Last gasp win for Germany

Germany 1 – 0 Poland
Oliver Neuville (91)

For 91 minutes Germany huffed and puffed against a resilient Poland. Then suddenly there was a breakthrough.

Substitute David Odonkor burst through the right wing and crossed the ball towards the Polish goalmouth and there, another substitute Oliver Neuville scored with a first-time shot from six yards.

Game over. Germany won and now have six points in the bag and looks quite certain of playing Sweden/Paraguay in the second round. All these with one more group match to go.

Germany played brilliant football and their defence performed much better than their first game. Their captain Michael Ballack was back in the team and all play was channeled through him. Strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski played well together and many times managed to breach the Polish defence only to find the opposite keeper Artur Boruc standing tall.

Poland had an equal share of the game until the 74th when Radoslaw Sobolewski was sent off for a second bookable offence after bringing down Klose.

The Germans then started wave after wave of attacks with the talismanic Neuville leading the front. On the 80th minute Boruc made two super double saves. Then in the 90th minute when he was beaten, the post came to his rescue – twice.

However Germany was not to be denied of their win with the last minute winner from Neuville.