Summer finds me back in Berlin sampling the Euro 2008 atmosphere – German style. Having hosted the last World Cup so spectacularly, fussball fieber is alive and well in Deutschland for the Teutonic sequel in Austria and Switzerland.
Sunday night’s Group B clash between Germany and Poland in Klagenfurt had the firecrackers in the air as I arrived at Schoenefeld Airport. Lukas Podolski’s second goal was greeted as jubilantly as it would have been had it been scored at the Olympiastadion.
“Poldi Putzt Die Polen” screamed Bild on Monday. Yet, for all of the obvious delight of yet another win over neighbours Poland – and their first win at a European Championship finals since 1996 – it was hard to be overly impressed by the Germans.
Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann looked jittery before his vital intervention late in the game. The central defensive pairing shook vulnerably at times. Miroslav Klose was still well off the pace after a virtually barren Bundesliga season spent being overshadowed by Luca Toni. To top if off, Podolski’s opening goal was clearly offside. All said, as good as the German attacking play was, nobody is getting carried away.
Germany will surely emerge from Group B now. Croatia, so pedestrian against hard-working but mediocre Austria, look ripe for the picking on Thursday. Austria will be enduring their death throes by the final group game in Vienna.
What remains for Joachim Löw’s men now is to confirm qualification and to avoid Portugal in the last eight. The Iberians look the most impressive side in the tournament and their 2-0 dismissal of Turkey on Saturday. Handily for Löw, Germany will know what to do if they avoid defeat to the Croats. Group A’s matches will be played 24 hours before the Germans play the hosts. Don’t dismiss that factor. Nobody plans a tournament like the Germans.
With Italy, France, and Holland – three sides the Germans would respect as genuine rivals – embroiled in a dog-fight for survival in the draw’s other half, things are looking up for Jögi’s men – for now. But there are cracks.
Brian A. O’Driscoll, Berlin
