Group A. What a crazy group!
After Russia's win over the Czech Republic, everybody thought the former would win the group. I personally thought the Czechs were going to be eliminated.
But no! The Czechs won the group, and Russia went out!
After the first two matches, Greece was sitting bottom of the group, with only one point from their matches with the lowest-ranked from the other teams, and facing supposedly the best team in the group in a do-or-die encounter.
Not only that, but history was not on the Greeks' side, either, as they had previously fallen to defeats against Russia in 2008 and 2004.
But, in the end, the only win Greece got so far at these Euros came, yes, against Russia.
Czech Republic - Poland 1-0 (0-0)
Greece - Russia 1-0 (1-0)
Poland and Russia were the more persistent in the early going, in their respective matches, too, ironically, on top of everything else.
The hosts kept going forward but their attacks had little incisiveness.
The Russians had fewer chances against Greece in the first half than the Poles had against the Czech Republic, but theirs were more dangerous.
Both Greece and Czech Republic defended very carefully, though.
The first breakthrough came in first-half injury time, in Warsaw, very late, at a time when the Czechs and Poles had already retired from the field of play in Wroclaw.
There was a throw-in from the right attacking side, the Russian defenders underestimated it, and Karagounis suddenly found himself with the ball at his feet and in a good position to shoot on goal. He took the shot excellently, and Malafeev could not prevent it from sliding past him.
What's interesting is that, at this score, the Russians were still going to advance to the quarter-final stage. Sure, the Greeks were in, but the Russians were also still in, unless either Poland or the Czech Republic managed to add two more points to their total, with a win, thereby bypassing Russia in the standings.
With three teams tied on 4 points, the Russians still would have advanced, as long as they didn't concede five more goals.
The Greek team played a perfect game, though, and they weren't without a small share of good luck, also. Even though Russia could not convert some good chances, perhaps Greece should have had a penalty in the second half that might have settled the outcome of this game for good. Unfortunately for Greece, though, Karagounis got a yellow card for simulation and will now miss the quarter-final match, which could potentially be against any team from Group B, with the exception of Netherlands, most likely Germany.
Greece also hit the post in the second half, following a free kick from just outside the Russian penalty area.
As the second half progressed, I'm sure the Russian fans, and maybe even the squad, became equally interested in what was happening in Wroclaw. And they did not like what happened in the 72nd minute of the Czech Republic - Poland match, which was at about the same time as minute 70 in the Warsaw game.
One team had scored. One team was leading. Petr Jiracek had scored for the Czechs.
Jiracek did really well to end a very good counter-attack by the Czechs, by scoring under Tyton, the Polish goalkeeper, and he achieved that from between two Polish defenders who tried to slide in to stop the goal.
Polish fans expected better, and maybe deserved better.
Probably Poland was the biggest disappointment at this tournament, considering all of the results they got. (But there are other strong contenders, too, that could qualify for the same dishonourable title, also, soon.)
In the last minute, in Wroclaw, the Poles could have eliminated the Czechs, though, and they could have allowed Russia to win the group, if only Blaszczykowski's shot had not been blocked by Kadlec. The ball had gone past the goalkeeper, and would have gone in, but the Czech defender did extremely well to head the ball off its goal-bound trajectory.
Had that gone in, it would not have helped Poland. It would have helped only Russia. (It was minute 90' + 3', and the Poles surely couldn't have gotten a second goal in the remaining minute of injury time.)
Seconds after Kadlec's save, the game was over, indeed, and the Czechs were through to the second phase.
The Greeks and the Russians still had to play for about two more minutes, but the score stayed the same there, too, and all Greek fans were able to celebrate.
And so, the teams that everybody expected to advance were eliminated, after an incredible turn of events in the first group to wrap proceedings at Euro 2012.
(I can barely believe that the team that lost 1-4 in the first match ended up winning the group!... Wow!)
By the way, I wonder if Dick Advocaat, Russia's coach, would have been sacked if he was not leaving anyway, to go back to PSV Eindhoven...
As for the Polish coach, yes, he is quitting.
Highlight from Czech Republic - Poland 1-0:
Highlights from Greece - Russia 1-0:
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