Germany 1 - 0 Poland

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Wednesday Jun 14 2006 08:00

A dramatic stoppage-time goal by substitute Oliver Neuville lifted Germany to their second Group A win as they beat Poland 1-0 in Dortmund.

The ten-man Poles appeared to have done enough to earn a hard-earned point until another German substitute, David Odonkor, got to the byline and lofted in a cross that Neuville steered home.

It was no more than Jurgen Klinsmann's side deserved as only 60 seconds earlier they had twice hit the woodwork - Miroslav Klose drifting a header on to the bar and then Michael Ballack firing the rebound from three yards out back on to the woodwork.

Poland's World Cup hopes are now hanging by a thread after their second successive defeat and they could be the first team to bow out of the tournament if the result of Thursday's Ecuador against Costa Rica game goes against them.

Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc made a string of fine saves to deny Germany - the first in the tenth minute when he kept Klose's effort out.

Klose then wasted a glorious opportunity to give the hosts the lead in the 21st minute when he contrived to head wide with only Boruc to beat.

Pawel Janas' side looked composed in the opening half-hour but the pressure began to grow just before the interval.

In the 36th minute Philipp Lahm set up Lukas Podolski who turned sharply and drove in a snap-shot that Boruc did well to keep out before, on the stroke of half-time, Podolski somehow prodded the ball wide from five yards out as a scrambling Boruc tried to narrow the angle.

Germany started the second half strongly and an unmarked Klose missed the ball in the 52nd minute when a glancing header would surely have seen him open the scoring.

A great save by Boruc kept out Klose's rasping drive in the 64th minute but Poland's cause was not helped when Radoslaw Sobolewski was sent off after pulling Klose back ? the Pole's second bookable offence.

