Alan Dzagoev struck twice for Russia
Carl Kinsella
Sports Writer
Poland 1 – 1 Greece
As far as dream European Championship openers go, Poland v. Greece must be somewhere near the bottom of everyone’s list. Nevertheless, both teams earned a valuable point in what will be an extremely tight Group A.
The hero of the evening was neither Robert Lewandowski nor Damitris Salpingidis, who both netted efficiently from point blank range. As if this Polish side didn’t have enough names unknown to your average football fan – the man who stood between grace and failure for Poland today was Przemysław Tytoń, second choice keeper for both club and country, who saved Giorgos Karagounis’ 68th minute penalty and a point for the host nation.
The first half was a spirited showing of finesse from a Polish side largely untested on the international scene, having not played a competitive match for over two years. Showcasing their neat passing play and ability to move the ball quickly down the flanks, several opportunities arose for Poland in the early stages. Rafal Murawski’s effort from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar in a somewhat showy fashion by Greek keeper Kostas Chalkias, and full-back Lukasz Pisczek blazed wide from ten yards out with kick-yourself-for-it-later chance. A cross by star-man and Polish captain Jakub Blaszczykowski also whistled menacingly across the goalmouth with his Borussia Dortmund teammate Robert Lewandowski mere inches from sending it home.
On the contrary, the opening 45 minutes was particularly barren for the uninventive Greek side and when Kostas Chalkias found himself marooned by a Polish cross in his own box – Lewandowski punished him expertly, nodding the hanging ball into an empty net and sending the Warsaw crowd into a red and white rapture. Things were only to get worse for Greece as disappointing ball control from their forwards Giorgios Samaras and Sotiris Ninis, as well as persistent fouling, added up to give a very frustrated and frustrating first half performance. They paid the price for their sloppiness on the brink of half-time when Spanish referee Carlos Carballo gave Greek defender Sokratis a second yellow for his continuous petty fouling on the threatening Polish No. 9 Lewandowski and Greece looked set for a very early shower indeed.
It was not to be so, however, as Poland made clear their international inexperience and let their hold on the game slip. With uninspiring winger Ninis hauled off by Greek coach Fernando Santos and replaced by Damitris Salpingis, normal programming resumed for Greece. They became a vaguely threatening, well-marshalled outfit who dominated possession and kept Poland out of the Greek half. This improvement manifested itself only six minutes after half time when Greece, true to form, nabbed themselves a scrappy equalizer. A cross by Vasilis Torosidis was taken out of Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny’s hands by his own defender and it fell into the path of the charging substitute Salpingidis. The striker poked the ball into the far corner of Szczesny’s net with no hesitation and frantic Greek celebrations commenced, leaving Poland meek.
With the scores level, Poland would lose their remaining advantage twenty minutes from time as Salpingidis expertly beat the offside trap, prompting a foul from keeper Wojciech Szczesny, usually a solid figure between the sticks for Arsenal. Szczesny’s afternoon ended with a red card and sub-keeper Tyton came on to replace the central-midfielder Rybus. Faced down by European Championship winner and veteran Karagounis from twelve-yards, all the pressure was on the Polish second-choice but the 6’5” man stepped up to the plate, diving to his left and saving the Karagounis’ effort.
However, with both sides down to ten men and decisive games against Russia and Czech Republic coming thick and fast in the next seven days, neither team looked like it would be going all out for a winner from then on. The closest either side came was when Salpingidis, again at the heart of a Greek attack, slid the ball across for Fortounis to tap into the Polish net. Much to their disappointment, Salpingidis had already been correctly ruled offside.
As both teams look ahead to their next fixtures, neither will be particularly pessimistic nor overly confident. Polish manager Franciszek Smuda must do his utmost to ensure that Lewandowski and co. do not fall asleep after 45 minutes, whereas Santos will have to make sure his hack and hoof outfit do not take 45 minutes to wake up. Both teams are now positioned in a dogfight for the elusive second place.
Russia 4 – 1 Czech Republic
Going against the grain of first games in major tournaments, both Russia and the Czechs threw caution to the wind as soon as the ref’s whistle blew in Wroclaw’s Municipal Stadium today, with Dick Advocaat’s red army comfortably brushing their opponents aside.
In a game where Russia’s lone striker, Aleksandr Kerzhakov, managed to miss seven opportunities on goal (several of them clear-cut), Russia scored four anyway. The message to Germany, Spain and Holland was clear – “We’re not here to mess about”. Youngster Alan Dzagoev chose this evening to announce his arrival to the world of football by netting the opener and scoring a scorcher of a third goal. Roman Pavlyuchenko came off the bench for twenty minutes to, quite frankly, school his compatriot Kerzhakov. Last but not least, Andrei Arshavin certainly sparkled in a way that would make any Arsenal fan wonder why Czech-captain Rosicky remained at the club last January, with Arshavin loaned back to Russia.
It was, however, Michal Bilek’s men who began the game looking sharper, winning two corners and keeping the ball well away from the intricate passers of the Russian front six. But it wasn’t long before Russia claimed the upper-hand with only a quarter of an hour gone, with Dzagoev slotting home the rebound after Kerzhakov’s header met Petr Cech’s left hand post (the beginning of a woeful night for both Kerzhakov and Cech). Soon after Russia’s opener, a flare found its way onto the pitch, thrown by the Czech fans. Sadly, firing one’s flares doesn’t always lead to rescue as Andrei Arshavin proved when his defence splitting pass found its way through to Roman Shirokov who chipped the ball deftly over Cech from six yards out, setting the tone for what was to be a relatively miserable return to major tournaments for Tomas Rosicky and his team-mates.
Had it not been for Kerzhakov’s woeful performance, the Czech Republic (bottom-seeds of Group A) would have been out for the count when the game restarted after half time. Lucky for them the Russian striker utterly failed to carry his league form into the game, missing from all angles, the worst of which came when he was played through by Russia’s midfield maestro Arshavin but contrived to trip over his own laces. It was this wastefulness that allowed the Czech Republic so very briefly back into the game when Vaclav Pilar beat the Russian offside trap, rounded Russian keeper Malafeev and rolled the ball calmly in the far corner of the net. Rather than seizing any momentum upon pulling a goal back, however, the Czechs simply allowed Kerzhakov to do further damage to his own ego as he again shot from inside the box and failed to draw a save from the Chelsea stopper. With fifteen minutes to go he was replaced by former Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko who immediately showed his value by slipping a through ball in front Dzagoev, allowing the 21-year-old to send an imperious strike into the top right-hand corner of the goal. Russia had successfully pulled away from the Czechs now and looked well on their way to a deserved victory and a night on top of Group A.
But it wasn’t quite over, not until Pavlyuchenko had his moment in the spotlight. The lanky striker dribbled his way into the Czech Republic box, was allowed to hold onto the ball for at least six seconds too long as he dodged around aimless Czech challenges, before driving the ball into the same spot Dzagoev had minutes before, again with unbelievable precision.
It was an extremely defeating 90 minutes for the Czech Republic who never really offered the Russians any contest in terms of playing football, with the experienced Milan Baros and Petr Cech perhaps the most culpable. It was also an extremely defeating 90 minutes for Aleksandr Kerzhakov who has most likely lost his starting berth to Roman Pavlyuchenko for Russia’s next Group A tie. Nevertheless, Dick Advocaat’s men will sleep soundly tonight knowing they have put a seed of doubt in the minds of the heavyweights, and put themselves in prime position to take their group with ease.
Tonight’s games see the Netherlands take on Denmark at 5pm, and Germany do battle with Portugal at 7.45pm.
