Euro 2012 mascots presented in Kyiv

On Sunday Kyiv presents twin footballers from Ukraine and Poland - The mascots for the Euro 2012 European Football Championship.

Ukraine capital was presented with the twin brothers, after their promotion tour to seven cities which are to host the Euro 2012 matches,the press service of Kyiv City State Administration reported.

"The mascots are the symbols of unity between the two countries - Ukraine and Poland. I am convinced that these cute guys will be real mascots for our countries, and the tournament will open a new and promising Ukrainian capital to Europe," deputy head of Kyiv City Administration Anatoliy Holubchenko said during the presentation.

Croatia beat Malta 3-0 in Euro qualifier

On Wednesday,Croatia beat Malta 3-0 in a qualifier for the 2012 European Championship where Niko Kranjcar scored twice for Croatia.

18th minute after Croatia had dominated from the start The Tottenham midfielder Kranjcar scored with a driven shot from outside the penalty box.

Just after six minutes of 1st goal scored by Niko when Teammate Eduardo da Silva got a chance to hit a goal and missed it,Kranjcar added another goal in the 42nd from the edge of the box

Michael Mifsud from the Malta fought hard to scored a goal but ultimately couldn't make it up for Malta

Croatia forward Nikola Kalinic scored in the 81st minute to wrap up the game.

Croatia lead Group F with 10 points, two more than second-place Greece, which has played a game less.

Lead Groups at U21 Euro Championship

AALBORG, Denmark (AP) -Host Denmark will going to play Belarus, Iceland and Switzerland in the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship next year, which serves as a qualifier for the 2012 London Olympic football tournament.

On the other group,Spain leads the group and will play the Czech Republic, England and Ukraine.

The final tournament between all eight team will going to be held from June 11-25 in Aalborg, Aarhus, Herning and Viborg.Three teams will advance to the 16-nation Olympic football tournament

One of Europe's four places is already taken by a newly created British side as the Olympic host.

struggling with his game

Marcus Campbell claims Euro Players Tour Championship

The win comes on the back of last week’s semi-final loss in the Players Tour Championship 6 and these two competitions have allowed Campbell to achieve the best results in his career.

The 38-year-old has spent a number of years struggling with his game, but he has now reached the top 32 in the rankings for the first time in his career.

Marcus Campbell believes that his win at the Euro Players Tour Championship in Russelsheim, Germany was down to playing against some of Scotland’s best players.

Euro Championship talk between Hearts stars

At Riccarton ahead of Scotland's JESTING has alreading begun to visit to Lithuania on European Championship qualifying duty. The match between the two nations in Kaunas does not take place for another eight days but Hearts' Scottish and Lithuanian contingents have started verbal war at a moment.

"In Lithuania there is very much confidence, I don't know why really,"Arvydas Novikovas, who who has been named in his country's under-21 squad to face Denmark on 3 September and England four days later. I think we must win. Every time Marius Zaliukas and me are joking with the Scottish players, we say that Spain will win the group but Lithuania will be fighting Czech Republic for second place. The Scottish guys don't think so but we joke about it."

He recalled, "When I came here there were maybe six Lithuanians but not with the first team. Now its a nice for me because is the captain Marius. For me its nice and that gives me more confidence. He has been good at helping me settle into the team and I hope he will sign a new contract. I have said he must do this."
He said, "It is always very good to open my goals account and now I just required to keep going and more score goals. Well we all played. We did something the gaffer said and just passed the ball instead than just going long. We kept passing and did well. I have Andy Driver in my position - he is now injured but will begin training again soon. So I'll doing work must hard. But I am enjoying it and the manager has given me a great opportunity to play. The manager has said this could be my season and if I play a nice game then he will give me a one more chance. Well I do must score goals and play good every time so i stay in the team".

JESTING has already begun at Riccarton ahead of Scotland's visit to Lithuania on European Championship qualifying duty.

The match between the two nations in Kaunas does not take place for another eight days but Hearts' Scottish and Lithuanian contingents have started verbal warfare early.
Arvydas said, "In Lithuania there is very much confidence, I don't know really why".

Ukraine meeting for Euro Championship 2012

For the 2012 European Championship Ukraine's authorities are meeting preparation deadlines, although there is still work to be done in stadium construction, transport links, accommodation and other infrastructure.

That's the view of UEFA after general secretary Gianni Infantino wrapped up a two day trip on Thursday to check on Ukraine's four host cities for Euro 2012, which will be co-hosted with Poland.

