Group B

[dark_horse]

Who will go to the quarterfinals?

[Irlandos]

Germany will be there and Croatia are the strongest of the other three.

Look for Poland to be partitioned by the three former Axis partners :P

[Genome]

Germany and Croatia. Maybe Austria can surprise?

[plato-ny]

Euro 2008 Groups - To Win Group B (Betting odds)

Germany 1.57

Croatia 3.40

Poland 8.00

Austria 15.00

[The2ndMouse]

Germany & Austria

[Genome]

Great assessment.

Umit Korkmaz didn't only bring life to the left side but to the whole team. What a sub.

Croatia looked ok during the first half but won't go far like this. They were outplayed by Austria during the second half and were lucky not to conceide.

[Irlandos]

Austria deserved at least a draw. The second half wasn't a football game, it was a one-sided siege!

Croatia won't go past the quarterfinals.

[NYPAO13]

good job by Germany today

Croata lucky not to have dropped points

[REY]

Group B, day 1, Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna (AUT), game 3

Austria Vs. Croatia 0:1 (Modrić- penalty 4')

Ref. Peter Vink

Formation/Line-ups:

-------------------------Macho------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------Stranzl------------------------------

------------Proedl--------------Pogatetz--------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

Standfest-------------------------------------------Gercaliu

-----------Aufhauser-----------Saeumel--------------------

------------------------Ivanschitz----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

----------Harnik----------------------------------------------

--------------------------------Linz---------------------------

===================================

------------------------------Petrić---------------------------

--------------Olić---------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

------Kranjčar--------------------------------------Srna-----

----------------Modrić-----------N.Kovač-------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Pranjić--------------------------------------------------------

----------------Šimunić----------R.Kovač-----------Čorluka

----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Pletikosa----------------------------

Substitutions:

Austria: Vastić (Saeumel) 61', U.Korkmaz (Gercaliu) 69', Kienast (Linz) 74'

Croatia: Knežević (Kranjčar) 62', Budan (Petrić) 72', Vukojević (Olić) 82'

Yellow cards:

Austria: Pogatetz 3', Saeumel 21', Proedl 68'

Croatia: R.Kovač 51'

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Group B, day 1, Woerthersee Stadium, Klagenfurt (AUT), game 4

Germany Vs. Poland 2:0 (Podolski- asst. Klose 20', Podolski- asst. Klose 72')

Ref. Tom Henning

Formation/Line-ups:

-------------------------Lehmann----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

------------Mertesacker----------Metzelder----------------

Lahm-------------------------------------------------Jansen

---------------------------------------------------------------

Fritz--------Frings----------------Ballack-------------------

-------------------------------------------------Podolski----

---------------------------------------------------------------

-------------Gomez--------------Klose----------------------

===================================

------------------------Smolarek----------------------------

-------------------------Žurawski----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Kržynowek-------------------------------------Lobodzinski

----------------Lewandowski----Dudka---------------------

Golanski-----------------------------------------Wasilewski

----------------Bak--------------Žewlakow------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Boruc--------------------------------

Substitutions:

Germany: Schweinsteiger (Fritz) 55', Hitzlsperger (Gomez) 75', Kuranyi (Klose) 90+1'

Poland: Roger Guerreiro (Žurawski) 46', Piszczek (Lobodzinski) 65', Saganowski (Golanski) 75'

Yellow cards:

Germany: Schweinsteiger 64'

Poland: Smolarek 39', Lewandowski 60'

------------------------------------------------------------------

Standings:

Or.Team.................Pl...W....D...L...GS..GC..GD..Pts

1. Germany.............1....1....0....0....2....0...+2....3

2. Croatia................1....1....0....0....1....0...+1....3

3. Austria................1....0....0....1....0....1....-1....0

4. Poland................1....0....0....1....0....2....-2....0

[Crazy]

Germany looked good today and since they are one of my favorites for this tournament,after our country team,i was happy to see them perform and play well.As for the Austria-Croatia game,the penalty was really the key factor and even with all the presure afterwards by the Austrian team,they could not overcome it.

[DUDE]

Germany looked good today and since they are one of my favorites for this tournament,

Personally I wasn't impressed by them and I certainly don't fear them (although I do expect them to get better). Beenhaker was spot on with his tactics... he knew Low would play Podolski on the left to expose Zewlakow's lack of pace, but Beenhaker played Zewlakow at centre-back to counter that as well as provide an added aerial presence to deal with Klose and Gomez up front. Still though, the flat-back 5 (or 3 defenders and 2 wing-backs), were always square on and were vulnerable to the run beyond them, particularly as Poland played a high line.

