Poland went out with a whimper as a second string Croatia beat them 1-0 to make it three wins from three.

Croatia knew that qualification for the quarter-finals and indeed top spot in Group B was secure after their superb win over Germany and Coach Slaven Bilic took the chance to rest almost all his key personnel.

Only Juventus target Ivan Rakitic and Danijel Pranjic survived from the team that stunned the Germans and there was space for Milan outcast Dario Simic and Livorno stopper Dario Knezevic.

Poland boss Leo Beenhakker made four changes from the team that drew with Austria as Jakub Wawrzyniak, Rafal Murawski, Wojciech Lobodzinski and Roger Guerreiro handed starts.

The Poles knew that even a win wouldn’t be enough if Germany beat Austria in Vienna and goal difference would be decisive in the unlikely event of Austrian and Polish victories - in truth they needed a two-goal triumph.

As expected, the Poles pushed hard from the first whistle and Croatian goalkeeper Vedran Runje had to be alert to punch a Lobodzinski cross clear of Jacek Krzynowek.

The resultant corner was headed behind for another, which Napoli target Dariusz Dudka met but his header flashed wide.

Croatia flexed their muscles with a quarter of an hour played as Rakitic linked with Nikola Pokrivac before the ball fell to Pranjic, who should have done better than a half-hearted cross/shot.

And the Croats were inches away from going ahead with a Rakitic free-kick, which Hrvoje Vejic headed past the post.

It was the Rakitic show as he tested Artur Boruc’s capabilities by beating two men to swing a dangerous cross, but the Celtic No 1 was up to the task.

Pranjic’s magnificent ball was inches away from being converted by Petric, but the linesman’s flag was up anyway.

Knezevic had to be replaced by Vedran Corluka due to an injury.

Boruc came to the rescue after half an hour to deny Klasnic with his legs in a one-on-one situation, as Croatia looked menacing.

And Boruc was again decisive when he clawed a Rakitic effort out for a corner.

Jerko Leko dragged a dangerous-looking effort wide of the goal as the Polish defence opened up a little.

But Poland finished the first half the stronger without creating any clear-cut chances as tempers started to flare and three yellow cards were produced within 10 minutes.

Guerreiro started the second half with a decent effort that stung Runje’s palms, but news that Germany had gone ahead against Austria filtered through and took the wind out of the Poles’ sails.

And Poland’s tournament was as good as over when Pranjic’s ball found Klasnic to make it 1-0 Croatia - the Poles needed to score three times and for Austria to find the net twice!

Beenhakker threw on Ebi Smolarek - the top scorer in the qualification tournament - with 40 minutes to go.

Krzynowek tried to strike back, but his effort was dragged harmlessly wide of the posts.

Pranjic so nearly added to Poland’s misery when his cross bounced off the top of the bar.

Guerreiro came close for Poland with a neat effort on the turn that flashed past the post, but minutes later Borc did well to deny Pranjic.

Runje made a fine stop to deny Marek Saganowski’s back post header and Smolarek fired two decent efforts narrowly wide of the mark.

Smolarek’s ball fell to Zahorski but he somehow managed to hit the ball at the onrushing Runje in a one-one-one. It was the story of the Poles’ competition.

There was nothing left in the game and it fizzled out. Croatia will face Turkey in the quarter-finals and Poland will go home to reflect on a miserable competition.
Poland: Boruc; Wasilewski, Zewlakow, Dudka, Wawrzyniak; Lobodzinski (Smolarek 55), Murawski, Guerreiro, Lewandowski (Kokoszka 46); Krzynowek, Saganowski (Zahorski 69).

Croatia: Runje; Simic, Vejic, Knezevic (Corluka 27), Prznjic; Leko, Vukojevic, Pokrivac, Rakitic; Klasnic (Kalinic 73), Petric (Kranjcar 74)

Ref: Vassaras (Gre)

Ref From channel4.com

An injury time penalty, which drew Austria level with Poland, gives the co-hosts a fighting chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Poland Coach Leo Beenhakker made a couple of changes to the Polish side that lost 2-0 to Germany on Sunday and they miraculously paid off.

