yeahhhh! Germany won against Poland!
congrats to lukas podolski 👏
and well done michael ballack!!!
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Sunday, 2008-06-08
Germany win opener 2-0
Germany managed a picture-book start to Euro 2008: two Lukas Podolski goals beat Poland 2-0 and won Germany first place in group B ahead of Croatia (who beat hosts Austria 1-0 earlier in the day). The Germans were especially strong in the first half, then ran into some problems after the break until Podolski's second goal settled things.
Ironically, the Poles had their best opportunities until the final moments during the first half, when Germany were pretty much in command. With less than a minute gone, Krzynowek got to a loose ball at the edge of the box but fired over the bar. And on 36 minutes, a Lobodzinski cross found Zurawski who shot wide.
Apart from these scares, the Germans were in the driver's seat. Mario Gomez could have brought the side ahead with only four minutes gone, when he couldn't properly get to a Miroslav Klose square ball and missed the target by inches. Fifteen minutes later, Gomez played a fine through ball that set up Klose who presented Podolski with an easy tap-in (20'). Yet the scorer hardly celebrated at all - Podolski was born in Poland, after all. "Poland is still close to my heart," he said after the final whistle. "So there were mixed feelings."
During the remainder of the first half, Germany created a few additional chances, but as the second period kicked off, the German game disintegrated. Poland were now very much in the game and won many challenges, yet the team didn't get any clear-cut opportunities. A wonderful German move on 70 minutes signalled that Joachim Lw's side was back in the match: Torsten Frings set up Philipp Lahm on the right wing whose cross was met first time by Michael Ballack - but a stunning save from Poland's keeper Boruc denied the Germany captain. A mere two minutes later, substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger chased a stray pass, won the ball against all odds in the box and set up Podolski, who volleyed home with authority to make it 2-0 (72.).
This decided the game, even though Jens Lehmann was finally called into action eight minutes frome time, when he parried a Saganowski header from close range. At the other end, Podolski came close to completing a hat trick but his powerful shot went over the bar. "We were highly focused and made very few mistakes," Ballack said. "I think it was, by and large, a deserved victory. It's always important to win the opening match at a tournament, that builds confidence."
Germany fielded:
Lehmann, Lahm, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Jansen, Frings, Ballack, Fritz (55', Schweinsteiger), Podolski, Klose (90', Kuranyi), Gomez (75', Hitzlsperger)
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