Word: rounded
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
There are lots of ways to win a football match, and the first round of Euro2008 offered the full menu. Portugal won through individual brilliance. Germany orchestrated a symphony of precision passing. Sweden displayed absolute determination against a Greece team equally determined to not let them play. Croatia exhibited the black art of protecting an early lead to its exhausting end while the Czech Republic gave testimony to that sporting proverb that sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. Spain's finishing was nothing less than exquisite, raising expectations yet again that this will be their year...
Sure, it's just the first round, but in this kind of tournament the first game sets the table. Which means, alas, that Austria and Switzerland, the co-hosts, are likely to go hungry. "That was a really hard loss," a Swiss friend e-mailed after his "Nati" went down, gamely, 1-0, to a competent if unimpressive Czech side to open the tourney. Too bad. Basel was ready to party...
...Oddly, the dominating performances by Portugal, Holland, Spain and Germany mean there are plenty of scraps left over for the runner-up spots and a place in the knockout round. And likely, a chance to be knocked out. Italy must find a way past Romania - certainly possible - and then play an out-of-form France for the second spot in Group C. Switzerland needs to beat Turkey to stay alive in Group A and possibly overtake the Czechs, who face Portugal. The Russians, who threatened the Spanish on a number of occasions, face a stubborn Greece and a rejuvenated Sweden...
...sympathy-has shifted decisively away from Tibet to China. Indeed, some observers say support in Western capitals for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, has lessened noticeably since the quake. They fear the shift is an opportunity for China to harden its position, setting off a new round of tension and violence...
...Thursday's opening round suggested, however, that the case will pivot on two factors: the rulings and conduct of Judge Ralph Kohlman, the Marine colonel presiding over the trial; and the wily intentions of Mohammed, who seems to be guiding his fellow defendants and setting defense strategy...