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Watch live online Euro cup 2012 Italy v Ireland
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Italy's story of Euro 2012 so far has been a tale of two draws - one heralded, one lamented. After earning plaudits for their enterprising 1-1 stalemate with world champions Spain in their opening game, the same team and the same tactics were far less celebrated when they were held to the same scoreline by Croatia. Cesare Prandelli's 3-5-2 formation operated fluently for a game-and-a-half until Slaven Bilic's tactical tinkering at the interval halted its momentum, blunting Italy's wing backs and forcing them deeper into their own half. Despite some efficient forward movement, they have registered only two goals - the last an expertly taken free-kick from the evergreen Andrea Pirlo. His midfield prompting has been one of...
Euro Cup 2012 Croatia v Spain
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Spain and Croatia head into this match knowing that a 2-2 draw will be enough to secure both teams a place in the quarter-finals and, not surprisingly, it has been suggested in some quarters that's exactly what they'll play out at the PGE Arena in Gdansk. Level on four points, top spot in the group and a supposedly easier opponent in the quarter-finals awaits the victor. But defeat carries a hefty penalty and could leave either side heading home, provided Italy, who trail the duo by two points, beat already eliminated Ireland. However, both camps have furiously denied that there'll be even a slight hint of collusion. Asked if Spain would consider playing for the draw, midfielder Xavi...
Watch Live Sweden v England Euro Cup 2012
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Preview England take on Sweden in a crucial encounter in Kiev as both teams chase their first win in Group Roy Hodgson's Three Lions earned a creditable 1-1 draw in their opener against France, but the Swedes slipped to a 2-1 defeat by co-hosts Ukraine. Hodgson is expecting a tough examination of his side in the Olympic Stadium but will not be looking to radically revamp his side. "There won't be wholesale changes, that's for certain because we don't have any injury problems and the players who did well against France are all hoping to get picked to play again," he said. Striker Danny Welbeck started against France and he is targeting goals, as he said: "You'll see...
Watch Live Ukraine v France Euro Cup 2012
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Talk about everything going according to the script. Ukraine, the co-hosts, could hardly have had a better night than they did against Sweden in Kiev. Before a noisy and expectant crowd, the key questions were answered: could they handle the occasion? Could they score goals? Could Andriy Shevchenko, the 35-year-old talisman and national sporting hero, make the impact supporters craved? With the exception of a very jittery finale during which Johan Elmander missed a glorious chance to spoil things with an equaliser, Ukraine were energetic and enterprising. They reacted brilliantly after falling behind to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's strike, maintaining their belief and upping the tempo, and the two superbly-taken Shevchenko goals that followed showed that the old stager still...
Steelers to release Hines Ward
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Hines Ward's constant, ear-to-ear smile tucked behind a black facemask has been a lasting image for Pittsburgh Steelers fans the past 14 seasons. They won't see it again. At least, not in a black-and-gold uniform. The franchise's all-time leader in just about every meaningful receiving category will be released sometime in the next two weeks said president Art Rooney II on the team's website on Wednesday. "We had a conversation today with Hines Ward and informed him that we plan to release him of his contract prior to the start of the 2012 NFL calendar year," Rooney said. "Hines has been an integral part of our success since we drafted him in 1998, and we will forever be...
England 2-3 Holland Goals and Official Highlights 29/2/12
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An absorbing second-half of football at Wembley produced five goals, three of them for Holland, as Stuart Pearce's big night as England Caretaker Manager ended in a cruel, cruel defeat. A 90th-minute chip from Ashley Young appeared to have handed England a 2-2 draw, but former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben popped up just moments later to curl home his second goal of the night and give the 2010 World Cup runners-up a late victory. Robben fired Holland ahead in the 57th-minute, finishing of a clinical counter-attacking move, and substitute Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, on for Robin van Persie at half-time, thundered home a header just moments later to make it 2-0, but clashed heads with Chris Smalling in the process....
Ryan Braun's 50-Game Suspension Overturned
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NL MVP Ryan Braun said all along that his 50-game suspension for a positive drug test would be overturned. He was right. Arbitrator Shyam Das threw out Braun's ban on Thursday, making the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder the first Major League Baseball player to successfully challenge a drug-related penalty in a grievance. "It is the first step in restoring my good name and reputation," Braun said. "We were able to get through this because I am innocent and the truth is on our side." Braun tested positive in October for elevated testosterone, which was revealed by ESPN in December. He reports Friday to spring training with the threat of suspension lifted. "Since joining our organization in 2005, Ryan Braun...