Krzynowek was clumsy and generally poor and Smolarek was isolated. Yet Krzynowek missed blasted a "gift" over the bar in the 1st minute, Smolarek was inches offside in the disallowed goal they scored which would have made it 1-1, and Zurawski missed a HUGE chance a in the 2nd half. Now I know a team is bound to miss chances in a game, but these chances were big and the game could have looked very different for Germany against a very average team. If they want to win the tournament they'll have to be better.

As for Austria vs Croatia, I've obviously been watching a different game because there's no way Austria deserved a goal. Their effort was great, and Ivanschitz's deliveries from set-pieces were very good. But the heading off of those deliveries and the quality of their general play was terrible.

Croatia on the other hand seemed a bit edgy, but I know they have a lot more in their locker and I guarantee they'll improve dramatically. The fact is, they took an early lead and always seemed assured... the "spectacular" would also arrive soon.

[DUDE]

po po...the croatians answered many questions. their midfield is very good (despite the young age), the defense has kept it's shape and bilic is as arrogant as i thought.

a classy side, as predicted by most. i thought they wouldn't be this good.

i thought germany ran into anticipated problems. podolski went up against corluka, not the polish right fullback. corluka proved his class...what a great right fullback.

jansen of germany with a bad mistake on the 1st goal.

the croatians picked on lahm and poor lahm had his moments. it's so obvious this player plays handicapped, just doesn't do anything with his left foot - i remember aekrossoponti commenting on this in the past.

croatia showed how to play football. midfielders running box to box, fullbacks attacking and delivering good service in terms of crosses and telling passes.

I had an exam today and I missed this game but the result doesn't surprise me, I've been so impressed by Croatia in the last couple of years. I'm glad someone else has commented on Corluka, I've been saying he's a top class defender for a year now. His performances for Man City and Croatia have been top class but the English media overlook his talent. It really was a top buy by Sven.

And I agree that Bilic is arrogant, but it's justified file... Croatia can win this thing.

[loup]

How Lehman got the start over Kahn in 2006 I still don't understand - not in the same class

[REY]

Group B, day 1, Klagenfurt (AUT), game 11

Croatia 2 - 1 Germany

Ref. Frank De Bleeckere (BEL)

Formation/Line-ups:

-------------------------Lehmann----------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

------------Mertesacker----------Metzelder----------------

Lahm-------------------------------------------------Jansen

---------------------------------------------------------------

Fritz--------Frings----------------Ballack(cap.)------------

-------------------------------------------------Podolski----

---------------------------------------------------------------

-------------Gomez--------------Klose----------------------

===================================

--------------Olić---------------------------------------------

----------------------------------Kranjčar--------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

------Rakitić--------------------------------------Srna-------

----------------Modrić-----------N.Kovač(cap.)-------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Pranjić--------------------------------------------------------

----------------Šimunić----------R.Kovač-----------Čorluka

----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Pletikosa----------------------------

Substitutions :

Croatia:

73' Mladen Petrić (Olić)

80' Jerko Leko (Srna)

85' Dario Knezević (Kranjčar)

Germany

46' David Odonkor (Jansen)

66' Bastian Schweinsteiger (Gomez)

82' Kevin Kuranyi (Fritz)

Match Details :

24' D. Srna [1 - 0], asst. Pranjić

27' D. Srna YC

45' J. Simunić YC

62' I. Olić [2 - 0]

75' M. Ballack YC

79' [2 - 1] L. Podolski

90' J. Leko YC

B. Schweinsteiger RC

90' L. Modrić YC

J. Lehmann YC

---------------------------------------------------------------

Group B, day 2, Vienna (AUT), game 12

Austria 1 - 1 Poland

Ref. Howard Webb (ENG)

-------------------------Macho------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

---------------Proedl---------------Stranzl--------Pogatetz

Garics--------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------Aufhauser----------------------------

------Leitgeb---------Ivanschitz(cap.)---------Korkmaz---

---------------------------------------------------------------

----------Harnik----------------------------------------------

--------------------------------Linz---------------------------

===================================

-----------------Smolarek-----------------------------------

-----------------------------------Saganowski--------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

-------Kržynowek---------------------Guerreiro------------

----------------Lewandowski----Dudka---------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------

