New Delhi: After their impressive start, Germany will look to pocket a quarter-final berth on Thursday night when they face Croatia in the Group B match at Worthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt.
With little reason to alter a winning unit, German coach Joachim Loew is expected to name the same XI that beat Poland 2-0 at the same stadium on June 8, with ace striker Lukas Podolski again on the left flank.
Croatia, too, won first match defeating Austria 1-0 at Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna but Germany have a better goal difference and the 2006 World Cup runners-up will want to book their place in the last eight with a win.
But with six players in the Croatian team plying their trade in the Bundesliga, the familiarity is sure to bring up a tough encounter.
"So far I didn't think about finishing first or second. The most important thing is to qualify. At the moment Croatia has three points and Germany has three points, so obviously we want to win the next match, that's our goal. And depending on the result of Poland against Austria you could be already qualified with a win tomorrow. That is our first goal," Loew said.
Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium will host the second game in Group B later on Thursday night. Poland and co-hosts Austria will fight it out to still remain in contention for a place in the last eight stage.
Euro debutants Poland will look to knock-out co-hosts and fellow Euro debutants Austria if they are to have any hope of remaining in contention for a last eight berth/
Desperate for a win after losing to the Germans 2-0 in their opener, the Poles without their captain will have to lift their game to survive in the competition.
And after the other hosts Switzerland were knocked out on Wednesday, Austria will be eager to avoid the same fate.
"We realise that we, we have another, another tough game, just like every game is tough in this tournament, and we talked already before. Everything is very close together in the level. The only thing, once again, I can guarantee that my team will be ready for it, and we realise very well that our actual situation, but I'm sure that (Austria coach Josif) Hickersberger realises very good his situation, that it's a match to stay in the tournament, yes or no," Leo Beenhakker, Poland's coach, said.
Comments
0 comment