Croatia stun Germany, penalty saves Austria
Updated: 2008-06-13 10:19
VIENNA - Croatia underlined their growing reputation as Euro 2008's most dangerous dark horses by stunning tournament favourites Germany 2-1 and earning a quarter-final berth in a day of enthralling Group B action on Thursday.
 Croatia's Ivica Olic, Danijel Pranjic and Ivan Rakitic (L-R) celebrate after their Group B Euro 2008 soccer match victory against Germany at the Woerthersee Stadium in Klagenfurt, June 12, 2008. [Agencies] |
The Germans next face co-hosts Austria who rescued a 1-1 draw against Poland with a hotly disputed penalty deep into injury time to the shrill delight of their fans packed into Ernst Happel stadium in the capital Vienna.
Defeat by Austria on Monday - still a long shot - would mean a previously unthinkable first-stage exit for the Germans who are ranked 87 places above their next opponents.
Ivica Vastic's penalty in the 93rd minute for Austria after Sebastian Proedl was hauled down in the Polish area, also ensured that the fast-improving Croatians joined Portugal in the last eight with a group game still to contest.
Poland coach Leo Beenhakker told a news conference he thought referees had been turning a blind eye to such challenges and could not understand why his team had been punished.
"I've been in this business 43 years. I always accept the referee's decision but this is something I really can't understand in relation to the other situations," he said.
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