Most fascinating islands in Malaysia

Mataking Island, Sabah

Famed for its ‘Underwater Post Office’, divers would be elated to know there is a sunken 40-foot wooden cargo ship named Mataking 1, which is used to create an artificial reef.

To get there, simply hop on a speedboat from Semporna, which would take approximately 45 minutes.

Kapalai Island, Tawau

Not quite an ‘island’, Kapalai is made of 40 chalets built in the middle of the ocean. It is hailed as one of the many beautiful diving havens in Malaysia, and it only takes a mere 45-minute speedboat ride from Semporna.

Sipadan Island, Sabah

Hailed as another diver’s must-go site, Sipadan is often hailed as one of the best dive sites in the world as it is rich in diverse ecosystem. If you are lucky, you may even spot large green hawksbill turtles and wonderful underwater creatures. Just lovely!

Pulau Langkawi, Kedah

A cluster of 99 islands 45 minutes way from Kuala Kedah, this duty-free haven is a mystical one with much to explore. Pantai Cenang has evolved into a whole new exciting scene. Reggae bar is now known as ‘Babylon’, and nestled on the beach itself. Don’t forget to get onto the cable car on Pantai Kok, unwind by the 7 well waterfalls and island hop to Pulau Payar, Pulau Singa Besar and Pulau Beras Basah.

Pulau Mabul, Borneo

This ‘baby sipadan’ will definitely get you wanting a diving license instantly! Its sublimed sea and the precious world beneath have cultivated the interest of divers and photographers, seeking for exotic creatures amidst the huge coral reefs.

Pulau Perhentian, Terengganu

This heavenly spot, 21km from Kuala Besut Jetty, is a favorite pick amongst international backpackers with a wide array of budget chalets and fancy resorts to choose from.

Pulau Lang Tengah, Terengganu

Are you ready to experience ‘il dolce far niente’ (the sweetness of doing nothing)? Positioned in the center between Redang and Perhentian Islands, this is an alternative get-away for those who prefer isolation. Occupied by only 3 resorts development, crowd wrestling is your least worry.

Pulau Rawa, Johor

Imagine a private island on the South China Sea, 45 minutes boat ride from Mersing, and merely 4 hours away from Singapore. Secluded and serene, this island takes the idea of remoteness to a whole new level. Its giveaway is a gorgeous sunset view to complete a perfect picture.

Pulau Tinggi, Johor

As one of the unknown paradises hidden long the Southern tip of Johor, its placidity is one of a kind. A soaring 600 meters above sea level, it’s an hour boat journey from Tanjong Leman Jetty. Pay a visit to one of the 3 fishing villages residing on the land for the ultimate local experience.

Pulau Sapi, Kota Kinabalu

Want to walk underwater with a spacesuit? Try it with the ‘Borneo Seawalking Company’, in a tiny part of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, one of Sabah’s 5 preserved magic isles. Only 15 minutes away from Kota Kinabalu by boat, this is a perfect destination for a day trip.

Pulau Tioman, Pahang

Being the habitat to wildlife and lush greeneries, this is home to environmentalists aiming to conserve Mother Nature. Famous for its turtle watching season, many volunteers reside there to help preserve turtle sanctuaries, for shelter and food in return. What better way to contribute to the environment than on a blissful setting? Join The Juara Turtle Project program, for RM120 per day.

Pulau Kapas, Terengganu

6km off Marang Jetty, this snorkeling sanctuary has cotton like sandy beaches. From diving with dazzling coral reefs, to lazing and sunbathing on soft sands, you’ll find creative ways to pamper yourself.

 

Predicting UEFA Champions League’s 2 group qualifiers

The UEFA Champions League draw is done, prompting widespread speculation as to who will qualify from each group.

Here is Bleacher Report’s guide to each group and who we expect to qualify to the knockout stages.

The likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United are all but assured qualification from favourable groups, but how will Manchester City, Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund fare?

Group A :

Porto may have lost key personnel this summer, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with in this mediocre group.

Dinamo Kiev and Dinamo Zagreb are weak enough to make themselves nonfactors, so the race for first place comes down to the Portistas and the Parisians.

