All France needed to do was get a draw and they would go through to the QFs. Sweden was already out, Ukraine was on the borderline and England had the same number of points as they did. In their previous matches, France had a 1-1 draw with England and beat Ukraine 2-0.

Even though Sweden was out, this wasn’t going to be an easy match for France. I was hoping France would win, because as winners of group D, they’d avoid Spain in the QFs and instead play Italy. And, even though I was rooting for France, I wanted Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score and do well.

Just like I had predicted, Sweden was not going to be an easy game for France. Early on in the game,  both teams had many chances to score. France managed to keep Sweden from scoring thanks to Hugo Lloris, the French goalkeeper. He made many Iker-esque saves that kept France in the game. If it weren’t for him, Sweden could’ve been up 2-0 by HT. Luckily for France, it was 0-0 at HT.

Once second half started, it didn’t take long for Sweden to get on the board. The first person to score was none other than the Swedish captain, Ibrahimovic, who scored what I would call a golazo. France would get more chances to score later on in the game, but weren’t able to get on the board. Sweden scored their second and final goal in extra time. This time, the goal scorer was Sebastian Larsson.

Sweden defeated France 2-0 and restored their pride, as they wouldn’t be going home with 0 points. Group D ends like this 1. England 2.France 3. Ukraine 4. Sweden.  France will to move on to the QFs and will meet Spain, which is something I was hoping to avoid. By winning this game, Sweden broke France’s 23-match undefeated streak. This was just a bad performance from France and they will need to step it up when they meet Spain.

All this week, I’ve been preview the groups and national teams of this year’s Euros. We’re now down to the final group!

Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France, England

The stakes are higher than ever for these teams. There are so many unanswered questions and uncertainty swarming them. Will the Ukraine disappoint on their home turf? Can France move on from the absurd episode that took place in South Africa just two years ago? Will England pack their bags early once again? And will Sweden quietly exit the way they entered?

Unlike their co-host, Poland, the Ukraine did not draw the easiest group, but they did draw two countries they played and lost to last year in friendlies, Sweden (1-0) and France (4-0). With those games fresh in Coach Oleh Blokhin’s mind, he will know areas of weaknesses to work on. The health of the team is questionable with a reported 10 players suffering from food poisoning just days before their first game. Ukraine’s key player is Captain Andriy Shevchenko. He is a legend and fantastic leader for the team. Sheva is past his prime and his physical condition is not 100 percent, but he is fearless and will take on any defender. Youngster Andriy Yarmolenko is talented, young and expected to have a good campaign. They are a long-shot to get out of the group and will need A LOT of luck on their side.

Sweden is overall well-organized and well-formed. This team will keep their fingers crossed that England slips with all of the distractions surrounding them. Key players for Sweden are Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sebastian Larsson and Kim Kallstrom. Ibrahimovic is a world-class player, but his style of play is much different than his teammates and may ruin the chemistry or enhance it. Sweden could definitely get out of this group; it all depends on which English and French team shows up this year.

Are the images of the 2010 World Cup just distant memories for France? It looks as though the French have moved on past their embarrassing display and relinquished the title to England. Les Bleus have been unbeaten in their last 21 matches and even upset a very good German squad in Germany. France should win the group with the likes of Karim Benzema up top and a dynamic midfield backing him. Yann M’Vila, Franck Ribéry and Samir Nasri are technical and skillful. M’Vila is nursing an ankle injury and may miss the England game, but other than that, France is at the top of their game and should go far.

Two words, train wreck. All eyes are on England this year with the array of problems they are bringing in: suspensions, snubs, law suits, injuries, egos and questionable call-ups to name a few. Brand new coach Roy Hodgson came in to reign merely weeks before the tournament, so the question of how prepared this team is, is uncertain. The Three Lions will be without Cahill, Lampard and Barry. Waza (Rooney) will miss the first two matches to suspensions. With all the bad press, the English still have a talented roster. Goalkeeper Joe Hart was fantastic for Manchester City this past season and is one of the best keepers in the world. Familiar faces, Terry, Gerrard and Cole will provide leadership and newer faces Wellbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlin will be wild cards and perhaps provide a fresh spark. England will either arise to the occasion or be the laughing stock of the tournament.

Predictions: 1. France 2. England 3. Sweden 4. Ukraine

Sunderland play-maker Stephane Sessegnon can not be stopped by Arsenal back Bacary Sagna.

Arsenal will most likely end a seventh successive season without a major trophy after crashing out of the FA Cup in the fifth round at Sunderland today.

The match came only three days after the Gunners’ crushing 4-0 Champions League defeat against AC Milan and a week after their last-gasp Premier League win at the Stadium of Light.  Combine the humiliating  CL loss with the departure of Theirry Henry, who scored the winning goal last weekend, and you have the makings of a mentally weak Arsenal team.  Sunderland obviously hoped to capitalize on that vulnerability and they succeeded.

Sunderland has won four of their last six matches and their confidence was apparent from the start. They pressed and challenged Arsenal.  They looked as if they were a new team  of unfamiliar players brought together for the first me.  It was really quite sad.

