Germany beat Poland and top Group A
{{date|June 14, 2006}}

[[Image:World Cup 2006 logo.png|left|50px]] Germany beat Poland with an injury time winner from [[w:Oliver Neuville|Oliver Neuville]] to send the host nation almost certainly into the knock-out round of the World Cup, Wednesday.

Poland, who lost their first round match, had hoped for a draw. But a sending off, an incessant German offensive, a couple of strikes against the woodwork and then an injury time winner defeated them. The German fans then cheered the six points that put the team top of Group A. 

The Polish tackled furiously but in the 75th minute had the extra handicap of having [[w:Radoslaw Sobolewski|Radoslaw Sobolewski]] sent off. He tugged [[w:Miroslav Klose|Miroslav Klose]] from behind earning a second yellow card from the Spanish referee.

[[Image:Westfalenstadion von oben.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund]]

It took until two minutes into injury time for the German team to score the decider. This was not for lack of chances. In the first half Klose, [[w:Bastian Schweinsteiger|Bastian Schweinsteiger]] and [[w:Lukas Podolski|Lukas Podolski]] had all failed to get shots on target. 

Klose might have had three goals in the second half; he missed a cross, had a shot saved and, in the 90th minute, hit the crossbar with a header. [[w:Michael Ballack|Michael Ballack]] smacked the rebound onto the same piece of [[w:Artur Boruc|Artur Boruc]]'s woodwork.

If playing 10-men helped [[w: Jürgen Klinsmann|Klinsmann]]'s team so did his substitutions. He removed the young Germans Poldolski and Schweinsteiger. They had appeared inhibited by the aggressive Polish defence. 

Of the three substitutions made, two would combine to score the winner: the experienced Neuville and young sprinter [[w:David Odonkor|David Odonkor]]. On 92 minutes Ondonkor was sent down the right wing. He crossed and the ball was met on the bounce by Neuville in front of Artur Boruc.
 
[[w:Pawel Janas|Pawel Janas]]'s side did not have many chances. On 27 minutes [[w:Ireneusz Jelen|Ireneusz Jelen]] had an opportunity to set up a goal but chose to shoot. In the second half his long range shot did not trouble [[w:Jens Lehmann|Jens Lehmann]]. Poland now need Costa Rica to take three points from Ecuador on June 15, to have any chance to progress in this competition. 

The German team were always dominant in and around the Polish penalty area. They had 58 per cent of ball possession, three times as many shots on goal and six more corner kicks as the Poland side. One reason why was left-back [[w:Philipp Lahm|Philipp Lahm]]; this right-footed player was Fifa's man of the match.

His brilliant movement and passes created chances for the German strikers. Lahm got forward even more in the second half after Sobolewski's sending off; and when Odonkor was brought on to run down the other wing it seemed only a matter of time before one of the combination cracked the Polish defence. 

==Statistics==

'''Group A'''
{{User:Flipbaywood/Football box|bg = #eeeeee |date = June 14, 2006<br />21:00 |team1 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = Germany}} Germany|score = 1&ndash;0 |team2 = {{User:Flipbaywood/Flagicon|country = Poland}} Poland|goals1 = Neuville 92' |goals2=  ||stadium = Signal Iguna Park}}

Attendance: 65'000

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain) [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
[[Image:Red card.svg|10px]]

===Germany===
[[Image:Flag of Germany.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 J Lehmann
* 03 A Friedrich (Substituted: 64' D Odonkor 68' [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]])
* 17 P Mertesacker
* 21 C Metzelder 70' [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 16 P Lahm
* 07 B Schweinsteiger (Substituted: 76' T Borowski)
* 13 M Ballack 58' [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 08 T Frings
* 19 B Schneider
* 20 L Podolski (Substituted: 71' O Neuville)
* 11 M Klose

===Poland===
[[Image:Flag of Poland.svg|100px|right]]

* 01 A Boruc 89'  [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]]
* 19 B Bosacki
* 04 M Baszczynski
* 06 J Bak
* 14 M Zewlakow (Substituted: 83' D Dudka )
* 07 R Sobolewski 28' [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]] 75'  [[Image:Red card.svg|10px]]
* 08 J Krzynowek 3' [[Image:Yellow card.svg|10px]] (Substituted: 77' M Lewandowski)
* 15 E Smolarek
* 16 A Radomski
* 09 M Zurawski
* 21 I Jelen (Substituted: 90' P Brozek)

