Group Elimination A: Friday, 8 June 2012 - Warsaw - Municipal Stadium

Poland and Greece set to kick things off in the Euro Cup 2012 opener.

Poland

The Poles will open up and kick off the festivities for the 2012 European Championships holding the home field on June 8 when they take on Greece in a Group A match in Warsaw, and this will be the first test for all 2012 Euro Cup betting fans. In recent matches against Greece Poland has owned Greece beating them 10 out of the last 15 matches it will make it even more sweeter that they are playing in front of their home fans. Poland has beaten Greece 4 out of their last 5 meetings.

In their last meeting on March 2011 it ended up in a scoreless game. But as far as scoring goes Poland has clearly dominated Greece outscoring them 29-11 in the last 15 matches. Just to note Greece has not won in Poland. They have lost 8 straight to Poland being outscored by the Poles 22-4.

Greece

Greece came in dominating their qualifying round by winning 7 out of 10 matches in their qualifying round and to also mention they have lost 1 match in their last 20. Greece is entering the tournament on its high horse and deservingly so. Greece however only scored 14 goals in their last 10 games that is enough to draw some concern but, on the defensive side they are brilliant only conceding 5 goals.

Predictions: Poland wins 2-0

We can see this being a real all out war with Greece wanting payback but with the home field and the crowd behind the home team it’s going to be very tough for Greece, With striker Robert Lewandowski being Poland’s biggest scoring threat arrives at Euro 2012 in the best shape of his life.

Poland has competed in one European championship since 2008 not winning one match. The Poles drew one and lost two in the 2008 Euro Championships. They didn’t qualify past the group stage. They have had more success on the world stage and have played in seven World Cups.

Greece’s last major defeat came at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when Argentina defeated them 2-0.

We look for Poland to continue their dominance over Greece.

Euro Cup 2012 Highlights: Poland and Greece Deadlock 1-1

Sometimes being the host country doesn’t always have it advantage. Sure, the positive is you have your home team rooting for you but, you also have to deal with the pressures. Last night, host team Poland deadlocked 1-1 vs. Greece. We knew going into this game that both sides it would be a defensive battle and that’s exactly what they gave us.

Poland should have converted their chances in the 1st half. Lewandowski played really well for Poland and if Greece didn’t have Salpingidis, I don’t know what the score would have been. Here are some of the game highlights:

KICK OFF

1:00 Lewandowski committed a light foul (no card).

3:00 Matuszczyk got a solid kick to the net. The shot was pushed over the bar. A corner kick produced nothing.

4:30 Greeks took possession and proceeded to attack down the field to a having to listen to boos and jeers.

7:00 Poland is playing with a load of pace at the moment. Lukasz Piszczek is did a fine job far for Poland of attacking down the right wing. Lewandowski, the Manchester United prospect, is already causing Greece a world of problems.

10:00 Katsouranis took free kick. It was close, however, it’s headed out of bounds.

13:00 Greece shown that they were vulnerable as Lewandowski attacks across the pitch and hits in a beautiful cross. Unfortunately for Poland, no one was able to put their head on the end of it.

Lewandowski heads in a beautiful cross. Greece clearly caught off guard been found wanting in the left-back position. A perfect start for the Poles.

Shortly after substitute Dimitris Salpigidis had equalized for Greece by knocking in a loose ball in the 51st minute, the diminutive striker was taken down by Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the area.

Szczesny was given a red card, and captain Giorgos Karagounis was given the chance to again give Greece an opening match win against the host. Eight years ago, Karagounis scored in the opening 2-1 win over Euro 2004 host Portugal.

His shot however, was saved by replacement goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, whose first touch of the ball salvaged a point for the co-hosts in Group A.

