Austria vs. Poland
Who'd bet against there being two lame-duck hosts of these Euros by the end of the day? A very tough test for Austria against a running team of Poles.
posted by gooner71 @ 7:58 AM
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Who'd bet against there being two lame-duck hosts of these Euros by the end of the day? A very tough test for Austria against a running team of Poles.
Lakenheath Old Boys
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
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- Croatia vs. Germany
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- Greece vs. Sweden
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- Holland vs. Italy
- Romania vs. France
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- Germany vs. Poland
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Here are the sides for this must-win match for both sides:
Austria: Macho, Garics, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Leitgeb, Aufhauser, Ivanschitz, Korkmaz, Harnik, Linz
Subs: Manninger, Ozcan, Standfest, Fuchs, Vastic, Gercaliu, Katzer, Patocka, Hiden, Kienast, Saumel, Hoffer
Poland: Boruc, Wasilewski, Jop, Bak, Zewlakow, Dudka, Lewandowski, Krzynowek, Roger, Saganowski, Smolarek
Subs: Kowalewski, Fabianski, Wawrzyniak, Golanski, Gargula, Pazdan, Lobodzinski, Murawski, Zahorski, Kokoszka
Referee: Howard Webb (England)
It would be very sad to see both hosts out by Day 6 of the tournament, so I'll be urging on Austria this afternoon.
Austrian fans in fine voice this evening. The cameras picked up Lech Walesa before the match started. Who knew that the Polish Solidarnosc supremo was a footie fan?
Adrian Healey mentions an interesting factoid. Polish coach Leo Beenhakker has never won a game at a major tournament.
Both sides are looking enterprising.
English referee Howard Webb blows up for a free kick where he might have played an advantage for the hosts there.
Oh, a real chance for Austria. Martin Harnek was clean through on goal but he somehow put it wide. Shame, that would have opened the game up nicely.
Oh, Harnek again has missed. Korkmaz got to the by-line and pulled back a lovely ball and Borucs made a great save moving in the opposite direction with his legs. He obviously thought that the Austrian striker would hit it in the corner but Harnek just hit it straight at the keeper. How many chances does this kid need?
The Polish defense plays kamikaze again and two Austrians streak in on the big goalkeeper Borucs who again saves the day with his legs. Incredible - Austria should be 3-0 up inside the first twenty minutes!
You can't take your eyes off this match - it's all happening. There is no defending going on to speak of and I heartily approve. Thrilling start to the game.
Any Austrian goalscorer tonight has been offered a lifetime's supply of beer by a local brewery.
This Korkmaz fellow is looking a hell of a player out wide left. He's put several telling balls across but his strikers have been hopeless.
The Poles have really dropped into defense here just knocking it about, much to the consternation of the Austrian crowd who feel that their side are onto something here. The Poles have been very lackluster.
Korkmaz puts another ball over, this time from the right but Leitinger neither shoots nor passes at the top of the box.
GOAL! Poland 1-0! Inevitably the Poles have sprung a counterattack and made the profligate hosts pay. The Polish winger wriggles past his marker, shoots and the deflected ball in stabbed home by Brazilian born Guerrero
The Austrians have really dropped off in confidence since that goal went in.
Five minutes left - this would be the time for the Austrians to get one back and get back into the match.
Howard Webb is having a 'mare here. He's just given Austria a gift of a free kick on the right side of the box. This could be key.
No, the free kick is wasted. Into stoppage time now.
Half-time: Austria should really be three or four up. Instead they're facing elimination if they can't pull their fingers out.
Poland 1 Austria 0
The half time analysis showed conclusively that Guerrero was about a yard offside on the goal. What a shame if this settles the tie.
Second half starting....
Galanski is coming on for the Poles.
A fairly acrobatic dive by the waster Harnek and Howard Webb is not impressed.
Korkmaz swings another tantalizing ball over, Harneks connects with it but he can't find his strike partner.
Korkmaz picks up a yellow card for a wild challenge.
Hickersberger seems to be getting ready to make some changes and not before time. They've got half an hour to rescue their Euro 2008 campaign.
Guerreiro is really running things for the Poles; he's been massively impressive and I could see some big clubs licking their lips at the promise of signing him after this tournament.
Krzynoweck picks up a yellow for being silly and kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone for offside. That could be key if the Poles win this one.
Jurgen Macho pulls off to robust saves to keep Austria alive.
Down to the last fifteen minutes now and Hickersberger is making his last changes. It's all on the line now for Austria.
Free kick for the Austrians....
Vastic to take and it's well over the bar. A real waste.
One last chance here for the Austrians in stoppage time.
Oh my word, Howard Webb has given a penalty to Austria right at the death. It seemed like the usual ruck at a free kick but there was certainly some tugging from the Polish defender and now Vastic has a chance to key his team alive.
GOAL! Vastic, the oldest player in the tournament, has put his side level and the host nation's fans are going potty in the stands. Incredible noise and scenes here.
1-1!
Poland has another corner...
and the header goes over.
There will be a lot of discussion about Howard Webb's role in this match. First, he gave Poland a goal when Guerreiro was offside.
Now, in the second half he's called for a retake of a free kick and then given a penalty. Lots of controversy there.
Full-time: 1-1
It's all over and that late, late penalty keeps the co-hosts alive and will set up a mouthwatering last match against the Germans.
Vastic will be collecting that lifetime supply of beer.
A bit quiet on the blog today, lads. I tell you this - if there were ever a day to skive off work and start a long weekend early, tomorrow is that day. Group of Death. The big European boys Italy and France with plenty to prove. It should be thrilling. I expect a freak snow day for upstate NY and an extreme heat index advisory in the D.C. area. See you then!
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