EURO: Goliath beats brave David

One goal in a first half that belonged to Germany. Michalis Sifakis saved Khedira's shot on 4', Greece reacted and manuel Neuer saved a shot from Gregoris Makos on 8', after which there ensued a German onslaught broken only on 31' when Neuer saved a good shot from Ninis.

 

Meanwhile, the notes from the first half read as follows: 12' Reus shot just wide; 23' Ozil shot at Sifakis; 24' Sifakis saved a Reus shot for a corner; 25' Reus shot just wide; 39' Lahm scored the goal, 1-0, receiving a pass from the right, running in left to find space and sending a curling shot outside the reach of Sifakis into the top right-hand corner of the goal.

 

Right at the end of the first half, Schürrle almost made it 2-0.

 

In the second half, Greece corrected some areas where Germany was coming through but it was like the boy with his finger in the dyke. Fernando Santos' team did what it could and fought bravely until the end but although Greece improved after the break, the score sheet still weighs heavily in favour of Germany.

 

Samaras and Gekas had already launched a Greek raid before Samaras' goal, 1-1 on 55' but any euphoria was dampened by the German machine which moved up a gear, resulting in the 2-1 by Khedira on 61'. Greece reacted, Gekas shooting over on 63' but much as the hearts of the European citizens were with Greece, the efficiency and skill of the German machine was implacable, with Angela merkel looking on proudly.

 

67' Miroslav Klose, 3-1; 73' Reus 4-1.

 

Greece did not give up and the reward and to a certain extent a compensation for their bravery came on 89' with Salpingidis converting a penalty after Boateng's arm blocked a cross in the area.

 

Greece leaves the tournament with its head held high. The last eight is by no means a disgrace, especially when we consider the teams that Greece passed, on foreign soil.

 

Quarter-final 1: Czech Republic 0 Portugal 1

                                                            Ronaldo, 79'

 

Quarter-final 2: Germany 4 Greece 2

                            Lahm, 39;     Samaras, 55'

                            Khedira 61;   Salpingidis, 89' (pen.)

                            Klose 68;

                            Reus 74

 

 

Quarter-finals

 

1. Czech Republic 0 Portugal 1 Thursday June 21 in Warsaw

2. Germany 4 Greece 2 Friday June 22 in Gdansk

3. Spain v. France Saturday June 23 in Donetsk

4. England v. Italy Sunday June 24 in Kyiv

 

Semi-finals

 

Wednesday June 27 PORTUGAL v.Winner of quarter-final 3

Thursday June 28 GERMANY v. Winner of quarter-final 4

 

Final

  

Sunday July 1

 

 

The Group Phase

 

Group A (FIFA ranking pre-tournament) After 3 games

 

                                   W        D         L          GF       GA      P

Czech Republic (26)  2          0          1          4          5          6

Greece (14)                1          1          1          3          3          4

Russia (11)                  1          1          1          5          3          4

Poland (65)                 0          2          1          2          3          2

 

Games

 

Russia 4             Czech Republic 1

Dzagoev (2)       Pilar

Shirokov

Pavlyuchenko

 

Poland 1              Greece 1

Lewandowski      Salpingidis

 

Czech Republic 2 Greece 1

Jiracek                  Gekas

Pilar

 

Poland 1                             Russia 1

Błaszczykowski                  Dzagoev

 

Czech Republic 1 Poland 0

Jiracek

 

Greece 1 Russia 0

Karagounis

 

Group B (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

                                   W        D         L          GF       GA      P

Germany (2)              3          0          0          5          2          9

Portugal (5)                2          0          1          5          4          6

Denmark (10)              1          0          2          4          5          3

Netherlands (3)            0          0          3          2          5          0

  

Games

  

Germany 1 Portugal 0

Gomez

Denmark 1            Netherlands 0

Krohn-Dehli

 

Denmark 2    Portugal 3

Bendtner (2)  Pepe, Postiga, Varela

 

Germany 2 Netherlands 1

Gomez (2)  Van Persie

 

Denmark 1    Germany 2

Krohn-Dehli  Podolski, Bender

 

Netherlands 1 Portugal 2

Van der Vaart Ronaldo (2)

 

Group C (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

 

                                   W        D         L          GF       GA      P

Spain (1)                     2          1          0          6          1          7

Italy (12)                    1          2          0          4          2          5

Croatia (8)                   1          1          1          4          3          4

Rep. Ireland (18)         0          0          3          1          9          0

 

Games

 

Italy 1               Spain 1

Di Natale     Fabregas

 

Croatia 3              Republic of Ireland 1

Mandzukic (2)       St. Ledger

Jelavic

 

Croatia 1      Italy 1

Mandzukic  Pirlo

 

Rep. Ireland 0 Spain 4

                        Torres (2); David Silva; Fabregas

 

Croatia 0 Spain 1

                Navas

 

Italy 2 Rep. Ireland 0

Cassano

Balotelli

 

 Group D (FIFA ranking pre-tournament)

                                   W        D         L          GF       GA      P

England (7)                2          1          0          5          3          7

France (16)                1          1          1          3          3          4

Ukraine (50)                1          0          2          2          4          3

Sweden (17)                1          0          2          5          5          3

 

Games

 

Ukraine 2                    Sweden 1

Shevchenko (2)            Ibrahimovic

 

England 1        France 1

Lescott         Nasri

´

Ukraine 0   France 2

                   Ménez; Cabaye

  

England 3   Sweden 2

Carroll,       o.g. Johnson

Walcott      Melberg

Welbeck

 

 

England 1 Ukraine 0

Rooney

 

Sweden 2 France 0

Ibrahimovic

Larsson

  

 

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru