Paris: Germany and Poland moved a step closer to qualification for the Euro 2016 knockout stages with a point apiece after they played out a goalless draw on Thursday in a Group C match at Stade de France in Paris.
Arkadiusz Milik missed two good chances for the Poles, who are locked with the Germans on four points heading into the final game. Both countries are guaranteed to qualify for the knockout stages if they avoid defeat next week.
Milik spurned a guilt-edged chance to put Poland in front early in the second half as he failed to make good enough contact with Kamil Grosicki’s dangerous cross.
Milik passed up another glorious chance to score in the second half, before Mesut Ozil flew straight up the other end to force Lukasz Fabianski into making a decent save.
Germany provided the first goalless draw, England earned the first comeback victory and Ukraine became the first team to be eliminated from the European Championship on Thursday. World champions in Brazil two years ago and 2-0 winners over Ukraine on Sunday, Germany went into its Group C game against Poland at the Stade de France as the clear favorites.
Instead, Germany was kept in check by a well-organized Poland side that also had the best chance to break the deadlock in a dour game. For a second match running, Gareth Bale scored with a long-range free kick to put Wales 1-0 up in a match. But unlike its opening-game win over Slovakia, this time there was only disappointment after the break as England substitutes Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge turned the match around for a 2-1 victory.
England coach Roy Hodgson doesn’t have a reputation as a hardened gambler when it comes to substitutions. So the sight of Vardy and Sturridge walking on for the second half, instead of Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, was little short of astonishing. (Agencies)
With teenager Marcus Rashford then replacing Adam Lallana in the 73rd minute, Hodgson ended up deploying three forwards plus Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in a playmaking role to try to shake things up in the Group B match. It worked.
Vardy levelled in the 56th minute and Sturridge rifled home the winner from a similarly close range in stoppage time.
“We made the decision (on the substitutes) early. It was the right decision,” Hodgson said.
“We were anxious to inject a little bit more tempo and pace into our game, and we were anxious to persuade the players to take a few more risks and to show more confidence in themselves in the penalty area.”
Northern Ireland later claimed its first tournament victory in 34 years with a 2-0 win over Ukraine. With the loss, Ukraine became the first team in the tournament assured of not advancing to the knockout stages. (MORE)
