What a Fantastic, Amazing, Unbelievable Turn-Around!

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:

Group A - Possible Scenarios

Here's what could happen on the final matchday of Group A:

1) Czech Republic wins & Greece wins:
Czech Republic 6p, Greece 4p, Russia 4p, Poland 2p
(Greece would advance because of the head-to-head record.)

2) Czech Republic wins & draw in the other match:
Czech Republic 6p, Russia 5p, Greece or Poland 2p, Poland or Greece 2p
(Poland and Greece would be separated depending on the severity of the defeat and/or on goals scored. This is not extremely important, since both teams would be out and very few might care who finished third and who finished fourth.)

3) Czech Republic wins & russia wins:
Russia 7p, Czech Republic 6p, Poland 2p, Greece 1p

4) draw in the first match & Greece wins
4-1. Greece wins by one or two goals:
Russia 4p, Greece 4p, Czech Republic 4p, Poland 3p
4-2. Greece wins by three, four or five goals:
Greece 4p, Russia 4p, Czech Republic 4p, Poland 3p
4-3. Greece wins by six or more goals:
Greece 4p, Czech Republic 4p, Russia 4p, Poland 3p
(The respective teams would advance because of goal difference in the head-to-head table and/or goals scored in the head-to-head matches in some cases.)

5) draws in both matches:
Russia 5p, Czech Republic 4p, Poland 3p, Greece 2p

6) draw in the first match & Russia wins:
russia 7p, Czech Republic 4p, Poland 3p, Greece 1p

7) Poland wins & Greece wins:
Poland 5p, Greece 4p, Russia 4p, Czech Republic 3p
(Greece would advance because of the head-to-head record.)

8) Poland wins & draw in the other match
8-1. Poland wins by less than three goals or wins by three goals but Russia matches or betters Poland's goal total minus 3 goals:
Russia 5p, Poland 5p, Czech Republic 3p, Greece 2p
(Russia would win the group because of goal difference and/or goals scored and/or UEFA national team coefficient.)
8-2. Poland wins by three goals but scores four more goals or more than Russia on the last matchday or wins by more than four goals:
Poland 5p, Russia 5p, Czech Republic 3p, Greece 2p
(Poland would win the group because of goal difference and/or goals scored.)

9) Poland wins & Russia wins:
Russia 7p, Poland 5p, Czech Republic 3p, Greece 1p

4... 3... 2... 1

Although the games in this group are still kind of disappointing, at least the nice thing is that all teams still have a decent chance of making it to the quarter-finals. Russia did not run away with it.

... Although I'm sure most people expect they would beat the Greeks in the last match to easily win the group in the end.

With a little bit of luck, the Polish could have beaten them, on the other hand.

Within the first ten minutes, Poland had a big chance to go ahead.
And, soon afterwards, Lewandowski scored from an offside position, which the referees promptly spotted.
But the Polish were looking good at that time.

Then, there was a stupid goal to concede, headed in by Dzagoev (who's now on three goals), in minute 37, and Russia looked poised to win again.

But, luckily for the hosts, Blaszczykowski had a flash of brilliance (57) which fooled two Russian defenders and saw the ball follow an unstoppable trajectory. Probably the goal of the tournament, thus far.

I must say, though, Poland did indeed improve after the match against Greece, even though they still did not get a win.

And, of course, all four teams are separated by one point from one another; as the standings go: Russia, Czech Republic, Poland, Greece. No team has assured progress to the next phase, although Russia is assured it could not finish bottom of the group.

Highlights:

Poland v Russia by greetop

Boy, Do the Czechs Suck Now!!

I'm sure Russia is not as good as the scoreline in their match against the Czech Republic indicates.

This loss, 1-4, only showed that the Czech Republic is just a shadow of the great team that, in 2004, was eliminating Germany from the competition, was winning all of their three matches, including a 3-2, come-from-behind (from 0-2), win against Netherlands, was crushing Denmark, 3-0, and was only eventually going out the competition unluckily, on the silver-goal rule, in injury time of first half extra time, at the semifinal stage.

This current Czech team clearly was garbage, though. They had no sense of where the ball was, where it was supposed to be, and where they should position themselves.
Even the goal Pilar scored was pure luck. (...Not that at least two of the russian goals were not somewhat lucky, either.)

Anyway, if I had a pick for the team that would be eliminated first at this tournament, I would dare to say it cannot be any other team but the Czech Republic. I'm sure Montenegro would have put up a better fight in this match. Too bad the Czechs advanced from that play-off tie!

Highlights: