Germany 1-0 Austria

Austria 0-1 Germany: Ballack strike sets up Portugal showdown
By John Cross In Vienna 17/06/2008

(pic:Getty Images)
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Michael Ballack set up a quarter-final showdown with his new Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari with a contender for goal of Euro 2008.

Germany captain Ballack struck a stunning 25-yard free-kick into the top corner to clinch a meeting with Scolari's Portugal in Basel on Thursday. Ballack's brilliant 49th-minute pile driver was enough to dump Austria out which means both co-hosts suffered humiliating first round exits.

The front page of an Austrian newspaper had a picture of a naked man's body on the front with Ballack's head imposed on top with a banner headline screaming: "Rip the Germans' trousers off."

But it was the Chelsea man who gave the home side a spanking.
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Ever since the draw was made, the Austrians have been relishing the chance to beat their neighbours. But little did they imagine it would be a play-off for a quarter-final place.

The Germans should have taken an early lead.

Striker Miroslav Klose broke down the right, played a low cross to Mario Gomez who, just three yards out, somehow scuffed the ball in front of an open goal and Gyorgy Garics headed clear from almost underneath his own crossbar.

It was an astonishing miss which just about summed up the early tension in the Ernst-Happel Stadion and, for all of Germany's possession and superiority, they looked nervous while Austria rarely found any rhythm.

Austria also lacked quality and when half chances fell to Erwin Hoffer and Rene Aufhauser Germany's former Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann was quick to pounce on the danger.

Germany were also denied as Lukas Podolski's low 25-yard drive was brilliantly pushed round by Austria keeper Jurgen Macho in the 23rd minute. But tempers and frustrations began to boil over before half time. First, Aufhauser was lucky not to be sent off after appearing to punch Podolski.

Then both managers, Germany's Joachim Loew and Austria's Josef Hickersberger were both sent to the stands in disgrace by Spanish referee Manuel Gonzalez as they appeared to be shouting abuse and leaving their technical areas.

Both coaches shook hands as they made their way up to the stands and immediately took his seat in the directors' box next to the German chancellor Angela Merkel who appeared to try and console Loew.

The second half started as scrappily as the first had ended - but Austria paid a heavy price for Andreas Ivanschitz's clumsy 48th minute foul on Philipp Lahm.

Chelsea midfielder Ballack took the free-kick and hit a stunning 25 yard drive into the top corner for one of the goals of Euro 2008 to provide a rare piece of quality which was enough to take Germany into the quarter-finals. Austria's former Sunderland keeper Macho was then hurt when he bravely dived at the feet of the on-rushing Klose, at the expense of a corner.

And in injury-time German substitute Oliver Neuville dribbled through the home defence only to fire wide.

Austria: Macho, Garics, Stranzl, Hiden, Pogatetz, Harnik, Aufhauser, Ivanschitz, Fuchs, Korkmaz, Hoffer.

Germany: Lehmann, Friedrich, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Lahm, Fritz, Frings, Ballack, Podolski, Gomez, Klose.

from: http://www.mirror.co.uk/

Austria 1-1 Poland

Austria veteran Ivica Vastic levelled three minutes into injury time to earn a point against Poland after English referee Howard Webb awarded a controversial penalty.

Roger Guerreiro's first goal for his country looked to have given Poland a win against the Euro 2008 co-hosts Austria in Vienna.

Guerreiro, the Brazil-born playmaker, took advantage of an offside flag not appearing, another decision from the English officials that will cause debate.

Josef Hickersberger's side will not be happy with the team led by Webb, despite being given a way back into the game.

Notwithstanding another little-known UEFA interpretation of the laws, Guerreiro looked offside when he tapped in his first for his adopted country.

Before the opener, the focus had been on how Austria did not open the scoring.

They picked up where they left off against Croatia, attacking in numbers and applying pressure.

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc made three early saves that kept Poland level.

Two were from Martin Harnik, who firstly latched onto a Marcin Wasilewski backpass and raced through, only for Boruc to deny him with an instinctive save using his feet, diverting the ball just past the upright.

Umit Korkmaz then weaved his way down the left before crossing for Harnik, with Boruc initially diving the wrong way but then using his feet to save, before showing great presence of mind to kick away when Michal Zewlakow passed back to him.

Poland's defence was fragile and exposed again with a ball over the top - and Boruc this time had to deny Christoph Leitgeb.

The Austrians were playing with confidence, spurred on by a home crowd, belying their world ranking of 92nd and looking the more likely to score.

