July 2, 2012 12:15 AM IST
Olympic Stadium — Kyiv (Kiev)
Referee:‬ Pedro Proença‎

‘Hman a mi ten hmuh an chak ni lawmawm hi
Hmu lovin sang tam tak an liam ta
Keini zawng kan chan bik hi kan vannei hle.’

Mi tam takin en chak hle mahse, an en hman ve lo. Mi tam takin hmuh chak ve hle mahse, an hmu ve phak lo. Kum 2008-ah kham lo takin kan lo mangtha tawh a, tun Pathianni lo thleng turah hian ui tak chungin Euro ’12 chu kan mangtha leh dawn ta. A hmawrbawkna inkhel ani dawn bawka tun tum chu chipchiar deuh hlekin inkhel thlirlawkna neih in tum dawn teh ang u.

TU TE NGE INKHEL DAWN?
‘Group C’ chuan ‘Group D’ chu ‘Group of Death’ tak tak annih lohzia lantirin tun tournament-ah a vawi hnih nan final-ah an in hmachhawn leh dawn. Euro ’04 khan hetiang chiah hian group khata awm Portugal leh Greece te chu final-ah an lo intum tawh a nih kha. Khami tum khan Greece chuan inkhel pahnihah hnehna an chang ve ve a ni. Spain leh Italy erawh an game hmasaah an in hnehtawk tlat maia, a chhiarkawp zawnga chhut chuan final-ah pawh hian hun pangaiah chuan inhnehtawk leh tura ngaih a ni. Mahse, chak zawng tur hriat ngai lohna INFIAMNA MUALAH chuan tu nge chak zawk dawn tih chu Pa chauh lo chuan a hre hauh lo ang le. Hei hi football ti football tu chu a ni.

Spain :
An ti neuh neuha an chak leh nawlh thin. Brazilian ball khawih mawi lutuk kan sawi nin theih loh pawh min theihnghilh thak tirtu chu Spanish mihrangte hi an ni. Striker tel lovin anni chuan an khel ngam a, winger tel lovin goal an thun an thun thin. World No.1 an ni a, European Championship defending champion lai anni a, World Cup nomawi kawltu an ni bawk. Hei lo liama team ropui hi an awm leh thei dawn chuang em ni? World class players in an start a, a sirah World Class players hovin thlak inring takin an inkhel an lo thlir thin. An bench warmer te pawh hian World Cup Qualifier khel mahse, an in pet kai ngeiin ka ring.

Spain hi Group-C champion an ni a, final an khelh theihna tura an kawng dan lo tumtu, France chu Quarter-Final-ah hnehsawh takin an hneh a, tin, Semi-final-ah Portugal chu tie break hmangin an hneh tawh bawk a ni. Kawng bumboh tak zawhtu Spain hian champion an phu reng em? Ilo en ang u…

Italy :
“Holland an champion ang a… Germany hi kil tin kil tangah a ‘ber’ anni a, an champion hrim hrim. Portugal hi tun kum chu Ronaldo hian a champion pui mai lo’ng maw?” tih chu Euro ’12 tan hmaa titi tam ber chu a ni. Italy kan sawi ri ve ngai lova, an hming pawh kan lam ngai hek lo. Poll reng rengah vote tam an hmu ve ngai lova, football experts te pawhin ‘Thiam/tha ber’ tia han koh em atan chuan an sit thin a nih kha. Mahse tunah chuan Romans thisen huaisen zia leh tlo zia chu kan hmu leh ta! Anni hi chuan ‘pressure’ hi fuih phurtuah an hmanga, inkhel boruak a san poh leh an tha tulh tulh thin.

Italy hi Group-C Runners up anni a, final an khelh theihna tura an kawng dal tu football hmuchhuaktu ram, England chu mualpho takin Quarter-final-ah an paihthla a, tin, mipui te rin rawn, chak loh nei lova game 15 khel tawh, Germany chu Semi-final-ah an hneh bawk. Romans ho hian invai leh thal kah chang an lo thiam lo ani tih chu an hneh tak ramte thlir hian a hriat maiin ka ring.

