Germany 2-0 Poland
Two goals from Poland-born German striker Lukas Podolski settled this Group B opener in Germany’s favour. Despite starting wide on the left of midfield, the Bayern front man applied the finishing touch to two flowing moves to hand the favourites a valuable win.

German trainer Joachim Löw chose Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose as his forward line with Clemens Fritz and Lukas Podolski given the wide berths in midfield.   

Poland had former Borussia Dortmund forward Ebi Smolarek as their lone striker as well as Krzynowek from Wolfsburg in their line-up.  

First Half

Poland kicked off and within the first minute had the Germans on the back foot and looking far from confident in defence.  A cross from the right saw Mertesacker and Lehmann going for the same ball.  Krzynowek let fly from the edge of the penalty area, but luckily for the Germans his effort flew well over.  

The lively opening continued and Germany should have taken the lead after four minutes.  Michael Ballack played a superb ball through the Polish defence which Klose latched onto.  Rather inexplicably, the Bayern Munich forward squared the ball to partner Mario Gomez, and the glorious chance to score passed as the Stuttgart man was unable to get the vital touch to the ball.  

Lukas Podolski had a lively start to the game in his unorthodox left midfield role.  A super individual run on 10 minutes came to nothing, before he fired in a volleyed effort following a fine cross from the right from Clemens Fritz.  

The next Polish attack of note found the German defence alert but far from secure.  A through ball to Smolarek was cut-out by Per Mertesacker, but Jens Lehmann came rushing out to clear the ball weakly, but luckily no Polish attacker was on hand.

Despite dealing with the first few German attacks, the Polish defence was sliced open after 20 minutes for the opening goal.  A fine passing move saw Gomez flick a clever pass to Miroslav Klose, who beat the offside trap.  

The Bayern striker found himself through on goal and again squared the pass rather than shoot himself.  This time however the ball was the right one and Lukas Podolski was on hand to convert and give the Germans the lead.  Both of Germany’s Polish-born players were involved in the goal.  

Poland’s next venture forward saw Lobodzinski given far too much room by full back Jansen.  His shot from inside the German area was held well by keeper Jens Lehmann.  

Poland seemed to be really struggling with Lukas Podolski and just after the half hour mark Mario Gomez played a good ball from deep and Podolski fired in an inviting cross that Golanski had to head away.  

Leo Beenhakker’s side however were enjoying some joy down the right hand side against Marcell Jansen.  The Bayern Munich full back rather jumped in against Lobodzinski and the Polish wide man’s cross found Zurawski in the centre, but he made the wrong contact and fired wide of the German goal.  

Germany responded on 38 minutes with Fritz beating Bak out wide, before cutting a fine ball back to Mario Gomez.  The striker however was unable to make a proper contact and Klose was also unable to get a last ditch foot to the ball.      

Second Half

Leo Beenhakker chose to make a substitution at half time bringing on recently naturalised Pole Roger Guerreiro for Zurawski.  The Brazilian born midfielder wasted no time in getting into the game as he crossed from the left into the six yard box, but nobody was on hand to profit.  

Germany looked to find it difficult at the start of the second half to find any rhythm.  Poland meanwhile were finding more space out wide but were making little headway from it.  Lobodzinski wasted a good effort to cross on 50 minutes after delivering better efforts previously.   

Poland were pressing the Germans backwards in the first ten minutes of the second period and Guerreiro fizzed an effort wide of Lehmann’s goal after 54 minutes.  Jogi Löw responded by sending on Bastian Schweinsteiger for Werder Bremen’s Clemens Fritz.  

Despite looking second best for the first twenty minutes of the second half, Germany carved Poland open on 70 minutes and were denied only by a top save from Boruc.  Philipp Lahm found space down the right and played a great ball to captain Ballack in the middle.  The midfielder let fly from 13 meters but Celtic keeper Artur Boruc pulled off a great save to deny him.

Boruc however was helpless two minutes later as Lukas Podolski fired past him to make it 2-0.  Mario Gomez played a superb pass into Schweinsteiger in the area, and the Bayern midfielder squared the ball to Klose in the centre.  His wild swipe at the ball luckily teed up Lukas Podolski, who fired a clinical shot into the Polish net.  

Poland must have known the game was up, but they continued to press and Jens Lehmann had to be alert to after substitute Marek Saganowski got his head to a Guerreiro cross on 83 minutes.  The German keeper produced a fine reflex save.   

Two minutes later Thomas Hitzlsperger let fly with an effort which didn’t trouble the Polish goal.  Then a minute from time Lukas Podolski had a half chance to complete his hat trick after Schweinsteiger had played the ball to him inside the Polish area.  

In the end Podolski’s goals were enough to see the Germans open their campaign with a comfortable win.  

Goals:

1-0  Podolski (20)

2-0  Podolski (72)  

Yellow Cards: Smolarek (40), Lewandowski (60) / Schweinsteiger (64)  

Germany: Lehmann, Lahm, Mertesacker, Metzelder, Jansen, Frings Fritz (Schweinsteiger 55), Ballack, Podolski, Klose (Kuranyi 91), Gomez (Hitzlsperger 75)  

Poland: Boruc, Wasilewski, Zewlakov, Bak, Golanski (Saganowski 75), Lobodzinski (Piszczek 65), Lewandowski, Dudka, Krzynowek, Smolarek, Zurawski (Guerreiro 46)