European Championship 2012: Mario Gomez and Players Who Will Continue Top Form

As the UEFA Euro 2012 semifinals get under way Wednesday afternoon, Germany's Mario Gomez and other players will look to continue their good play and help their team advance through to Sunday's championship game. 

When Germany takes on Italy Thursday afternoon, the Germans will look to continue their great run in the tournament. They have looked like the best team in the tournament, and Mario Gomez has played a major role in their success.

On the other hand, Italy needs to play a flawless game in order to stay in the game. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon can keep them in the game, but eventually, they will need to score if they hope to advance.

After a slow start in this tournament, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo needs to continue to find the back of the net. If not for Germany's great play, Spain would be the best team still standing. On Wednesday, Ronaldo will be the key if Portugal hopes to pull off the upset.

Spain does not rely heavily on one player, so several players who are playing well will look to continue their hot streak. Goalie Iker Casillas is playing like one of the best in the world, so Spain can lean on him to shut down Ronaldo. However, David SIlva may be the hottest player on the team.    

Mario Gomez

Arguably the best player in the tournament, Gomez may have a big afternoon Thursday. He comes into the semifinal match against Italy tied for the tournament lead in goals scored with three.

He has not scored since the second game of group play, but he is always a threat to give his team a boost. The rest of his team makes him dangerous because they are such a well-rounded team.

Will he even start against Italy? That is unknown right now.

If he does start, he will allow Germany to play aggressively on offense from the start, and he can add to his goal total.

If he does not start, the striker could be dangerous coming off the bench. If Germany is tied or losing at halftime, Gomez can be inserted into the lineup in the second half and allow the team to push the tempo.

As the leading candidate to win the Golden Boot, Gomez playing his best will give Germany more than enough to be playing on Sunday.  

Gianluigi Buffon 

Stopping the best team in the tournament is a difficult task, but Buffon is on top of his game right now. 

After not allowing a goal through regulation and overtime, the goalie only allowed two goals in penalty kicks against England in the quarterfinals. In fact, he has not allowed a goal since Italy's second game of the tournament on June 14th against Croatia. His two goals allowed trail Spain's Casillas for fewest in Euro 2012.  

Buffon has proved himself on the big stage before, including the 2006 World Cup finals. In this tournament, he managed to hold Spain to one goal and got Italy a tie with one of the top teams in the world. In the June 10th matchup with Spain, it was a battle between two of the best goalies in the world. 

With his experience in big games, Italy has a goalkeeper who is not afraid of the spotlight. Italy will need someone to step up and score, but Buffon gives them a chance to upset Germany.

Cristiano Ronaldo

For a while, it looked like Ronaldo was stuck in a funk. Portugal was on the verge of being eliminated in the group stage, and they needed a spark from someone on offense.

After struggling for much of the tournament, Ronaldo has stepped up as the pressure increases. In the final match in group play, he scored twice to lead Portugal to a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands. 

When they played the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals, he had a stellar game. Although he only finished with one goal, he drilled the post a couple of times as well. In Portugal's 1-0 victory, it was clear Ronaldo is back.

In order to beat Spain, it will take a huge effort from Ronaldo. In each of the past two games, he has scored the winning goal late in the game (74th minute and 79th minute). He is starting to show how clutch he can be, and the team needs him to continue his late heroics.

As the pressure mounts with each game, he has started playing better. Now tied for the tournament lead with three goals, he will look to help his team advance to the finals.

When he steps on the field Wednesday, he will need to be at his best. 

David Silva

Spain is a great all-around team, and Silva has been a factor so far in Euro 2012. 

The team needs goalie Casillas to continue to play well, and he proved he can handle the pressure in the 2010 World Cup. Xabi Alonso, who scored both of the team's goals in the semifinals, will also look to continue to play well.

While he only has one goal, Silva has made his presence felt. Unlike the other players on this list, he is more of a distributor. With three assists, he is tied for the most in the tournament.

His passing is phenomenal, and he can set up his teammates in scoring situations. Without his accurate passes, Spain may struggle to find a rhythm on offense.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, Spain and Germany should be left standing. They are the two best teams in Euro 2012, and they do not rely on one player to win the game.

Each team can win in different ways, and it would be a great game to watch.