How ironic that Euro 2012 Quarter Final 2 will be Germany vs Greece.

Could someone please explain why Greece go through and Russia do not? They have the same points, but Russia has a better goal difference. Surely in those circumstances the team with the better goal difference should go through.

Head to Head system in draws. Greece beat Russia, so Greece go through and Russia do not. Hell yeah.

first tie-braker is head to head. greece beat russia.

germany must be licking their lips right now

Greece and Russia have the same points.

It is not decided initially by goal difference. The first deciding factor (in this tournament), if two countries are tied on points, is the result of their head-to-head match. Whoever won that match, is placed first. If that match was drawn, the next deciding factor is goal difference.

What a poor display from Poles, playing counterattacks against a team that couldn't get its shit together for a better half of the first half. The players from the Czech league were the best on the pitch.

Sarge is right head to head is the determining factor in this tournament. If this were the world cup then it would be determined by goal differential first.

I can't decide which method is best.

Personally, I feel like Russia played much better in their 3 games and Greece are very lucky to scrape through.

"There's red fire in Greece though!"

That's actually from the rioting in the streets.

So Greece beat Russia in their head to head, so they go through. Got it. Thanks Guys.

I rather like the head to head method. It gives teams more reason to go out and fight on the last day.

That's definitely true.

Rather than Russia who let themselves rest because they thought they could rest on their 4 .

Come on Denmark ......

Holland 1 Portugal 0

Spain is lucky to have survived this group. Croatia suffer from bad luck.

I would like to see an England-Spain showdown though. I think an English victory would finally shut the Barca fanboys up for a bit.

That's another argument for introducing Goal-Line technology [England-Ukraine, 63 minutes].

I would like to see England-Spain, but Italy will likely be an easier match for England. Since they aren't meeting in the quarter-final, maybe we'll see them meet in the final :D

Another ghost goal for England.

Hurray. Hodgson is a great manager. At least he can speak English, unlike Capello.

Even if he plays anti-football.

The 63rd minute non-goal was interesting. The pass leading up to it was a clear off-side so it should never have had a chance to be not given as it crossed the line. A rare case of two wrongs making a right! To be fair to the official the ball has to go completely over the line and it was pretty damned close. I recall an English non-goal against Germany that was a good yard over the line!

I think you're being unfair to Hodgson, Putin. He's equaled the best opening game England's ever had at the Euros, beaten Sweden in a match that matters (something England had never done before in countless attempts) and beaten the host nation (something we've not done since the 50s), and even managed to have one genuinely entertaining game whilst doing so.

England's never had it so good!

@Speaker
To be fair, the Ukrainian was actually offside when the long ball was played, because it missed both the guy it was actually aimed at. So had it been allowed, it'd be the other side feeling unjustly robbed.

@Putin
I do recollect your so called 'anti-football' being somewhat more successful than attempting to go for the attack but not being good enough to get the job done, eh?

Greece and England advanced. Russia and the Netherlands did not.

Greece didn't play anti-football this time around. In 2004, yes, they were worse than watching paint dry. I don't hate on Greece because they advanced despite being cursed by injuries and bad refereeing. Plus if Russia couldn't go I wanted Greece to go.

I'm not being unfair to Hodgson. This is his style he has always played. But all is forgiven so long as he gets England out of a weak group.

"Netherlands did not."

Netherlands didn't play attacking football. They played horribly. Portugal made their defense look old and slow.

A weak group? The group was no weaker than the others. The only group that looked significantly stronger turned out to be a cake walk for Germany and Portugal against feeble opposition.

England have played with various styles over recent years, and have been consistantly dull with all of them. Hodgson's rule, although short, has been less dull than most and included brief moments of genuine excitment. It isn't anti-football. It isn't a conscious attempt to kill a game. It is a genuine attempt to play with cunning, skill and passion which they never quite pull off.

Hodgson has managed to produce, given England's place in the world rankings and the accolades awarded to some of its team, a performance that should be expected of England. Plaing on Saturday, not Thursday is a bonus. Tired, bruised players need careful coaxing to perform, and they've performed (just). Here's hoping that they can heal enough to be coaxed a little further.

England was definitely NOT in a weak group, France is a top ten team and Ukraine is the host country, which is always a difficult out. Hopefully Wayne's goal gets him going enough to keep England from falling into the doldrums like the first half hour of today's game.