do you know...???

a) Despite winning 2 games, Germany can still be eliminated from first round. Next Sunday, if Denmark beat Germany 1-0 and Portugal- Holland 1-0. Auf Wiedersehen Deutschland.

Because Ger, Por, and Den all have 6 points so we look only at the games among these 3 teams. Points are the same, 3. Goal difference is the same, 0. Goals scored, Por and  Den have 3 and Ger has only 1.

b) Despite losing both games so far, Holland can still advance. Next Monday if Hol beat Por 2-0 and Ger- Den 1-0, Hol and Por and Den all have 3 points. Using only the scores from matches between these 3 teams, points are the same 3. Goal difference Hol +1 Den 0 and Por -1. Bye bye Portugal.

c) there could be penalty shootout in the first round. Oh yes. And both teams want to lose the shoot-out!!!! Can happen.

GROUP C tonight. SPA- IRE 3-1, ITA-CRO 1-1.
Then next Monday, ITA-IRE 0-0

then Spain- Croatia decides who is first and second and both teams will go to next round.

But if Spain-Croatia ends in a tie after 90 minutes. Hello penalty.

Suppose the team who is first in Group C has to face the mighty English in QUARTERFINAL. Both may want to lose the game or miss the penalty.

d) many Dutch flew in yesterday for the game and will fly out this morning. And some told me they did not book a hotel room. Are the Dutch so cheap?

sleeping at the train station in Kharkiv

I heard some Dutch fans booked this one day tip but cancelled after the first game vs Denmark.

e) the Dutch fans behaved well after the game. Many acknowledged the Germans were better.

inside metro after the match

subway train in Kharkiv

f) in the stadium, the Dutch outnumbered the Germans but the Germans were louder and sang all the time. Ua ua ua die Deutsche sind da.

g) originally my ticket was with Dutch fans, behind the goal of all 3 goals. Then I got an invitation at the last minute from a German fan. He is the brother in law of a friend at work. He works with the fan club of the DFB.

I wore this white/orange t-shirt to be neutral

h) bruederlich zusammenhaelt!!!! 

i) view from my seat. unfortunately the goals were on the other side.

j) at every match, I met many fans dressed up in the colors of one ofthe two teams. some are from those countries, many are locals. many are foreigners who support a team. even the professional ticket sellers dressed up as football fans.

the ones who are not real supporters will choose the team based on coolness.

Holland is cool. Germany nyet.

Here is a proof of Holland being cool. 

k) the football has been quite good so far. let the excitement continues....