Germany have beaten Poland 2-0 in their opening Group B match in Klagenfurt on Sunday, with Lukas Podolski scoring both goals for his adopted country.
Poland had the first chance at goal, in just the first minute of the match when Krzynowek had a great chance to open the scoring, but his volleyed shot from 10-yards went well high of the crossbar.
Just minutes later Germany had a superb chance to score after Miroslav Klose broke the offside trap to supply Mario Gomez, but his shot went wide of Artur Boruc’s right goal-post.
It was 20 minutes into the match that the deadlock was broken, with Klose again who was involved in the first goal of the match, catching on to a superb pass from Gomez, who passed to Polish-born Lukas Podolski who tapped-in to make it 1-0 to Germany.
Despite having never beaten Germany in International competition, Poland had a few chances on goal of their own, with Lewandowski and Lobodzinski both forcing Jens Lehmann into saves.
The game went into half-time 1-0 to Germany, who started the game the stronger of the two, but Poland having found their way into the match, and started to apply pressure on the German defence.
Poland came out for the second-half with intent, but found it hard to break the extremely organised Germany defence.
Second-half substitute Roger Guerreiro has his attempt saved in the 54th minute, but the Poles just couldn’t find a way through.
Krzynowek almost levelled the scores in the 72nd minute of the match, but immediately Germany attacked, leading to Podolski scoring his second goal of the match.
A defensive mistake from Poland defender Golanski led to the second goal, with Podolski doubling the score with a superb volley after a mis-hit shot from fellow striker Miroslav Klose landed directly in his path as the onrushing Podolski slammed the ball home from just next to the penalty-spot.
Smolarek almost drew a goal back for Poland in the 84th minute, but Lehmann saved well to deny him.
The game finished 2-0 to Germany, who now lead Group B, ahead of Croatia who beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 earlier today.
Germany Team Lehmann, Jansen, Fritz (Scweinsteiger, (Scweinsteiger, 56), Frings, Gomez (Hitzlsperger, 75), Klose (Kuranyi, 90), Ballack (c), Lahm, Mertesacker, Podolski, Metzelder.
Germany Substitutes Not Used: Enke, (g), Adler (g), Friedrich, Westermann, Rolfes, Scweinsteiger, Neuville, Trochowski, Borowski, Odonkor.
Poland Team: Boruc, Golanski (Saganowski, 75), Dudka, Bak, Smolarek, Krzynowek, Zurawski (c) (Guereirro, 46), Wasilewski, Zewlakow, Lobodzinski (Piszczek, 65), Lewandowski.
Poland Substitutes Not Used: Fabianski (g), Jop, Wawrzyniak, Gargula, Pazdan, Murawski, Zahorski, Kokoszkha.
Poland had the first chance at goal, in just the first minute of the match when Krzynowek had a great chance to open the scoring, but his volleyed shot from 10-yards went well high of the crossbar.
Just minutes later Germany had a superb chance to score after Miroslav Klose broke the offside trap to supply Mario Gomez, but his shot went wide of Artur Boruc’s right goal-post.
It was 20 minutes into the match that the deadlock was broken, with Klose again who was involved in the first goal of the match, catching on to a superb pass from Gomez, who passed to Polish-born Lukas Podolski who tapped-in to make it 1-0 to Germany.
Despite having never beaten Germany in International competition, Poland had a few chances on goal of their own, with Lewandowski and Lobodzinski both forcing Jens Lehmann into saves.
The game went into half-time 1-0 to Germany, who started the game the stronger of the two, but Poland having found their way into the match, and started to apply pressure on the German defence.
Poland came out for the second-half with intent, but found it hard to break the extremely organised Germany defence.
Second-half substitute Roger Guerreiro has his attempt saved in the 54th minute, but the Poles just couldn’t find a way through.
Krzynowek almost levelled the scores in the 72nd minute of the match, but immediately Germany attacked, leading to Podolski scoring his second goal of the match.
A defensive mistake from Poland defender Golanski led to the second goal, with Podolski doubling the score with a superb volley after a mis-hit shot from fellow striker Miroslav Klose landed directly in his path as the onrushing Podolski slammed the ball home from just next to the penalty-spot.
Smolarek almost drew a goal back for Poland in the 84th minute, but Lehmann saved well to deny him.
The game finished 2-0 to Germany, who now lead Group B, ahead of Croatia who beat co-hosts Austria 1-0 earlier today.
Germany Team Lehmann, Jansen, Fritz (Scweinsteiger, (Scweinsteiger, 56), Frings, Gomez (Hitzlsperger, 75), Klose (Kuranyi, 90), Ballack (c), Lahm, Mertesacker, Podolski, Metzelder.
Germany Substitutes Not Used: Enke, (g), Adler (g), Friedrich, Westermann, Rolfes, Scweinsteiger, Neuville, Trochowski, Borowski, Odonkor.
Poland Team: Boruc, Golanski (Saganowski, 75), Dudka, Bak, Smolarek, Krzynowek, Zurawski (c) (Guereirro, 46), Wasilewski, Zewlakow, Lobodzinski (Piszczek, 65), Lewandowski.
Poland Substitutes Not Used: Fabianski (g), Jop, Wawrzyniak, Gargula, Pazdan, Murawski, Zahorski, Kokoszkha.
