Showing posts with label Lewandowski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lewandowski. Show all posts
Czech Republic booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2012 at the expense of co-hosts Poland after beating them 1-0 in Wroclaw.
Petr Jiracek's well-taken goal rounded off a clinical 72nd-minute counter-attack by the Czechs to secure the win they needed to progress to the knockout phase of a European Championship for the third time in their history.
That was not before high drama in the dying seconds, when Michal Kadlec blocked a goal-bound shot just moments before the final whistle to ensure his team became the first to top their group with a negative goal difference.
Poland become only the second host nation, after Austria four years ago, to be eliminated at the group stage as they failed to claim their first ever win in the competition.
The Czechs' victory also eliminates Russia, who lost 1-0 to Greece in the other Group A clash happening simultaneously in Warsaw.
At the kick-off on a rain-sodden night in Wroclaw, both sides knew that a win would definitely send them through to the quarter-finals, but Poland did not have the luxury of a draw possibly being enough for them.
Poland manager Franciszek Smuda retained the services of Przemslaw Tyton in goal despite the fact that Wojciech Szczesny was back from the suspension incurred by his red card in the opening draw with Greece.
Szczesny's Arsenal team-mate Tomas Rosicky was sat on the opposing bench after the Czech playmaker was ruled out with an Achilles problem.
The co-hosts began the match the brighter in front of their home support, even if the colours favoured by both nations meant all four corners of the ground were red-and-white.
The Poles registered six shots in a dominant early spell, with two early efforts getting the home supporters off their seats as they hit the side netting. Robert Lewandowski fired wide on 11 minutes as he sought to capitalise on a sloppy backpass in the Czech defence, while defender Sebastian Boenisch's long-range strike forced Petr Cech into action with a low save tipped around the post.
The Czechs gradually began to work their way back into the match as the high early tempo brought on by the conditions and the occasion subsided. Petr Jiracek almost picked out Milan Baros's clever run with a ball dinked over the defence, but the Galatasaray striker could not quite reach it after beating the Polish offside trap. Jaroslav Plasil's deflected shot was no problem for Tyton, whilst Vaclav Pilar started to torment Poland on the left wing but was also unable to really test the keeper as the first half ended goalless.
Just after the half-time whistle blew in Wroclaw, Giorgos Karagounis's goal against Russia in Warsaw changed the complexion of the group completely, as it meant a draw was no longer sufficient for the Czechs either.
Smuda made the first change of the match soon after the break, bringing on Kamil Grosicki for Eugen Polanski.
However, it was the Czechs who took the initiative armed with the knowledge that they too needed a win. They won several free-kicks around the edge of the Polish box, most of which were defended well but one came through to Tomas Sivok. The defender sent his header down into the turf, but it rebounded off Tyton's legs as it bounced back up and towards goal.
The Czechs finally made the breakthrough as the match entered the final 20 minutes. Rafal Murawski lost possession in the opposition half and they broke at pace. Baros surged into the Polish box and laid the ball off to Jiracek. The Wolfsburg attacker cut inside his marker and sidefooted a low finish underneath Tyton and into the far corner.
Tensions ran high as the clock ticked down as a scuffle broke out due to Poland's players being unhappy with the length of time Pilar was taking to leave the field as he was substituted. Plasil and Jakub Blaszczykowski were both booked by Scottish referee Craig Thomson for their part in the fracas.
Blaszczykowski also got a measure of revenge in the last few second of the four minutes of added time when his strike from the edge of the box was bound for the top corner. However, Kadlec leapt in to glance it off target with his head, and Thomson blew the final whistle just seconds later.
The Czechs had to wait for one agonising minute before confirmation arrived that Greece had won to finish as runners-up and send both of them through.
A wonder goal from Jakub Blaszczykowski gave Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland a 1-1 Group A draw with Russia in a feisty, entertaining clash at Stadion Narodowy in Warsaw.
Alan Dzagoev’s deft header had given Russia the half-time lead after an enthralling opening 45 minutes saw the Poles create several good chances only to be denied by fine goalkeeping from Vyacheslav Malafeev, the width of a goalpost and some desperate defending.
But Franciszek Smuda’s side continued to be adventurous on the break in the second half and they were rewarded in style when skipper Blaszczykowski unleashed a ferocious left-footed curler past Malafeev and inside the far post, having bought the space with a fine touch off the impressive Ludovic Obraniak’s pass from the right.
The result leaves Russia top of Group A with four points, needing just a draw against Greece to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals.
Poland, meanwhile, need a win against local rivals Czech Republic on June 16 in what promises to be a thrilling do-or-die encounter in Wroclaw.
Speaking of local rivalry, there had been plenty of tension in the build-up to this match, which coincided with Russia’s Independence Day. A celebratory march through Warsaw by visiting fans had sparked violence beforehand, with local hooligans and Russian supporters clashing in ugly scenes that saw police wade in amidst several injuries and arrests.
There was also an air of animosity as rival fans booed each other’s anthems, with the usual Eastern European rivalry with Russia heightened by the death of Poland's president Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash in Russian airspace two years ago.
On the pitch it was an entirely different matter as two attack-minded sides with contrasting styles did battle in a largely sportsmanlike encounter.
Russia did most of their work with the ball, while Poland defended stoutly and used their pacy wide-men on the break.
Initially that approach seemed to benefit the Poles as, with Aleksandr Kerzhakov a blunt instrument for Russia up front, the early chances fell to the hosts.
Dick Advoccat’s side were saved by a fine Malefeev stop to keep out Sebastian Boenisch’s close-range header from Obraniak’s pinpoint free-kick, while star man Robert Lewandowski went agonisingly close with a flick and volley.
When the French-born Obraniak’s fine low ball flashed across the face of goal with Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski unable to convert, it looked like it might not be Poland’s night.
That theory gained momentum when, after a needless shove by Marcin Wasilewski on Yuri Zhirkov, Arshavin’s excellent curling cross was nodded home by the 21-year-old Dzagoev, who has three goals in his first two matches at a major finals.
It was Russia’s first real chance, although they had been denied by some fine tackles from the imperious Damien Perquis, another naturalised Frenchman, and some weak forward play by Kerzhakov, who was replaced by Roman Pavlyuchenko.
The second half saw Poland adopt a more direct strategy, one which paid off. Lewandowski was twice denied by Malafeev’s sprawling frame, while Perquis headed just over from a corner. Russia, meanwhile, were suddenly forced to resort to the counter-attack, from which Arshavin scuffed a low finish wide after a mazy dribble.
When Poland’s leveller came it was deserved – and it was a beauty. Swiftly countering after a spell of Russian possession, Obraniak hared down the right before feeding a low ball to Blaszczykowski.
The Borussia Dortmund midfielder, whose tragic upbringing dominated pre-tournament headlines, was running at full pace yet cut the ball in with his right foot before unleashing a glorious effort that swerved wide of the diving Malafeev before nestling inside the far post to provoke scenes of joy on the pitch and stands.
That came just before the hour mark and the match lost some of its spark from thereon in. Russia seemed content to hog possession and limit Poland’s counter-attacks, safe in the knowledge they were still in the group driving seat, while Smuda’s men focused on preventing a recurrence of their implosion against the Greeks.
There were half chances for Dzagoev and Eugen Polanski, but neither keeper was truly tested, although the latter stages did see a more frantic approach adopted when Poland won a series of free-kicks.
But a draw was the fair result, one which sees Poland with a fighting chance of progress – if they play like this against an unimpressive Czech side, there is no reason why they cannot make history again.
Co-hosts Poland and Greece fought out a 1-1 draw in a frantic Euro 2012 opener that saw both teams finish with 10 men at Warsaw's Stadion Narodowy.
Poland benefited from a bright opening to the Group A match before a crowd of 56,826 when Robert Lewandowski headed them into the lead on 17 minutes from a lovely Jakub Blaszczykowski cross as Greece goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias paid the price for coming from his goal but failing to collect the ball as it flew across his area.
Greece had managed to upset hosts Portugal in the opening match of the tournament on their way to winning Euro 2004, but their evening was rapidly turning into a nightmare when Sokratis Papastathopoulos was red carded three minutes before half-time for a second yellow card after he was deemed to have fouled Rafel Murawski midway inside his half.
He had been booked moments earlier for a supposedly late challenge on Lewandowski despite replays showing he had won the ball fairly and squarely in the air against the Borussia Dortmund striker.
It was a harsh decision by referee Carlos Velasco Carballo, but perhaps not a major surprise when one learned later that the Spanish official had produced 16 red cards in 19 La Liga matches last season.
Poland looked to be heading for a momentous first win at the European Championships, but were stunned on 51 minutes as Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny missed Vassilis Torosidis's cross ball enabling Greece substitute Dimitrios Salpingidis to stab the ball home from close range.
Szczesny's night went from bad to worse when he was red carded on 68 minutes after felling Salpingidis as he raced in on goal on 68 minutes.
Greece captain Giorgos Karagounis stepped up to take the penalty, but planted his penalty too close to substitute Polish goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton who dived to his left to make the stop and ensure his side a point from a match they might have won given their advantage at the break.
Whether it will prove to be good enough to help Poland reach the last eight of the tournament remains to be seen with Russia and Czech Republic their other opponents in what appears to be the weakest group at the finals.
It was all Poland in the first period with Chalkias forced to swipe an effort by Murawski over his bar on four minutes with Lewandowski just failing to connect with a Lukasz Piszcezk cross eight minutes later.
Damien Perquis smashed a shot wide when he should have hit the target eight minutes before half-time as Poland could and should have finished matters off ahead of the second half.
Greece looked a whole lot more sprightly as they re-emerged with their 10 men as Salpingidis - on for Sotiris Ninis at half-time - made a noticeable difference to their attacking instincts. It was hard to argue they were not worthy of the point.
