Euro 2008 Diary [day10]

Austria 0-1 Germany / Poland 0-1 Croatia

With Croatia already through the focus is on Vienna where Austria meet Germany in a winner goes through match. Germany start the brighter and should take the lead inside the opening four minutes as Clemens Fritz cuts into the area through most of the Austrian defence before laying the ball across goal for Mario Gomez to make a simple tap-in. However, Gomez makes the simple look impossible and with an open goal he loops the ball straight up from two yards out and then as it drops 14 gets in front of him to clear. Indisputably the miss of the tournament thus far.

Austria press themselves and have a reasonable penalty appeal turned down after twenty minutes as Edwin Hoffer gets round the back of the German defence only to be clumsily hauled over by Christoph Metzelder. Austria switch the play in attack, but for all their movement around the German box the final ball eludes them, and their best opportunities are twice snuffed out by Jens Lehman's alertness off his line. At the other end Lukas Podolski brings a good one handed save from Jurgen Macho with a shot from distance but Germany look happy to wind the clock down for a draw that should take them through. The two managers are slightly more animated than the players, with both of them sent to the stands after forty minutes.

However Germany need Croatia to ensure Poland don't win and with Slaven Bilic making nine changes to his side the Poles should be confident. Instead the half-time highlights from Klagenfirt show that, but for a Dariusz Dudka header from a corner that flew wide of the far post, it's the Croatian second string who have had the better of it. Arguably the goalkeeper of the tournament so far Artur Boruc has again kept Poland in it with two good blocks to deny Ivan Klasnic and Ivan Rakitic respectively when both were through on goal. Hrvoje Vejic has also come close, flicking Rakitic's well struck free-kick goalwards, but seeing it go inches the wrong side of the post.

Back to Vienna and after forty-eight minutes a rare moment of brilliance as Michael Ballack thunders a free-kick past Macho from thirty yards for an emphatic opening goal, and up in the stands his manager exchanges high-fives with Boris Becker. Moments later the news breaks that Croatia have also taken the lead in their game; Danjiel Pranjic pulling it back to Klasnic who finds the bottom corner with a great first time shot. Back in Vienna Austria are losing their rhythm and the frustration is clear as Emmanuel Pogatetz takes to eating the matchball.

Germany are creating the better opportunities and Macho takes a whack in the ribs after bravely closing down Klose. "He was what it says on the tin - Macho" offers Mark Lawrenson, probably to himself. In the final ten minutes Andreas Ivanschitz tries to bring life to his team-mates with a mazy run into the box that is only halted by Lahm at the vital moment, but Austria seem to have already accepted defeat and the match peters out.

In Klagenfurt Poland, as Gordon Strachan summarises, only begin to play once the pressure is off. Their two best chances feature their newest citizen Roger Guerreiro who first turns well only to pull his shot narrowly wide, and also as he crosses for Marek Saganowski but his header is well saved by the diving Vedran Runje. Croatia may have already been through but at the final whistle the bench react as joyously as they have after any other victory.