Euro2012: Poland & Greece draw, Russia win

The 2012 European Championships kicked-off tonight with the Group A matches taking place in the Polish cities of Warsaw and Wroclaw. Hosts Poland took on Greece in the opener but had to settle for a draw, while a potent Russia showed against the Czech Republic what firepower they possess and a threat they could be to the tournament favourites. Euro2012 got of to a good start!


GROUP A

Poland 1-1 (1-0) Greece
Goals: 1-0 Robert Lewandowski (17'), 1-1 Dimitris Salpingidis (51')

Hosts Poland made a perfect start into the tournament as they initially controlled proceedings and went ahead in the 17th minute through a Robert Lewandowski header of a pass from captain Jakub Błaszczykowski, both team mates at German double winners Borussia Dortmund. In the first half hour Poland looked on course for a convincing victory with especially Łukasz Piszczek and Błaszczykowski combining well on the right wing as they do in Dortmund. But thereafter Greece slowly got into the match, but where weakened when defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos received his second yellow of the day for an alleged infringement on Murawski, but replay showed the Polish player slipped and fell. At half-time things looked really good for Poland only the 1-0 lead was to slender.

But after the break things changed as Greece replaced Sotiris Ninis with Dimitris Salpingidis and it was an agile Salpingidis who equalised for the Greek in the 51st minute after the Polish defence could not clear the ball. Suddenly it looked as if Poland could lose this match and things went from bad to worse as their keeper Wojciech Szczęsny brought down Salpingidis to earn himself a red card and give Greece a 71st minute penalty. But captain Giorgos Karagounis' penalty was saved by Polish substitute keeper Przemysław Tytoń. It stayed one-all until the end.

Russia 4-1 (2-0) Czech Republic
Goals: 1-0,3-1 Alan Dzagoev (15',79'), 2-0 Roman Shirokov (24'), 2-1 Václav Pilar (52'), 4-1 Roman Pavlyuchenko (81')

Russia went into their first match against the Czech Republic knowing that they were the favourites to top Group A and they made a flying start into the competition. After allowing the Czechs to try themselves out in the first 15 minutes the Russians upped the tempo and went ahead when first a Aleksandr Kerzhakov attempt hit the post, but Alan Dzagoev was there to give Russia the lead. They they were in control and toyed with the Czechs, who conceded a second in the 24th minute when Roman Shirokov scored of a beautiful cross pass from Andrey Arshavin. Russia could have added one or two more goals but it stayed 2-0 at the break.

After the restart Russia looked arrogant as if they had won the game and this allowed the Czechs to get back into the game as Václav Pilar rounded goalkeeper Malafeev after a perfect through ball. The Czechs looked to be in with a chance to upset the Russians, but Tomas Rosický shot which Malafeev somehow kept hold off ahead of an onrushing Milan Baros kept the lead for Russia. Then came on striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, first he set-up Alan Dzagoev's second of the night in the 79th minute and then only two minutes later Pavlyuchenko sealed the match and the three points with the goal of the opening day as he beat the Czech defence. Towards the end it looked as if Russia could score more, but it stayed 4-1 on the night.