UEFA Euro 2012 kicks-off tomorrow at Noon with co-host Poland taking on Euro 2004 winners Greece in the first of 31 matches concluding with the July 1st Final in Kiev. Who will win, lose and draw during the 12 day group stage and prevail to the elimination rounds. Will Germany be able to live up to lofty expectations? Will Poland prevail as dark horse favorites? Will the French offer redemption for an embarrassing World Cup 2010? TRF’s Euro 2012 predictions below are meant to engage and entertain. Match on!
THE GROUP STAGES: THE FIRST 8 MATCHES
Date | Match | The Real Futbol (TRF) Predictions | Time (EDT) | City |
June 8 | Poland vs. Greece [Group A] | Poland kicks-off Euros with convincing 2:0 win in front of a sold out home crowd. Look for Polish striker Lewandowski to deliver a double | 12 p.m. | Warsaw |
Russia vs. Czech Republic [Group A] | Russia and Czechs end day one of Euro 2012 with a 1:1 draw in the battle of the ‘underachievers’ of the qualifying rounds | 2:45 p.m. | Wroclaw | |
June 9 | Netherlands vs. Denmark [Group B] | WC 2010 Deja vu for Denmark: The Danes loose again — 1:3 to Holland. Get used to hearing Robijn, Van Persie, Hunterlaar and Sneijder … again and again | 12 p.m. | Kharkiv |
Germany vs. Portugal [Group B] | Germany starts strong on its quest to win its first Euro championship since 1996 … 2:0 vs. Portugal with goals by birthday boy Miro Klose and Lukas Podolski, both with deep Polish roots | 2:45 p.m. | Lviv | |
June 10 | Spain vs. Italy [Group C] | Both teams are big tournament slow starters. Get ready for a hard fought defensive battle ending in a 1:1 draw | 12 p.m. | Gdansk |
Republic of Ireland vs. Croatia [Group C] | Ireland is in the Group of Death #2 (behind #1 Group B) and will have a rough time vs. the disciplined Croatians. The Irish will lose their opener 1:2 in a match dominated by Luka Modric and Dortmund’s Ivan Perisic | 2:45 p.m. | Poznan | |
June 11 | France vs. England [Group D] | Both traditional powerhouses way under-performed at the World Cup so will look to impress. This one will end in a 0:0 draw with not much to cheer about | 12 p.m. | Donetsk |
Ukraine vs. Sweden [Group D] | Co-host Ukraine has to wait until day 4 to kick-off it’s Euro campaign and will hold on to a 2:2 draw against a Swedish side with an ‘in form’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic | 2:45 p.m. | Kiev |