EURO 2012: Poland vs Greece Timeline

• 90+3' - The whistle has gone to end the second half. The match finishes 1-1.
• 90+1' - 3 minutes will be added to the Second half in Warsaw.
• 90' - Velasco Carballo, Carlos has awarded Poland a corner. Ludovic Obraniak takes the kick from the Right.
• 88' - In Warsaw Greece's Kostas Katsouranis is caught offside.
• 85' - Poland's R.Lewandowski gets his shot away but it misses the target.
• 84 - G.Karagounis for Greece gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
• 83' - E.Polanski of Poland smashes in a shot on target. The keeper saves, though.
• 80' - Greece's G.Samaras breaks free at National Stadium Warsaw. But the strike goes wide of the post.
• 77' - In Warsaw Greece attack through V.Torossidis. The finish is off target, however.
• 74' - Greece drive forward but Dimitris Salpingidis is judged offside.
• 70' - Przemyslaw Tyton is replacing Maciej Rybus for the Home team.
• 69' - Greece have been given a penalty at National Stadium Warsaw.
• 69' - Poland are down to 10 men after Wojciech Szczesny has been shown a red card.
• 68' - The Away team have replaced Fanis Gekas with Kostas Fortounis. This is the Third substitution made today by Santos, Fernando.
• 66' - Poland attack but M.Rybus's header doesn't find the target.
• 63' - G.Samaras for Greece gets in a strike but fails to hit the target.
• 58' - In Warsaw Poland attack through L.Obraniak. The finish is off target, however.
• 54' - Georgios Karagounis (Greece) has received a yellow card from Velasco Carballo, Carlos.
• 51' - Dimitris Salpingidis is on target to level the scores at 1-1.
• 48' - Poland's R.Lewandowski gets his shot away but it misses the target.
• 46' - Dimitris Salpingidis is replacing Sotiris Ninis for Greece at National Stadium Warsaw.
• 46' - The second-half is now underway.
• 45+3' - The whistle has gone to end the first-half.
• 45+2' - At National Stadium Warsaw, Jose Holebas has been yellow-carded for the Away team.
• 45' - D.Perquis (Poland) is first to the ball but his header is off-target.
• 44' - Greece's Sokratis Papastathopoulos has been shown a second yellow card and sent off.
• 42' - At National Stadium Warsaw Sotiris Ninis (Greece) takes a corner from the Right.
• 40' - Poland have been awarded a corner by Velasco Carballo, Carlos. Ludovic Obraniak steps up to take it.
• 40' - Corner awarded to Greece.
• 39' - In Warsaw Sotiris Ninis for Greece takes a corner from the Right-hand flag.
• 37' - Poland's D.Perquis breaks free at National Stadium Warsaw. But the strike goes wide of the post.
• 37' - Kyriakos Papadopoulos is on a sub for Avraam Papadopoulos for Greece.
• 35' - Sokratis Papastathopoulos for Greece has been booked by Velasco Carballo, Carlos and receives a first yellow card.
• 27' - Greece's A.Papadopoulos looks ok and returns to the pitch.
• 26' - Velasco Carballo, Carlos has awarded Poland a corner. Ludovic Obraniak takes the kick from the Left.
• 24' - Greece are coming forward and K.Katsouranis gets in a strike, it misses the target, however.
• 21' - Play has been resumed.
• 19' - The match at National Stadium Warsaw has been interrupted briefly for a check on A.Papadopoulos, who is down injured.
• 17' - Lukasz Piszczek with an assist there.
• 17' - Robert Lewandowski heads in to make it 1-0 at National Stadium Warsaw.
• 16' - L.Obraniak is back on the pitch.
• 16' - Play is underway once more.
• 15' - Play has been interrupted briefly in Warsaw to check on L.Obraniak, who is grimacing with pain.
• 12' - Poland are pushing forward but J.Blaszczykowski's finish is wide of the goal.
• 12' - F.Gekas (Greece) gets up for a header but cannot keep the ball on target.
• 6' - Greece's Fanis Gekas is whistled for offside at National Stadium Warsaw.
• 5' - M.Rybus of Poland gets in a strike, but is off target.
• 5' - At National Stadium Warsaw Ludovic Obraniak (Poland) takes a corner from the Right.
• 5' - Poland's L.Obraniak is on target but unsuccessful.
• 1' - The match has started at National Stadium Warsaw.

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