Euro 2008 Day Six

[Newshound]

12 June 2008<br>
<br>
AUSTRIA 1 (Vastic 93 Pen)<br>
POLAND 1 (Guerreiro 30)<br>
<br>
Austria should have been 3-0 up inside the first 15 minutes. Harnik ran onto a hospital pass, left two defenders for dead and with only Boruc to beat shot wide of a post. Two minutes later a brilliant run by Korkmaz should have ended with Harnik making up for his earlier mistake but Boruc dived to save with his feet. The Austrian's then hit the Poles on the break, Prodl sent Leitgeb racing clear but once against Boruc came to the rescue. Predictably Poland scored with their first time. Smolarek found Saganowski at the back post, the striker turned Pogatetz shot wide of Macho and Guerreiro stabbed into an empty net.<br>
<br>
Poland took control in the second half. Smolarek raced onto Guerreiro's superb crossfield pass but shot straight at Macho. On the hour mark Guerreiro found Bak with a cross to the back post, the centre back controlled on his chest before firing a volley forcing Macho into a superb save and he quickly recovered to deny Lewandowski on the follow up. A second goal for the visitors seemed a formality, Macho was called into action again, tipping Krzynowek's stupendously powerful free kick over the bar. Austria failed to muster anything close to resembling a clear cut chance in the second half before they were suddenly given a lifeline from the penalty spot for shirt tugging. Normally these are never given but Wasilewski was yanking on Prodl's shirt in full view of referee Howard Webb. Vastic sent Boruc the wrong way earning Austria a point and himself a lifetime's supply of beer.<br>
<br>
Attendance : 51,428<br>
Assists : Saganowski, Prodl (won pen)<br>
<br>
<br>
CROATIA 2 (Srna 24, Olic 62)<br>
GERMANY 1 (Podolski 79)<br>
<br>
Srna's goal was the culmination of a brilliant move spanning 15 passes started by Modric deep in his own half. The ball was eventually played to Kranjcar who switched flanks with a crossfield pass out to Pranjic, he played a double one-two with Rakitic, Rakitic looked to play a give and go with Olic, taking three defenders with him, Olic played the ball back to Pranjic, he swung a cross to the back post and Srna stole a yard on Jansen to volley past Lehmann. Poor marking by Jansen but a brilliant team goal nonetheless. Gomez blew a chance to score a quick equaliser, heading over an excellent Jansen cross. Rakatic and Olic combined for a second time but Kranjcar failed to take advantage of more poor marking in the box. Pletikosa struggled to clear a fiercely struck Ballack free kick and Metzelder missed a sitter from corner. Pletikosa sent Corluka down the left with a quick throw, he absolutely destroyed Jansen, flicking the ball inside him as he sprinted upfield then left the fullback in a heap as he failed to connect with an insane jump tackle, Corluka centring to Kranjcar, he failed to connect but the ball fell to Olic who chipped a great first time pass to Kranjcar, he took the ball on his chest before blasting a left foot volley at Lehmann who nonetheless made a great save.<br>
<br>
Ballack, who is having a shocker of a tournament so far volleyed high into the stands after Pletikosa spilled a cross. Rakitic's right wing cross deflected off Podolski onto a post and Olic snapped up the rebound to score Croatia's second. Schweinsteiger went close minutes after replacing the hugely disappointing Mario Gomez. Podolski lashed in another left foot volley after Robert Kovac made a mess of a Ballack header but a comeback was never on the cards and Croatia looked more likely to score. Schweinsteiger was sent off for pushing Leko in the chest. The first red card of the tournament. For those of you who don't know the literal translation of Schweinsteiger is pig farmer.<br>
<br>
Gomez continually ran offside. He's like Inzaghi minus the goals. Jansen, as highlighted here weeks ago by other posters, was horrible at the back, so poor in fact Low substituted him at half time. Germany looked every bit as poor as Croatia did in their first match. The Mario Gomez experiment is a failure. It's time Kuranyi got a chance. Jansen won't be starting the next match. It's a good time for Germany to get a wake-up call, better now than in the knockout stages. It looks like they'll get Portugal a round early, if they beat Austria.<br>
<br>
Attendance : 30,461<br>
Red Card : Schweinsteiger 91 (Germany)<br>
Assists : Pranjic, n/a, n/a<br>

Read more...