When the opening game was decided as Poland v Greece, did anyone expect it to be anything other than 3 points for the joint hosts. Well 2 red cards and a missed penalty later and it indeed turned out to be a decent game. Poland took the lead after the Greek keeper Chalkias went awol and let Lewandowski in. It looked like it was game over just before half time, the Greeks found themselves rather harshly down to ten men after Papastathopoulos was adjudged to have held Obraniak, who appeared to have no more than lost his footing. A second yellow card saw the 2004 winners a man down a goal down and up against it. Well that was what we may have been thinking. An early substitution for Greece proved to be inspired as Salpingidis levelled the score. Greece seemed to be on the charge and it looked like they could get something from the game. Poland's Szczesny gave the Greeks an opportunity with a foolish tackle and giving himself an early bath and a one game suspension. Up stepped Karagounis with a chance to put the Greeks ahead but a dive to his left saw substitute goalkeeper save the penalty and keep it level. The save proved vital and the game finished as a draw.
Russia took on the Czech Republic in the other Group A game. The Russian's took the Czechs apart despite the good early start from the Czechs, the Russians were in control. For one Chelsea goalkeeper it would be a night to forget. A while since the big man conceded 4 goals in one game, whether it happens again who knows, but the man with the Champions League medal will be hoping that his national team mates can turn it round so he can have small hope of having a European Championship medal added to his collection.
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