Poland claimed all three points in their final group game against Ukraine despite being the second best team for most of the game. Jakub Blaszczykowski scored the only goal of the game after coming on for the start of the second half.
The Fiorentina man netted his first goal of the tournament after a well worked corner saw the the 30-year-old remain calm in the 18-yard area before releasing a thumping effort with his left foot.
Adam Nawałka’s side played on the back foot for most of the game as the Ukrainians chased a consolation goal to bring an end to a disappointing tournament. They exit the competition without any points or goals to their name.
UKRAINE 0 POLAND 1
A largely one-sided contest at the Parc des Prince saw Germany top Group C after a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland earlier tonight.
From the outset it was a much more attentive Die Mannschaft on the field, with some minor tweaks made by Joachim Loew seeming to unlock the attacking potential we had failed to see at the tournament so far.
Chances at goal started coming inside the opening 10 minutes, yet the efforts of Irish goalkeeper Michael McGovern let the world champions know they would need to fight for their rewards.
The sustained pressure could only be withstood until the half-hour mark though, when Thomas Muller setup Mario Gomez for a close-range finish to put Germany deservedly ahead and that’s how it remained with Norther Ireland hanging on grimly and booking a place in the last 16 thanks to Turkey’s win against Czech Republic.
NORTHERN IRELAND 0 GERMANY 1
Croatia stunned the European Champions and the world as they defeated Spain 2-1 in Bordeaux.
A quick counter attack would lead to a defence splitting pass from David Silva which found the feet of Cesc Fabregas in the seventh minute. Under pressure from the oncoming Danijel Subasic the Chelsea man came up with a deft chip into the path of Alvaro Morata who poked in from one yard.
It took until deep in the first half for the Croatian’s to equalise. Smart wing play from Ivan Perisic took him past Juanfran and he delivered a cross for Nikola Kalinic to put passed De Gea for the equaliser.
In the 87th minute, a block on Spain striker Aritz Aduriz would mean a break forward for Croatia. Kalinic ran at the back four of the champions who were back tracking. The forward was ably aided by Perisic who took up the running and then blasted past De Gea to take his side top of Group D and into the knockout stages.
CROATIA 2 SPAIN 1
Turkey gave themselves every chance of progressing while ending the Czech Republic’s tournament with a 2-0 win in Group D.
Fatih Terim rang the changes for turkey after their opening two losses and they immediately paid dividends.
Young talisman Emre Mor, given a start for the first time this tournament, was released by Arda Turan and whipped in a lovely cross which Burak Yilmaz swept home to score Turkey’s first goal of the tournament.
Despite sustained Czech Republic pressure, Turkey remained dangerous on the break and midway through the second half stamped out any comeback through Ozan Tufan’s powerful strike
CZECH REPUBLIC 0 TURKEY 2
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