Posts by Irishoutsider at FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

We're only minutes away from the start of the Euro 2008 Championship final between Germany and Spain. The FanHouse is geared up and ready to go with live commentary and chat from the anthems to the final whistle. It's sure to be an action packed match as two top international sides face off for all of the glory.

Join us after the jump for some unscripted discussion and watch the action unfold with FanHouse.

A reminder to all soccer-inclined FanHousers that we will be providing live commentary during tomorrow's final and hosting chat all the way to the final whistle. Stop by and put in your two cents/marks/lira/euros on the action while we all wait and see who will take home the title. Will it be the brutally efficient German offense or the will the flawless Spaniards complete their undefeated run?

We'll be here for all of the liveblogging goodness at 230et

Join in the discussion, MLS fans. We're taking the national spotlight and running with it here at the Fanhouse. The MLS conversation begins at 9/8c with the kickoff of tonight's FC Dallas/Houston Dynamo match. It's not necessarily a live commentary, but we'll see how the night progresses. No holds barred, well maybe a few, and half-nelsons only please as we kick the tires on this thing we call the liveblog.

The untold perils of real-time internet 2.0 after the jump.

You always have to look out for the players with the first names on their jerseys. Turkey's number 8, Nihat Kahveci, is one of them. The Turkish captain powered his side to victory today with two late goals, eliminating the Czech Republic and advancing to the quarterfinals in the process. The Czech side thought they had things all wrapped up in the 61st minute when Jan Koller made the score a daunting 2-0, but Turkey had other plans. Beginning with Arda Turan's 75th minute goal, they scored three times in the final fifteen minutes, including Nihat's stunner in the 87st past keeper Petr Cech. An absolutely stunning finish that is easily the most intense finish in this tournament that has seen its share of last-minute surprises.

In other Group A action, Portugal, already locked into the next round, rested up against host nation Switzerland. The Swiss grabbed a 2-0 victory, saving some face against a side that was without top players Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, or Ricardho Carvalho. Portugal will face the winner of tomorrow's Germany/Austria match on Thursday while Turkey moves on to face a tough Croatia team on Friday.

It is certainly a good day to be David Villa, and definitely not a good day to be Antonios Nikopolidis. These two men played pivotal roles in this afternoon's Group D action. Of course, David Villa is a bit more excited about his outcome than Antonios. In the closing minutes of the Spain-Sweden match, Villa connected with a long ball, slipped past the defender Hansen, and popped a game winner just past the keeper on the breakaway. The 2-1 win gives Spain 6 points at the top of the Group and assures their advancement to the next round.

Meanwhile, Nikopolidis probably shouldn't hang around Greece for the next few weeks. The veteran keeper celebrated his 89th international cap by straying WAY too far form the area on a lazy cross, losing possession, and giving the Russians an easy goal on the open net. Greece was unable to recover from the early deficit and struggled to find their confidence for the rest of the match. Already forced to play a more aggressive style, they never seemed to settle into a rhythm. Falling 1-0 to Russia, the Greeks are now mathematically eliminated from the group stage and become the first defending champs to lose the first two group matches the following year.

The defending champions take on Russia this afternoon to round out the day's action in Group D. Its basically a must-win match for either side as both sit in the basement, looking up at both Sweden and Spain. We'll be here with live commentary during the game as well as discussing the rest of the EURO 2008 tournament.

Join in after the jump to get in the conversation and have some fun with Soccer FanHouse.

The Men's National Team is back on US soil after a rough week abroad. Tough matches with England and Spain are mere appetizers to tonight's pairing with Argentina, currently the #1 team in the world. What is sure to be a sizable crowd at Giants Stadium is in for a show tonight, and we're here with our new LiveBlogging toys to bring it to you as it happens.

So join us after the jump for some good discussion, live commentary, and possibly a streaker or two.

We continue today's Group B action with Germany taking on Poland. The Germans are the favorite for today's match, but this is an intense rivalry that can never be overlooked. The pub has been steadily filling in anticipation of the game, and we're almost good to go. Let's hope the satellite holds up as this has all the makings of a thriller.

Behold the wonders of FanHouse's new toy, liveblogging greatness powered by the good people at CoverItLive.com. Follow the match, join the discussion, and practice Das Deutschlandlied after the jump.

It's time to rock and or roll with this Sunday's Group B action. We're at The Globe Pub, the best damn soccer bar in the land, ready to cover all of the Central European fun. So sit back, relax, and get ready for some great matches. Austria and Croatia lead off today, and we're placing the over-under on inappropriate Franco-Prussian War references at 2 and a hook.

If you have yet to apply your checkerboard face paint like our Croatia friends at right, there's still time. Marvel at the LiveBlogging technology of the interwebs after the jump.

Apologies for the lack of good, old-fashioned American soccer action on FanHouse, ladies and mostly gentlemen. The MLS portion of the brain has been lit on fire, allowed to burn to the ground, and then the ashes are currently being mixed with gasoline for another go. Not trying to say there's things more important than loving this little-league-that-should, but sometimes life throws a lot of lemons your way and you just have to say "NOT NOW! I"M ON FIRE!" Lemon juice can't put out fires. Well, we guess it probably can, but that would involve slicing them open and being able to apply said relief with a flourish.

Regardless, we digress. The Week 10 Power Rankings bring everyone up to speed as we try to distinguish between a number of teams separated by wafer thin margins in the standings.

The full table and considerably less Burning Man after the jump.