Paris Saint-Germain’s dream team haven’t quite shaken off the chains of uncertainty yet and appear to be struggling under the buckling weight of expectation, but the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi should star on the world stage.

Qualifiers: PSG, Porto

Group B :

Arsenal, like Paris Saint-Germain, simply can’t gel and get results immediately—goals have been an issue despite recruitment in the striking department.

A tough UEFA Champions League group stage draw could have been potentially devastating fore the Gunners, as boing out early would destroy confidence and harm finances.

As it is, they’ve done favourably this year. An out-of-form, Olivier Giroud-less Montpellier are just there for the ride and Olympiakos, too, seem a makeweight in the competition.

That leaves Schalke 04 as the logical favourites for second place in the group, but even their star-studded lineup had issues in the Bundesliga’s opening fixture.

Surprises afoot here?

Qualifiers: Arsenal, Schalke

Group C : 

A lot of pre-draw speculation centred on the possibility of a weak Milan side slipping up in the group stage. While this is a Rossoneri that is reeling from the departures of key men Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva, they shouldn’t have too many issues topping this group.

The Malaga six months ago could have given them a real run for their money, but having suffered key losses themselves, the oil-rich Spaniards face an uphill battle to qualify.

Anderlecht, like most of the teams from pot four, are nonfactors in the qualification race, but Zenit St. Petersburg could be a real hiccup for some.

It’s never easy to win on synthetic turf in arctic conditions, so the Russians hold an extra advantage here.

Qualifiers: Milan, Zenit

Group D : 

Not again.

Roberto Mancini will be cursing his luck tonight after his side landed in the “Group of Death.” Again.

Ajax have lost valuable personnel and appear to be heading straight for fourth place, though they will provide a stern test for any visiting side.

Real Madrid have the nous and the talent to squeeze through top and I fully expect them to, but I’m going to predict that Manchester City fluff their lines for the second season running.

Their Italian tactician has a lot to prove and his record in Europe is not great—considering the fact that Borussia Dortmund appear stronger this season than last, I’m tipping the Bundesliga champions to do the business.

Qualifiers: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund

Group E : 

Defending champions Chelsea have to earn their spot in the knockout rounds of the competition, as the usually favourable draw forgot to help them out this year.

Italian champions Juventus may be reeling from a managerial farce, but their squad is strong and the talent is there to win this group. Shakhtar Donetsk, too, are a formidable foe and it’s incredibly tough to beat the Hirnyky on their own turf.

Poor, poor Nordsjaelland.

Qualifiers: Juventus, Chelsea

Group F : 

Bayern Munich will be satisfied with this draw—they have the talent and squad depth to win this group at a canter.

Valencia, the group F team who came from pot two, will be most people’s favourites to progress, however it’s a team from France that represent another truly testing fixture.

I believe Lille have the quality to advance. Many believe losing Eden Hazard destroyed the team, but with £32 million to spend, Rudi Garcia has made an excellent acquisition in Marvin Martin.

Watch BATE Borisov so you can watch Bressan play—they don’t offer too much else.

Qualifiers: Bayern, Lille

Group G :

This group looks like one of more closely contested on offer, with Celtic, Benfica and Spartak all vying for second spot behind the mighty Barcelona.

Goal difference could be a huge factor here, so teams need to be careful about how many they concede at the Nou Camp.

As alluded to before with regard to Zenit St. Petersburg, Russia is a horrible place to go when your used to playing football in a certain way, in certain conditions.

The Krasno-Belye squad is packed with talent, too, as Romulo, Ari and Kim Kallstrom head a formidable outfit.

While Benfica knocked Manchester United out of this competition last year, I’ve got Spartak down to top the Benfiquistas in the table.

Qualifiers: Barcelona, Spartak

Group H :

Manchester United lucked out, sure, but I distinctly remember saying that last year too.

Sir Alex Ferguson never makes the same mistake twice, so expect United to move through this group comfortably and with clean sheets galore.

Galatasaray represent a stern test for anyone’s credentials and with Hamit Altintop and Felipe Melo on form, Gala have a chance.

I believe Braga will make it though, and qualify for the knockout rounds in second place. Portuguese football is getting stronger—the unprecedented three UEFA Champions League spots available in Liga Sagres is evidence of this—and beating Udinese will have them gunning for the rest of Europe.

