Joern Pollex/Getty Images Euro 2012 Quarterfinal—PGE Arena, Gdansk, Poland.
GERMANY 1-0 GREECE (halftime)
Goals: Lahm (Germany) 39'
Lineups
Germany: Neuer, Boateng, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm, Khedira, Schweinsteiger Reus, Ozil, Schurrle, Klose
Greece: Sifakis, Torosidis, Sokratis, K. Papadopoulos, Tzavelas, Makos, Maniatis, Katsouranis, Ninis, Salpigidis, Samaras
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84'—Germany are still pressing for number five. At the other end Samaras goes past Hummels, but the German defender gets back to make a good tackle.
82'—Great run from Ozil into the Greek box and it takes a save from Sifakis to deny him. Ozil deserves a goal after his performance tonight.
80'—Two changes for Germany. Gomez comes on for Klose and Gotze replaces the excellent Ozil.
77'—Hugely impressive response from Germany to the Greek equalizer. They could have stuttered under the pressure, but instead they came out firing and blasted Greece away. Whoever they meet in the semis, be it England or Italy, will have plenty to be afraid of.
74'—GOAL! Another one for Germany. Reus pounces on a dropping ball to crash an emphatic volley home from just inside the box. Great finish. Germany will fancy themselves to get a couple more at this rate.
71'—Muller with a chance, but his effort is just wide. Makos is replaced by Liberopoulos for Greece.
68'—GOAL!!! And that's it for Greece now surely. Klose heads home Ozil's free-kick from the right and Germany go 3-1 ahead. All too easy for Klose, who was given a free header as the Greek keeper came out but failed to reach the ball.
67'—Substitution for Germany. Schurrle is replaced by Muller.
64'—Khedira has arguably been Germany's best player tonight. He deserved that goal and took his chance brilliantly.
61'—GOAL!!!! Khedira bursts into the box to meet Boateng's cross and smash a blistering volley into the roof of the net. Germany provide an instant response.
58'—Suddenly the pressure is all back on Germany again. Greece are level and seem to be getting stronger with every minute. Meanwhile the Germans carry the weight of untold missed chances and a game they should have put out of sight in the first half.
55'—GOAL!!!!!!! YOU WON"T BELIEVE THIS ONE!!! Greece have equalized. Salpigidis picks out Samaras with a superb cross and the striker slides in to bring the Greeks level. You can't say it's been coming. But this is Greece people!
53'—Nice break from Greece. Samaras is sent clear and he tries to link up with Salpigidis, but his back-heeled pass doesn't come off. Finally some signs of attacking intent though.
50'—Ozil hits the back post with a flighted free-kick. Badstuber wins a towering header and sends the ball back across goal, but there's no German player on hand to provide a finish.
48'—Klose bursts inside the Greek box and wins Germany a corner. Ozil gets it over but Greece head clear.
46'—Away we go with the second half. Greece have made two changes, with Gekas and Fotakis replacing Ninis and Tzavelas.
Lahm shoots Germany ahead Michael Steele/Getty Images
The key moment.
45+3—HALFTIME! Germany go into the break ahead through Lahm's strike on 39 minutes. It could have been much, much worse for Greece, who will need to summon every ounce of their famous grit and determination to avoid a rout in the second half. They've been completely outplayed and it'll take a remarkable transformation to give the Greeks any chance of saving this one now.
45+2—Schurrle with another effort. This one fizzes just over the bar from 25 yards. He's clearly trying to stake his claim.
44—Schurrle tries another curler from the left. This time it's deflected behind for a corner. Ozil takes it short, collects the return and has a shot blocked from the edge of the box.
Lahm, Germany's goalscorer Martin Rose/Getty Images
42—If Germany put their shooting boots on here we could be in for a rout. Hard to see how Greece will summon an equalizer based on their first-half showing.
39—GOAL!!!! It's been coming. Lahm is gifted a free run in from Germany's left and he shoots into the far top corner from just outside the box. Sifakis might have done better. Germany thoroughly deserve to be 1-0 ahead. In truth, they deserve to beat 6-0 ahead.
Alex Grimm/Getty Images 36—Khedira's latest shot is parried by Sifakis and Greece scramble the ball clear. Still 0-0. Not sure how.
34—Schurrle cuts in from the left and tries a curler to the far post. It's a long way wide.
