UEFA Euro 2008 Group B

Group B of UEFA Euro 2008 was played from 8 to 16 June 2008. All six of the group's matches were played at venues in Austria, in Vienna and Klagenfurt. The group was made up of four central European nations; co-hosts Austria, as well as Croatia, Germany and Poland. Austria and Poland were appearing in a European Championship finals for the first time.

Croatia became the first team from the group to qualify for the quarter-finals after following up a 1–0 victory against Austria in their first match with a 2–1 win over Germany. This, in conjunction with Austria's 1–1 draw with Poland, meant that Croatia finish top of Group B. The second quarter-final berth was decided by the group's final matches, with Germany defeating Austria through a Michael Ballack free kick, making the result of the Poland vs. Croatia match irrelevant. Had Germany lost, Poland could still have qualified with a win over Croatia. However, a goal from Ivan Klasnić won the game for Croatia, making the Croatians the first team to gain maximum points in the group stage.

Teams

Draw position	Team	Pot	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Finals appearance	Last appearance	Previous best performance	UEFA Rankings		FIFA Rankings June 2008
								November 2007[nb 1]	May 2008[nb 2]
B1	Austria	1	Co-host	12 December 2002	1st	—	Debut	27	29	92
B2	Croatia	2	Group E winner	17 November 2007	3rd	2004	Quarter-finals (1996)	2	11	15
B3	Germany[nb 3]	3	Group D runner-up	13 October 2007	10th	2004	Winners (1972, 1980, 1996)	7	4	5
B4	Poland	4	Group A winner	17 November 2007	1st	—	Debut	12	13	28

Notes

1. The UEFA rankings of November 2007 were used for seeding for the final draw.
2. UEFA unveiled a new ranking system in May 2008 based on results up to November 2007.
3. From 1972 to 1988, Germany competed as West Germany.

Standings

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Croatia	3	3	0	0	4	1	+3	9	Advance to knockout stage
2	Germany	3	2	0	1	4	2	+2	6
3	Austria (H)	3	0	1	2	1	3	−2	1[a]
4	Poland	3	0	1	2	1	4	−3	1[a]

Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Hosts
Notes:

1. Tied on head-to-head result (Austria 1–1 Poland). Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.

In the quarter-finals,

• The winner of Group B, Croatia, advanced to play the runner-up of Group A, Turkey.
• The runner-up of Group B, Germany, advanced to play the winner of Group A, Portugal.

Matches

All times Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)

Austria vs Croatia

8 June 2008 (2008-06-08)

18:00

Austria	0–1	Croatia
	Report	Modrić 4' (pen.)

Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna

Attendance: 51,428^[1]

Referee: Pieter Vink (Netherlands)

Austria[2]

Croatia[2]

GK 21 Jürgen Macho CB 15 Sebastian Prödl  68' CB 3 Martin Stranzl CB 4 Emanuel Pogatetz  3' DM 6 René Aufhauser DM 19 Jürgen Säumel  21'  61' RM 2 Joachim Standfest LM 12 Ronald Gërçaliu  69' AM 10 Andreas Ivanschitz (c) CF 20 Martin Harnik CF 9 Roland Linz  73' Substitutions: MF 7 Ivica Vastić  61' MF 11 Ümit Korkmaz  69' FW 18 Roman Kienast  73' Manager: Josef Hickersberger

GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa RB 5 Vedran Ćorluka CB 4 Robert Kovač  51' CB 3 Josip Šimunić LB 22 Danijel Pranjić RM 11 Darijo Srna CM 10 Niko Kovač (c) CM 14 Luka Modrić LM 19 Niko Kranjčar  61' CF 18 Ivica Olić  83' CF 21 Mladen Petrić  72' Substitutions: DF 15 Dario Knežević  61' FW 20 Igor Budan  72' MF 8 Ognjen Vukojević  83' Manager: Slaven Bilić

Man of the Match: Stipe Pletikosa (Croatia)[1] Assistant referees:[2][3] Adriaan Inia (Netherlands) Hans ten Hoove (Netherlands) Fourth official: Kristinn Jakobsson (Iceland) Reserve assistant referee: Dimitrios Bozatzidis (Greece)

Germany vs Poland

8 June 2008 (2008-06-08)

20:45

Germany	2–0	Poland
Podolski 20', 72'	Report

Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt

Attendance: 30,461^[4]

Referee: Tom Henning Øvrebø (Norway)

