Euro 2008 - Klasnic ends Poland's involvement

Eurosport - Tue, 17 Jun 15:11:00 2008

Ivan Klasnic brought the curtain down on Poland's Euro 2008 campaign after his second-half strike gave group winners Croatia a 1-0 win.

FOOTBALL Euro 2008 croatia's Ivan Klasnic celebrates scoring in the match against Poland. - 0

The result at the Woerthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt saw Poland finish bottom of Group B with a solitary point from their three games, while Croatia advance to the quarter-finals - where they will meet Turkey - with a maximum nine points.

Germany - who Poland were relying on to lose - will join Croatia in the last eight after Michael Ballack netted the only goal in a 1-0 win over co-hosts Austria in Vienna.

With Croatia's place in the quarter-finals already booked, Slaven Bilic opted to rest several of his key personnel for the clash with Poland. Indeed, nine of his first-choice players were given the night off, but as England discovered to their cost at Wembley back in November, Croatia simply do not do 'meaningless games'.

Bilic has instilled such a sense of togetherness and pride in his squad that, even with qualification sealed and a second XI out on the pitch, their desire to win, or perhaps more likely their refusal to lose, proved stronger than their opponents'.

Victory was deserved, although it is hard not to feel sorry for Poland, who as a nation still feel aggrieved about the manner of their draw - and two dropped points - against Austria last week.

Their continued participation in the tournament was effectively ended during a five-minute spell just after the restart when a double hammer blow knocked the wind out of their sails.

First, at the Ernst Happel Stadium, Ballack thumped home a free kick to put Germany ahead and then Werder Bremen striker Klasnic swooped soon after in Klagenfurt, leaving Poland with a mountain to climb - a task that proved too much for Leo Beenhakker's side.

Hamburg-born Klasnic justified his selection in Bilic's squad with a super first time finish from the dangerous Danijel Pranjic's pass inside in the 53rd minute.

The goal was a fitting tribute to a player whose life was in real danger following a failed kidney transplant operation not so long ago, but Klasnic could not take sole credit for Poland's downfall.

The Poles may well have started the evening in the knowledge that their only hope of retaining an interest in the tournament was to score two goals, but their approach to the game belied the gravity of that situation.

Southampton striker Marek Saganowski was asked to play up front on his own and with both support and service from midfield in serious shortage, Poland struggled to threaten the Croatia goal.

Apart from Dariusz Dudka's early header from a corner - which flashed wide of the upright - the first half passed by with little attacking threat from the Poles.

That Artur Boruc was Poland's busiest player during the opening period told its own story. The Celtic keeper had to be - and was - in fine form, denying Croatia a goal with a series of fine stops during the first half.

Just after the half-hour mark, Boruc made his first important intervention of the night, saving with his legs to deny Klasnic after the striker had been put through on goal.

Minutes later the Polish number one was again called into action, this time from the lively Ivan Ratikic, before Klasnic was foiled for a second time in first-half stoppage time.

Soon after the break Klasnic finally got the better of Boruc to give Croatia the lead and only then did Poland begin to get back into the game.

At a goal down, Poland finally began to play, Brazil-born Roger Guerreiro proving his worth on 64 minutes with a neat turn and shot that flew just wide of its intended target.

Saganowski then saw a header saved by Vedran Runje in the Croatia net before Ebi Smolorek was introduced and reminded everyone just why he is the leading goalscorer in qualifying at the tournament. The Racing Santander striker went close three times as time ran out and looked far livelier than in the opening two games.

The best chance for Poland to end their campaign on a high fell to another substitute, but Tomasz Zahorski could only shoot straight at Runje after having been put clean through on goal.

The late pressure proved too little too late from Poland, who must now contemplate watching the remainder of the tournament on television. As for Croatia, they continue to surprise and impress in equal measures.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 42 - 61 of 61

Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

  1. youre not nathan king ,you are egomaniac,probably some angry midget who has to compensate small di.ck with a big car,and why should i call you and spent my money on a as.shole like you-find some proffesional HELP you @#$%

    From maximthecroat, on Tue 17 Jun 6:42PM

  2. I must say I'm surprised with polish fans, congratulations on all of those fair comments, I wish some other nations were more like that (for example the Germans, since we beat them fair and square, but they said we were just lucky)

    From kovac_i, on Tue 17 Jun 5:28PM

  3. Hey Maxim the C R O O K!! Call me now @ 65 6 4697412 Singapore, I am waiting for you!! Little no balls coward!! I prove to you what Indians can do. I am N A T H A N K I N G!!