==Table==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!width=165|Team
!width=20|Pts
!width=20|Pld
!width=20|W
!width=20|D
!width=20|L
!width=20|GF
!width=20|GA
!width=20|GD
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Germany
|'''6'''||2||2||0||0||5||2||+3
|-
|style="text-align:left;"|Eucador
|'''3'''||1||1||0||0||2||0||+2
|- 
|style="text-align:left;"|Costa Rica
|'''0'''||1||0||0||1||2||4||-2 
|- 
|style="text-align:left;"|Poland 
|'''0'''||2||0||0||2||0||3||-3
|}
''Fifa World Cup Group A table June 14, 2006''

==Related news==
==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/4852960.stm
|title= Germany 1-0 Poland
|author= 
|pub=BBC Online
|date=June 14, 2006}}

*{{source|url=http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/match/17/mr.html
|title= Fifa match report 
|author= 
|pub= Fifa
|date=June 14, 2006}}
{{WorldCup2006}}
{{publish}}
{{Archive-unreviewed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Germany Beat Poland And Top Group A}}
[[Category:Germany]]
[[Category:Poland]]
[[Category:Football (soccer)]]
[[Category:FIFA World Cup 2006]]
[[Category:Bastian Schweinsteiger]]
[[Category:Philipp Lahm]]
[[Category:Lukas Podolski]]

[[pl:Mundial 2006: Niemcy 1-0 Polska]]
50px Germany beat Poland with an injury time winner from Oliver Neuville to send the host nation almost certainly into the knock-out round of the World Cup, Wednesday.

Poland, who lost their first round match, had hoped for a draw. But a sending off, an incessant German offensive, a couple of strikes against the woodwork and then an injury time winner defeated them. The German fans then cheered the six points that put the team top of Group A. 

The Polish tackled furiously but in the 75th minute had the extra handicap of having Radoslaw Sobolewski sent off. He tugged Miroslav Klose from behind earning a second yellow card from the Spanish referee.

Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund

It took until two minutes into injury time for the German team to score the decider. This was not for lack of chances. In the first half Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski had all failed to get shots on target. 

Klose might have had three goals in the second half; he missed a cross, had a shot saved and, in the 90th minute, hit the crossbar with a header. Michael Ballack smacked the rebound onto the same piece of Artur Boruc's woodwork.

If playing 10-men helped Klinsmann's team so did his substitutions. He removed the young Germans Poldolski and Schweinsteiger. They had appeared inhibited by the aggressive Polish defence. 

Of the three substitutions made, two would combine to score the winner: the experienced Neuville and young sprinter David Odonkor. On 92 minutes Ondonkor was sent down the right wing. He crossed and the ball was met on the bounce by Neuville in front of Artur Boruc.
 
Pawel Janas's side did not have many chances. On 27 minutes Ireneusz Jelen had an opportunity to set up a goal but chose to shoot. In the second half his long range shot did not trouble Jens Lehmann. Poland now need Costa Rica to take three points from Ecuador on June 15, to have any chance to progress in this competition. 

The German team were always dominant in and around the Polish penalty area. They had 58 per cent of ball possession, three times as many shots on goal and six more corner kicks as the Poland side. One reason why was left-back Philipp Lahm; this right-footed player was Fifa's man of the match.

His brilliant movement and passes created chances for the German strikers. Lahm got forward even more in the second half after Sobolewski's sending off; and when Odonkor was brought on to run down the other wing it seemed only a matter of time before one of the combination cracked the Polish defence. 

Attendance: 65'000

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain) 10px
10px

* 01 J Lehmann
* 03 A Friedrich (Substituted: 64' D Odonkor 68' 10px)
* 17 P Mertesacker
* 21 C Metzelder 70' 10px
* 16 P Lahm
* 07 B Schweinsteiger (Substituted: 76' T Borowski)
* 13 M Ballack 58' 10px
* 08 T Frings
* 19 B Schneider
* 20 L Podolski (Substituted: 71' O Neuville)
* 11 M Klose

* 01 A Boruc 89'  10px
* 19 B Bosacki
* 04 M Baszczynski
* 06 J Bak
* 14 M Zewlakow (Substituted: 83' D Dudka )
* 07 R Sobolewski 28' 10px 75'  10px
* 08 J Krzynowek 3' 10px (Substituted: 77' M Lewandowski)
* 15 E Smolarek
* 16 A Radomski
* 09 M Zurawski
* 21 I Jelen (Substituted: 90' P Brozek)

*

pl:Mundial 2006: Niemcy 1-0 Polska
Germany Poland Football (soccer) FIFA World Cup 2006 Bastian Schweinsteiger Philipp Lahm Lukas Podolski