Qualifiers : Braga , Manchester United 

 

Lampard saves England from humiliation

Roy Hodgson’s England are just two games into their World Cup 2014 qualifying campaign, but it’s never too early for this tortured football nation to start building the bonfire upon which another manager will inevitably be burned.

Hodgson’s team was minutes away from defeat to Ukraine at Wembley, having gone behind to Yevgen Konoplianka’s rasping drive on 39 minutes and wasted several clear chances to respond—Manchester United’s Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck being the prime culprits.

Had it stayed that way, England would have mourned a potentially disastrous undoing. Only the teams finishing atop their qualifying groups are guaranteed a place in Brazil, so the Three Lions would likely have needed to win in Ukraine and Poland to avoid a playoff.

That may yet happen, of course. If Ukraine were to win the remainder of their games and the two teams draw in Kiev, England could still fall short of the automatic passage their No. 3 FIFA ranking surely demands.

Third in the world? Not on the evidence of anything we’ve seen since the heady days of Italia 90, they’re not.

Hodgson sent out his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Ukraine. It was certainly a departure from the inflexible 4-4-2 setup we saw under Fabio Capello, but it remains to be seen whether England have the players to make it work.

On the evidence here, they don’t.

Cleverley was cast as England’strequartista—their ball-playing maestro pushed forward centrally behind Jermain Defoe. It was a role that invited the 23-year-old to stake his claim, but Cleverley’s night will be remembered most for a glaring miss that Wednesday’s papers will argue cost England victory.

You can’t fault his short passing and movement, but for Cleverleyto truly emerge as the talentHodgson and Sir Alex Ferguson believe we have before us, he needs to develop a more clinical touch in front of goal.

Elsewhere, England were lumbering in defense and looked suspect every time Ukraine pushed forward. To watch Joleon Lescott and Phil Jagielka in tandem was to realize just how reliant England are on John Terry—and to ponder once more whether Rio Ferdinand’s England days are really over.

It was a bad night for Steven Gerrard, too. There were the usual fizzed side-foot passes to admire, but the Liverpool captain was sent off for two bookable offences and will now miss England’s trip to Poland in October.

One of the few England players to emerge with credit was Defoe, who was denied a superb solo goal by a harsh refereeing decision in the first half and worked well with limited resources throughout.

Too many times Hodgson’s team looked to find their diminutive striker with high balls into the box. And too many times they failed to find him from good positions in the final third.

England were flat for long periods. The introduction of Welbeck was therefore a welcome invigoration, and it was the United striker who won the 87th-minute penalty from which Lampard would score England’s precious equalizer.

It finished 1-1, and England lived to fight another day. But it’s clear they’ll need to box a lot more cleverly than this to be competitive at the World Cup finals in two years.

They’ll need to box more cleverly to reach the finals at all.

 

USA gets win over Jamaica

The United States increased its chances of making the final World Cup qualifying group by a large margin with its 1-0 win over Jamaica on Tuesday night.

With the win at Crew Stadium, the Americans moved into a three-way tie with Jamaica and Guatemala. Only two teams advance from Round 3 to the final qualifying group, but the Americans are in good shape with goal differential and still have a match left against Antigua and Barbuda, the group’s bottom dweller.

United States’ first-half chances came via defenders and midfielders, it was forward Herculez Gomez who put the team ahead in the 55th minute. Gomez struck his free kick beautifully with plenty of pace, but also got a lot of help from Miller, who had played wonderfully up until that moment but should have done better with the attempt.

 

Portugal cruise to victory

Substitute Silvestre Varela needed just 82 seconds to fire Portugal on the way to a 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ qualifier win in Group F over Azerbaijan.

The Porto frontman’s 63rd-minute finish, which came almost immediately after he had replaced Miguel Veloso, finally gave the Portuguese the lead in a tense Group F encounter which was not settled untilHelder Postiga and Bruno Alves struck inside the final five minutes to secure a 3-0 win.

But on a night when luck deserted Paulo Bento’s men for long periods, the home side had earlier hit the woodwork on no fewer than four occasions, while Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo also saw a series of chances go begging in Braga.

