Sports Desk

Euro 2012 Qualifying The dust has barely settled on one international tournament, but come September a long road that hopefully leads to Poland and Ukraine begins for the nations of Europe. On a global scale, the continents of Africa and Asia are regularly cited as the source of emerging powers, but the World Cup suggested that a region within a region had the potential to make a sizable impact on the international stage. After several years of finding their feet politically, the nations of the former Eastern bloc are finding their feet athletically and have taken the first steps towards upsetting the aristocracy. Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia put in impressive performances in qualifying for South Africa and backed it up with more creditable displays against more illustrious opponents. With the traditional powers of Italy, France, and England undergoing various forms of rebuilding, there’s opportunity for upsets. The best example is ...

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