HEAD-HEAD :-
Spain leh Italy te hi vawi 30 lai an lo in tum tawh a, Azzurri ho hi vawi 10 chak tawhin Spain hi vawi 8 an chak tawh a, vawi 12 an in hnehtawk tawh a ni. Major tournament-ah Itlay hian Spain hi an ngam hle a, vawi 3 hneh tawh in vawi 4 an inhnehtawk pui tawh a ni. Hun pangai inkhelhah chuan Spain hian Italy hi Major tournament-ah chuan vawi khatmah anla hneh lo a ni. Tun hnaia an intum tawhna 5 te hi ilo thlir ho mai mai teh ang u:

1. ITALY 2 SPAIN 1 (1994 World Cup quarter-finals) :
Hun tawp dawn minit 88-naa Roberto Baggio-a goal pawimawh lutuk avangin Italy chuan quarter-final-ah Spain an lo hneh tawh anih kha. He inkhel kan hriat theihna awlsam ber tur chu, Mauro Tassotti-a’n Spaniard player Luis Enrique-a hnar a tih tliah tum kha a ni. Hemi tum hian Italy chuan final thlengin final-ah vanduaithlak takin Brazil lakah penalty-shoot-out-ah an vanduai hlauh a ni.

2. SPAIN 1 ITALY 0 (friendly, June 2008) :
‘Elche’ khawpui (Spain) a friendly inkhelah hian Spain chu minit 77-naa David Villa-a volley goal mawi lutuk hmangin 1-0 in hnehna an lo chang tawh a ni.

3. ITALY 0 SPAIN 0 ( penalty shot-out-ah 4-2 in Spain an chak; 2008 European Championship quarter-finals) :
Hemi tum hian Iker Casillas chuan Daniele De Rossi leh Antonio Di Natale te penalty dansakin, Cesc Febregas chuan hnehna goal a thun a nih kha. Hemi kum hian Spain chu Champion an ni.

4. ITALY 2 SPAIN 1 (friendly, June 10, 2012) :
Bari khawpuia Alberto Aquilani-a’n hun tawp dawna a goal hmangin Italy chuan 2-1 in hnehna an chang a ni.

5. SPAIN 1 ITALY 1 (2012 European Championship group stage) :
Kan hriat theuh angin tun tournament-ah khan group stage-ah 1-1 in an inhnehtawk tawh a nih kha. He inkhelah hian Di Natale leh Cesc Fabregas te chuan goal an thun ve ve a ni.

TACTICAL KEYS :-

1.GOAL KEEPER : Captain vs. Captain

Zanin hian tunlai football khawvela goal veng thiam ber pahnih – Iker Casillas (Spain & Real madrid) leh Gianluigi Buffon-a (Italy & Juventus) te goal veng kan hmu dawn a ni. Hei vang ringawt pawh hian zan dar 12 men thlen hram chu a inchhirawm loh viau ang. ‘Nekchhuah zawh loh, lan zawh loh’ an awmna apiangah an ni char char a, hei hian an ropui zia chu a ti lang chiang hle in a rinawm.

Team lehlam ve ve te hian goal ban inkham duai hnuaiah emaw ban tun pahnih inkar zau tak maia pet luh an tum dawn reng reng lova, Boruak Lalpa pahnihte thlen phak lohna hmun zimteah pet luh an tum dawn zawk ani. Hei vang hian nidang angin goal a lut tam lo anih pawhin thil mak tak ani hran lo vang.

2. DEFENDERS :

Italian defender-te khawng zia kan sawi fo mai a, hetih lai hian goal khat chiah la chhuahtu Spainish defender-te hi kan sawi hmaih hlauh palh ka hlau. Mahse, he an goal chhuah chhun hi Italian ho goal thun ani thung. Tun tournament-ah Italian ho lo chuan an lamah (Spain) goal an thun miah lo tihna a ni (Penalty shoot-out tiam lo vin).

