Host hoodoo continues at Euro

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For the third major football tournament in succession, the host hasn’t qualified for the second round. Euro 2008 was a roaring success on and off the field but co-hosts Austria and Switzerland failed to cash in on their fans’ support as they crashed out at the group stage itself.

Few expected South Africa to survive the first round at the 2010 World Cup. Bafana Bafana weren’t so bad in the end, even though they couldn’t advance to the knock-out round. Poland and Ukraine, co-hosts of Euro 2012, had a great chance to snap the trend.

They both had a straightforward task of winning their final group game to realise their primary objective, but neither of them could deliver.

The threat of a group stage failure for the host is minimal at the 2014 World Cup because the mega event will be staged in the spiritual home of football: Brazil.

Where are the penalties?

Either the referees at Euro 2012 are stingy or forwards have abandoned diving because only a solitary penalty was awarded in the entire group stage, comprising 24 matches.

Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny conceded a spot-kick for a clumsy tackle on Greek substitute Dimitris Salpingidis in the Euro opener.

The number of penalties is unusually low in a tournament as big as Euro. There were also not many raging debates about penalties denied.

Maybe the main referees are doing their job well. Direct red cards have also been at a premium. Barring the one that was flashed on Szczesny for the penalty tackle, there was no direct red in 24 matches.

Redemption for Karagounis

The transformation of Greek captain Giorgos Karagounis from villain to hero was complete in three matches. Karagounis had a great opportunity to put his team 2-1 ahead in their opener against Poland in Group A.

But the midfielder’s nerves betrayed him as he fired a tame shot, which was easily saved. Greece entered their final group game against leaders Russia with just a point and little hope.

The complexion of the match changed at the stroke of half-time when Karagounis capitalised on Russia’s poor defending of a throw-in near the half-way line.

The Greek captain, one of the surviving members of his country’s fairy tale triumph in Euro 2004, dribbled the ball for about 40 yards before drilling it past the despairing dive of the Russian goalkeeper.

The strike helped Greece make it to the quarterfinals against heavy odds. But Karagounis will not take the field against Germany on Friday because he is suspended for the quarterfinal with two yellow cards.

‘UNSUNG’ Pirlo deserves more

Andrea Pirlo is one of the unsung heroes of modern football. The Italian midfielder is one of the most influential players at Euro 2012.

He had a hand in all the four goals the Azzurri have scored so far. He set up Antonio di Natale with a sumptuous through-ball against Spain before finding the target himself with a superb free-kick against Croatia.

Pirlo supplied the corner kicks that resulted in Italy’s goals in a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in their final group game.

What else does Pirlo — winner of the World Cup, the Champions League and multiple Serie A titles — have to do to reach the pedestal occupied by Xavi and Iniesta?