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PARIS -- Home advantage has counted little for host nations in recent European Championship history.Since the finals tournament era kicked off in 1980, only France has kept the trophy at home -- 32 years ago with Michel Platini in his prime.France can take some home comfort from this exception ahead of the Euro 2016 semifinals starting Wednesday.First, Portugal plays Wales in Lyon one day before the French face Germany in Marseille, where captain Platini inspired his team to beat Portugal in a memorable semifinal in 1984.Still, history teaches us that a semifinal is most often the stumbling stage for home hopes.Here is how five European Championship hosts fell short of glory:---PORTUGAL, 2004Portugal just had to win the Euro 2004 final. Or so it seemed.Playing in Lisbon, with a star-packed lineup against a Greece team of journeymen.Luis Figo was in the team, along with a 19-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo.Portugal even had the lesson of an opening-game loss against Greece to learn from.What could go wrong?A classic from the Greek playbook: Another 1-0 win built on tight marking, robust defense, a headed goal from a rare scoring chance.Ronaldo left the field in tears and is yet to win a title with Portugal.---NETHERLANDS, 2000How the Netherlands managed to lose a Euro 2000 semifinal is still hard to believe.After Italy was down to 10 men from the 34th minute in Amsterdam, the Dutch failed with two penalty kicks in 90 minutes and three out of four in the shootout after extra time.Italy was even without first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who injured a hand in a pre-tournament friendly.Francesco Toldo was a capable deputy. The Fiorentina `keeper saved Frank de Boers first-half spot-kick and watched Patrick Kluivert strike the post in the second half.Though Kluivert scored in the shootout, De Boer missed again and Italy won it 3-1.---ENGLAND, 1996England has never again been as close again to tournament success since a semifinals loss to Germany.This 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium is recalled as one of the best in the era of the `Golden Goal rule, when the first goal scored in extra time ended the game.An English shot hit the post, what seemed a good a German goal was disallowed, and Paul Gascoigne was a toes length from connecting on a ball trickling across an empty German goalmouth.Germany, inevitably, won the penalty shootout and Andreas Moeller celebrated his decisive spot-kick with a chest-strutting, peacock pose.---SWEDEN, 1992In the last eight-team European Championship, Sweden was ousted in the semifinals by a newly unified Germany team.Sweden topped a group that eliminated a Platini-coached France and ended Gary Linekers England career when Tomas Brolin scored in a 2-1 win.A West Germany team that won the 1990 World Cup now could call on several East Germany stars including midfielders Matthias Sammer and Thomas Doll.One of the World Cup winners, Karl-Heinz Riedle, scored twice in a 3-2 win, though Denmark would stop Germany getting back-to-back titles.For Sweden, the experience was a key step toward reaching another semifinal, at the 1994 World Cup.---WEST GERMANY, 1988For once, the Netherlands got the better of neighbor and rival West Germany in a major tournament.A German team in transition from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge to Jurgen Klinsmann leading the attack lost to an exceptional Dutch team in the semifinals.The teams traded goals from penalties in Hamburg, before Marco van Basten stretched to score an 88th-minute winning goal.The match is also remembered for what happened after Ronald Koeman, who scored the Dutch equalizer, swapped shirts with Olaf Thon. Koeman then delighted visiting fans by seeming to act out wiping his backside with the white Germany shirt.Two years later, on its way to winning the World Cup, West Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a bad-tempered Round of 16 match.---This story has been corrected to remove the reference to Luis Figo ending his international career at Euro 2004. He retired from the national team in 2006. Cheap Air Max Outlet . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. Cheap Air Max 2017 . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. http://www.airmaxoutletsale.us/ . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Air Max Outlet Online . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Cheap Air Max Sale . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Powerlifting star Majid Farzin walked to the platform to roaring applause. Then, complete silence as he attempted his lift.Three white lights clicked on, signaling it was good, and the crowd erupted in cheers again, this time even louder. A sea of yellow and green rose to its feet, chanting and waving Brazilian flags.But heres the thing: Farzin isnt Brazilian. Hes Iranian.Welcome to the 2016 Paralympics, where the residents of Rio de Janeiro have shown people from all across the world their Carioca spirit. Cariocas are the Rio natives, known for their warmth, friendliness and laid-back attitude.Before the games began a week ago, organizers from the International Paralympic Committee were just happy that -- after a furious ticket-selling campaign and a price drop to as low as about $3 per ticket -- the Rio games seemed likely to surpass sales of 1.7 million, moving this Paralympics into second place behind London in terms of spectators (2.7 million).But as of Wednesday, the IPC said sales were over the 2 million mark. The sports festival for people with disabilities ends Sunday.We have to generate energy (at the games), so therefore, we wanted to bring the public on board and have them provide energy, because in both games we started kind of with an obligation to sell more tickets, said Mario Andrada, spokesman for the local organizing committee.Its not just that people are coming out to Olympic Park on the edge of Rio. Its who is attending -- local Brazilian fans, many of them families and couples, enjoying a day out in a country where roughly a fifth of the population is below the poverty line.I wasnt able to take my family to the Olympics because it was too expensive, but we grabbed the chance to see the Paralympics because the price of the tickets was so much lower, said a 42-year-old Rio resident who oonly gave his name as Marco, attending the games with his wife and three daughters.ddddddddddddIm really glad to be part of this, especially being able to bring my whole family. Its a really unique moment and well probably never have this opportunity again.Once inside a venue, the Brazilians have been both gracious and enthusiastic.So, when Denmarks Ebbe Blichfeldt got lapped and finished last in his heat of a 5,000-meter wheelchair race last Friday, the crowd gave him a huge ovation down the final straightaway.Tharon Drake, a blind American swimmer who has won two silver medals in Rio, said the fans pumped up his performances.The atmosphere at this pool is outrageous. It is the best atmosphere I have ever been in, he said. You walk out to these guys, they dont care what country youre from. They just need a reason to start screaming and acting crazy, and I love it.Guilherme Vieira, 24, who was able to attend both the Olympics and the Paralympics, noticed the difference.The fans at the Paralympic Games have been a lot more intense. We Brazilians cheer for everyone, from every country because we want all of them to excel at their competitions, he said. Were so happy to see everyone from other countries and not everyone in the world is like that, but thats the Carioca spirit.Vieira explained it this way.The cheering from Brazilians is just what Brazilians do here and people from outside of Brazil that are here have to adapt to Brazilian culture, he said. I cheer for different countries because I dont like seeing anyone lose.---Nicole Barros is a journalism student at Penn State University. Penn State and Georgia are partnering with The Associated Press to supplement coverage of the 2016 Paralympics. ' ' '