Žurawski-------Bak(cap.)-----------Jop--------Wasilewski

----------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------Boruc--------------------------------

Substitutions :

Austria

64' Ivica Vastić (Ivanschitz)

64' Roman Kienast (Linz)

74' Juergen Saeumel (Aufhauser)

Poland:

46' Pawel Golanski (Jop)

83' Wojciech Lobodzinski (Saganowski)

85' Rafal Murawski (Guerreiro)

Match Details :

30' [0 - 1] R. Guerreiro, asst. Saganowski

56' U. Korkmaz YC

58' M. Wasilewski YC

62' J. Krzynowek YC

73' S. Proedl YC

90' I. Vastić (pen.) [1 - 1]

J. Bak YC

--------------------------------------------------------------

Standings:

Or.Team.................Pl...W....D...L...GS..GC..GD..Pts

1. Croatia................2....2....0....0....3....1...+2....6

2. Germany.............2....1....0....1....3....2...+1....3

3. Austria................2....0....1....1....1....2....-1....1

4. Poland................2....0....1....1....1....3....-2....1

[Irlandos]

The final matches of this group were:

Croatia - Poland 1-0 (Klasnic)

Germany - Austria 1-0 (Ballack)

After the above results, Germany will play Portugal and Croatia will play Turkey in the quarterfinals.

[REY]

Group B, day 3, Klagenfurt, game 19

Poland 0 - 1 Croatia

half-time (0 - 0)

Ref. Kyros Vassaras

Formation/Line-ups:

-----------------------------Runje------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

Šimić--------Vejić--------------------Knežević----------------

----------------------------------------------------------Pranjić

------------------------------------------------------------------

Leko---------Pokrivač----------------Vukojević---------------

-----------------------------------------------------------Rakitić

-------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------Petrić--------------------Klasnić------------------

=====================================

----------------------------Saganowski-------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------

Kržynowek---------------R.Guerreiro------------Lobodzinski

------------Lewandowski--------------Murawski---------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Wawrzyniak-------Dudka-------------Žewlakow----Wasilewski

-------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------Boruc--------------------------------

Substitutions :

Poland

46' Adam Kokoszka (Lewandowski)

55' Euzebiusz Smolarek (Lobodzinski)

69' Tomasz Zahorski (Saganowski)

Croatia:

26' Vedran Čorluka (Knežević)

74' Nikola Kalinić (Klasnić)

75' Niko Kranjčar (Petrić)

Match Details :

38' M. Lewandowski YC

45' H. Vejić YC

52' [0 - 1] I. Klasnić, asst. Pranjić

84' T. Zahorski YC

85' O. Vukojević YC

----------------------------------------------------

Group B, day 3, Vienna, game 20

Austria 0 - 1 Germany

half-time (0 - 0)

Ref. Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez

Formation/Line-ups:

-------------------------Macho------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------Hiden-------------------------------

------------Stranzl--------------Pogatetz-------------------

Garics-------------------------------------------------Fuchs

-------------------------Aufhauser---------------------------

-----------Ivanschitz-----------------------Korkmaz--------

---------------------------------------------------------------

--------Harnik-----------------------------------------------

--------------------------Hoffer------------------------------

===================================

------------Klose-----------------Gomez--------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------

Podolski------------------------------------------------------

------------Ballack---------------Frings----------------Fritz

---------------------------------------------------------------

Lahm---------------------------------------------------------

------------Metzelder------------Mertesacker-----Friedrich

---------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------Lehmann-----------------------------

Substitutions :

Austria

55' Christoph Leitgeb (Hiden)

64' Juergen Saeumel (Aufhauser)

67' Roman Kienast (Harnik)

Germany

60' Thomas Hitzlsperger (Gomez)

83' Oliver Neuville (Podolski)

90' Tim Borowski (Fritz)

Match Details :

13' M. Stranzl YC

31' E. Hoffer YC

48' A. Ivanschitz YC

49' [0 - 1] M. Ballack

--------------------------------------------------------

Standings:

Or.Team.................Pl...W....D...L...GS..GC..GD..Pts

1. Croatia................3....3....0....0....4....1...+3....9

2. Germany.............3....2....0....1....4....2...+2....6

3. Austria................3....0....1....2....1....3....-2....1

4. Poland................3....0....1....2....1....4....-3....1

[REY]

off topic:

aek66, my role is a bit reserved now as I do some more technical business here. When quarterfinals take play one by one, you'll have it! ;)