Poland’s media on Saturday hailed “half a victory” after the national side drew 1-1 with Greece in the opening match of Euro 2012 but many feared the impressive form of next opponents and traditional foes Russia.
“Half a victory,” read the headline in the Gazeta Wyborcza daily, while the tabloid Super Express said on its front page: “Thanks, guys!”
Catholic newspaper Nasz Dziennik praised Franciszek Smuda’s side for its performance at the National Stadium in Warsaw on Friday, assessing the draw was a good way to start the 16-team tournament that Poland is co-hosting with Ukraine.
“We experienced a thriller, which never happens during opening matches,” said Gazeta Wyborcza, after a Robert Lewandowski header gave Poland the perfect start, a Greek equaliser and both teams having a man sent off.
Substitute goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton, of Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, came on for Wojciech Szczesny after the Arsenal number one brought down Dimitris Salpingidis and was given a red card, and saved Giorgos Karagounis’ spot kick with his first touch.
The Gazeta said the match was a “see-saw of crazy emotions: two red cards, a penalty save and a disallowed goal. These aren’t typical of an opening match. Incredible. The footballing gods must be mad”.
Nasz Dziennik added: “The match didn’t disappoint. The red and whites (Poland) didn’t either. In long passages of play, they played just as we hoped they would. In short, it was a worthy opener for the tournament.”
Rzeczpospolita assessed that the tournament could go down as one of the best in history - if the standard and excitement of Friday continued.
Euro 2012 has been hit by concerns over its organisation, after delays and cost overruns in key infrastructure projects and fears about sky-high accommodation costs, particularly in ex-Soviet Ukraine.
But there were no apparent hitches for the opening matches, nor for the opening ceremony in the newly-built 50,000-seater National Stadium in Warsaw.
“We’ve passed our first test in Euro 2012,” Rzeczpospolita assessed, the morning after a lively night of partying on Warsaw’s streets.
“Sporting emotion, colours and good humour have invaded the city,” it added.