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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Steven Bloor

Euro 2012 Group A climax - in pictures

Group A: General view of the City stadium
In Wroclaw, the officials in charge of the Poland v Czech Republic game will be mindful of Friday's events in Donetsk as they survey the sky above the City stadium Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters
Group A: Fan of Poland, dressed as Star Wars character Darth Vader
Maybe Darth will be able to help if the heavens do open Photograph: Sergio Perez/Reuters
Group A: Objects confiscated by Polish police officers from Russian fans
After the recent trouble between Russian and Polish fans, the police in Warsaw are taking no chances tonight. There are helicopters over the stadium and the police are searching the Russians: here's the rather eclectic mix of objects they've confiscated so far Photograph: Agencja Gazeta/Reuters
Group A: Greek fans
Whereas the Greek fans have no trouble taking in these fearsome looking helmets Photograph: Thanassis Stavrakis/AP
Group A: Jakub Blaszczykowski is blocked by Petr Cech
You can tell that Poland need to win the game in Wroclaw to progress to the knockout stages, they've been relentless with their attacking. Eight minutes in and Jakub Blaszczykowski is played into the area by a clever prod from Murawski. Cech comes hurtling off his line to tighten the angle and does well to block Blaszczykowski's effort behind for a corner Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Group A: Robert Lewandowski shoots
Two minutes later the Czechs breath another huge sigh of relief after Robert Lewandowski slices his shot just past the post. His first touch took him past defender Theodor Gebre Selassie he looked bound to score but his shot from 15 yards flashes wide Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Group A: Greece's goalkeeper Sifakis saves the ball
Despite Greece's domination of the opening ten minutes in Warsaw, their weak defence means that Michalis Sifakis is the busier of the two keepers Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters
Group A: Alan Dzagoev
Greece are trying to contain the likes of Alan Dzagoev and restrict the Russians to shots from distance. With the score goalless midway through the first half it's a tactic that seems to be working Photograph: Oliver Weiken/EPA
Group A2: Czech forward Milan Baros reacts
The arrival of the rain in Wroclaw seems to have coincided with a change in the balance of the game. After 20 minutes of Polish dominence the Czechs start to get a foothold in the game and create a number of chances but they're unable to find the back of the net. At half-time it's 0-0 Photograph: Janek Skarzynski/AFP/Getty Images
Group A2: Karagounis scores
Like Poland the Russians are creating chances but not converting them and during first half injury time they are made to pay. Zhirkov makes a huge mess of a simple throw in on the right and Karagounis nips in behind and rifles a shot under Malafeev. 1-0 to Greece and as it stands they'll go through with Russia Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Group A2: The Poles are having trouble dealing with Vaclav Pilar
In the second half the Poles are having trouble dealing with Vaclav Pilar. To be honest it's not just him, Poland are having trouble stringing more than a couple of passes together Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Group A3: Karagounis
On the hour mark goal scorer Karagounis looks like he might get his second as he slaloms into the area. As he goes past Sergei Ignashevich he goes down like the proverbial sack of spuds after clipping the Russian's leg. There was definite contact but Karagounis played for it. What does the referee do? Photograph: Oliver Weiken/EPA
Group A3: Karagounis
He books the Greek for diving that's what, much to Karagounis' chagrin. The captain can't believe it and chunters away for a good couple of minutes Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Group A2: Czech midfielder Petr Jiracek
Then in the 70th minute in Wroclaw the inevitable happens. Czech Republic make the breakthrough that they have been threatening for the entire second half. Poland lost the ball going forward and were left exposed at the back, having chucked too many men forward. Milan Baros charged at the backtracking Poland defence and incredibly, for the first time in his career, he lifted his head up and found Jiracek to his right. His first touch took him inside Wasilewski, who was sent sliding off into the distance, and then he slid a shot with his right foot past Tyton and into the bottom-right corner from 12 yards out. As it stands the Czechs top the group, and will go through with Greece Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Group A4: Alan Dzagoev chance
In Warsaw Russia continue to pile on the pressure in search of the equaliser which would put them through and they so very nearly get it in the 83rd minute. Andriy Arshavin clips in a cross from the right and Alan Dzagoev meets it on the run with a crisp glancing header but it agonizingly bounces inches wide of the far post Photograph: Gero Breloer/AP
Group A4: Katsouranis
After that close shave the Greeks only have to hang on for a couple more minutes so after he's fouled Katsouranis decides to waste some of these by rolling around on the floor. Rather unsurprisingly the Russians get annoyed by this and there's a spot of handbags before Katsouranis is dispatched off the pitch via a stretcher. As soon as he reaches the touchline he hops off the stretcher and back into the action Photograph: Alex Grimm/Getty Images
Group A3: Poland's Wojtkowiak challenges Czech Republic's Kadlec
In the dying seconds of the Czech Republic v Poland game Michal Kadlec (seen here with challenging Grzegorz Wojtkowiak) heads the ball off the line and keeps the Czech Republic in the tournament Photograph: Dominic Ebenbichler/Reuters
Group A3: Czech forward Milan Baros celebrates
Seconds later the final whistle goes and there's unmitigated joy amongst Milan Baros and his team-mates as the Czechs go through as group winners ... Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images
Group A3: Czech Republic v Poland - Group A: UEFA EURO 2012
While despair abounds among the Poland players ... Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
Group A3: Tears create streaks in the face paint of a Polish fan
And fans as the co-hosts go out Photograph: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Group A4: Greece celebrate
The Greeks pack their defence in an attempt to manage to ride out the last couple of minutes, and they do. Greece 1-0 Russia, the 2004 winners are through and Russia are out - an astonishing result Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Group A4: Greek players celebrate
The Greek players take a well-deserved bow Photograph: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images
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