Euro 2012 quarter-final line-up confirmed

20-Jun-2012 3:00:00 AM

On paper at least, the pick of the last-eight encounters are Italy's Kiev showdown with England on Sunday and Spain's meeting with France in Donetsk the night before

The conclusion of Tuesday night’s action in Group D means that the lineup for the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 is now complete and the draw has thrown up some mouthwatering matchups.

Of course, we already knew that Portugal would be tackling Czech Republic in Warsaw on Thursday night, and that Germany would be meeting Greece in Gdansk the following evening.

However, England’s progression to the knockout stages as winners of Group D, which has come as a surprise to some, means that Roy Hodgson’s men will now take on Italy in Kiev on Sunday night. A penny for Fabio Capello’s thoughts on that particular contest!

France, meanwhile, will be feeling pretty relieved just to have made it through, having surprisingly seen their 23-game unbeaten run come to an end at the hands of already-eliminated Sweden. However, Les Bleus will have to quickly face up to the stark realisation that a marked and rapid improvement is required if they are to have any hope of progressing any further given reigning world and European champions Spain will be waiting for them in Donetsk come Saturday.

It is worth noting, of course, that the winners of that latter contest will meet the victors from Portugal’s clash with the Czechs, while England and Italy would appear to be playing for the right to face Germany in the semi-finals, although the Greeks, surprise victors in 2004, will have plenty to say about that.

QUARTER-FINALS

June 21	7.45pm	Czech Republic vs Portugal	National Stadium	Warsaw
June 22	7.45pm	Germany vs Greece	PGE Arena	Gdansk
June 23	7.45pm	Spain vs France	Donbass Arena	Donetsk
June 24	7.45pm	England vs Italy	Olympic Stadium	Kiev

SEMI-FINALS

June 27	7.45pm	Winner QF1 vs Winner QF3	Donbass Arena	Donetsk
June 28	7.45pm	Winner QF2 vs Winner QF4	National Stadium	Warsaw

FINAL

July 1

7.45pm

Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2

Olympic Stadium

Kiev

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