The Dutch tactician bolstered his attack when logic should have told him to reinforce his back line after the Poles’ shambolic defensive display against the Germans.

Southampton striker Marek Saganowski replaced injured former Celtic target man Marek Zurawski while Brazilian born Roger Guerreiro was brought in as a trequartista, having put in a impressed as a substitute on Sunday.

The pair, starved of service for much of the game, contrived to give the Orly an unlikely lead after 31 minutes.

Saganowski brought down a diagonal at the far post, held off a couple of Austrian defenders and pushed the ball across goal to Roger, who evaded Martin Stranzl to put the Poles ahead.

Aside from a single Jacek Krzynowek shot from distance on 19 minutes, it was the Orly’s first real effort on goal.

There was a hint of offside too with replays showing that Roger was ahead of the last defender when the ball was played to him.

The Austrians looked like they were going to run away with the game in the first 20 minutes, breaking forward at every opportunity.

Josef Hickersberger’s high-octane game plan was simply too much for the Poles, who could not cope with the sheer pace and energy of the Austrians.

Poland continued to operate a high defensive line, which appeared to suit Hickersberger’s jet-heeled attackers.

Marek Harnik latched onto a sloppy back pass and burst through the Polish back four after 10 minutes, forcing Artur Boruc into a save.

The Celtic goalkeeper was called into action several times before his teammates conjured a goal, asserting his right to be considered one of the best ‘keepers in the world.

Christoph Leitgeb followed Harnik’s example minutes later and dueled with Boruc alone, but the 28-year-old keeper snuffed out the danger again.

Boruc’s outstanding performance clearly lifted his side and deflated the Austrians who looked crestfallen on being thwarted time and again.

With growing confidence, the Poles began to hold on to the ball better and went into their dressing room at half time with smiles on their faces while the Austrians looked around in disbelief.

Austria’s desperation carried on into the second half. Barely a minute after the restart, captain Andreas Ivanschitz raced through on goal and demanded a penalty after Pawel Golanski appeared to pull him back.

The 24-year-old dived to prove his point, but English referee Howard Webb was unimpressed and ordered him to get up.

Poland promptly countered through Roger who showed wonderful vision to pick out Ebi Smolarek from the left hand side, deep in his own half.

Smolarek, however, fluffed his lines on meeting Austrian goalkeeper Jurgen Macho and the Orly’s chance to double their lead disappeared.

Roger continued to add flair to the Poles, teeing up Jacek Bak at the far post after 62 minutes who forced Macho to a low save.

The former Chelsea and Sunderland stopper was worked again from outside the area, pushed the ball to safety and then began berating his defenders, who had been playing far too deep, telling them to get out of his area.

Not that that helped. The Austrians conceded a free kick on 68 minutes 10 yards outside the box, which Krzynowek used to singe Macho’s hands further.

The 30-year-old, who now plays in Greece for AEK Athens, was equal to it though and tipped it over the bar.

Tired and increasingly downcast, the Austrians kept giving away possession and reverted to a long ball game, which suited the physical Poles who out-muscled their opponents in the air.

All Hickersberger’s side could muster was the odd corner, which either ended up comfortably in Boruc’s hands or on the opposite touch line so poor was the Austrians’ delivery.

Set pieces provided the only threat to Boruc’s goal, but they were all too often hit high and wide. Ivica Vastic’s effort in the 76th minute probably reached Switzerland.

Vastic was finding his range though. Seconds later he swung in a free kick from the right, which Boruc failed to deal with and fumbled for another wasted corner.

Beenhakker reacted to Austria’s tepid resurgence in bullish fashion, replacing Saganowski with another attacker Wojciech Lobodzinski.

Roger was also sacrificed for a forward-thinking Pole after 85 minutes. Rafal Murawski announced his arrival with a fierce dipping free kick, which forced the best out of Macho again.

