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Euro 2008: Matchday Six (Group B)

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Get ready for another classic match-up.

If yesterday’s exciting match-up between 1-0 teams Portugal and the Czech Republic is any indication then today’s Germany-Croatia match-up is going to be a can’t-miss encounter. Two of the tournament’s best midfields square off with the winner (if their is one) not only in good shape to win Group B, but also set up a potential quarterfinal match-up against Turkey or the Czech Republic rather than Portugal.

Germany and Croatia will meet in today’s first match (11:50 a.m., ESPN2), with Austria taking on Poland (2:30pm, ESPN2) for a chance to keep alive their chances of reaching the quarters.

I won’t be able to do a running commentary today but will be checking in periodically to offer up updates when I can. If you will be watching today’s Group B games, and will be online, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some running commentary in the comments section below.

Enjoy the matches.

Comments

  1. It is amazing in 2 games that Schweinsteiger has not started yet earned a Yellow in Game 1 & a Straight Red in Game 2. Very un-German like in the card accumulation.

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  2. Germany did not look at all. The better team today won the 3 points they deserved.

    As pointed out in an earlier posting, Germany ’08 looks drastically different than the Germany ’06.

    It will be interesting to see if Germany finds their game before the Quarter Finals.

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  3. Someone will have to explain to me why Schweinsteiger isn’t starting. He came on as a sub in both games and looked the best player out there, with the exception of Podolsky.

    By the way, the red was a bit harsh.

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  4. Game over, 2-1 Croatia is the final, which flatters Germany quite a bit. Croatia had the better posession, the better chances. Schweinsteiger, one of the few Germans who played well, will miss the next match with a red card. Ballack and Klose are two players in particular who stood out as having bad games, as well as Lehman, though you could include just about anyone in a German jersey. The best thing going for Germany at this point? They play Austria in their final match.

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  5. Just 3 minutes of extra time for Germany to fins an equalizer.

    91st minute- Croatia work a give and go, and Lahm puts it out for Germany. Close to an own goal.

    Schweinsteiger gets a red card retaliating against a Croation player. Up until that, he was probably their best player. It was an ugly challenge, but Schweinsteiger probably deserved a red.

    Lehman got a yellow for dissent.

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  6. @Gene – Yeah, after looking at their ages, most of them aren’t 30+ (unlike Italy). Well, regardless they look old they way Croatia are running all around and over them.

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  7. Pat the Red Bulls Fan,

    Do you seriously find it odd that Germany doesn’t exclude some German citizens from national team consideration because they don’t have sufficiently ethnically pure German blood? Given history, wouldn’t it be rather objectionable if they did?

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  8. 82nd minute- Lehman makes a mess of another shot, combined with poor clearance by the defense almost led to a scoring opportunity for Croatia.

    I find it hard to believe that there isn’t anothe keeper in the whole of Germany better than Jens Lehman right now.

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  9. 79th minute- Podolski fires home a shot from the center of the penalty area. Ballack headed the ball, which got knocked down by a Croation defender right to Podolski, who finished with conviction.

    All of a sudden Germany, who has been thoroughly outplayed, is within striking distance from tying the game.

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  10. Yes, it was 2 years younger. But these are still very young guys, even by football standard. Even Klose is only 30.

    As I type this, it is 2:1.

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  11. 72nd minute- Olic, the 2nd goal scorer for Croatia, makes way for Mladen Petric.

    Schweinsteiger put a dangerous ball in the area, which nearly went in on it’s own.

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  12. Slightly off topic: Is there a site where you can watch match highlights? FIFA used to post them for WC, but UEFA doesn’t seem to be posting highlights anywhere. Am I just being a dope and not seeing them?

    Thanks.

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  13. Of course, Croatia came right back down the pitch and earned a corner. Lehman punched that out for another corner, which was put in a dangerous position, not cleared properly by Germany, but Croatia did them a favor by shooting well wide.

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  14. 69th minute- The Germans actually looked lively for a moment, but Klose hit a totally weak shot from the top of the box.

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  15. 66th minute- Germany switch up the forumla, giving the ball away cheaply in the midfield, which exentually leads to a Croatia free kick in a good position.