Victory left Portugal locked together with leaders Russia on six points at the top of the group following a resounding 4-0 win in Israel for Fabio Capello’s side.

Alves might have fired Portugal ahead within five minutes, but saw his shot from Raul Meireles’ corner blocked by Mahir Shukurov, and Azerbaijan goalkeeper Kamran Agayev had to tip Meireles’ shot around the post six minutes later.

Postiga rattled the crossbar with an 18th-minute drive and Joao Moutinho repeated the feat five minutes later as Agayev’s goal led a charmed life. The keeper kept the visitors in it, denying Moutinho and Veloso, but needed the help of a post to deny Postiga on the stroke of half-time.

Ronaldo was denied by an upright six minutes after the restart and then saw Agayev punch away a 30-yard piledriver with the goalkeeper proving more stubborn than the men in front of him.

The former Manchester United man missed the target from inside the penalty area with 58 minutes played and then saw a 79th-minute overhead kick turned around the post.

Varela eventually opened the scoring with a right-footed finish from 12 yards barely a minute after being called from the bench, and although Agayev kept Nani, Ronaldo and Joao Pereira at bay, the respite was temporary.

Postiga converted Ronaldo’s 85th-minute flick-on to ease the nerves and then Alves headed home Moutinho’s corner three minutes later as Portugal eased across the finishing line.

 

People who walk a lot have lower risk of diabetes

Among people with low physical activity and a high risk of diabetes, those who walk more throughout the day are less likely to actually get the blood sugar disorder, according to new research.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, is part of a growing body of evidence that for people who get very little exercise, “even small amounts of activity will provide a really good return on their investment”.

Daily walking recommendations typically point to a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. A good rule of thumb is that 2,000 steps equals about one mile.

Physical activity also has effects on inflammation, glucose and other molecules in the body that could help lower diabetes risk.

 

Supreme Court unholds Obamacare

The Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama’s healthcare law on Thursday in an election-year triumph for him and fellow Democrats who championed the most sweeping overhaul since the 1960s of the unwieldy U.S. healthcare system.

In a 5-4 ruling based on the power of Congress to impose taxes, the nation’s highest court preserved the law’s “individual mandate” requiring that most Americans obtain health insurance by 2014 or pay a tax. The justices also preserved, with some changes, a provision of the law expanding the Medicaid health insurance program for the poor.

The decision – written by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and joined by the court’s four liberals – was a setback for Republicans who mounted unified opposition in Congress to the law before its 2010 passage and who deride it as meddling in the lives of individuals and in the business of the states.

Romney, who pushed through a similar healthcare overhaul at the state level in 2006 as governor of Massachusetts but opposed Obama’s law, called on voters to help him defeat the president in order to repeal the law critics derisively call “Obamacare.”

The healthcare law, known formally as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is the biggest overhaul of the $2.6 trillion healthcare system in about 50 years. It was signed by Obama in March 2010 and promptly put to the test in the courts by 26 of the 50 states and a trade group for small businesses.

The court’s decision largely vindicates Obama and Democratic lawmakers in their attempt to fix a system that, while representing 18 percent of the economy, leaves 16 percent of Americans uninsured, a fact that sets the United States apart in the industrialized world.

The U.S. system, unlike other rich countries, is a patchwork of private insurance and restrictive government programs. The United States pays more for healthcare than any other country, but about 50 million of the roughly 310 million Americans still have no insurance at all.

The Obama law was meant to bring coverage to more than 30 million of the uninsured and slow soaring medical costs.

Opponents said the individual mandate was an overreach by the federal government and that Congress had exceeded its powers. The court was deeply divided on this issue, but the majority ruled that Congress’s taxing authority allowed the mandate.

In another part of the decision, the court said Congress went too far in a part of the law that requires states to expand the government’s Medicaid health insurance program for the poor with the goal of covering more of the uninsured.

The court said this problem can be fixed by precluding the federal government from stripping states of existing Medicaid funds if they did not comply with the expansion, and that this did not require striking down other parts of the law.

Romney and the Republicans had hoped the Supreme Court would gut the law. Deprived of that outcome, they can now continue pressing the attack on Obama on the campaign trail, but their hopes for a rollback or repeal will hang on legislation, unlikely before the elections, and on the voting public, whose views are mixed.