    From ronwoon, on Tue 17 Jun 5:14PM

  4. and i dont buy that bullshit that you are indian, youre probably some english pail piece of S H I T ,angry because we nailed youre team ,so you can easly suck my @#$% you pathetic angry son of a @#$%

    From maximthecroat, on Tue 17 Jun 4:56PM

  5. listen to me you sick S H I T ,Vienna ,Friday show yourself you crispy midget as.shole croats gonna crush you,and btw-big c oc k ?loooooool hahahahahahahahaha you indian F U C K S have to find IT with telescope,croats can hang you with their dicks,you little @#$% ,@#$% @#$% i will squash you like a gypsy bug that you are

    From maximthecroat, on Tue 17 Jun 4:41PM

  6. hey ronwoon ,i dont give a flying fu.ck how do you look and what daddy bought you,but dont mess with croats or we will smoke you,you little gypsy S H I T ,go fu..ck yourself if you continue to insult slavens,what the @#$% do you know about football you little as..ole,if you have balls come to vienna at friday you roasted @#$%

    From maximthecroat, on Tue 17 Jun 12:51PM

  7. The Dutch are always the best (pretornament and prelim stages)but run out of steam at the crucial stage. I hope this will not be another one of those wonderful teams that would eventually underperform.

    From kaylarryo, on Tue 17 Jun 9:49AM

  8. Rosa, this not a dating site. Please look elsewhere. This is Football not "balling" LOL. The state of California just legalised same sex marriage like the state of Massachussett, you might find a match there.Crazy world.LOL

    From kaylarryo, on Tue 17 Jun 9:33AM

  9. hi ,I'm watching the euro football here in china .I cant see why ye are all
    getting at each others throats (polish lads, germans ,croats etc ) when from
    a neutral looking in ,there will be only one winner in my opinion anyhow. The
    Dutch are head and shoulders above the rest so far, and are playing the most
    entertaining fooball. So, get a grip boys.. !

    From kinnanek, on Tue 17 Jun 7:51AM

  10. Szkoda Polaków, Zal że nie wyszło. Polska nie zagra w finale Euro2008.
    Ale może zagrać w finale mistrzostw świata; na jesieni już eliminacje... Polacy jeszcze pokażą na co ich stać.:))))))

    From Maria D, on Tue 17 Jun 7:29AM

  11. Don't insult Romania or you get Vampires sucking your blood tonight!! D R A C U L A or V L A D the Impaler will find you wherever you are!! You need 99 silver bullets, garlic & wooden stakes. Just call me & 65 6 4697412 after 8 pm Singapore time. I am N A T H A N K I N G the Vampire buster!!

    From ronwoon, on Tue 17 Jun 7:28AM

  12. Congratulations to Croatia.They have a nice coach who knows how to build a team and the Romanians aren't swan eaters because Romania's team plays better than Poland.Everyone have a problem with Romania but it's not easy to make a draw against France and Italy

    From moigradean_vlad, on Tue 17 Jun 7:11AM

  13. WELL DONE CROATIA,WE ARE THE BEST.

    From roba_mihic, on Tue 17 Jun 7:05AM

  14. I am an Englishman living and working in Poland and I must just comment on Poland's performance in these Championships and how the Poles themselves see this.Firstly, they are @#$% off at the English for calling them swan eaters when in fact it was Romanians.They, for the most part, like and admire the English until recently. They feel aggrieved that the English ref should award a penalty which in the Premier League wouldn't have warranted a second glance.With the heart gone out of the team owing to that decision, the incentive to perform and hope the Germans lost, was a bridge too far.We should encourage the Poles in the future, not just send hordes of @#$% yobbos over here to drink as much as they can and pick up local talent ( which from personal experience is the best in the world) Rickjay...

    From richard_harradine, on Tue 17 Jun 6:54AM

  15. Gunner- I had hoped Poland would go together with us but didn't happed also Czech Republic i miss these two teams very much they should have been in quarter finals.

    From hrvatski_arsenal1, on Tue 17 Jun 6:11AM

  16. Well done Croatia--- Please people do not forget World Cup 1998 semi finale France-Croatia//// France was so Lucky to go to Finale and win WC 98 against Brazil.
    I new that Croatia was Favorite to win WC 1998./ Boban Prosinecki Suker Asanovic Bilic etc.
    2008 Finale Holland 1- Croatia 3
    I am K.Albanian living in London and i support Croatia

    From krasnieroll44, on Tue 17 Jun 5:32AM

  17. hey ronwoon...about Kubica and LH... F*&K YOU!!! Polish people are not rascists, as you seem to be...WHO THE F$%K ARE YOU?...

    From tomeczek26, on Tue 17 Jun 2:16AM

  18. Croatia have qualified very comfortably and this is due to a very strong (under-rated) team along with a great team ethic... I can't see us Turks beating you in the quarter-finals unless we play at the top of our game... I'm doubtful of this as our form has been up and down! We also have a battered defense, several injured and two who will miss the game through bookings whereas Croatia have the luxury of resting players against Poland... Credit to Croatia on this! I hoping we (Turkey) win, but I'm expecting us to lose... Good luck to both teams and may the best team win!

    From Oz, on Tue 17 Jun 1:06AM

  19. Roast T U R K E Y for this Christmas!! But be careful their Ottoman Empire rises again!!

    From ronwoon, on Tue 17 Jun 12:49AM

  20. capri_os; we are the same family...you had bitter comment about my post, well, maybe misundertanding, but we all support you, because we (I) like your spirit and guts...go on and win it...and pray at next Euro, because we gonna get you!!! ;-)

    From tomeczek26, on Tue 17 Jun 12:46AM
Sort comments by: Most recent | Most rated

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account