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Mixed memories as neighbours meet
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Austria are hoping for more to celebrate next
summer (¿Getty Images)
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With Group B containing the only two teams of the 16 finalists
never to compete in a UEFA European Championship (Austria and Poland),
three-time winners Germany will be strongly favoured to advance to the
quarter-finals. Co-hosts Austria will play all three of their matches
in Vienna, and will be striving to record maiden competitive victories
against Croatia and Poland as uefa.com looks at some past meetings between
the protagonists in the section.
Austria v Germany
Austria's only competitive victory against their neighbours came at the
1978 FIFA World Cup, when legendary striker Hans Krankl scored twice in
a momentous 3-2 win.
Four years later they were involved in an infamous group match at the
1982 finals. West Germany won 1-0 - a result which enabled both teams
to progress to the second phase at the expense of Algeria, who had already
completed their programme. The unsportsmanlike behaviour led to the widespread
practice of staging final group matches simultaneously
The last five meetings have all been friendlies, with Germany winning
the last three - 5-1 in Vienna, 6-2 in Leverkusen and, most recently on
18 August 2004, 3-1 in Vienna with a hat-trick from Kevin Kuranyi.
Austria v Croatia
The sides have never played in a competitive match but met in Vienna on
23 May 2006 in a friendly. Croatia won 4-1 thanks to goals from Ivan Klasnic
(two), Marko Babic and Bosko Balaban. Andreas Ivanschitz scored Austria's
consolation.
Austria v Poland
Poland did the double over Austria in the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign,
scoring three goals in each match (with six different scorers).
Poland also scored three goals when the teams last met in a friendly,
on 17 May 1994 in Katowice, but Austria scored four to win. Midfielder
Peter Stoger claimed a hat-trick.
Croatia v Germany
The first official encounter came at EURO '96T, where Germany prevailed
in a physical quarter-final meeting. Croatia were reduced to ten men after
Igor Stimac's red card, and Germany scored the winner soon afterwards
through Matthias Sammer, the 1996 Ballon d'Or winner.
Croatia got their revenge two years later at the 1998 World Cup, unexpectedly
winning another quarter-final by a 3-0 margin - a red card for German
defender Christian Worns turning the contest in their favour. Robert Jarni,
Goran Vlaovic and Davor Suker scored Croatia's goals.
Croatia v Poland
Croatia have the upper hand in the four friendlies played so far, although
Poland won the most recent meeting, a 2006 World Cup warm-up game in Wolfsburg,
1-0 with a goal from Euzebiusz Smolarek. The forward was Poland's top
scorer in UEFA EURO 2008T qualifying.
Germany v Poland
Poland have never beaten Germany in 15 attempts, the most recent defeat
coming at last year's World Cup finals, where Swiss-born Oliver Neuville's
last-minute winner knocked the Poles out of the tournament.
The two teams also met at the other World Cup staged on German soil, in
1974. There again the hosts won 1-0, in a decisive second phase game on
a rain-soaked pitch in Frankfurt, thanks to a late winner from Gerd Muller.
UEFA.com,
3 December 2007
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