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Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Euro 2012 Soccer Championship, Part 2: The action

It’s been an action-packed tournament, to soccer fans’ delight, with more than two dozen matches played in Poland and the Ukraine during the European 2012 Soccer Championship. It’s down to four teams from the sixteen that qualified, and the final match will be played July 1 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev.


Ukrainian forward Andriy Voronin (right) vies with Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Ukraine and Sweden on June 11 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. Ukraine won 2-1. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP/Getty Images)


English goalkeeper Joe Hart (right) vies with Italian forward Mario Balotelli during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between England and Italy on June 24 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. Italy won in a shootout. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images)


Portugal's Hugo Almeida scores a disallowed goal past Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech (right) as Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (top) looks on during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Portugal in Warsaw, Poland on June 21. Portugal won 1-0. (Gero Breloer/Associated Press)


Players of England and France 's national soccer team during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between France and England on June 11 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. The match ended in a tie 1-1. (Franck Fife/AFP/Getty Images)


Cristiano Ronaldo (right) of Portugal scores his team's second goal past Maarten Stekelenburg of the Netherlands during the Euro 2012 group B match between Portugal and Netherlands at Metalist Stadium on June 17 in Kharkov, Ukraine. Portugal won 2-1. (


England's Steven Gerrard (left) and Ukraine's Denys Garmash challenge for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group D match between England and Ukraine in Donetsk, Ukraine on June 19. England won 1-0. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)


Poland's Dariusz Dudka kicks the ball during the Group A Euro 2012 soccer match against Czech Republic at the City stadium in Wroclaw on June 16. Czech Republic won 1-0.


French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris (right) stops a shot by Spanish forward Fernando Torres during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between Spain and France on June 23 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. Spain won 2-0. (Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images)


Czech Republic's Milan Baros jumps over Poland goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Czech Republic and Poland in Wroclaw, Poland on June 16. Czech Republic won 1-0. (Antonio Calanni/Associated Press)


Greece's Costas Katsouranis is carried off on a stretcher after an injury during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Greece and Russia in Warsaw on June 16. Greece won 1-0. (Gero Breloer/Associated Press)


Greece's goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis (top) fails to save a goal by Germany's Sami Khedira during their Euro 2012 quarterfinal soccer match at the PGE Arena in Gdansk on June 22. Germany won 4-2. (Pascal Lauener/Reuters)


Portuguese forward Hugo Almeida (left) vies with Czech forward Jan Rezek during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between the Czech Republic and Portugal on June 21 at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Portugal won 1-0. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)


Greece's Giorgos Karagounis appeals for a penalty during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Greece and Russia in Warsaw, Poland on June 16. Greece won 1-0. (Gero Breloer/Associated Press)


English forward Wayne Rooney scores during a Group D match between England and Ukraine on June 19 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk during the Euro 2012 soccer championships. England won 1-0. (Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images)


Czech defender David Limbersky reacts at the end of the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Portugal on June 21 at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Portugal won 1-0. (Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images)


Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after winning the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between the Czech Republic and Portugal on June 21. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)


Netherlands' Arjen Robben heads the ball during their Group B Euro 2012 soccer match against Portugal at the Metalist stadium in Kharkiv on June 17. Portugal won 2-1. (Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters)


Spain's Jesus Navas scores a goal as Croatian players claim offside during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group C match between Croatia and Spain in Gdansk, Poland on June 18. Spain won 1-0. (Gero Breloer/Associated Press)


Russian forward Pavel Pogrebnyak heads the ball during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Greece and Russia on June 16 at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Greece won 1-0. (Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images)


Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben eyes the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championships match between Portugal and Netherlands on June 17 at the Metalist stadium in Kharkiv. Portugal won 2-1. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images)


Italyís Andrea Pirlo scores past England goalkeeper Joe Hart in the penalty shootout of the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between England and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine on June 24. Italy won the shootout. (Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press)


Dutch defender Joris Mathijsen vies with Portuguese defender Bruno Alves (top) during the Euro 2012 soccer championships match between Portugal and Netherlands on June 17 at the Metalist stadium in Kharkiv. Portugal won 2-1. (Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images)


Leonardo Bonucci and Gianluigi Buffon of Italy celebrate victory and progress to the quarterfinals during the Euro 2012 group C match between Italy and Ireland at The Municipal Stadium on June 18 in Poznan, Poland. (Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)


Czech Republic's Vaclav Pilar (left) challenges Poland's Lukasz Piszczek during their Group A Euro 2012 soccer match at the City stadium in Wroclaw on June 16. Czech Republic won 1-0. (Bartosz Jankowski/Reuters)


French midfielder Samir Nasri (right) vies with Ukrainian defender Vyacheslav Shevchuk during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Ukraine and France on June 15 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. France won 2-0. (Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images)


Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Czech Republic's Theodor Gebre Selassie fight for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Czech Republic and Portugal in Warsaw, Poland on June 21. Portugal won 1-0. (Petr David Josek/Associated Press)


German midfielder Sami Khedira controls the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between Germany and Greece on June 22 at the Gdansk Arena. Germany won 4-2. (Patrick Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)


Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta (center) drives the ball surrounded by Croatian players during the Euro 2012 soccer championships match between Croatia and Spain on June 18 at the Gdansk Arena. Spain won 1-0. ((Patrick Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)


Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas (left) deflects a ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Spain and France in Donetsk, Ukraine on June 23. Spain won 2-0. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)


German midfielder Sami Khedira (left) vies with Greek midfielder Grigoris Makos during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match betweem Germany and Greece on June 22 at the Gdansk Arena. Germany won 4-2. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images)


Russian goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev makes a save after a shot by Greek forward Dimitris Salpingidis (left) during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Greece and Russia on June 16 at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Greece won 1-0. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)


Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) challenges Greece's Giorgos Samaras during their Euro 2012 quarterfinal soccer match at the PGE Arena in Gdansk on June 22. Germany won 4-2. (Leonhard Foeger/Reuters)


Greek forward Giorgios Samaras eyes the ball during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Greece and Czech Republic on June 12 at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw. Czech Republic won 2-1. (Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images)


Italian midfielder Claudio Marchisio (left) controls the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championships match between Italy and the Republic of Ireland on June 18 at the Municipal Stadium in Poznan. Italy won 2-0. (Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images)


English goalkeeper Joe Hart dives during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match betweem England and Italy on June 24 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev. Italy won in a shootout. (Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Images)


Spanish defender Alvaro Arbeloa (right) vies with French midfielder Franck Ribery during the Euro 2012 soccer championships quarterfinal match between Spain and France on June 23 at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk. Spain won 2-0. (Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images)


Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas reacts after making a save on a shot by Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic (left) during the Euro 2012 soccer championships match between Croatia and Spain on June 18 at the Gdansk Arena. Spain won 1-0. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)


Russian forward Andrey Arshavin (top) vies with Greek defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos during the Euro 2012 championships soccer match between Greece and Russia on June 16 at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Greece won 1-0. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images)


Poland's Robert Lewandowski (right) and Czech Republic's Theodor Gebre Selassie during their Group A Euro 2012 soccer match at the City stadium in Wroclaw on June 16. Czech Republic won 1-0. (Bartosz Jankowski/Reuters)


Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (right) saves a shot by England's Glen Johnson during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between England and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine on June 24. Italy won in a shootout. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)


Italy's Ignazio Abate (left) and England's Wayne Rooney go for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship quarterfinal match between England and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine on June 24. Italy won in a shootout. (Vadim Ghirda/Associated Press)