Yes, I know it’s day two, but I’ve been travelling… Here’s some blethering for now.
Shame it couldn’t have been as sunny and still as it had been the day before as the staff erected their components of the Gothenburg Fan Zone and various bits of their stands wobbled precariously in the gusty breeze. We shouldn’t have worried though, as the growing waves of yellow gathered around the streets, bars and eateries leading to the Gamla Ullevi, so the temperature also gradually rose. By kick off the sky was a blue as the flashes on the Swedish kit and the atmosphere was ripe with a sense of anticipation and impending celebration.
I love my job. I don’t say that to sound smug or lord it, just want to emphasise that I don’t take it for granted at all. It nearly transpired that I was going to have to watch the host’s opening game on a little or big screen (and it was BIG, see the back of it in the pic above), much as I had watched parts of the Finland v Italy bore draw, earlier in the evening. Thanks to some phone calls, a coveted seat inside the arena was found and so I got the full experience. The opening ceremony was neat and certainly not OTT. The crowd clapped along politely (especially at the lady in the giant, fancy toilet roll cover holder thing like my Great Aunt Helene used to have in her bathroom) and with contained but palpable excitement. They cheered whenever their team were mentioned, they waved flags and the sun came out and shone on their shiny, bright yellow and blue.
(Look it’s the ‘English’ girls running on the pitch! Woohoo!)
And then their team were outplayed by Denmark, for pretty much the entire first half. Denmark played with a refreshing zeal to run with the ball when possible, to play quick sharp passes in tight spaces, retain possession and play it slowly when necessary and stick their foot in whenever the chance arose. They were directed and marshalled by their superb captain, the veteran (but still able to cut it against the speedy Swedish forwards) Katrine Pedersen. She anchored the midfield and dropped back to play out from defence (both full backs pushing high and wide – why Sweden didn’t mark her or close her down I’m not sure) and to help out when necessary. Theresa Nielsen was a revelation to me as Denmark’s attacking right full back and the much vaunted Pernille Harder showed some silky touches in the first half but faded a little in the second period.
Their 4-3-3 was exciting to watch and they defended fairly well against a blunt Swedish forward line, with Lotta Schelin pretty quiet (though the crowd cheered expectantly whenever she was near the ball) and Kosovare Asllani trying but not quite achieving. But they could have lost it all, if their keeper Petersen (and Player of the Match) hadn’t stopped two second half penalties – admittedly dreadful spotkick attempts from Schelin and then Asllani – for a tackle on the edge of the box from Orntoft and a handball off a wicked volley by Hammarstrom.
(Missed! You muppet! Hands on head moment as Schelin’s pen is saved. A woman just to the right of me kept hitting her head with one of the folded banners they were handing out outside the ground, out of frustration!)
Both keepers had solid games in a lively encounter. Knudsen’s opener (16 mins), when the Swedish defence opened up for her and she kept running and slotted a nice low drive into the bottom corner, was cancelled out – a little out of the blue – by Nilla Fishcer’s glancing back header from a Sara Thunebro free kick (around the 34 min mark). 1-1 seems a fair result and leaves plenty more to play for in Group A.
What did I learn from DAY ONE of Euro 2013? That you aren’t allowed to take bottles of water into the stadia, that is, unless the security man who tells you this, then lifts yer top up and shoves the bottle up there to hide it! :O Funny though. I think it sums up the Swedes I have encountered so far.
I’ll add more to this later, OH GOD you say, yes there is a bit more…after the game tonight.
Already Vaxjo is alive with German fans (flags out of cars, train windows, you name it) and merry folk in orange (drinking in the Fan Zone rather early!)…and Norway lead Iceland 1-0 just before HT. Cor blimey guv’nor, love footie me!
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