"Has been done lots of work. Deadlines are being met," Infantino said. "I am fully optimistic over the success of Euro 2012 in Ukraine.

"On Ukraine the eyes of the world will focus. On July 1, 2012, Kyiv will not be the capital of Ukraine anymore, it will be the capital of Europe and even the capital of the world. You will be proud of your country."

However, Infantino noted that hotel accommodation and an anticipated language barrier are still problems to be tackled.

Infantino said, "It does not help you to have 70,000 hotel rooms if nobody knows where they are located and how to get there".

"It's unprobably that in the next 18 months the rest of the world will learn Ukrainian, so maybe Ukrainians will use a little effort to learn a few words of foreign languages."

Infantino said concerns over the slow construction of a venue in the western city of Lviv and the reconstruction of Kyiv Olympic stadium had been mostly alleviated, and described the stadium in Donetsk as unexpectedly being one of Europe's most beautiful.

In Kharkiv with the stadium he also looked satisfied, but pointed out that there is a lack of space to accommodate people.

"But I am sure what was promised will be done. We are positive, we are confident, we trust the football federation and we trust the government," said Infantino, praising Ukraine federation president Grygoriy Surkis and Deputy Prime Minister Borys Kolesnikov.

Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych invited UEFA president Michel Platini to visit the country in a letter published on his website.

Yanukovych wrote, "A opportunity to host the Euro 2012 final is a great honour for Ukraine, and properly organizing the tournament is an absolute key national priority".

WORLD CUP 2010: England will end up in a Messi if they can't control Germany star Mesut Ozil

England will have to stop Germany's Lionel Messi if they are to have any chance of facing the real deal in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Fabio Capello's side could square up to the Argentina superstar - but only if they overcome Germany on Sunday.
Mesut Ozil has won comparisons with Messi as his eye-catching displays lifted Germany to the top of Group D.
The 21-year-old's glorious left-footed strike which saw off Ghana booked a last-16 meeting with England in Bloemfontein, and the Three Lions will have to find a way to restrict his considerable talents if the euphoria of their vital win over Slovenia is not to be quickly forgotten.
'We in Germany are prone to rave about foreign players,' said Horst Hrubesch, a European Championship winner with West Germany in 1980.
'We praise Wayne Rooney to the heavens, likewise (Cristiano) Ronaldo or Messi.
'But we have our own Messi. Our Messi is Ozil.'
Comparisons to the Barcelona ace do not look out of place. Ozil, who was born in Gelsenkirchen to Turkish immigrant parents and turned down the chance to play for Turkey in favour of representing the country of his birth, only made his senior international debut 16 months, but Germany's World Cup hopes already appear to depend upon him.
Germany have been crying out for a player who specialises in the spectacular ever since the retirement of Mehmet Scholl before the 2002 World Cup.
And with Michael Ballack's reliability, experience and important goals, missing, Ozil's dribbling and passing ability and eye for the unexpected have given this Germany team something with which their predecessors were rarely associated - flair.
That is not to say he is a luxury player, with his impressive goal and assist return proof his game has an end product.
Ahead of the tournament he was winning comparisons with legendary Germany playmaker Thomas Hassler, a World Cup winner in 1990 and European Championship winner in 1996.
With the eyes of the world on him, the chatter has now reached a new level.
The 21-year-old, who can play in a central role or out wide, was the standout player in the Bundesliga last term, even if his club Werder Bremen did not emerge as challengers for the title.
His form ensured the northern Germany club did not miss Brazilian playmaker Diego, who left the Weserstadion for Juventus last summer.
England coach Stuart Pearce, and midfielder James Milner, will know better than most to be wary of Ozil's talents.
Ozil inspired Germany to a 4-0 win over England, managed by Pearce and captained by Milner, in the final of the European Under 21 Championship in Sweden last year.
Ozil's contract at Bremen expires next year and the club are keen for the player they signed from Bundesliga rivals Schalke in 2008 to stay.
His performances in South Africa are likely to have big-name clubs across Europe queuing up for his signature - Ozil has already revealed he would one day like to play for Barcelona - and it seems doubtful whether Bremen will be able to keep hold of him.
For now, though, Ozil is focused on the World Cup, and knocking out England.
'Our dream is to win the title. That is what we are here for,' the 21-year-old said. 'All I am interested in is the World Cup, because with this team we have goals. That is important.'