Arena Gdańsk, Gdańsk, 22.06.2012
4-2 (1-0)
Lahm 39., Khedira 61., Klose 68, Reus 74. / Samaras 55., Salpingidis pen 89.
Having picked up maximum points in the group stage – a first for any German team in the European Championships – Joachim Löw’s side hopped across the border into Poland to face Greece, the surprise runners-up in Group A. Germany’s only other game against the Greeks at the Euros had produced a dull 0-0 draw in 1980, but this time around it was completely different with both sides finding the back of the net half a dozen times between them.
A Philipp Lahm strike would take the Mannschaft into the break with a slender one-goal lead, but their opponents would draw level against the run of play ten minutes into the second half. Any fears were quickly banished however as Löw’s men struck three times in the space of thirteen minutes to settle the issue, with the Greeks being gifted a late consolation penalty a minute from time.
Minute-by-minute Match Report »
Match Analysis & Player Ratings »
Germany: Neuer – Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm (c) – Khedira, Schweinsteiger – Reus (80. Götze), Özil, Schürrle (67. Müller) – Klose (80. Gómez)
Greece: Sifakis – Torosidis, K. Papadopoulos, Sokratis, Tzavellas (46. Fortakis) – Katsouranis, Makos (72. Liberopoulos), Maniatis – Salpingidis, Samaras – Ninis (46. Gekas)
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia)
Assistants: Primož Arhar, Matej Žunič (Slovenia)
Goal Assistants: Slavko Vinčić, Matej Jug (Slovenia)
Fourth Official: Stéphane Lannoy (France)
Yellow Cards: – / Samaras 14., Papastathopoulos 75.
Red Cards: – / –
Attempts on Target: 15 / 5
Attempts off Target: 10 / 4
Corners: 10 / 1
Fouls Committed: 9 / 10
Attendance: 38,751