14 Tuesday 1st July, 2008 After 44-year wait Spain finally Another title wins a trophy VIENNA, Austria (AP) - After winning its first title in 44 years hav- ing beaten Italy and Germany, Spain no longer needs to think of itself as an slips through underachieving football nation. The “Red Fury” won their second European Championship, playing with flair, finesse and a determination that the team had lacked in so many previ- ous competitions. Ballack’s hands The Spaniards may not have as many trophies as the Germans or Italians, but the sparkling perform- ance in Euro 2008 finally ended Spain’s curse of exiting major tournaments in the quarterfinals. The Spanish team had a weak start as Germany lose to qualifying for Euro 2008 with losses to Northern Ireland and Sweden, but tory and first European title in 44 Fernando Torres’ 33rd-minute goal it recovered with eight wins and one years. At first no one would go near and, from then on, it became a struggle draw to claim its group. him. Eventually he was consoled by for Ballack and his team. Spain’s flow continued at the tour- Germany coach Joachim Loew and, When the captain went up to chal- nament with three straight victories slowly, his teammates went up to share lenge Spain midfielder Marcos Senna in the group stage followed by a 4-2 the pain he was feeling. for a header, he fell to the turf with win over Italy in a penalty shootout. While Ballack stands every chance blood seeping from a cut near his right That was Spain’s toughest test, and of winning trophies with Chelsea next eye. the only match in which it didn’t score season, he must now wonder when He was up after two minutes and in regular time. It was also crucial for he’s going to win a title in national col- back on the field. But referee Roberto the team’s self-confidence as it ended ors. Rosetti ran over to him, examined his Spain’s bad habit of exiting major World Cup qualifying starts for eye in the manner boxing referees do tournaments in the quarterfinals. Germany in September and those to injured fighters, and sent him off From that moment, there was no finals aren’t until 2010, when he will be again to get more treatment. Once holding Spain back as it crushed 33. more Ballack was lying on his leg as Russia 3-0 and carried the momentum While Spain thoroughly deserved German trainers dabbed his eye and on to the final against Germany, even its victory and long overdue title, it’s tried to stop the flow of blood and, with tournament top-scorer David easy to feel sorry for Ballack. forced to change his bloodstained Villa out injured. Although he won Bundesliga and cup shirt, was back on the field again. The 1-0 win over Germany on titles with Bayern Munich, he also lost First the calf muscle scare and now Fernando Torres’ goal extended in the 2002 Champions League final the sight of their captain lying on his Spain’s unbeaten streak to 22 matches when Bayer Leverkusen went down to back being treated for a cut. No won- and allowed embattled coach Luis Real Madrid. der German fans don’t think football Aragones to end his four-year spell Ballack also missed out at the 2000 gives them many breaks these days with Spain on a high note. and 2004 Euros when Germany was after all those years of titles and domi- Jubilant players tossed him in the knocked out in the first round each nation. air after the final whistle as the time. He also missed out on playing in Almost as if the blow on the head Spanish fans danced in the stands at the World Cup final in 2002 in had affected him, Ballack was involved Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. Yokohama, Japan, because of suspen- in a scuffle with Spain defenders It was Spain’s third European sion and had to watch Germany lose to Carlos Marchena and Carles Puyol Championship final, after beating the Brazil 2-0. only two minutes before halftime and Soviet Union in 1964 and losing to But this final should have been wound with a yellow card from Rosetti France 20 years later. Since 1984, Spain made for him. after he fouled one of the Spaniards. had not previously advanced past the The possibility of him missing the He cooled down enough after the quarterfinal stage of the any major game through a calf muscle injury break and almost scored Germany’s tournament. that flared up two days ago set up a equalizer in the 59th minute with a dramatic story on the day of the final. first-time shot which flicked the side of Would Germany’s captain and inspira- the net. Germany’s Michael Ballack looks on after the Euro 2008 final between Germany tional figure run out to lead the team With Spain chasing a second goal, Phelps sets world and Spain in the Ernst-HHappel stadium in Vienna, Austria, Sunday, June 29, 2008, for its biggest game since the 2002 however, Ballack was laboring in his the last day of the European Soccer Championships in Austria and Switzerland. World Cup final? midfield role and struggling to get When the team lineups were back to help his overworked defenders. record in 400 IM Spain defeated Germany 1-00. (AP) announced, there was a collective gasp With time running out, he would stand VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Michael prestigious League Cup final at of relief from the 15,000 German fans with his hands on his hips wondering Ballack shed blood for Germany and Wembley Stadium, and that makes in the Ernst Happel Stadium and trepi- how he could manage to turn the game still couldn’t deliver a title. four runner-up prizes in four months dation among the Spaniards that around. The captain wound up with a gash for the Germany captain. Ballack might at last produce the per- He didn’t and now he has to come above his right eye in his team’s 1-0 It also means that the nation that formance that would deny them a title to terms with another failure. European Championship final loss to has won the title three times and was they had been waiting for since the All those runner-up medals and Spain and now has another runner- in its sixth final now hasn’t won one 1964 European Championship. semifinals and near misses are a poor up medal to go with the three he col- of soccer’s top international prizes in Showing no signs of the calf mus- return for one of Germany’s greats. lected with Chelsea this past season. 12 years. Make that 14 because the cle injury, Ballack was in the game This should have been Michael Second place yet again a month next championship, the World Cup, early and Germany created the better Ballack’s day.The one big chance to after Ballack and his Chelsea team- isn’t for another two years. chances in the early stages. He pushed show frustrated German fans that he mates lost a penalty shootout to At the end of a game he nearly the ball through the legs of Spain could deliver the title after all those Manchester United in the Champions missed because of a calf muscle defender Carles Puyol and delivered a disappointments and letdowns. League final and the Red Devils edged injury, Ballack stood near the center cross but no German was there to take But it was another chance that ran them to the Premier League title. Add circle, almost surrounded by Spanish advantage. away.A little like the blood that trick- that to a loss to Tottenham in the less players celebrating their deserved vic- But Spain went ahead through led down the side of his face. Michael Phelps OMAHA, Nebraska (AP) - Neil McKenzie is Mr. Superstition Michael Phelps has set a world record in his first event of the U.S. Olympic instead of going out to enjoy it,” sportsman, McKenzie tore him- When did you start to give you don’t think about anything by Simon Wilde swimming trials, holding off rival he said in Taunton, where his self apart trying to control the these things up? else. The ball is bowled, you hit Ryan Lochte to win the 400-meter indi- country’s tour starts today. “Now uncontrollables, which as every “About three or four years it. But when they are going badly t the age of 32, Neil vidual medley with a time of 4 min- I don’t need anyone to tell me sportsman knows you should ago, after I’d been dropped from you’re looking for explanations, McKenzie is finally at ease utes, 5.25 seconds. that I can’t afford to never do. the South Africa team. I began for luck. It can be hindering Awith himself as a crick- Phelps beat his own mark of 4:06.22, have too many bad But McKenzie could not help dropping them yearly. There was when your mind is completely eter. His first career as a set at last year’s world championships innings or I will it. He got to the stage where he a time for a couple of years cluttered. Listening now to what South Africa batsman in Australia. Lochte also went under be playing for convinced himself that he could when I thought it was working.