Croatia stun Germany, penalty saves Austria
Updated: 2008-06-13 10:19
"So many instructions (to referees) yet in all the matches until now nothing happens. It's impossible to accept - but I'm working on it."
For neutrals, though, the June 7-29 tournament was simply continuing its run of open, exciting and relatively clean encounters, although Germany substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger somewhat tarnished that record of good behaviour with the first red card on the sixth day of matches for a retaliatory shove.
Fortunately for organisers UEFA, the majority of fans in Klagenfurt and Vienna for two matches offering potential flashpoints did not follow the blond midfielder's petulant example and no serious trouble was reported by police.
Croatia, as candid Germany coach Joachim Loew was among the first to concede, deserved their upset win. They outbattled but more importantly, outwitted the three times winners.
"I don't think the Croats are a better team than us but they were cleverer, had more spirit, had good tactics and closed us down in the midfield. We didn't find a solution I think they deserved to win," he said in a perfect summing-up.
Croatia were good value for their 2-0 lead just past the hour courtesy of goals from Darijo Srna and Ivica Olic and they even took Lukas Podolski's 79th minute strike in their stride, comfortably surviving the final few minutes.
Poland would have given much for similar composure as their later match reached boiling point with Austria desperately seeking to wipe out a goal from the apparently offside Brazilian-born Roger Guerreiro after 30 minutes.
With three minutes of injury time left on British referee Howard Webb's watch, an Austria free kick was pumped hopefully into the box and Mariusz Lewandowski manhandled Proedl to the floor. Webb immediately pointed to the penalty spot.
Vastic, at 38 the oldest man in the tournament, used all his experience to smash the ball home and send tens of thousands of fans in the stadium wild. He also broke a 24-year-old record to become the oldest scorer at a European Championship finals.
On Friday, Group C teams return to action with Italy getting the chance to put their campaign back on track, after defeat by the Dutch, against Romania in Zurich and Netherlands taking on France in another mouthwatering fixture later in Berne.
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