Germany[5]

Poland[5]

GK 1 Jens Lehmann RB 16 Philipp Lahm CB 21 Christoph Metzelder CB 17 Per Mertesacker LB 2 Marcell Jansen RM 4 Clemens Fritz  56' CM 8 Torsten Frings CM 13 Michael Ballack (c) LM 20 Lukas Podolski CF 9 Mario Gómez  75' CF 11 Miroslav Klose  90+1' Substitutions: MF 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger  64'  56' MF 15 Thomas Hitzlsperger  75' FW 22 Kevin Kurányi  90+1' Manager: Joachim Löw

GK 1 Artur Boruc RB 13 Marcin Wasilewski CB 14 Michał Żewłakow CB 6 Jacek Bąk LB 4 Paweł Golański  75' CM 5 Dariusz Dudka CM 18 Mariusz Lewandowski  60' RW 17 Wojciech Łobodziński  65' AM 9 Maciej Żurawski (c)  46' LW 8 Jacek Krzynówek CF 7 Ebi Smolarek  40' Substitutions: MF 20 Roger Guerreiro  46' MF 16 Łukasz Piszczek  65' FW 11 Marek Saganowski  75' Manager: Leo Beenhakker

Man of the Match: Lukas Podolski (Germany)[4] Assistant referees:[5][3] Geir Åge Holen (Norway) Jan Petter Randen (Norway) Fourth official: Craig Thomson (Scotland) Reserve assistant referee: Dimitrios Saraidaris (Greece)

Croatia vs Germany

12 June 2008 (2008-06-12)

18:00

Croatia	2–1	Germany
Srna 24' Olić 62'	Report	Podolski 79'

Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt

Attendance: 30,461^[6]

Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

Croatia[7]

Germany[7]

GK 1 Stipe Pletikosa RB 5 Vedran Ćorluka CB 4 Robert Kovač CB 3 Josip Šimunić  45+1' LB 22 Danijel Pranjić RM 11 Darijo Srna  27'  80' CM 14 Luka Modrić  90+3' CM 10 Niko Kovač (c) LM 7 Ivan Rakitić SS 19 Niko Kranjčar  85' CF 18 Ivica Olić  72' Substitutions: FW 21 Mladen Petrić  72' MF 16 Jerko Leko  90+2'  80' DF 15 Dario Knežević  85' Manager: Slaven Bilić

GK 1 Jens Lehmann  90+2' RB 16 Philipp Lahm CB 21 Christoph Metzelder CB 17 Per Mertesacker LB 2 Marcell Jansen  46' RM 4 Clemens Fritz  82' CM 8 Torsten Frings CM 13 Michael Ballack (c)  75' LM 20 Lukas Podolski CF 9 Mario Gómez  66' CF 11 Miroslav Klose Substitutions: MF 19 David Odonkor  46' MF 7 Bastian Schweinsteiger  90+2'  66' FW 22 Kevin Kurányi  82' Manager: Joachim Löw

Man of the Match: Luka Modrić (Croatia)[6] Assistant referees:[7][3] Peter Hermans (Belgium) Alex Verstraeten (Belgium) Fourth official: Stéphane Lannoy (France) Reserve assistant referee: Matthias Arnet (Switzerland)

Austria vs Poland

12 June 2008 (2008-06-12)

20:45

Austria	1–1	Poland
Vastić 90+3' (pen.)	Report	Guerreiro 30'

Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna

Attendance: 51,428^[8]

Referee: Howard Webb (England)

Austria[9]

Poland[9]

GK 21 Jürgen Macho RB 14 György Garics CB 15 Sebastian Prödl  72' CB 3 Martin Stranzl LB 4 Emanuel Pogatetz DM 6 René Aufhauser  74' RM 8 Christoph Leitgeb CM 10 Andreas Ivanschitz (c)  64' LM 11 Ümit Korkmaz  56' CF 20 Martin Harnik CF 9 Roland Linz  64' Substitutions: MF 7 Ivica Vastić  64' FW 18 Roman Kienast  64' MF 19 Jürgen Säumel  74' Manager: Josef Hickersberger

