Germany 2-0 Poland

LUKAS Podolski scored both goals yesterday to give three-time champions Germany a winning start at the European Championships with a 2-0 win over his native Poland, who remain winless against their bitter rivals.

The Bayern Munich player was born in Poland but came to Germany and took citizenship, but that didn't stop him excelling against the country of his birth.

Normally a striker, Podolski started as a left midfielder and justified the selection by scoring in the 20th minute. The in-demand Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez, who was expected to be the Germans' big star of the tournament, flicked the ball through the defence to Miroslav Klose, who squared to Podolski with Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc scrambling to get back.

In the 73rd minute, Bastian Schweinsteiger shook off a half-hearted challenge by Pawel Golanski and fed Klose, who mis-kicked the ball, but it bounced to Podolski, who volleyed home from close range.

Almost unbelievably, it was Germany's first victory in the European Championship since Euro '96, the only sour note being the combination of flying bottles and raised tempers in the streets. The police detained 140 mostly German fans as it became clear to the people of this unassuming little south Austrian town that, even without England's involvement, there is still the potential for trouble in this tournament.

"Some 140 high-risk fans were detained following dangerous attacks, administrative offences and the suspicion of having committed legal offences," a spokesman for Klagenfurt police said. "Most of them are German, though we are still in the process of checking everyone's identity."

On the list of things you did not want to see on the opening weekend, a group of Poles clutching beer cans in one hand and doing Hitler salutes with the other would be pretty close to the top. The mood was very different to the other cities that are hosting games; in Salzburg, for example, where the lamp-posts are decorated with placards declaring "Fans will be Friends", or in Vienna where visitors to the Stephansplatz find themselves confronted by around 50 men and women holding up posters offering "free hugs". Yet the atmosphere inside the stadium was friendly enough and the din was sufficiently loud to blot out the constant whirring of the police helicopters.

There were also enough moments of open, expansive play to make sure that the focus did not stray too long. Opposing managers will have noted some of Jens Lehmann's more erratic moments, and his apparent inability to control his area makes the former Arsenal goalkeeper prone to embarrassment later in the tournament. Otherwise, this was an impressive opening from the three-time winners, who were quick to the ball, organised and attacked with width and penetration.

They also have an attacking trio of Podolski, Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose who could trouble the most accomplished defences and, even though Poland are entitled to feel that the match officials had a bad night, there could be no real sense that the result was an injustice.

Poland's argument was that an offside flag should have been raised before Klose set up Podolski for the first goal, a six-yard finish that was as simple as his second goal was stunning. Leo Beenhakker, the Poland coach, will also reflect on the moment in the second half, with the score at 1-0, when another generous decision in the Germans' favour denied Euzebiusz Smolarek a chance to run through on Lehmann.

Germany, however, were comfortably the better side. Michael Ballack recovered from a careless start to become the game's most influential midfielder and there were chances to make it an even more handsome win. Joachim Löw's side should also have been ahead before most of the Poles had warmed up, Klose and Gomez contriving to waste a two-on-one with Artur Boruc when it seemed easier to score.

Boruc was left exposed once again for Podolski's first goal whereas the second was a case of supreme talent coming out on the highest stage, a stylish and controlled volley from just inside the penalty area, the ball arrowing into the top right-hand corner. In between, the Celtic goalkeeper saved splendidly to tip a Ballack shot over the bar. Germany do not look like a side willing to say Auf Wiedersehen to Euro 2008 without a prolonged argument.

Germany: Lehmann, Lahm, Metzelder, Mertesacker, Jansen, Fritz, Frings, Ballack, Podolski, Gomez, Klose. Subs: Enke, Friedrich, Westermann, Rolfes, Schweinsteiger, Odonkor, Trochowski, Hitzlsperger, Borowski, Neuville, Kuranyi, Adler.

Poland: Boruc, Wasilewski, Zewlakow, Bak, Golanski, Dudka, Lewandowski, Lobodzinski, Zurawski, Krzynowek, Smolarek. Subs: Fabianski, Jop, Wawrzyniak, Zahorski, Kokoszka, Pazdan, Gargula, Murawski, Roger, Piszczek, Saganowski.

Man of the match Lukas Podolski (Germany)