About 56 percent of Americans said they opposed the law in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Sunday. When asked about its individual provisions, however, most respondents said they strongly supported them, except for the individual mandate, which was opposed by 61 percent of those surveyed.

Most respondents in the survey favored banning insurers from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions; letting young adults stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26; and making companies with more than 50 workers offer insurance to their employees. All are parts of the law.

So are the creation of state-based exchanges to offer health insurance; insurance premium assistance to poor people; and insurance tax credits for those just above the poverty line.

Shares of hospital chains jumped, while large health insurer stocks fell after the ruling. Widening the pool of paying patients stands to benefit hospitals, which are often left to cover the high medical bills of the sick who have no coverage.

 

Things to Expect from Spain vs. Italy EURO 2012 Final in Kiev

On July 1, 2012 at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine. Spain take on Italy in the much anticipated EURO 2012 final. The pieces are now set.

Which group was the Group of Death again? It was not exactly the final we expected, but it is hardly shocking.

Italy had to overcome incredible adversity going into the tournament. There were many who questioned whether or not they would stay in the tournament after news of another scandal broke out in Serie A.

For Spain, it was business as usual… sort of. Yes, the Spaniards predictably made it to the final and yes, they won many matches by just a single goal, but something was different this time around.

Spain has look very vulnerable throughout this summer’s Euros and Italy will enter the match knowing that they can lift the trophy.

With legends spread all over the pitch and the reigning champs having a chance at history, this Group C rematch has the potential to be a classic.

Let’s see the things that we can expect from this mouthwatering final.

A Lesson in Football

When Xavi Hernandez and Andrea Pirlo share the field, footballers take notes.

These are two of the very best players of their generation. These are two of the best passers in history.

Xavi can dazzle any team with his passes and have the opposition running in circles. Pirlo can put the ball in the air and drop it on a dime anywhere on the pitch.

Both players have a World Cup title to their name. Neither player has ever played in a league outside of their home country, a nationalistic loyalty that is all too rare today.

This Sunday, students and fans alike will witness a clinic on passing, vision, positioning, footwork, and leadership. Any young footballer would be wise to study and model themselves after these two greats.

If these were the only two midfielders on the pitch, that alone would be an impressive display of talent to behold.

Add in Andres Iniesta, Claudio Marchisio, David Silva, Ricardo Montolivo, Sergio Busquets, and Daniele de Rossi and you have one of the most talented and incredible midfield battles in modern footballing history.

As a fan of the game, not necessarily of any team of club in particular, there are few match-ups that would rival the EURO 2012 final in terms of midfield talent.

A Different Result

One thing is certain, we will not see a repeat of the Group C opener. When these two first met less than a month ago, the result was a 1-1 draw.

Fans will now be treated to a rematch of what should arguably have been considered the group of death in the first place.

This time, he stage is much bigger and a winner will certainly be crowned. Whether it takes 90 minutes, 120 minutes, or penalties, a winner must be decided.

Whoever wins will become the kings of Europe. For very different reasons, both Italy and Spain want and need this victory.

A win would go a long way to rebuilding the image of one team and would cement the other’s place in history.

Ballon D’Or Finalist?

Going back to 1996, the European finals match has always featured a top three Ballon d’Or or World Player of the Year finalist.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will fight for the title or world’s best player, but who will win bronze?

Will the third-best player in football be on the pitch this Sunday? Could it be a midfielder?

Xavi scored the most goals in his career this season while Andrea Pirlo had one of his best seasons ever, leading Juventus back to the top of Italian football.

Iniesta has played a large part for Spain this summer, but missed a lot of time at Barcelona. Mario Balotelli helped Manchester City to the top of English football and maybe Italy to the top of Europe.

What about the keepers? Both helped lead their teams to a league title and the EURO 2012 final.

There are a few other candidates who have made their own claim for a top three finish.

Mezut Ozil led all of Europe in assists and helped guide Real Madrid to a record-breaking season. He also helped Germany to the European semifinals.

Robin van Persie was a hot candidate in the first half of the season before killing all chances of winning at the Euros. Still, he has a strong argument for a top three finish.

The player of the tournament will almost certainly be decided by who wins the final. But will any of them be one of the top three for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award?

Goals to Come at a Premium

Before Mezut Ozil’s penalty in the 92nd minute, Italy had not allowed a goal in over 228 minute.Impressive to say the least.

The reigning champions, Spain have not allowed a goal in 310 minutes. Astounding! The last team to score against La Roja? Italy in the Group C opener.

Spain just shut out one of the greatest attacks in Europe for 120 minutes when theytook Ronaldo and Portugal to penalties in the semifinals.

Similarly, Italy kept Germany—who had not lost a match in 15 tries and had not trailed an opponent  in1300 minutes—without a goal for 91 minutes.

If the form of these two teams so far are any indication, goals will be very hard to come by in the final.

If the first match between them is at all telling, one goal may be enough to become European champions.

Polarization

There are few players who polarize fans and analysts as much as Mario Balotelli. Whether we are talking about club or country, Super Mario has as many fans as he does critics.

When he is at his best, Balotelli can change the fate of his team—as he showed against Germany. When he is not on his game, he is a risk to put his team a man down—whether or not he stays on the pitch.

One player who can definitely relate to this is Fernando Torres. This tournament has been the perfect example of how fickle fans can be with Torres.

Going into the tournament, fans were divided over whether or not Torres even deserved to make the squad.

After firing blanks against Italy, most said Torres was a mistake for Spain just as he has generally been for Chelsea.

Less than a week later, after scoring a brace against a hapless Irish side, analysts were screaming that ‘Torres was back’ and had found his old form.

Both Balotelli and Torres are greatly scrutinized for every step and every decision. When these two meet in the Euro 2012 final, both will have a chance to alter their own legacies.

Of course, this is assuming Spain even fields a striker…

Clash of Styles

Part of why goals will be hard to come by is the style of philosophy that each team subscribes to.

This is a tactical-minded fan’s dream.

On one end will be Spain, led by Vicente del Bosque.The champions’ possession-based, high pressure football usually makes for a long, ground out result that limits chances of the opposition.

So far this tournament, del Bosque has most often chosen not to field a true striker and opted instead to field six midfielders. Chances are he will do the same against Italy once again.

At the other end will be Italy, led by Cesare Prandelli.  The defensive pedigree of Italy is very hard to break down.

In the first match, Prandelli elected to use a three-man defense against the reigning champions. The result was a battle in the midfield where chances were few and risks were great.

The tactical battle will be one of the most enticing of the entire tournament and the team that better executes their game plan is likely to be the winner.

The manager that makes the best adjustments in the event of a stalemate will also probably be the one to list the trophy when the final whistle blows.

Legends in Goal

Bayern Munich and Germany fans will look at the last few years and say that Manuel Neuer is the best keeper in the world.

Chelsea fans will argue that their Champions League run made Petr Cech the best.

But those fans who have closely watched multiple leagues for the past decade will know the truth—the two greatest keepers in football are about to battle in the Euro 2012 final.

When Iker Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon meet this Sunday in Kiev, the two best keepers of their generation will meet head to head for the second time in a month.

These two club and national team captains have been at the top of the football world for over a decade.

European titles, World Cup trophies, league trophies, European and world starting XIs. You name it and one of these two keepers have won it.

Some may say that one or both players have slowed down a bit. If those critics are being honest with themselves, they probably don’t even watch these guys on a weekly basis.

A True Classic Between the Reigning Champions

The first match between these two sides was a showcase of exciting, technical football between two very balanced teams.

Spain entered the tournament as one of the favorites despite the fact that no team has ever repeated as European champions and despite losing their defensive and attacking leaders in Carles Puyol and David Villa.

The first obstacle in Spain’s long, difficult road to retaining their title was Italy, one of the most prestigious and decorated teams in football.

Spain and Italy now meet again in a battle between the last two World Cup winners.

Spain are, of course, the reigning world champions. This Sunday they will aim to become the first team in history to repeat as European champions.

Italy had a very poor World Cup showing in South Africa but won the previous tournament in 2006 and were also in the finals of the 2000 European Championships.

The Azzurri have a title-winning pedigree that goes back to the beginning of international competition while Spain is in the middle of its greatest and most successful period in history.