32—Ninis shoots from distance. It's a skidding effort and it forces Neuer to dive to his right and parry the ball away. He has time to gather afterwards.
30—If Greece can get to halftime still at 0-0 they'll be very, very happy. Germany are dominating possession and completing overwhelming the Greeks in midfield.
Alex Grimm/Getty Images 27—Salpigidis springs the German offside trap and Neuer has to rush from his goal to clear. A small glimpse that Greece are perhaps capable of catching Germany on the break.
24—SO CLOSE AGAIN! Reus meets Ozil's cross and his finish is just wide, and just beyond Klose at the far post. Inches away from a goal.
23—GREAT CHANCE FOR OZIL! Schurrle and Klose combine to set up Ozil 10 yards out, but he shoots straight at Sifakis. The Greek keeper makes another save a minute later, when Reus tries from the edge of the box. All Germany.
22—Lahm bursts down the left but he can't get his cross over. Germany come again and build across midfield. Greece are struggling to get a touch.
20—The Greeks threaten a break, but Badstuber is alert to the danger and cuts out a pass easily. Germany are straight up the other end, with Ozil trying again to release Klose. Again it doesn't quite come off.
Joern Pollex/Getty Images 18—Klose tries a cute turn inside the Greek box, but he can't execute. Greece are clinging on to 0-0. Surely only a matter of time before Germany score.
16—Khedira goes down in the box, under a challenge from Torosidis, and appeals for a penalty. No chance.
15-YELLOW CARD! Samaras kicks Schweinsteiger for his next trick and rightly goes in the book.
13—Tackles flying in from the Greeks. Samaras goes right through Khedira to concede a free-kick on the German right. Ozil whips it in, but Katsouranis heads clear.
12—Klose lays the ball off to Khedira, who instinctively plays in Reus for a run on goal. Reus shoots wide with the goal at his mercy.
Joern Pollex/Getty Images 10—Khedira tries to pick out Klose with a diagonal ball into the box, but it's too strong for the veteran striker.
8—Finally some possession for Greece. Makos takes his opportunity to try a shot from 25 yards. It's a weak effort and Neuer gathers with ease.
6—Greece need to steady themselves. The early signs are that they're in for a torrid evening and a slick playing surface is playing right into German hands. Khedira has another shot—this time over the bar.
4—DISALLOWED GOAL! Khedira's shot is parried by Sifakis, and Schweinsteiger is first there to squeeze it home. But the assistant referee has his flag up and Schweinsteiger is ruled offside. It was VERY TIGHT, but he got it right. Greece are all over the place here.
3—Germany have started with real purpose. Another break threatens to catch the Greeks napping, but they scramble clear. Khedira takes a knock and needs treatment. The Real Madrid man will be ok.
1—And we're away. Greece, in blue, get things started. Germany are in their famous white and black. Almost immediately Ozil looks to thread a pass through to Klose. Offside.
Angela Merkel is not the most popular person in Greece right now. Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Time for the national anthems in Gdansk, Poland. What with the current financial dealings between Greece and Germany, there have been no shortage of Eurozone jokes ahead of what some have called "the battle of the bailout."
Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Here how both teams reached the quarters...
Germany
1-0 vs. Portugal
2-1 vs. Netherlands
2-1 vs. Denmark
Greece
1-1 vs. Poland
1-2 vs. Czech Republic
1-0 vs. Russia
Martin Rose/Getty Images I think we can safely say Greece will be trying to keep things as tight as possible. They'll play with two holding midfielders, Makos and Maniatis, and the aim will be to strangle the life out of Germany. The Germans will have Ozil working the areas behind Klose and a wide man on either flank to serve the striker with crosses. Schweinsteiger and Khedira give them a solid feel defensively in midfield.
Big call from Joachim Low to drop Gomez, Podolski and Muller for a game of this magnitude. Gomez has 3 goals at Euro 2012, while Podolski and Muller represent experienced players at this level. That said, Klose has a pretty remarkable goalscoring record at major tournaments.
Klose to start for Germany Joern Pollex/Getty Images
Good afternoon all and welcome to our live coverage of Germany vs. Greece at the quarterfinal stage of Euro 2012. The teams are in and the big news is that Miroslav Klose starts ahead of Mario Gomez for Germany. The Germans have also dropped Thomas Muller and Lukas Podolski for the match.
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