They Finished 13th: RUSSIA

Unlucky for some, and very unlucky for me, as I predicted this lot would get to the semis. So er... what happened.

The last group games threw up a couple of unexpected, unpredictable, unfathomable results that turned the tournament's easiest group on its head.

Russia had it in the bag, surely - 4-1 victors over Czech Rep in the first game, and a creditable draw against the host. Then along came Greece, and I can't have been the only one thinking they'd get a draw at worst.

Stunned isn't the word. Actually, it probably is.

GROUP A FINALE: Poland 0-1 Czech Rep; Russia 0-1 Greece

Has a tournament group ever been turned on its head so savagely by the final group games?
Russia were by far the best team in the group, thrashing the Czechs 4-1 in the second game of the tournament, and yet it is they who go home and the Czechs who progress. And the host Poles are on their way home (not far to travel at least) after being frozen by fear of failure in all three of their games.
HOW THEY FINISHED: 1: CZECH REP  2: GREECE  3: Russia  4: Poland.

As you'll see from this, it didn't quite pan out the way I predicted. Although it really should have.

Poland 1-1 Russia

This one kicked off way before it kicked off. Fighting in the streets, a lad knocked unconscious face down on the news. The sort of images UEFA like to think only ever involve England fans.
There's history between these two nations of course, unfinished business, even though the Soviet Union has disintegrated, the Eastern Bloc has crumbled, the Iron Curtain torn.
The perceptive among you will have noticed I've written nothing about the game. That's because I missed all of the first half and was a little drunk during the second.
However, there's a contender for goal of the tournament in this game, a bullet, diagonal shot from outside the area for Poland.
The Polizei or whatever variation on the word Police they're called out there will have been glad of the draw, as points shared are problems halved.

Russia 4-1 Czech Rep

Four! Quatro! Whatever 4 is in Russian! What a start to the tournament. All four teams that have played have scored, and the Russians have slammed home a quartet of goals and should have had more.

They'll be in pole position to win a group that contains the Poles, and yes, I am feeling a little smug tonight, having tipped the Russians to reach the semis.

I'm even liking the Russian strip, a thin blue and white sash on a striking red background. The More Sashes In Football Kits Campaign starts here.

Euro 2012 Semi-Final Predictions

If none of these teams gets anywhere near this stage, remember, I'm sticking my neck out early with these predictions, making them before the tournament starts with knowledge gleaned from sitting on my fat arse in an armchair, and no knowledge of any injuries that may and probably will occur to the teams.

RUSSIA v GERMANY. They've had their run-ins in the past (check Wikipedia if you need a history lesson). In my crystal ball (imaginary), I'm seeing 0-0 at the start, 0-0 after 90 mins and a late goal from... the Germans.

CROATIA v SPAIN. Can Spain win three international tournaments on the spin? No one's done that before, and look what happened to France when they tried it in World Cup 2002. That's Senegal I'm saying about the matter, other than, no, I don't think SPAIN can do it. I think CROATIA are going to the final.

MY PREDICTED EURO 2012 FINAL

GERMANY v CROATIA