Germany will take on Greece in what is being touted as the ‘Debt Derby’ on Friday, June 22, in the second quarter-final of Euro 2012. The two teams will clash at the Arena Gdansk in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Poland-c2983 to decide which side will qualify for the last four.
The Euro 2008 finalists will take on Euro 2004 winners in a highly anticipated game later this week. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Greece-c2908 have shown in the competition how they can use their defensive approach to frustrate the opposition so it will be an interesting clash.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904
Die Mannschaft have had a sensational outing thus far and have won all three of their group games against the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884. The Germans topped Group B, which was arguably one of the toughest groups in the competition, and are favourites to win the competition.
Joachim Low’s gambles have paid off and the defence, which was being doubted by many, has been a string point for the Germans. Holger Badstuber and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Mats-Hummels-c24767 have developed a brilliant partnership in the heart of defence and have just conceded twice in the competition.
Greece
Greece have been lucky to progress from Group A as they downed Russia in the final group game to qualify for the last eight on the head-to-head rule. The team won just one of the three games played and accumulated four points to progress from the lot along with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Czech-Republic-c2882.
Although the Ethniki will be the underdogs going into the game, the side is capable of pulling upsets. The Euro 2004 campaign is a proof of how unpredictable the team can be in major tournaments.
Team News
Die Mannschaft will welcome the return of Jerome Boateng, who missed the clash against Denmark through suspension. The Bayern Munich man was replaced by http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lars-Bender-c21663 on the right side of defence and the latter put in an impressive showing by scoring the winning goal.
Expected line-up: Neuer, Boateng, Badstuber, Hummels, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Muller, Ozil, Podolski, Gomez
The Greek side have been dealt with a huge blow as skipper http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Sotiris-Ninis-c33835.
Expected line-up: Sifakis, Torosidis, Papadopoulos, Papastathopoulos, Tzavellas, Katsouranis, Maniatis, Salpingidis, Ninis, Samaras, Gekas
Players to watch
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bastian-Schweinsteiger-c7374 has been in sensational form thus far in the competition. The Bayern Munich man has been influential in the midfield in all the three games and has helped his club teammate Mario Gomez in finding the net on both the occasions against the Dutch. He will be the man Joachim Low can bank on to break the Greek wall of defence.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Theofanis-Gekas-c34884 has found the net an impressive 22 times for the Greek national side in the 61 appearances he has made. The striker will have the added responsibility on his shoulders due to the absence of Karagounis in the game against Germany. The Ethniki can pull an upset if the former Bayer Leverkusen man is in form.
Prediction
Germany will certainly be a hard team to beat considering their recent form. Fernando http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Santos-c40446’ side have thus far defended well in the competition but Die Mannschaft have the quality to come up with the goods.
Verdict: Germany 2-0 Greece
Tags: