Euro 2012: Postgame Thoughts from Poland's 1-1 Draw vs Greece

After months of preparation, Poland's recent strong form was contained by a defensive minded Greek side in a 1-1 draw.

This was a match of two halves, with Poland dominating the Greeks in the first half, while Greece probably should have won the match in the second half considering the opportunities that were afford to them.

This match was a thoroughly entertaining affair and sets us up well for the remainder of Euro 2012. There was plenty of offense in the opener and hopefully that will continue for the next month.

There is plenty to take from the 1-1 draw that took place in Warsaw. Here are my thoughts on this opening match.

This Opening Fixture Exceeded Expectations

Two goals. Two red cards. A missed penalty. That is part of the stat-line from tonight's 1-1 draw.

Poland attacked well during the first half, but the Greeks responded well during the second half.

There was tension throughout the match and now both sides will need to cope without a key player due to suspension.

Poland Is Dangerous Down the Right Wing

The combination of Łukasz Piszczek and Jakub Błaszczykowski worked well with Borussia Dortmund during the Bundesliga campaign, and worked wonders during the first half against Greece.

Both players helped out in the lead up to the first goal of the match, and were ever-present from start to finish. If Poland can continue this form, they will be difficult to stop.

Poland's Central Defense Could Be Their Downfall

One of the biggest changes that Greece made between the first and second half was the way they attacked Poland. Greece decided to attack down the middle, which led to a Poland red card and several golden chances that the Greeks should have scored from.

When you look at a pass chart of Greece from this match, you can clearly see that Greece sent most of their attacking-third-passes down the middle of the pitch.

Poland's central defense was known for being weak going into Euro 2012, but without Wojciech Szczesny in their next match, they will need to improve tremendously.

Poland Must Improve Their Finishing

Altogether, Poland had 17 shots in the opening fixture. But only three of them went on target.

Outside of Lewandowski's goal, there were only two Polish shots that hit the target. And both of those shots were taken from outside of the penalty area.

Poland does utilize a defensive formation, but that should not stop them from at least taking better shots when they get the chance. During Poland's dominant first half, they missed six of their eight goalscoring opportunities.

Greece's Defensive Mindset Needs Work

Throughout the first half, Greece looked like a lost side. That was due to an overall weakness in their defense.

A defensive unit such as the one the Greek's have should not allow eight shots in a match, let alone in a half against a defense-oriented side.

Greece needs to clamp down defensively with the suspension to Papastathopoulos. If they fail to, they will be eliminated.

Referee Carlos Velasco Should Not Have Played Such an Important Role

Carlos Velasco has been considered one of the top referees in Spain, but he has been known for giving out a ridiculous amount of bookings.

This past season, Velasco gave away 178 cautions and 16 red cards in only 29 matches! The final five minutes of the first half saw Velasco become the center of attention by sending off Sokratis Papastathopoulos for a second yellow. Velasco made a mistake giving Papastathopoulos the first yellow card several minutes earlier.

Velasco also missed a penalty at the end of the first half against Poland. But in the second half, Velasco made the right call to send off Szczesny.

Considering his record, Velasco should not have been refereeing the first match because the odds were pretty high that he would send off at least one player. Now Greece will be without one of their best defenders until the final group stage match.

Poland's Home Crowd Can Be a Massive Advantage

Maybe its because it was the first match of a tournament on home soil, or maybe because they have never hosted a championship of this magnitude before, but Poland's fans were incredible on this opening night.

They were loud throughout the match and they could easily be the reason why Poland advances into the quarterfinals.

After both host nations failed to advance from Euro 2008, Poland has the best chance of advancing between themselves and Ukraine. Maybe these fans can get Poland to their first knockout stage appearance since 1986.

Fernando Santos Made Some Great Substitutes

Greece started the match weakly, but manager Fernando Santos made some fantastic substitutes during the match.

This was highlighted mainly by goalscorer Dimitris Salpigidis. Salpigidis was incredible throughout his time and Greece's best player.

Without those impact subs, Greece would have lost.

Greece Needs a Spark to Reach the Round of 16

Using negative tactics doesn't usually help national teams in competitions. Greece does have a strong defensive system, but they need to use a more offensive system in order to improve their chances.

At least one offensive player will need to shine against either the Czech Republic or Russia. If they don't, the Greeks won't advance.

Poland Could Still Advance from the Group

Poland still has the talent to advance from the group stage. They have strong offensive capabilities and that home crowd will prove to be huge.

In order to advance, Poland must defeat either the Russians or the Czech Republic. They will need to do so by playing a better defensive match and by finishing better.

Assuming Tytoń can be an adequate replacement in goal, expect Poland to advance to the quarterfinals.

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