Poles sunk by Podolski's double for Germany

Germany 2
Podolski 20, 72
Poland 0

Polish-born forward Lukas Podolski struck twice to give Germany a 2-0 win over Poland last night, ending their 12-year wait for a victory at the European Championship finals.

Podolski tapped the ball into an empty net 20 minutes into the first half after Miroslav Klose, another Polish-born striker, burst through to set him up in the Group B game.

Germany continued to threaten and made it 2-0 when Podolski volleyed home from 12 metres in the 72nd minute after the defence failed to clear.

Victory extended Germany's unbeaten record against Poland to 16 games and secured their first win in the tournament since the final of Euro 96.

Podolski was named man of the match but it was of little interest to the two-goal marksman.

"That doesn't mean anything to me," he told the German television station ZDF. "It was important we played a good match.

"We won 2-0. We did what we set out to accomplish."

Podolski said he chose not to celebrate his goals because of his Polish roots.

"I was born in Poland. I've got a big family. It's a part of my heart," he said.

The Poles, making their first appearance in the finals, were nearly punished for a rookie mistake in the fourth minute.

Captain Michael Ballack set Klose racing through on goal with a perfect through-ball. The striker chose to cross to Mario Gomez, who somehow failed to convert in front of an open goal.

With 20 minutes gone Germany caught Poland again. Gomez set Klose bursting through and this time his decision to square the ball proved a good one as Podolski, playing as a left-midfielder, calmly converted.

Germany keeper Jens Lehmann had nervously fumbled a cross from the right in the first minute but Jacek Krzynowek blasted the ball over.

Lehmann continued to look jittery before finally getting down to make his first clean save from Wojciech Lobodzinski.

Early in the second half Krzynowek raced clear on the right only to waste the chance with a poor cross before Ballack came close to adding a second with a rasping shot that was pushed away by keeper Artur Boruc.

Ebi Smolarek had the ball in Germany's net in the 62nd minute but it was ruled out by a borderline offside decision.

"We were highly concentrated and didn't make many mistakes," said Ballack. "We let them have control of the ball a bit too much but then made it 2-0 at the right moment.

"It's always good to start with a win. It gives us self confidence."

Germany
J. Lehmann; P. Lahm, P. Mertesacker, C. Metzelder, M. Jansen; C. Fritz ('56 B. Schweinsteiger), T. Frings, M. Ballack, L. Podolski; M. Klose ('90 K. Kuranyi), M. Gomez ('75 T. Hitzlsperger).

Poland
A. Boruc; P. Golanski ('75 M. Saganowski), J. Bak, M. Zewlakow, M. Wasilewski; M. Lewandowski, D. Dudka, W. Lobodzinski ('65 L. Piszczek), J. Krzynowek, M. Zurawski ('46 R. Guerreiro); E. Smolarek.

Referee: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Norway).