Sawi leh sawi hnu, Spanish defender ho hian counter attack na deuhhelk chu an ngam lo thei khawp mai a, mahse, thil pawi erawh a thlen hmain an insiamtha leh thuai thin thung. A malkhai chuan an defender te hi chhelo tak tak vek anni a, ‘tang ngam sela chu vawih uih tham’ an tih ang deuh khan, ‘tang ngam sela chu rapawm tham an ni’ kan ti hram teh ang. Players tawnhriat ngah tak takte anni hlawm bawk a duhthusamin defence-ah ball an inpe ngama, hei hi Spain inkhel siam thatu pakhat chu a ni.

Hemi te pahnih intum hnuhnunber panga te khi en ila, goal a lut tam lo hlawm hle mai a, chuvang chuan, hemi te inkhel hi chu hmuhnawm thlira thlir mai chi niin a lang. Pawisa ‘bet’ emaw inchawi tur in awm anih chuan ‘Snakes and Ladders’ khel angah inngai ula a fuh berin ka ring.

Hetih lai hian Romans ho defender te khawng zia hi ka hmuhhmaih hlauh palh ang tih ka hlau khawp mai. Spain aiin goal chhuah tam zawk mahse, an defender te hi tun tournament-ah chuan a ‘ber’ anni kan la ti fan teh ang. Spain hi winger leh striker tel lovin an khel thin a, an goal nawrna tam ber chu a lai atangin a ni. An midfielder ten ball an thiam em em a, hmun awl tlem tal pawh an hmuh vaih chuan an hlauhawm em em thin. Mahse, goal thun harsat tak, Spain team hian goal chhuah hreh ve tak, Italy defence line hi an su hawng zo kher angem? Defender-te pui turin Daniele Del Rossi a awm reng a, ani hian a kawr ban sei lampang zawk hi ‘defence line tan’ ‘a tawi lam midfield tan ‘ ti niawm takin defender tan hian a tangkai hle a ni.

Engpawh ni se, Zanin zanlai pelhah inkhelh dan inang lo tak pahnihte inkhel kan hmu leh dawn a, beisei anga thil a thleng te anih chuan an defence line hi chu phui tha ve ve tura ngaih a ni.

3.  MIDFIELD BATTLE :  

Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo chuan mawi taka a hmawr bawktu ni lova, a hmawr bawkna a tel ve ringawt nih chu a duh loh thu sawiin, “Tunah hian engmah kan la hlawhchhuak lova, a famkimna chu kan nghak a ni. Final thlen ringawt hi chu Rome khawpuia kala Pope hmuh loh ang vel ani,” a ti riap mai. Hei hian Italian midfielder te suangtuahna chu a ti lang chiang hle in ka hria. Spanish midfielder te ball thiam zia leh in pek kual thiam leh ran zia te chu khawvel hriat a ni. Mahse, Italian midfielder erawh chu an inpe zung zung lo na in, an pek chhun chu a hlauhawm (DEATH) thei hle a ni. Pirlo, Montolivo, Marchisio te hovin ball an han sem kual tak tak kha chu Germany defender ho pawh an hawi an hawi mai anih kha.

Mahse, Spain midfielder te hian danglam bikna riau pakhat annei a, chu chu: englai pawha a ball chang tamtu zawk nih an tum tlat hi a ni. Italian midfielder ball pet thiam zia chu kan hria anga, hei vang hian Spanish ho hian a laiah free space an siamsak vaih anih chuan an defender te an mualpho leh hle in a rinawm. Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, etc… te ho hi an ke a aikhirh thut te a nih ngawt loh chuan ball chang tam zawk tura ngaih an ni. Kan sawi tawh angin Spain game-ah hian striker hna vak a tam lo khawp maia, tin, winger hmang vak lo annih avang hian De Rossi leh Marchisio te sut tlang hi an hna hmasa ber ani dawn a ni.

Engpawh ni se, zanin hian midfield battle ropui tak kan hmu leh ngei dawn in a hriat a, he hmuna roreltu zawk hi a dingchang zawk chu anni dawn. Mahse, midfielder nei tha ve ve te inkhelah hian finisher nei tha zawkte chu an ropui zual ang.