The Poles kept pushing and spent the remaining minutes in Austria’s final third, earning a couple of corners that were used to run the clock down.

Not to be penned in, the Austrian’s launched one last attack from a free kick placed just inside the Poles’ half.

Hit deep into the box, Sebastian Prodl was hauled down by Mariusz Lewandowski, prompting Howard Webb to award a penalty.

And the 38-year-old Vastic, so useless at corners and the like, proved cold-blooded from the spot, drilling the ball to Boruc’s right.

The draw leaves both teams with a slight chance of making the quarterfinals, but Croatia and Germany remain favourites to progress.

One thing’s for certain - it will not be a waltz.
Austria (probable): Macho; Garics, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz; Aufhauser (Samuel 73), Leitgeb, Ivanschitz (Vastic 64), Korkmaz; Harnik, Linz (Kienast 64)

Poland (probable): Boruc; Wasilewski, Jop (Golanski 45), Bak, Zewlakow; Dudka, Lewandowski, Krzynowek, Guerreiro; Saganowski, Smolarek

Ref: Webb (Eng)

Ref From channel4.com

Having been written off as the worst hosts in history before the tournament began, Austria go into their match against Poland in a confident mood despite losing 1-0 to Croatia in their opener.

They were supposed to be demolished, wiped out by a Croat side that has been mythologised by pundits everywhere after their qualification at England’s expense, but Austria surprised their critics with a competent performance on Sunday.

Josef Hickersberger’s team out-passed and out-shot Slaven Bilic’s checker-clad charges and deserved to get a result from their opening encounter. Luka Modric’s fourth-minute penalty was the only shot registered on the Austrian goal all afternoon, illustrating how capable Hickersberger’s men are defensively.
The co-hosts, however, were lucky to finish the match with 11 players after Emanuel Pogatetz repeatedly fell on his opponents like an avalanche. The Middlesbrough defender picked up an injury for his troubles, bruising his left foot, but should be available for tonight’s game, as will striker Roland Linz who has recovered from a ligament problem.

Linz may start from the bench though after Hickersberger intimated he wants to change the team’s formation ahead of the Poles’ visit to Vienna. The 58-year-old Coach is expected to move away from 4-4-2, which he has deployed throughout his tenure, and line up his side in a 4-5-1 formation. Such a change would substantiate the Austrians in midfield and give them the flexibility to switch to 4-3-3 when in attacking situations.

That system is viable given the quality and pace of Austria’s wide players, Martin Stranzl and Jürgen Säumel, who showed real promise down the flanks on Sunday. It would also give Hickersberger the opportunity to use 22-year-old Ümit Korkmaz, the Eintracht Frankfurt fantasista, who added spice in the final third on entering as a second half substitute.

Poland were shown up at the back against Germany. The Orly defended far too high up the pitch, allowing the Mannschaft to get behind them all too easily. The speed and mobility of Austria, whose central midfielders Joachim Standfest and Rene Aufhauser covered 22km between them on Sunday, will preoccupy the Poles who were overrun in the middle by the Germans.

Coach Leo Beenhakker is likely to be without target man and former Celtic favourite Marek Zurawski, after the 31-year-old suffered a thigh strain. He will be replaced by another Marek, Southampton forward Saganowski, who will either play along side qualifying top scorer Ebi Smolarek or behind him as a link between attack and midfield.

Matches between these two nations are rarely a dull affair, their previous seven meetings have produced 33 goals.

Key clash: Emanuel Pogatetz v Euzebiusz Smolarek
Named after Portuguese legend Eusebio, the son of a former Polish international, Smolarek, who tested positive for cannabis in 2002 after nibbling on a space cake, is the only player capable of launching Leo Beenhakker’s men towards the final frontiers of this summer’s European Championship. The 27-year-old scored more goals in qualifying than any other player in Austria and Switzerland, and will test the clumsy Pogatetz to the full.

Ref From channel4.com