Poland got everyone behind the ball in the closing stages but when Boruc saved Lahm's 80th minute effort it looked as though Poland would hang on for a point - until Neuville's last-gasp intervention.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    FULL TIME: GERMANY 1-0 POLAND.
  • 90
    The Poles have defended doggedly but Germany's relentless pressure has finally paid dividends. The last-gasp winner puts Germany through to the last 16.
  • 90
    GERMANY 1-0 POLAND. Odonkor gets to the byline and lofts in a cross that substitute NEUVILLE steers home.
  • 90
    Poland make a late change - Pawel Brozek coming on for the hard-working Jelen.
  • 90
    Drama as Klose drifts a header on to the bar and then Ballack fires the rebound from three yards out back on to the woodwork.
  • 89
    Boruc is finally booked for time-wasting.
  • 88
    Borowski's 30-yard drive fails to trouble Boruc.
  • 87
    A point may not be enough for the Poles though, if Ecuador beat Costa Rica in Hamburg on Thursday.
  • 85
    Poland appear to have weathered the latest storm, only five minutes left to hold on.
  • 83
    Janas makes his second change as Daruisz Dudka comes on for Zewlakow.
  • 82
    Poland are hanging on by the skin of their teeth as the Germans launch wave after wave of attacks.
  • 80
    Another excellent stop by Boruc - this time from Lahm.
  • 79
    Poland have got everyone behind the ball now as the seconds tick by.
  • 77
    Poland also make an alteration - Mariusz Lewandowski replaces Krzynowek.
  • 77
    Germany make their final change as Borowski comes on for the lamentable Schweinsteiger.
  • 76
    Schneider's free-kick is flicked on by Klose's head, but it's just wide again.
  • 75
    Sobolewski is off after pulling Klose back - no argument, it was a stupid offence by the Pole.
  • 74
    Good tackle by Mertesacker in the box as Smolarek darts forward.
  • 73
    Poland are giving as good as they're getting as Germany start to look ragged.
  • 71
    Germany bring on Oliver Neuville for Podolski.
  • 70
    Another booking for Germany as Metzelder picks up the fifth yellow card of the game.
  • 69
    Odonkor has given Germany a new lease of life with his pace since coming on though.
  • 68
    Odonkor is booked for hauling Jelen back.
  • 67
    Per Mertesacker loops a header from the corner over the bar.
  • 66
    The lively Odonkor gets to the byline and wins a corner.
  • 64
    Great save by Boruc from Klose's rasping drive.
  • 63
    Klinsmann makes his first change as Arne Friedrich makes way for David Odonkor.
  • 63
    Another half-chance for Klose but he can get no power in his shot and it dribbles through to Boruc.
  • 62
    Klose upsets Marcin Baszczynski with a high boot that appears to catch the Pole in the face but the incident is soon forgotten.
  • 60
    Poland are looking much brighter but appear to lack an out and out goalscorer.
  • 58
    Ballack is booked for tripping Jelen.
  • 58
    Jelen manages to make room for himself on the edge of the area and shoots at goal - but unfortunately for him it's straight at Lehmann.
  • 57
    The referee has a word with Boruc for time-wasting - but no yellow card... yet.
  • 55
    The corner comes to nothing as Bosacki concedes a free-kick.
  • 54
    Better play by the Poles as they win a corner after a rare foray into the Germany half.
  • 52
    Another wasted chance by Germany as an unmarked Klose misses the ball when a glancing header would surely have seen him open the scoring.
  • 50
    Schweinsteiger treads on the ball and then gives away a free-kick - the youngster is not enjoying one of his better evenings.
  • 48
    Boruc takes an age to take a free-kick to the disgust of the Germany fans.
  • 46
    Germany get the second half underway - no changes at the break.
  • 45
    HALF TIME: GERMANY 0-0 POLAND.
  • 45
    Podolski looks certain to score on the stroke of half-time but somehow prods the ball wide from five yards out as a scrambling Boruc tries to narrow the angle.
  • 44
    Lehmann flaps at Krzynowek's corner but gets away with the error.
  • 43
    Poland still look solid although they need more than a draw.
  • 41
    Podolski lays the ball off to Schweinsteiger on the edge of the box but the 21-year-old Bayern Munich star blazes his shot over the bar.
  • 39
    In a rare Poland break an off-balance Zurawski slices a shot horribly wide.
  • 38
    Poland will do well to hold out until the break and regroup as they're hanging on grimly at the moment.
  • 36
    Philipp Lahm sets up Lukas Podolski who turns sharply and gets in a snap-shot that Boruc does well to keep out.
  • 35
    Poland's passing is going awry as Germany begin to turn the screw.
  • 33
    Germany are starting to get on top as Poland wilt.
  • 32
    Again Schweinsteiger's delivery is poor as Poland easily deal with the corner.
  • 31
    Better play by Germany as they win their third corner of the night.
  • 29
    Schweinsteiger's free-kick is poor - it curls nicely into Boruc's arms.
  • 28
    Radoslaw Sobolewski is booked for a bad foul on Ballack.
  • 27
    Jelen has loads of options but decides to fire a weak shot straight at Lehmann - to the disgust of his team-mates.
  • 26
    Zurawski's effort comes to nothing but Poland can be pleased with their start to the match.
  • 25
    Torsten Frings concedes a free-kick 30 yards out - Poland have had some good positions which they've wasted so far.
  • 24
    From the second Lehmann claims Zurawski's cross.
  • 23
    Poland win two corners in quick succession.
  • 22
    It seemed certain that the net was going to ripple then - a bad miss by the Werder Bremen striker.
  • 21
    Klose wastes a glorious opportunity to give the hosts the lead, but contrives to head wide with only Boruc to beat.
  • 20
    Jelen goes down in a heap on the edge of the German box but the referee waves play on.
  • 19
    The Poles are enjoying most of the possession but Ebi Smolarek's weak cross dribbles through to Jens Lehmann.
  • 17
    Germany seem to have targeted Michal Zewlakow as Poland's weak link as all their attacking moves are going down the right-hand side.
  • 15
    Free-kick to Poland to the right of the German penalty area - but Krzynowek's delivery is woeful and fails to clear the wall.
  • 14
    Poland have settled well - they're playing with more confidence than in their shocker against Ecuador.
  • 12
    Bastian Schweinsteiger slips as he takes the corner and the ball drifts out of play for a goal kick.
  • 11
    Germany win the first corner of the match thanks to good play by Arne Friedrich.
  • 10
    Play swings to the other end - Ballack sets up Klose whose shot is parried by Boruc - a smart save by the Polish keeper.
  • 9
    Maciej Zurawski fires straight at Jens Lehmann after a good Poland move - the first shot of the game.
  • 8
    Poland must look to get at the centre of the Germany defence which looked very shaky against Costa Rica last Friday.
  • 6
    It's a brilliant atmosphere in Dortmund, but it's been a scrappy start to matters on the pitch.
  • 5
    Another foul by the Poles - they've certainly set their stall out for a physical confrontation.
  • 3
    Jacek Krzynowek is booked for a crunching challenge on Bernd Schneider.
  • 2
    Miroslav Klose clatters into Artur Boruc - free-kick to the Poles.
  • 2
    The match opens with a flurry of throw-ins for Germany.
  • 1
    Poland get this crunch Group A clash underway.
  • 0
    Janas has brought in Bartosz Bosacki and Ireneusz Jelen for Mariusz Jop and Miroslav Szymkowiak.
  • 0
    The Poles have made two changes after their dismal display in the 2-0 defeat to Ecuador on Friday.
  • 0
    Jurgen Klinsmann has Michael Ballack back in midfield for Tim Borowski after the Chelsea star recovered from a calf strain.
  • 0
    Germany face Poland in Dortmund with Pawel Janas' side knowing that defeat could see them become the first team to be eliminated from the tournament.

Statistics

Germany
Shots on target 6
Shots off target 6
Shots off bar/post 2
Fouls 19
Offsides 6
Corners 10

Poland
Shots on target 3
Shots off target 1
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 13
Offsides 2
Corners 4

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