LAHM SLAUGHTERS THEM ... Germany skipper Philipp Lahm fires in a superb opener
Last Updated: 23rd June 2012
PHILIPP LAHM kick-started Germany’s supershow against Greece to set up a potential semi-final with England.
Lahm’s banana kick put the Germans ahead before Sami Khedira slammed home the vital second after the Greeks had equalised.
That put an end to any hopes of another Greece upset.
Joachim Low’s men will await the winner of tomorrow’s quarter-final between England and Italy and it could be a date with destiny for the Three Lions.
A chance to wipe out memories of losing to the Germans at the same stage at Wembley in Euro ’96 and a 4-1 stuffing at the 2010 World Cup. It won’t be easy.
They will have to beat a side that set a new world record of 15 successive wins in competitive matches last night.
Lahm, Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus turned it into a rout — though Georgios Samaras’ leveller just before the hour gave the underdogs a brief lifeline.
But it was all done and dusted before Dimitris Salpingidis scored from the spot just before the end.
Naturally, Roy Hodgson and Co should look no further than beating the Azzurri but the prospect of facing their old foes will certainly be a strong incentive.
Diego Maradona said before this match “If 300 Greeks were able to hold off 10,000 Persians at Thermopylae, then 11 Greeks will have a chance against 11 Germans.”
It is history’s most famous last stand and Maradona’s only error was the actual number of Persians ranged between 100,000 and 300,000.
The whole scene in Gdansk mirrored Thermopylae as a small pocket of Greek fans was vastly outnumbered by 35,000 Germans.
Led by King Leonidas, the Spartans lasted seven days before they were betrayed by one of their own.
Last night the Greeks lasted 39 minutes. That in itself was a miracle as the Germans delivered a dominant performance full of energy, movement and running.
This was billed as the grudge match of Gdansk given the Greek economic crisis and the austerity measures, that have left large sections impoverished, driven mainly by the German government.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s presence here spiced things up.
Germany boss Low made a “cheeky” move by dropping big guns Mario Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller.
Reus and veteran Klose, 33, came in, as did Andre Schurrle.
For a man who before the match claimed Germany would have to chip away at the Greek wall of resistance, it seemed a recipe for disaster to take all of his goalscorers out of the team. But it worked a treat.
Low said: “To be cheeky is a good thing. It was the time to bring in some fresh faces and different types of players who could do a job and it worked very well.
“Khedira was great. Dynamic. A real leader. He’s always there and ready to run into the box but also always holds his position and is tough to beat in the one-on-one.
“He’s positive and good for those around him.”
Low’s men tore the Greeks apart in the first half.
The relentless running off the ball created the spaces to breach the 2004 champs. Each German ran on average 300 yards more. Germany made 344 passes to the Greeks’ 78 in the opening period.
Greece missed their talismanic skipper Giorgios Karagounis badly.
Lahm made the breakthrough with a swerving 39th-minute shot.
Samaras netted from close range 10 minutes after the break to prove the Germans can be got at.
But Khedira fired his side in front again six minutes later with a spectacular volley and when Klose headed in Ozil’s corner, a Greek collapse looked on the cards.
Reus cracked in another stunner when Klose’s shot was blocked.
Greece pulled one back with Salpingidis’ penalty after Jerome Boateng handled.
It was a brave fight but the Germans had far too much.
STAR MAN: KHEDIRA
Germany: Neuer 6, Boateng 6, Hummels 6, Badstuber 6, Lahm 8, Schweinsteiger 8, Khedira 9, Reus 8 (Gotze 6), Ozil 9, Schurrle 8 (Muller 7), Klose 8 (Gomez 6). Subs Not Used: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Podolski, Bender, Mertesacker, Kroos, Zieler.
Goals: Lahm 39, Khedira 61, Klose 68, Reus 74.
Greece: Sifakis 7, Torosidis 7, Papastathopoulos 6, Kyriakos Papadopoulos 5, Tzavelas 6 (Fotakis 6), Makos 6 (Liberopoulos 6), Maniatis 7, Ninis 5 (Gekas 6), Katsouranis 6, Samaras 7, Salpingidis 7. Subs Not Used: Chalkias, Malezas, Mitroglou, Fortounis, Fetfatzidis, Tzorvas.
