Denmark v Germany [Euro 2012 Group B]
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Venue - Arena Lviv, Lviv
Live Streams - http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?...59&part=sports
TEAM NEWS
Denmark winger Dennis Rommedahl misses out with a leg muscle strain, while midfielder Niki Zimling is a doubt.
"We probably won't know about him up until the minutes before kick-off," said coach Morten Olsen.
Germany are without suspended right-back Jerome Boateng, who picked up his second yellow card against the Dutch.
Benedict Howedes could replace him but Joachim Loew also hinted that he may switch captain Philipp Lahm from the left, or even play a three-man defence.MATCH PREVIEW
Mario GomezTalking about, and quite probably salivating. But three-goal hero Gomez is right to warn against thinking too far ahead. Football can be perverse, and this is one of those situations where - watch out below! - logic will be thrown out of the window should the super-sleek Germans, with two wins out of two so far, not progress.Everybody is talking about a Germany-Spain final. But there is a long way to go to get there. We have not achieved anything yet."
The only way the unthinkable can happen is if they lose to Denmark (by any result other than defeat by a deficit of one goal in which they score at least two i.e. 3-2, 4-3, 5-4, etc.) and Portugal beat the Dutch.
It was 20 years ago, in the 1992 European Championship final, that Denmark caused a shock of potentially comparable scale by beating neighbours Germany 2-0. Morten Olsen's side will try to summon that spirit, but whether they possess the required quality is debatable. Young Ajax 'star' Christian Eriksen has not shone as yet and canny winger Dennis Rommedahl is out injured. Their main hope lies with Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, who Swansea, Benfica and Galatasaray are reported to be interested in after his two goals against Portugal.
But Germany's firepower is daunting. Bastian Schweinsteiger is in sensational form, with piercing passes galore, and his description of the in-form Gomez is illuminating: "The good thing with Mario is that he needs almost zero chances and still scores." Experience on the biggest stage is everywhere in the team: Lukas Podolski is set to win his 100th cap.
Die Mannschaft will top the group if they can get a point. The stage is set for some drama… or grinding, admirable, German predictability.LINE-UPS Denmark v Germany
Denmark: Andersen, Jacobsen, Kjaer, Agger, Simon Poulsen, Kvist Jorgensen, Eriksen, Jakob Poulsen, Zimling, Krohn-Delhi, Bendtner. Subs: Lindegaard, Christian Poulsen, Rommedahl, Bjelland, Okore, Schone, Silberbauer, Pedersen, Wass, Kahlenberg, Mikkelsen, Schmeichel.
Germany: Neuer, Bender, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Muller, Ozil, Podolski, Gomez. Subs: Wiese, Gundogan, Schmelzer, Howedes, Schurrle, Klose, Mertesacker, Kroos, Gotze, Reus, Zieler.
Referee: Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Denmark salvaged a draw in their last meeting with Germany, a friendly in August 2010, recovering from 2-0 to rescue a 2-2 draw.
- The two countries have not met in this competition since their memorable meeting in the final of 1992 when the Danes completed their fairytale 2-0 victory.
- Germany have won 14 of the total 25 meetings between the two nations (three draws).
Denmark
- The Danes have won seven of their last 10 matches.
- Nicklas Bendtner has now scored 20 goals in 50 internationals.
- They have lost 13 of the 14 previous European Championship games in which they have fallen behind, winning the other (against Belgium in 1984).
- Coach Morten Olsen is the only man to have played for his country and coached them more than 100 times. This is his 131st match in charge. He played for them 102 times.
Germany
- Germany have taken the lead in both Euro 2012 finals matches, as well as all 10 qualifiers, and have then gone on to win all 12 matches.
- Have scored in each of their previous 18 matches.
- Mario Gomez was in possession of the ball for only 18 seconds against the Netherlands but he still managed to score two goals.
- Lukas Podolski, 27, will become the youngest European player to win 100 caps if he plays against Denmark. He is 96 days younger than current holder, Estonia's Kristen Viikmae.
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Originally Posted by Tony07
