Greece Spoils Poland's Opening Euro 2012 Party

The opening match of Euro 2012 was a game of two distinct drama filled halves.  Both Greece and Poland will rue the missed opportunities, but be content with sharing the points in Group A.

Poland came out on the front foot and to the delight of the Warsaw crowd exploited space on the right side from the opening whistle.  It came as no surprise then that the opening goal in the 17th minute came from a delightfully weighted cross from Jakub Blaszczykowski, who had penetrated down the right to reach nearly the end line.

Robert Lewandowski superbly headed the ball down, a one-hopper into the Greek net behind Kostas Chalkias's flaying, outstretched arms.

The partisan crowd couldn't have dreamt a better opening to their tournament hosting and playing duties. And the Poles continued to open up the Greek defense.  Damien Perquis found himself in front of goal with a glorious chance to double Poland's advantage, but struck it recklessly wide of the right post.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos picked up his second very harshly judged yellow card just before halftime, the Greeks were reduced to 10 men, with the home crowd delighting in their opposition's setback.  Poland had to feel positive, if not disappointed that the score was not more in their favor after a lopsided 45 minutes.

Greece opened the second half with the second substitution of the match.  Dimitris Salpingidis on, Sotiris Ninis out.  Salpingidis had an immediate impact proving the merit of Fernando Santos's tactical shift.  Only six minutes into the second half and Wojciech Szczęsny poorly played a VassilisTorossidis cross leaving Salpingidis to stride in and hammer home the equalizer.

The Greeks were now lifted and looked the more comfortable, threatening side.  The two holdovers, from Greece's Euro 2004 championship squad, Giorgios Karagounis and Kostas Katsarounis, smoothly shepherding possession.  

Salpingidis and Giorgios Samaras found space behind the Polish back line several times before another Santos sub, the young Kostas Fortounis floated a pass into the box for the enterprising Salpingidis.  

Szczęsny was forced out to deal with the one-on-one threat and beaten by Salpingidis's initial touch fouled in the box as his only option.  From head referee, Carlos Velasco Carballo, came the straight red card, and from the Polish bench came Przemyslaw Tyton to face a penalty shot in his first moment of action in the 70th minute.

Greece's captain stepped up to the spot, however unlikely the victory looked only minutes before, Karagounis could have opened Greece's 2012 account with three points.  But the Polish keeper was spry off his line and easily blocked a low, soft shot.

Both teams, reduced to 10 men each, were afforded good chances late in the match but couldn't break the deadlock.  So 1-1 it ended and both squads, oddly, will have to think three points were a real possibility, but also be delighted in preserving an eventful draw.