And now, Angela Merkel goes to Germany-Greece

The German government announced on Wednesday that Chancellor Angela Merkel will be in Gdansk to watch on Friday the game Germany-Greece of Euro 2012 quarter-finals. More a condiment to be attached to a confrontation as much marked by the political symbolism, between the two countries at the extremes of the economic crisis in Europe.
Georg Streiter, spokesman for the German Government, explained that Angela Merkel was able to find room in his schedule to go to Gdansk due to the anticipation that has marked the meeting in Rome with their counterparts in Italy, Spain and France. The meeting was scheduled for the afternoon, but will be held in the morning. And avoided assigning any political connotation to the additional presence of Merkel: «It is a day of sport». If Greece has political representation of relief in Gdansk is still unclear. The country just went through another round of elections and Antonis Samaras, the future prime minister, is still involved in the process of forming a government.
The irony of a confrontation Germany-Greece at this time has been widely emphasized, beginning with the Greek press, which made ​​headlines as «Bring us Merkel» or «They'll never take Greece's Euro» after selection driven by Fernando Santos have ensured clearance in Group a of the European.
The two teams have avoided making the connection policy. On Tuesday Joachim Low reacted with humor to questions on the subject, and advanced Greek Georgios Samaras would cut short the matter: «It's just a game».

Euro 2012 (Day 1) Poland - Greece || Russia - Czech Republic

POLAND - GREECE

Euro 2012 started lively.The Poland-Greece was not a hymn to soccer, as the quality of play is concerned, but had good ingredients for an entry: two goals, two expulsions and emotion. The mind of those who saw the game still will have passed a 'deja vu' to the inaugural game in 2004, but the penalty missed by Karagounis avoided that history might repeat itself. The game ended tied to a ball, but Fernando Santos has merit in how a team that recovered, the break seemed doomed to defeat. Supported by 50,000 people in the National Stadium in Warsaw, Poland was almost forced to go strong in the game. And that's what he did, almost always looking for the right side of attack. It was with this recipe that took the lead when they were met seventeen minutes, through the inevitable Robert Lewandowski. In the first part of Greece showed the difficulties expected to go on organized attack, and only managed to free 12 minutes to create danger. Fernando Santos reached the interval without the two core subjects: Avraam Papadopoulos left injured and Papastathopoulos saw a second yellow card. Six minutes after entering the Advanced Salpingidis restored equality, later winning a penalty which dictated the expulsion of Szczesny (69m). Annulled the numerical inferiority, Greece had golden opportunity to advance up the marker, but Karagounis allowed the defense of the newly entered Tyton.

 

RUSSIA - CZECH REPUBLIC

Ladies and gentlemen, there is Russia. The formation of Dick Advocaat has confirmed suspicions that i had after recent wins over Italy (3-0) and Denmark (2-0), showing a strong team, compact, with well-defined principles and solutions to get very far in Euro 2012 .

The Russians won 4-1, it is true, but they did more than that: missed the first rout of the former at the end of a game during which they built enough occasions to make his debut with a result from those full of fat that made the number football more attractive.The Czech Republic, this rarely managed to balance the game. Even had more ball, especially in the first part, but only could get free shots on goal from Malafeev. The rest was very innocuous possession of the Czechs, who showed no ability to create danger and were constantly overtaken by the speed of output to Russia in the attack. The offensive transitions of Dick Advocaat team have in Arshavin and Dzagoev the conductors.

From there, the Russian offensive football became attractive: fast, sharp and classy in the last pass. The opportunity arose with a beautiful cadence. It quickly became apparent why the game would give mainly Russia. Dzagoev and Shirokov, before half-time, confirmed the suspicions and made the 2-0. After that, came the waste of goals and a big scare: nn the second part, Pilar gets a great pass from Plasil and reduces to 2-1. The Czech Republic believed, grew and threatened a strike from Rocicki.

But Russia then took the game as he had done before, that they offered the command to the opponent and tried to end the discussion. Pavlyunchenko started well in the game, watched Dzagoev third goal for the Russian and made himself, after a great individual play, the fourth goal, which ended the result. Be careful with this Russia. It may seem extreme, yes, but look to the latest results and especially to the fluidity of play.

Tomorrow begins the Group 2, with two great games in preview: Netherlands - Denmark and Germany - Portugal.

Euro 2012 started in Poland & Ukraine

Light, music and action. The Euro 2012 kicked off in Warsaw in the opening ceremony where more than 800 volunteers from 63 countries around the world staged a show of 12 minutes. At the National Stadium in Warsaw, the various choreographies displayed illustrated scenes, sports and culture, combining the historical heritage with innovation to the sound of classic Hungarian pianist Adam Gyorgy who painted the show with musical textures of various works of Chopin. Gyorgy, 30, a great football lover, was then followed by Italian DJ Karmatronic: together also presented a new song written for the ceremony, entitled "The Game of the World."

The national anthems of Poland and Greece, teams that have faced the first challenge of Euro2012, 75 elements were sung by the Academic Choir of Warsaw University. The opening ceremony was developed by Marco Balich, who produced the opening and closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics Turim2006 as well as the inauguration of the Donbass Arena Dontsk (2009), Ukraine. The first European Championship football in the East has like key values Respect ​​(a word that came into prominence in cardboard on the bench), Unity, Rivalry and Passion.

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