074th2000Quarter-finals (2000)61212
C4 France4Group B runner-up17 November 20077th2004Winners (1984, 2000)1327

Notes

  1. The UEFA rankings of November 2007 were used for seeding for the final draw.
  2. UEFA unveiled a new ranking system in May 2008 based on results up to November 2007.

Standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands 3 3 0 0 9 1 +8 9 Advance to knockout phase
2  Italy 3 1 1 1 3 4 −1 4
3  Romania 3 0 2 1 1 3 −2 2
4  France 3 0 1 2 1 6 −5 1
Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the quarter-finals,

  • The winner of Group C, Netherlands, advanced to play the runner-up of Group D, Russia.
  • The runner-up of Group C, Italy, advanced to play the winner of Group D, Spain.

Matches
All times Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

Romania vs France
Romania 0–0 France
Report
Attendance: 30,585[4]
Romania[5]
France[5]
GK1Bogdan Lobonț
RB2Cosmin Contra 40'
CB4Gabriel Tamaș
CB15Dorin Goian 43'
LB3Răzvan Raț
RM11Răzvan Cociș 64'
CM6Mirel Rădoi 90+3'
LM5Cristian Chivu (c)
RF16Bănel Nicoliță
CF21Daniel Niculae 27'
LF10Adrian Mutu 78'
Substitutions:
MF8Paul Codrea 64'
FW18Marius Niculae 78'
MF20Nicolae Dică 90+3'
Manager:
Victor Pițurcă
GK23Grégory Coupet
RB19Willy Sagnol 51'
CB15Lilian Thuram (c)
CB5William Gallas
LB3Eric Abidal
CM20Jérémy Toulalan
CM6Claude Makélélé
RW22Franck Ribéry
LW7Florent Malouda
CF8Nicolas Anelka 72'
CF9Karim Benzema 78'
Substitutions:
FW18Bafétimbi Gomis 72'
MF11Samir Nasri 78'
Manager:
Raymond Domenech

Man of the Match:
Claude Makélélé (France)[4]

Assistant referees:
Juan Carlos Yuste Jiménez (Spain)
Jesús Calvo Guadamuro (Spain)
Fourth official:
Olegário Benquerença (Portugal)

Netherlands vs Italy
Netherlands 3–0 Italy
 Report
Attendance: 30,777[6]
Netherlands[7]
Italy[7]
GK1Edwin van der Sar (c)
RB2André Ooijer
CB21Khalid Boulahrouz 77'
CB4Joris Mathijsen
LB5Giovanni van Bronckhorst
CM17Nigel de Jong 58'
CM8Orlando Engelaar
RW18Dirk Kuyt 81'
AM23Rafael van der Vaart
LW10Wesley Sneijder
CF9Ruud van Nistelrooy 70'
Substitutions:
FW7Robin van Persie 70'
DF3John Heitinga 77'
MF20Ibrahim Afellay 81'
Manager:
Marco van Basten
GK1Gianluigi Buffon (c)
RB2Christian Panucci
CB6Andrea Barzagli
CB23Marco Materazzi 54'
LB19Gianluca Zambrotta 35'
CM13Massimo Ambrosini
CM21Andrea Pirlo
CM8Gennaro Gattuso 51'
RW16Mauro Camoranesi 75'
LW11Antonio Di Natale 64'
CF9Luca Toni 27'
Substitutions:
DF3Fabio Grosso 54'
FW7Alessandro Del Piero 64'
FW18Antonio Cassano 75'
Manager:
Roberto Donadoni

Man of the Match:
Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands)[6]

Assistant referees:
Stefan Wittberg (Sweden)
Henrik Andrén (Sweden)
Fourth official:
Damir Skomina (Slovenia)

Italy vs Romania
Italy 1–1 Romania
 Report
Attendance: 30,585[8]
Italy[9]
Romania[9]
GK1Gianluigi Buffon
RB19Gianluca Zambrotta
CB2Christian Panucci
CB4Giorgio Chiellini
LB3Fabio Grosso
CM21Andrea Pirlo 61'
CM10Daniele De Rossi 90+2'
RW16Mauro Camoranesi 85'
AM20Simone Perrotta 57'
LW7Alessandro Del Piero (c) 77'
CF9Luca Toni
Substitutions:
FW18Antonio Cassano 57'
FW15Fabio Quagliarella 77'
MF13Massimo Ambrosini 85'
Manager:
Roberto Donadoni
GK1Bogdan Lobonț
RB2Cosmin Contra
CB4Gabriel Tamaș
CB15Dorin Goian 73'
LB3Răzvan Raț
DM6Mirel Rădoi 25'
RM7Florentin Petre 60'
CM8Paul Codrea
LM5Cristian Chivu (c) 58'
SS10Adrian Mutu 43' 88'
CF21Daniel Niculae
Substitutions:
MF20Nicolae Dică 25'
MF16Bănel Nicoliță 60'
MF11Răzvan Cociș 88'
Manager:
Victor Pițurcă

Man of the Match:
Andrea Pirlo (Italy)[8]

Assistant referees:
Geir Åge Holen (Norway)
Jan Petter Randen (Norway)
Fourth official:
Ivan Bebek (Croatia)