4. FORWARD : MARIO VS. CESC

Striker pangai leh midfielder kan han khaikhin ta mai chu ani a, khaikhin pawh an harsa angreng khawp mai. Balotelli a class chu kan hria a, Fabregas a class pawh kan hria.

Germany lama a goal thun ropui tak tak pahnih te avang khan Balotelli chuan Spanish fans te a ti khur mek a ni. A at a chhuah loh chuan khawvela striker hlauhawm ber te zinga mi a ni. Mahse, inkhelnaa ‘full concentration’ pe ngailo players hlauhawm ai chuan players hlauhawm vak loh, inkhelhnaa ‘full concentration’ pe thin te chu ka hlau zawk ngei ang.

Tun tournament-ah ringawt pawh free chances a missed nual tawh a, England team phei klha chuan anlo hlau lo khawp mai. “Balotelli hi a hlauhawm ber a ni,” ti tein an han sawia, mahse, kha kha mind game an khelhna vek alo ni a, English defender ho khan an lo hlau lo khawp mai. Mahse, final meuh ani tawh a, a at duh tawh bik a rinawm loh. A ke rang tak mai leh a mit fing zette hi a hmang thiam anih vaih chuan Spain goal-ah a thun nual in a rinawm.

Hetih lai hian striker pangai ni ve lo Cesc Febregas hi kan hmu hniam ngawt ang tih chu ka hlau khawp mai. Striker tam tak lan zo hi engang player nge a nih tih chu kan hre maiin ka ring. Spain inkhelah chuan false 9 position hi a tangkai hle a ni. Goal-ah a class em em a, a mit a fing a, a ke a rang a, a goal shot a tha em em bawk a, tin, positioning pawh a tha hle bawk. Hei bak bak a striker atana duhawm chu an awm leh dawn chuang em ni? ‘Striker’ tia koh anih lohna hi a danglamna chu niin ka hria.

Hetih lai hian lut thei maiin Fernando Toress, Llorente leh Negredo te anla awm bawk a, anni hian an start a rinawm lutuk lova, mahse, an game a zirin lut thei maiin an inpeih reng dawn a ni. Tun ang game pawimawh lutuk alo thlen hi chuan Spanish fans te chuan Toress-a ropui lai hun kha an ngai ngei ang le.

PROJECTING LINEUPS :

SPAIN
Casillas(C), Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Alonso, Silva, Fabregas, Iniesta

ITALY
Buffon(C), Abate, Barzagli, Chiellini, Balzaretti, Marchisio, Pirlo, De Rossi, Montolivo, Balotelli, Cassano.

ZF Admins & Authors’ Prediction :–

Lalthanzama Vanchhawng : Spain 0-1 Italy.
Rooney Opa : Spain 0-2 Italy.
Ahruaia Lil’Foe : Spain 2-0 Italy.
Lalramenga Hmar : Spain 2-1 Italy.
RS Betlu : Spain 1-1 Italy (Extra Time: Spain 2-1 italy).
Mike H Tlau : Spain 0-0 Italy (Extra Time : Spain 1-0 Italy).
Lalzarzova : Spain 1-2 Italy.
Jeremy Ngila : Spain 2-2 Italy (Penalty- Spain 3-4 Italy).
Hriatpuia Pa (Zaia Roite) : Spain 1-2 Italy.
Mykee Rokhum : Spain 1-1 (Penlaty-ah Spain an chak ang).
Ben Vangchhia : Spain 1-1 (Penalty-ah Italy an chak ang).
Zama Rumkhar : Spain 2-0 Italy.
Dustin Sampler : Spain 1-1 Italy (Penalty shot-out-ah Italy an chak hram ang).

Thil dang sawi tur tam tak awm mahse hemi chinah hian i lo duhtawk phawt mai teh ang u. Thil dang chu comment lamah kan sawi chhunzawm mai dawn nia. He thuziak chhiartu zawng zawngte in vaiin inkhel en tui vek ule.

All images from getty images & bbc.co.uk