GK 1 Artur Boruc RB 13 Marcin Wasilewski  58' CB 2 Mariusz Jop  46' CB 6 Jacek Bąk (c)  90+3' LB 14 Michał Żewłakow RM 5 Dariusz Dudka CM 18 Mariusz Lewandowski LM 8 Jacek Krzynówek  61' AM 20 Roger Guerreiro  85' CF 11 Marek Saganowski  83' CF 7 Ebi Smolarek Substitutions: DF 4 Paweł Golański  46' MF 17 Wojciech Łobodziński  83' MF 19 Rafał Murawski  85' Manager: Leo Beenhakker

Man of the Match: Roger Guerreiro (Poland)[8] Assistant referees:[9][3] Darren Cann (England) Mike Mullarkey (England) Fourth official: Viktor Kassai (Hungary) Reserve assistant referee: Stéphane Cuhat (Switzerland)

Poland vs Croatia

16 June 2008 (2008-06-16)

20:45

Poland	0–1	Croatia
	Report	Klasnić 53'

Wörthersee Stadion, Klagenfurt

Attendance: 30,461^[10]

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)

Poland[11]

Croatia[11]

GK 1 Artur Boruc RB 13 Marcin Wasilewski CB 14 Michał Żewłakow (c) CB 5 Dariusz Dudka LB 3 Jakub Wawrzyniak CM 19 Rafał Murawski CM 18 Mariusz Lewandowski  38'  46' RW 17 Wojciech Łobodziński  55' AM 20 Roger Guerreiro LW 8 Jacek Krzynówek CF 11 Marek Saganowski  69' Substitutions: DF 23 Adam Kokoszka  46' FW 7 Ebi Smolarek  55' FW 21 Tomasz Zahorski  84'  69' Manager: Leo Beenhakker

GK 23 Vedran Runje RB 2 Dario Šimić (c) CB 6 Hrvoje Vejić  45' CB 15 Dario Knežević  27' LB 22 Danijel Pranjić RM 16 Jerko Leko CM 8 Ognjen Vukojević  85' CM 13 Nikola Pokrivač LM 7 Ivan Rakitić CF 17 Ivan Klasnić  74' CF 21 Mladen Petrić  75' Substitutions: DF 5 Vedran Ćorluka  27' FW 9 Nikola Kalinić  74' MF 19 Niko Kranjčar  75' Manager: Slaven Bilić

Man of the Match: Ivan Klasnić (Croatia)[10] Assistant referees:[11][3] Dimitrios Bozatzidis (Greece) Dimitrios Saraidaris (Greece) Fourth official: Olegário Benquerença (Portugal) Reserve assistant referee: Alessandro Griselli (Italy)

Austria vs Germany

16 June 2008 (2008-06-16)

20:45

Austria	0–1	Germany
	Report	Ballack 49'

Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna

Attendance: 51,428^[12]

Referee: Manuel Mejuto González (Spain)

Austria[13]

Germany[13]

GK 21 Jürgen Macho RB 14 György Garics CB 3 Martin Stranzl  13' CB 17 Martin Hiden  55' LB 4 Emanuel Pogatetz CM 6 René Aufhauser  63' CM 5 Christian Fuchs RW 20 Martin Harnik  67' AM 10 Andreas Ivanschitz (c)  48' LW 11 Ümit Korkmaz CF 22 Erwin Hoffer  31' Substitutions: MF 8 Christoph Leitgeb  55' MF 19 Jürgen Säumel  63' FW 18 Roman Kienast  67' Manager: Josef Hickersberger[note 1]

GK 1 Jens Lehmann RB 3 Arne Friedrich CB 17 Per Mertesacker CB 21 Christoph Metzelder LB 16 Philipp Lahm RM 4 Clemens Fritz  90+3' CM 8 Torsten Frings CM 13 Michael Ballack (c) LM 20 Lukas Podolski  83' CF 9 Mario Gómez  60' CF 11 Miroslav Klose Substitutions: MF 15 Thomas Hitzlsperger  60' FW 10 Oliver Neuville  83' MF 18 Tim Borowski  90+3' Manager: Joachim Löw[note 1]

Man of the Match: Michael Ballack (Germany)[12] Assistant referees:[13][3] Juan Carlos Yuste Jiménez (Spain) Jesús Calvo Guadamuro (Spain) Fourth official: Damir Skomina (Slovenia) Reserve assistant referee: Paolo Calcagno (Italy)

See also

• Austria at the UEFA European Championship
• Croatia at the UEFA European Championship
• Germany at the UEFA European Championship
• Poland at the UEFA European Championship

Notes

1. Both Hickersberger and Löw were expelled by the referee in the 41st minute.