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  16. As I watch this German team losing 0:2 to Croatia, I wonder whether the Germany’s 1st 2 matches call for re-assessment of Klinsmann’s coaching effort in the last World Cup. This is the same team Klinsmann had, yet it is stagnant, unimaginative, and uninspired. Perhaps Klinsmann did a much better job with the Germans than he got credit for.

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  17. It needs to be said that Lehman’s back four gave him no help, giving away the ball badly which lead to the Croation possesion on that goal, where the German defense once again gave Croatia too much time.

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  18. Croatia has been really relaxed on the ball, and Germany haven’t exactly looked all that bothered in their attempts to win it back. When they do get the ball, they’ve looked a bit harried and rushed on the ball.

    It’s amazing how much better the Croation attack has seemed. Germany needs to make some kind of change.

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  19. Odonkor comes on in place of Jansen, who did not have a good first half, even in comparison with the rest of his team.

    Odonkor made an impact coming forward early in the half, and is doing so again. He already seems to be an improvement.

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  20. First half comments –

    I’m glad the Tablecloths started attacking and making the Germans work for it. However, you get the feeling it’s just a matter of time before the Germans score a goal the referee lets stand.

    Jansen is awful today and probably needs to hit the showers. Of course, the Magpies are probably already talking to his agent about a move to Tyneside.

    I’ve got a 1pm meeting (ugh!) and won’t get to see 2d half, so I’ll catch up with y’all later.

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  21. Gomez brushes against the Keeper, who lost the ball letting Klose slot it in, but the referee blew a foul to negate it. It’s a call the keeper is always going to get, but it was really weak.

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  22. To be fair, Podolski and Klose have lived in Germany most of their lives. It’s not like they’re naturalized just to play soccer cough-Eduardo da Silva-cough.

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  23. Jansen completely lost his man coming in from midfield, leading to a shot hit point blank at Lehman in the penalty area. Comedic defending from the Germans. The subsequent Croation corner came to nothing.

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  24. Over at The Guardian, they’re discussing the idea that in addition to a qualifying tournament for the teams, they should hold one for the TV commentators, too. Make the talking heads earn their way into the game, just like the players.

    Some days, that idea sounds better and better.

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  25. I find it odd that the German team fields foreigners. Can’t Germany produce their own? I mean, they’re Germany. Especially Poles, how do you play for Germany?

    Good game so far, with plenty of Ballack whinging and attacking for the sides.

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  26. 40th minute- Germany with a corner kick. Law of averages says that eventually one of these has to go in for them.

    1st attempt stopped by the referee’s whistle. After a 2nd whistle, a corner was finally taken. Metzelder got a head on it, but put it over the bar.

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  27. To run with the machine analogy, Germany just seem slightly off. It looks like they need a slight adjustment rather than a total overhaul.

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  28. Germany with a free kick in a good position. Ballack and Frings over it.

    Ballack takes it, hit it at the keeper, who parried it away. Croatia couldn’t quite clear it, and Germany had a couple of hack to try and put it into the net, but Croatia finally got it out.

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  29. Yeah, Das Machine is getting covered by the Tablecloths… The annoying kid in the back of the room has finally bugged the kid in front of him, who totally lost his composure.

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  30. It was the 24th, my bad about the time. The Germans waste a free kick just outside of the area near the left part of the goal line, and the subsequent possesion they got.

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  31. 22nd minute- Srna puts home a beautiful cross to put Croatia up 1-0. Right up until he hit the ball with his foot, it looked like another bit of lackadasical play from the side. At no point during that play did I think they were threatening.

    We’ll see how Germany responds.

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  32. Stunner! The Croats score first!

    Tablecloths 1 – 0 Machine

    Long cross over the 6-yard box from left side, and Croatian winger sneaks in arround the backside defender and pokes it past a diving Lehmann.

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  33. 15 minutes gone, and the Croatians seem content to make nuisances of themselves and gum up the Germans, more than they they are actually making their own effort. Aside from one good corner kick, they’ve been pretty useless.

    They’re sort of like the kick in 6th grade that sits in the back of the class and makes smart-ass remarks just to disrupt everyone, without bothering to actually answer any of the teacher’s questions.

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  34. You wonder if the Croatians look at the Germans and think

    (a) “Remember ’92, when Denmark upset them”

    or

    (b) “Holy #%$@, we’re about to get Cherundolo’ed”

    The Germans are just playing like a machine, and you wonder if even the weather is going to bother them….

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