Inevitably, Poland grabbed the opener totally against the run of play, on the half-hour mark.

Euzebiusz Smolarek swung the ball over from left to right, Marek Saganowski checked back and his deflected shot fell into the path of Guerreiro, who tapped in as the flag stayed down.

Jacek Krzynowek then had a couple of efforts from long range as Poland gathered momentum.

It continued after the interval as well, with Smolarek having a 25-yard shot saved.

Austria's efforts were more speculative as Webb turned down a woeful penalty appeal when Andreas Ivanschitz dived in the area without a touch from Pawel Golanski, who had come on at the break for Mariusz Jop.

Leitgeb then tried to catch out Boruc with a 45-yard free-kick but the effort sailed over.

Webb took 56 minutes before reaching for his pocket. Korkmaz was the player who received the yellow card for his trip on Saganowski as the winger checked back from the right byline.

Krzynowek also picked up a booking for having a shot after the whistle had blown, then Wasilewski was carded for pushing away Korkmaz.

Jurgen Macho was having a quiet time in goal for Austria but the former Chelsea stopper was called into action in the 63rd minute when he denied Jacek Bak at close range after Guerreiro had found him unmarked with a cross to the far post.

Krzynowek then had a powerful free-kick tipped over the bar by Macho when he tried his luck from 35 yards.

To compound Austria's problems, Sebastian Prodl was booked and will miss their final game of the group stages.

Austria brought on veteran Vastic for inspiration and he got his chance from 12 yards when Mariusz Lewandowski held Prodl as Poland defended a free-kick.

Who joins Croatia from Group B will now go down to the wire.

from: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/euro2008/

Austria 0-1 Croatia

AN EARLY Luka Modric penalty and some committed late defending proved enough for Croatia to beat co-hosts Austria and get their Euro 2008

Croatia were worth their win against a team placed 92nd in Fifa's world rankings.

Austria's disjointed efforts in the first hour betrayed a two-year lack of competitive action but they came to life in the latter stages.

In a rousing finale that had the 51,428 crowd roaring, the hosts laid siege to the Croatian area but through a combination of misplaced passes and desperate defending, they rarely threatened goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa, who was surprisingly named man of the match by Uefa.

The game had begun in a great atmosphere as Croatia's 20,000 fans outsung the home supporters, but the die was cast while they were all settling back into their seats after the anthems.

Ivica Olic was chasing a hopeful ball towards the byline when he was clumsily and unnecessarily brought down by Rene Aufhauser, allowing Modric – who will join Tottenham next season after the London club paid Dinamo Zagreb £16.5 million for his services – to convert from the spot with four minutes on the clock.

The goal immediately settled the Croatians, whose neat-passing midfielders began coolly knocking the ball around. Mladen Petric, unmarked in the area, should have doubled the lead late in the half after a deep cross from Vedran Corluka but blasted wide.

Croatia, who finished above England in qualifying thanks in part to the ten goals of injured striker Eduardo, could have done with his finishing yesterday as their dominance failed to produce the killer second goal. They began to sit deeper and deeper after the break as Austria came out looking much more positive and began to swing in some dangerous crosses.

The introduction of Umit Korkmaz on the left for the last 20 minutes added further bite to their attacks and they built an impressive momentum.

Fellow substitute Roman Kienast was within inches of becoming a national hero in injury time when he somehow dragged himself free of the wrestled attentions of the visiting defence only for his glanced header to trickle wide.

Both teams can take something from the game but Croatia will have to be more positive when they face Germany on Thursday, while the Austrians can ill afford to lose to Poland.

Austria: Macho, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Aufhauser, Saumel (Vastic 61), Standfest, Gercaliu (Korkmaz 69), Ivanschitz, Harnik, Linz (Kienast 73). Subs not used: Manninger, Ozcan, Katzer, Garics, Patocka, Hiden, Fuchs, Leitgeb, Hoffer. Booked: Pogatetz, Saumel, Prodl.

Croatia: Pletikosa, Corluka, R Kovac, Simunic, Pranjic, Srna, N Kovac, Modric, Kranjcar (Knezevic 61), Olic (Vukojevic 82), Petric (Budan 72). Subs not used: Galinovic, Runje, Simic, Vejic, Rakitic, Pokrivac, Leko, Kalinic, Klasnic. Booked: R Kovac.

from http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Austria-01-Croatia-Croatia-off.4164071.jp