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Fabregas, Cesc |
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Handanovic, Samir |
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Baptista, Julio |
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Robben, Arjen |
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Messi, Lionel |
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Pepe |
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Cannavaro, Paolo |
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Zanetti, Javier |
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Gobec, Sebastjan |
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Higuain, Gonzalo |
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In the first quarter-final of the UEFA Euro 2008 on Thursday evening, Germany won a 5 goal thriller to thread through to the semi-finals.Bastian Schweinsteiger gave the Germans the lead in the 21st minute and Miroslav Klose doubled the lead soon after. Portugal did try and get back but in the end lost the match 3-2.
First Half
The match had a cagey start to it as neither Portugal nor Germany wanted to throw themselves at the other. But it was the Germans who took the lead when the Bayern Munich winger Schweinsteiger rounded off a perfect German move orchestrated by captain Michael Ballack.
The Portuguese were taken aback by that goal and suddenly looked desperately lost as Klose scored a few minutes later, heading home a free-kick from a Schweinsteiger free-kick. Portugal did recover somewhat in the first half as Nuno Gomes pulled one back for Luiz Felipe Scolari's men just before half time.
Second Half
Portugal did come out more in the second half but were again failed by their suddenly vulnerable looking defence as Germany scored through their skipper Michael Ballack as Schweinsteiger, the man of the match, floated a perfect free-kick from the right on th hour mark. The Germans had understandably started to celebrate but Portugal striker Helder Prostiga tucked the ball past Jens Lehmann in the back of the German goal four minutes from stoppage time but the Germans held on their own and reached the last 4 of the competition.
Germany shall confront the winners of the Croatia-Turkey match, which is on Friday, in the semi-finals.
