Euro2012: Portugal win, Gomez Germany hero

The 2012 European Championships continued for the Group B teams tonight with their second round group matches in the Ukrainian cities of Kharviv and Lviv. Portugal returned to winning ways with a late winner, while Germany got the better of archrivals the Netherlands.


GROUP B

Denmark 2-3 (1-2) Portugal
Goals: 0-1 Pepe (24'), 0-2 Hélder Postiga (36'), 1-2,2-2 Nicklas Bendtner (40',81'), 2-3 Silvestre Varela (87')

Portugal needed a late striker from substitute Silvestre Varela to beat Denmark 3-2 in a close encounter. Portugal had gone ahead 2-0 through goals from Pepe and Hélder Postiga by the 36th minute, but two goals from Nicklas Bendtner on either side of the break brought things level before Silvestre Varela won the three points for Portugal.

Denmark had the better start, but a Pepe header following a Joao Moutinho header gave Portugal the lead in the 24th minute which striker Hélder Postiga doubled in the 36h minute, but Denmark got a lifeline four minutes before half-time as Nicklas Bendtner reduced the deficit.

After the break Portugal could have increased their lead again, but Cristiano Ronaldo was the biggest culprit in missing some very good chances before Bendtner equalised in the 81st minute. The match seemed headed for a draw, but Silvestre Varela's brilliant strike gave the Portuguese the much needed three points to stay in contention for a quarterfinal spot.


Netherlands 1-2 (0-2) Germany
Goals: 0-1,0-2 Mario Gomez (24',38'), 1-2 Robin van Persie (73')

Germany won 2-1 against their neighbours the Netherlands to register their second win of the tournament and look headed for the quarterfinals, while the Dutch stare at elimination after two losses. Mario Gomez once more was the hero for Germany as he scored both the first half goals, while Robin van Persie pulled one back for the Dutch in the second session and it resulted in some nerv-wrecking moments for the Germans until the end.

It was an open and intense game in the first session until midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger played a brilliant through ball for Mario Gomez, who made a pirouette before scoring past Maarten Stekelenberg to give Germany the lead in the 24th minute. Again a pass from Schweinsteiger in the 38th minute set-up Mario Gomez's second goal of the night, which put the Dutch into deep depression against their more famed neighbours.

In the second session Germany initially stayed in control and could have added a third from their counter-attacks as the Dutch intensified their attacking intent with van der Vaart and Huntelaar coming in and leaving their defence vulnerable but Germany could not use their chances. Striker Robin van Persie did reduce the deficit in the 73rd minute, but that was all that the Dutch could do on this night though they did put some pressure on the Germans towards the end who cleverly played out the remainder of the match.