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Germans show they are Poles apart
Euro 2008 favourites Germany made a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Poland in Klagenfurt on Sunday, but there was trouble in the Austrian city as 140 mainly German fans were detained by police.
- Reuters
- Published: 23:36 June 9, 2008
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Poles sunk by Podolski's double
Poles sunk by Podolski's double for Germany
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Modric scores early penalty to give Croatia 1-0 win over Austria
Modric scores early penalty to give Croatia 1-0 win over Austria
Vienna & Tenero: Euro 2008 favourites Germany made a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Poland in Klagenfurt on Sunday, but there was trouble in the Austrian city as 140 mainly German fans were detained by police.
Germany's win sent them to the top of Group B after Croatia had earlier ground out a 1-0 victory over Austria who, like fellow co-hosts Switzerland the day before, started the June 7-29 championship with a narrow defeat.
German and Polish fans have a history of rivalry, which also flared in Dortmund during the 2006 World Cup. Then, police detained more than 400 people after outbreaks of violence.
On Sunday, a spokesman for Klagenfurt police said: "Some 140 high risk fans were detained following dangerous attacks, administrative offences and the suspicion of having committed legal offences.
"Most of them are German, though we are still in the process of checking everyone's identity."
Two groups of Germans were roving the streets of Klagenfurt, shouting anti-Polish chants, before being detained for disturbing the peace by Austrian and German police forces, Austrian news agency APA reported.
On the lookout
About 2,500 officers were on duty in Klagenfurt, Euro 2008's smallest host city, including 70 hooligan spotters. Austrian police said they had arrested 17 people overnight.
On the pitch, though, things could not have gone better for Germany. Their Polish-born forward Lukas Podolski scored both goals to secure their first victory at a European Championship since they won the final of Euro 96 at Wembley.
Podolski steered the ball into an empty net midway through the first half from a pass by Miroslav Klose, another Polish-born striker, and volleyed the second in the 72nd minute.
Victory for Germany over Croatia in Thursday's game in Klagenfurt would make a place in the last eight a mere formality.
Croatia were much less impressive when they took three points from the day's opening game in Vienna, which was decided by a fourth minute penalty slotted home by Luka Modric.
Austria showed real spirit in the second half, laying siege to the Croatia goal in the final 20 minutes, and probably deserved a draw for their sheer effort alone.
They will, however, need to avoid defeat at the very least against Poland in their next game on Thursday in Vienna before taking on Germany in their final Group B match on June 16.
Switzerland, who had star striker Alex Frei out of action on Sunday due to injury, are in the same position in Group A with Turkey and Portugal next on the agenda for them.
Staying cool
However, as much as Germany coach Joachim Loew enjoyed Sunday's 2-0 win against Poland as much as anyone, the coach was quick to point out the team's faults in a bid to dampen any early Euro 2008 optimistic euphoria. "It was a great experience," said Loew, in his first tournament as head coach.
"There is always a current that shoots through you when you sit on the bench during a game. It was a great atmosphere and every one is happy to get this tournament underway.
"But I think we've got to stay down to earth. At the end of the first half we let ourselves drop back too far, we did not have the confidence we needed, our organisation wasn't great and we lost the ball too often.
"We've got to improve. We've got a long way ahead of us."
German captain Michael Ballack said, "We let Poland have control of the ball a bit too much in the second half but then we made it 2-0 at the right moment."
Their next match is against Croatia, who beat co-hosts Austria in their first match and players are anxious to get qualification.
"It's always good to start with a win. Croatia will be possibly a decisive match for the group and we want to win it," said Ballack.
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