There is barely a bigger or more glorious way to decide the winner of Europe’s greatest tournament.

More of the Same from Italy?

Another scandal, another trophy.

The last time Italy had a match-fixing scandal, they went on to win the 2006 World Cup.

With news about another scandal cropping up daily in Italy, the Azzurri are once again entering a huge tournament with fans in doubt.

There were rumors that the team would not even play in the tournament given how serious the allegations were. Given Italy’s rather poor form over the last few years, this type of distraction is the last thing they needed.

Now the Azzurri are one match away from European glory.Fans may be treated to the best of distractions after all.

Football’s Newest and Greatest Dynasty?

Spain are the reigning European and World Cup champions. They are the top-ranked team in the world. It is impossible to talk about the strongest national or club sides in Europe without mentioning La Roja.

Over the last four years, Barcelona—one of Spain’s two greatest clubs—has built one of the strongest club sides in the history of football. Real Madrid is also trying to create its own new era of European dominance.

If Spain can repeat as champions this summer, they will not only be the first team to do so, they will also almost certainly solidify their legacy as a dynasty.

By winning three major tournaments in a row while housing at least one of the greatest club sides in history, Spain will enter the upper echelons of footballing lore.

Lifting the 2012 Henri Delaunay Trophy would make the current Spanish team nothing short of legendary.

Their journey began with Italy. It will now end with Italy.

 

Things we learned from Italy’s win over Germany .

Italy made it through to the final of EURO 2012 after a springing a mild upset against Germany. The Italians triumphed by a 2-1 scoreline, courtesy of a brace from controversial striker Mario Balotelli.

Here are the four key points to emerge from Italy’s win and Germany’s exit:

Andrea Pirlo is far from finished at the top level

When AC Milan dismissed Andrea Pirlo in the summer of 2011, it seemed as though the aging playmaker’s time at the game’s top level was up.

However, since being gratefully snapped up by Juventus, Pirlo has been revitalised. The veteran schemer performed admirably for the Old Lady this season and has continued in that vein at EURO 2012.

Pirlo has been easily Italy’s best player at the tournament. He followed up his commanding display in the quarterfinal against England, with an equally intelligent and assured performance against Germany.

The 33-year-old shows no signs of letting up and few midfielders at Euro 2012 have been able to match his speed of thought, creative flair and accurate distribution.

Mats Hummels may be ever so slightly overrated

The hype surrounding the group stage performances of Borussia Dortmund central defender Mats Hummels has gone into overdrive. Pundits have lauded the 23-year-old as though he has redefined the art of defending.

However, Thursday’s game showcased the very real deficiencies in Hummels’ game. He was baffled and turned inside out by the trickery of Antonio Cassano for Italy’s first goal. And most troubling was his inability to cope with direct, straight-line pace. The Italians ruthlessly exploited this issue with long balls over the top, and that combination allowed Balotelli to net his second.

Hummels had lost the speedy forward and seemed unable to recover and react to quick movement on more than one occasion. He is strong in the challenge, but Hummels’ weakness against pace is likely to be taken advantage of again in the future.

Mario Balotelli should always be played through the middle

One of the problems of the rise of 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations is that natural central strikers are often forced into wide roles. Mario Balotelli has been no exception.

He has been played wide for Manchester City and previously Inter Milan. Yet the temperamental ace has always looked his best when deployed through the middle. He has certainly proved that point at Euro 2012.

He was dangerous against England, and Balotelli simply tormented the German defense by being allowed to use his best attributes: his raw strength and natural pace. His often languid demeanour obscures the fact that Balotelli has the quickness to stretch any defense and the aerial power of a true central striker.

Lack of pace in the forward line ultimately cost Germany

Another painful semifinal defeat to Italy, highlighted that lack of pace across the forward line, is the biggest weakness of this Germany team. Poor movement and the inability to threaten to go beyond a back four cost Germany when it mattered the most.

Despite his goalscoring exploits, Mario Gomez is a rather static target man. His range of movement in and around the box is not subtle or quick enough.

The problem has been compounded by poor Euro 2012 displays from Lukas Podolski. Arsenal’s new signing has not done much to inspire confidence about his ability to make an impact in the English Premier League.

Germany’s sluggish trio made life too easy for an Italian defense, usually frightened of pure speed. The Germans looked more dangerous once they added some true pace in attack, in the form of Marco Reus. They will need more from fleet-footed youngsters like Reus and Mario Gotze in the near future.

Joachim Low Out-Managed Himself

Joachim Low was never happy with his starting XI throughout this whole tournament.

Even though the same side had won all three of its group-stage games, the German manager tinkered with his lineup against Greece in the quarterfinals and did so again versus Italy.

It might have worked against the Greeks, but Germany just did not have the right chemistry today with a new addition, Toni Kroos, on the right wing and Mario Gomez at striker.

It was not until the second half, when some of the best players from their last match came on, that the Germans created good chances and drove forward with vigor.

Manuel Neuer Is a Beast

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how impressed I was by Manuel Neuer during this game, even if he did concede two goals.

He was consistently a massive presence between the sticks for Germany and displayed a will to win that equals any player in the world.

At every opportunity during the late stages of the match, Neuer would rush forward to get involved in the attack in any way he could, even contributing a diving header from the center circle that pushed the ball into the penalty area.

Many things are to blame for Germany’s premature exit, but the goalkeeper is certainly not one of them.

More Rest, More Problems

A major talking point during the past couple days has been the imbalances in the schedule that caused one team in each semifinal to have two less days of rest and preparation than the other.

It is patently unfair, but on both occasions the side that was put at a disadvantage triumphed over the supposedly better positioned one.

I thought that, after playing a grueling 120-minute match against England and only having a couple days to recover, Italy would be dropping like flies in the second half. Instead, they just played their game even better and booked a deserved place in the finals.

 

 

Italian momentum not enough to win them EURO 2012

Italy played a brilliant game against Germany in the semifinal round of the 2012 European Championship.

Its effort against the all-around juggernaut was perhaps the most impressive of the tournament thus far, but Cesare Prandell’s side will need more than momentum to beat Spain in the final.

The Azzurri victory on Thursday is the feel good story of this competition. The Italians were pegged by many—myself included—as nothing more than Germany’s next victim en route to a dominant Euro effort. Despite the doubters, Prandelli and company would have none of that.

Spain is a whole different animal, though.

Germany came out flat in a rather forgettable first-half performance. There is simply no way that will happen with La Roja in the final.

Joachim Low’s side is young. They might be extremely talented, but one could make the case that they don’t have the experience necessary to win a major tournament.

Vicente Del Bosque has the most poised and confident roster in the competition.

La Roja has been absolutely dominant in their quest to establish a Spanish football dynasty (if they haven’t already). Their success stems from their superior possession skills and effective midfield play.

In the 2008 Euro, Spain conceded just three goals in six games. In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, just a pair of goals were allowed. One goal is all that the team has allowed in the 2012 European Championships.

Six goals through three major tournaments is a number that can hardly be challenged by some of the best teams in the history of the sport.

Italy is going to need much more than the momentum they have built up against Germany to hoist the trophy on Sunday.

Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi, Claudio Marchisio and Riccardo Montolivo were at their collective best in the semifinal against the typically flawless German midfielders. Only on Thursday, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil were far from flawless from the outset.

Whether it was the slow start that doomed Die Mannschaft, or the spectacular play of Pirlo and company, the Azzurri need an even better effort from their midfielders against the Spanish.

Spain’s calling card is its “tiki-taka” style of football, one that cannot be replicated by any other team in the world. The quick, precise passes make it extremely difficult to out-possess La Roja over the course of a game.

The Spanish defense is a cut above Germany’s. Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba are stalwarts in front of Iker Casillas’ net. Just to get to them, you need to get past Xabi Alonso, Xavi and Sergio Busquets in the middle third.

Italy’s defense must be better than it was against Germany. Sure, the Germans scored just one goal, but there were far too many opportunities allowed by the Azzurri.

If Spain gets all those chances, don’t expect its forwards to fail to finish as frequently.

The Italians played a masterful game in the semifinal matchup against Germany, but more is needed.

If Prandelli wants to see his players lift the trophy high above their heads after full time in Kyiv on Sunday, he needs to make sure to squeeze every ounce of brilliance out of his entire roster.