Booked: Samaras, Papastathopoulos.
Goals: Samaras 55, Salpingidis 89 pen.
Att: 43,000
Ref: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
That put an end to any hopes of another Greece upset.
Joachim Low’s men will await the winner of tomorrow’s quarter-final between England and Italy and it could be a date with destiny for the Three Lions.
A chance to wipe out memories of losing to the Germans at the same stage at Wembley in Euro ’96 and a 4-1 stuffing at the 2010 World Cup. It won’t be easy.
They will have to beat a side that set a new world record of 15 successive wins in competitive matches last night.
Lahm, Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus turned it into a rout — though Georgios Samaras’ leveller just before the hour gave the underdogs a brief lifeline.
But it was all done and dusted before Dimitris Salpingidis scored from the spot just before the end.
Naturally, Roy Hodgson and Co should look no further than beating the Azzurri but the prospect of facing their old foes will certainly be a strong incentive.
Diego Maradona said before this match “If 300 Greeks were able to hold off 10,000 Persians at Thermopylae, then 11 Greeks will have a chance against 11 Germans.”
It is history’s most famous last stand and Maradona’s only error was the actual number of Persians ranged between 100,000 and 300,000.
The whole scene in Gdansk mirrored Thermopylae as a small pocket of Greek fans was vastly outnumbered by 35,000 Germans.
Led by King Leonidas, the Spartans lasted seven days before they were betrayed by one of their own.
Last night the Greeks lasted 39 minutes. That in itself was a miracle as the Germans delivered a dominant performance full of energy, movement and running.
This was billed as the grudge match of Gdansk given the Greek economic crisis and the austerity measures, that have left large sections impoverished, driven mainly by the German government.
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s presence here spiced things up.
Germany boss Low made a “cheeky” move by dropping big guns Mario Gomez, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller.
Reus and veteran Klose, 33, came in, as did Andre Schurrle.
For a man who before the match claimed Germany would have to chip away at the Greek wall of resistance, it seemed a recipe for disaster to take all of his goalscorers out of the team. But it worked a treat.
Low said: “To be cheeky is a good thing. It was the time to bring in some fresh faces and different types of players who could do a job and it worked very well.
“Khedira was great. Dynamic. A real leader. He’s always there and ready to run into the box but also always holds his position and is tough to beat in the one-on-one.
“He’s positive and good for those around him.”
Low’s men tore the Greeks apart in the first half.
The relentless running off the ball created the spaces to breach the 2004 champs. Each German ran on average 300 yards more. Germany made 344 passes to the Greeks’ 78 in the opening period.
Greece missed their talismanic skipper Giorgios Karagounis badly.
Lahm made the breakthrough with a swerving 39th-minute shot.
Samaras netted from close range 10 minutes after the break to prove the Germans can be got at.
But Khedira fired his side in front again six minutes later with a spectacular volley and when Klose headed in Ozil’s corner, a Greek collapse looked on the cards.
Reus cracked in another stunner when Klose’s shot was blocked.
Greece pulled one back with Salpingidis’ penalty after Jerome Boateng handled.
It was a brave fight but the Germans had far too much.
STAR MAN: KHEDIRA
Germany: Neuer 6, Boateng 6, Hummels 6, Badstuber 6, Lahm 8, Schweinsteiger 8, Khedira 9, Reus 8 (Gotze 6), Ozil 9, Schurrle 8 (Muller 7), Klose 8 (Gomez 6). Subs Not Used: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Podolski, Bender, Mertesacker, Kroos, Zieler.
Goals: Lahm 39, Khedira 61, Klose 68, Reus 74.
Greece: Sifakis 7, Torosidis 7, Papastathopoulos 6, Kyriakos Papadopoulos 5, Tzavelas 6 (Fotakis 6), Makos 6 (Liberopoulos 6), Maniatis 7, Ninis 5 (Gekas 6), Katsouranis 6, Samaras 7, Salpingidis 7. Subs Not Used: Chalkias, Malezas, Mitroglou, Fortounis, Fetfatzidis, Tzorvas.
Booked: Samaras, Papastathopoulos.
Goals: Samaras 55, Salpingidis 89 pen.
Att: 43,000
Ref: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
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