Associated Press
June 13, 2008
Maybe Croatia is the team to watch out of Group B at the European Championship.
The Croats stunned pretournament favorite Germany 2-1 yesterday in Klagenfurt, Austria. The Germans hardly looked the odds-on choice, often appearing confused on defense and sloppy on offense. And the Croats were unlucky not to score more often in advancing to the quarterfinals.
"This match showed that we can play with everyone," midfielder Niko Krancjar said. "We dominated the field, never letting them develop their own game."
Croatia now has six points and clinched the group. Croatia took the lead in the 24th minute after Danijel Pranjic swapped passes with Ivan Rakitic and then sent a cross for Darijo Srna. He slid just ahead of defender Marcell Jansen and scored past goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.
Ivica Olic made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute after a shot from Rakitic on the right flank was deflected by Germany forward Lukas Podolski and bounced off the post right at Olic's feet.
"We played a phenomenal game," Croatia coach Slaven Bilic said. "We closed the lanes. We attacked them early. We shut them down where they are most dangerous.
"We were dangerous. We managed to control the whole game. They had some chances because Germany is Germany."
Podolski scored his third goal of the tournament in the 79th.
"Of course we are disappointed," Germany coach Joachim Loew said. "We were not the same team that played against Poland. We never managed to step up the pace, we did not have the precision in our passes."
Poland 1, Austria 1
In Vienna, Austria, after wasting a half-dozen excellent scoring chances, Austria broke through in the closing moments of injury time to tie Poland.
PHOTO GALLERY: Austria Vs. Poland
It took a penalty against the Poles on a free kick, with Ivica Vastic converting. Mariusz Lewandowski pulled the shirt of Sebastian Proedl in the area on a free kick and the referee awarded the Austrians the penalty kick that Vastic sent to the goalkeeper's right.
Brazilian-born playmaker Roger Guerreiro gave Poland the lead by tapping in a 30th-minute cross from Marek Saganowski for his first international goal since he received Polish citizenship in April. Austria dominated early, with a 7-1 edge in shots, but goalkeeper Artur Boruc was impenetrable.