Arsenal could not hold onto possession and even the most consistent Arsenal players were making poor decisions.  Nearing the end of the first half, one of those decisions resulted in a Black Cat free kick.  Initially it was headed out to the corner of the box, but Kieran Richardson was waiting.  He flashed a shot right across the goal and into the bottom corner after a slight deflection off  Arsenal defender Sebastien Squillaci.  The first half finished with Sunderland up 1-0.

Arsenal’s form did not improve enough in the second half.  Sunderland were working hard to close the North London side down.  Whenever the Gunners tried to play the ball out from the back, the Black Cats were quickly on their opponents, leaving Arsenal with very few opportunities to penetrate.  Desperate for an equalizer, the few strikes they were able to take were either not on goal or sent directly to the Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

In the 70th minute Arsenal gave up another goal.  The young starlet, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, lost the ball and Sunderland made a break.  Black Cat Midfielder Stephen Sessegnon  played it through to Swedish national player Seb Larsson.   The winger shot the ball, it hit the post, hit Oxlade-Chamberlain and went in.

There was almost a third goal in the 88th minute but it was stopped by defender Bacary Sagna.  Full time ended with a score of 2-1 Sunderland.

This was the first time Sunderland has beaten Arsenal in an FA Cup match since 1973.  It just adds to the  humiliation and disappointment the squad and most certainly the fans must be feeling right about now.

After a week of Champions League games that left many in the EPL shocked, this weekend’s games were a chance at a slight bit of redemption and good ol’ fashioned entertaining EPL football.

Saturday not only brought a solid game from Manchester United, but three-points to the Gunners as well.

The Bolton Wanderers tasted defeated again, this week at the hands of Aston Villa. Marc Albrighton and Stiliyan Petrov sealed the deal against the Wanderers in the first half, striking goals in the 32nd and 38th minutes. The only strike Bolton was able to pull back was in the 55th minute by Ivan Klasnic.

The win gave Aston their first victory away from home for the season, while Bolton’s 12th loss moved them to the end of the English Premier table.

Luis Suarez might be in the news again for an alleged rude gesture he made toward Fulham fans, but he made Liverpool fans happy yesterday as he scored the lone goal in the match against Queens Park Rangers. While the first half was pretty frustrating for the Reds, they came back out with a new attitude and Suarez’s goal came just two minutes into the second 45.

Manchester United weren’t the only team scoring tons of goals Saturday; Norwich City buried Newcastle United 4-2 with a brace from Grant Holt. Newcastle’s Dan Gosling was shown a red card after a dangerous tackle when he was attempting to win the ball back after losing it to Steve Morison, who would score Norwich’s third goal on a header.

Fulham lost out Saturday too to Swansea City. USMNT international Clint Dempsey missed a prime opportunity to at least give his side a goal after a missed penalty. Swansea would go on to win, 2-0.

West Brom also lost out on three points as Wigan Athletic beat them 2-1.

Today’s games provided an interesting little match between Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City, with Stoke taking the 2-1 victory. The Potters’ started the game strong, sending out a message within the first minute that they were there to win. The throw in by Ryan Shotton was poorly cleared and Stoke capitalized on the moment, forcing Tottenham’s keeper Brad Friedel to make a hard save.

It didn’t take long for Stoke to get that first strike though; in the 13th minute, Matthew Etherington would notch his first goal of the game after a great counter attack when Tottenham’s Gareth Bale failed to score on the other end.

Tottenham was continuing to try to level up as well, but nothing could find its way into the back of the net.  Stoke played well against the pressure from the Spurs offensive attacks and their persistence paid off as Etherington grabbed his brace for the evening.

Shotton had a great long throw in, which Walters was able to play in to an unmarked Etherington. The Stoke striker was unmarked and while it wasn’t a pretty hit, it went into the back of the net and put the Potters up by two at the end of the half.

When the second 45 started, Tottenham seemed to be in a bit more control and pressing for a needed goal. It would come in the form of a penalty taken by Emmanuel Adebayor. Stoke’s Glenn Whelan fouled Luka Modric in the 62nd minute and the ref called the penalty.

After Adebayor calmly slotted the penalty into the net, he almost leveled up the game minutes later, but failed to curl the ball enough and it went just wide.

That’s when things started to get a little crazy. Thomas Sorensen made a brilliant save at one point, and took a little chip from Rafael van der Vaart in the process. It might have been a foul on van der Vaart’s part in some people’s eyes, but none was given.

The Spurs tried for another penalty after Younes Kaboul hit the ground after a challenge from Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross, but were denied. Shawcross was in the middle of another Spur claim at a penalty after Jermain Defoe went down in the box. As he was crying for a penalty, Kaboul took a shot and it was cleared away by what looked like Shawcross’ arm.

Stoke were losing their grip on the game as Tottenham continued to press hard against the back line. But the Spurs couldn’t close the deal. After a second yellow card in the 82nd minute, Kaboul was shown red and a 10-man Tottenham was beaten 2-1.

The other game today between Sunderland and Blackburn would end 2-1 as well, with Sunderland claiming the victory. David Vaughan and Sebastian Larsson would notch the two late-minute goals to come back from being down 1-0 early in the game.

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