Netherlands vs France
Netherlands 4–1 France
 Report
Attendance: 30,777[10]
Netherlands[11]
France[11]
GK1Edwin van der Sar (c)
RB21Khalid Boulahrouz
CB2André Ooijer 51'
CB4Joris Mathijsen
LB5Giovanni van Bronckhorst
CM17Nigel de Jong
CM8Orlando Engelaar 46'
RW18Dirk Kuyt 55'
AM23Rafael van der Vaart 78'
LW10Wesley Sneijder
CF9Ruud van Nistelrooy
Substitutions:
MF11Arjen Robben 46'
FW7Robin van Persie 55'
DF14Wilfred Bouma 78'
Manager:
Marco van Basten
GK23Grégory Coupet
RB19Willy Sagnol
CB15Lilian Thuram (c)
CB5William Gallas
LB13Patrice Evra
CM20Jérémy Toulalan 82'
CM6Claude Makélélé 32'
RW10Sidney Govou 75'
LW7Florent Malouda 60'
SS22Franck Ribéry
CF12Thierry Henry
Substitutions:
FW18Bafétimbi Gomis 60'
FW8Nicolas Anelka 75'
Manager:
Raymond Domenech

Man of the Match:
Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands)[10]

Assistant referees:
Carsten Kadach (Germany)
Volker Wezel (Germany)
Fourth official:
Grzegorz Gilewski (Poland)

Netherlands vs Romania
Netherlands 2–0 Romania
 Report
Attendance: 30,777[12]
Netherlands[13]
Romania[13]
GK16Maarten Stekelenburg
RB21Khalid Boulahrouz 58'
CB3John Heitinga (c)
CB14Wilfred Bouma
LB15Tim de Cler
CM6Demy de Zeeuw
CM8Orlando Engelaar
RW20Ibrahim Afellay
AM7Robin van Persie
LW11Arjen Robben 61'
CF19Klaas-Jan Huntelaar 83'
Substitutions:
DF12Mario Melchiot 58'
FW18Dirk Kuyt 61'
FW22Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink 83'
Manager:
Marco van Basten
GK1Bogdan Lobonț
RB2Cosmin Contra
CB4Gabriel Tamaș
CB14Sorin Ghionea
LB3Răzvan Raț
DM8Paul Codrea 72'
CM11Răzvan Cociș
CM5Cristian Chivu (c) 78'
RW16Bănel Nicoliță 82'
LW10Adrian Mutu
CF18Marius Niculae 59'
Substitutions:
FW21Daniel Niculae 59'
MF20Nicolae Dică 72'
MF7Florentin Petre 82'
Manager:
Victor Pițurcă

Man of the Match:
Robin van Persie (Netherlands)[12]

Assistant referees:
Matthias Arnet (Switzerland)
Stéphane Cuhat (Switzerland)
Fourth official:
Craig Thomson (Scotland)

France vs Italy
France 0–2 Italy
Report
Attendance: 30,585[14]
France[15]
Italy[15]
GK23Grégory Coupet
RB14François Clerc
CB5William Gallas
CB3Eric Abidal 24'
LB13Patrice Evra 18'
CM20Jérémy Toulalan
CM6Claude Makélélé
RW10Sidney Govou 47' 66'
LW22Franck Ribéry 10'
CF9Karim Benzema
CF12Thierry Henry (c) 85'
Substitutions:
MF11Samir Nasri 10' 26'
DF2Jean-Alain Boumsong 72' 26'
FW8Nicolas Anelka 66'
Manager:
Raymond Domenech
GK1Gianluigi Buffon (c)
RB19Gianluca Zambrotta
CB2Christian Panucci
CB4Giorgio Chiellini 45+4'
LB3Fabio Grosso
CM21Andrea Pirlo 44' 55'
CM10Daniele De Rossi
CM8Gennaro Gattuso 54' 82'
AM20Simone Perrotta 64'
CF9Luca Toni
CF18Antonio Cassano
Substitutions:
MF13Massimo Ambrosini 55'
MF16Mauro Camoranesi 64'
MF22Alberto Aquilani 82'
Manager:
Roberto Donadoni

Man of the Match:
Daniele De Rossi (Italy)[14]

Assistant referees:
Roman Slyško (Slovakia)
Martin Balko (Slovakia)
Fourth official:
Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

References
  1. Harrold, Michael (2 December 2007). "Group of Death draws mixed reaction". Euro 2008 official website. Union of European Football Associations. Archived from the original on 5 February 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  2. "Italy and France in Euro 2008 'group of death'". ESPN Soccernet. ESPN. 2 December 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  3. Chowdhury, Saj (11 June 2008). "France 0–2 Italy & Netherlands 2–0 Romania". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  4. "Full-time report Romania-France" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  5. "Team Line-ups – Group C – Romania-France" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  6. "Full-time report Netherlands-Italy" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  7. "Team Line-ups – Group C – Netherlands-Italy" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 9 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  8. "Full-time report Italy-Romania" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  9. "Team Line-ups – Group C – Italy-Romania" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  10. "Full-time Netherlands-France" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  11. "Team Line-ups – Group C – Netherlands-France" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 13 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  12. "Full-time report Netherlands-Romania" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  13. "Team Line-ups – Group C – Netherlands-Romania" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  14. "Full-time report France-Italy" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  15. "Team Line-ups – Group C – France-Italy" (PDF). Union of European Football Associations. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
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