Greeks, Czechs revive fortunes
Greece and the Czech Republic, written off after poor starts to Euro 2012, completed astonishing turnarounds yesterday with 1-0 wins over Russia and co-hosts Poland to reach the quarterfinals against all the odds.
Greek captain Giorgos Karagounis scored in firsthalf stoppage time for the 2004 champions who had taken only one point from their first two games and were given almost no chance of beating the confident and impressive Russians.
Petr Jiracek turned party pooper when his 72nd-minute goal silenced hundreds of thousands of Polish fans gathered in fan zones in Warsaw, Gdansk, Wroclaw and Poznan. Many of them went home soaked after torrential downpours in the latter two venues.
Police and calculators were out in force as the final round of group A matches got under way amid tensions between Russian fans and their Polish hosts and against the unhappy backdrop of another racism case.
Croatia became the first country to be charged over racism as Uefa’s disciplinary panel, which has been working overtime on a string of cases involving fireworks and missile-throwing by fans, opened proceedings for chants by their supporters against Italy.
Karagounis, winning his 120th cap, remembered the difficult situation back home after a game played on the eve of an election which could decide if Greece stays in the eurozone and spread turmoil throughout global financial markets.
‘‘The moment is pure magic for all of us,’’ Karagounis said. ‘‘This night is very important, it is something important for Greece and for all Greeks. We said we would give it all, despite all the difficulties.’’
The Czechs finished top with six points, becoming the first team to win a group at the tournament with a negative goal difference, followed by Greece and Russia on four and Poland on two.
Greece went through with the better head-to-head record against Russia, a system which is increasingly unpopular because of its complexity and which throws up dozens of possible connotations, especially when three teams finish level on points.
The Russians, who dominated the match and paid the price for missing a flurry of chances, would have progressed under traditional goal difference, which many fans would like to see brought back.
‘‘We went out there to win the game, not to draw,’’ said Russia’s Dutch coach Dick Advocaat. ‘‘Even though we lost today we played brilliantly in the first half, then they got a goal, and that told a different story.’’
Their absence may at least reduce the tensions that boiled over on Wednesday when Polish hooligans set upon a group of Russian fans marching to the stadium for the politically charged match between their respective teams.
For the third game in a row, Poland paid heavily for failing to convert any of the chances they created.
Most of the first half was played in a violent thunderstorm with lightning flashing around the stadium, and when the rain eased off, so did Poland’s attacks.
The Czechs, winners in 1976, took control and stunned the home crowd when Jiracek took a pass from Milan Baros and slotted past keeper Przemyslaw Tyton for his second goal of the tournament.
Off the field, Croatia were in trouble over alleged racist insults by their supporters aimed at Italy striker Mario Balotelli.