After watching the Netherlands fall to a surprising Denmark side earlier in the day, both Germany and Portugal came out and played a rather conservative match in their Euro 2012 debut.The Germans eventually came out on top, thanks to a beautiful goal from striker Mario Gomez, seventy-two minutes into the highly contested affair.

PHOTO CREDIT - GettyImages.com

Edmonton - June 9, 2012 - After watching the Netherlands fall to a surprising Denmark side earlier in the day, both Germany and Portugal came out and played a rather conservative match in their Euro 2012 debut.

The Germans eventually came out on top, thanks to a beautiful goal from striker Mario Gomez, seventy-two minutes into the highly contested affair. The victory leaves Germany tied atop the group with the Danes, while the Portuguese sit at the bottom of the table with the Dutch.

In a match that featured the two best sides to face off during the opening days of action, the opening half left fans wanting more. The Germans carried the play but had little to show for their efforts, as the Portuguese played a surprisingly solid defensive half of soccer.

Portugal produced little up front, as Cristiano Ronaldo did not get a single touch on the ball until the seventeen minute mark. That being said, the closest either side came to finding the back the net was on a Portuguese corner and a lovely strike from Pepe in extra time. The Real Madrid defender cleanly beat Manuel Neuer but had his strike rattle off the woodwork and bounce down onto the goal line but stayed out.

Not much changed in the second half, as the German's continued to press but were unable to opening the scoring...until a brilliant header from Gomez sailed past the outstretched hands of Rui Patricio and into the side netting of the Portuguese goal. It was the talented striker's twenty-third of his national side career and came moments before a likely substitution, in favour of veteran forward Miroslav Klose.

After conceding the goal, the Portuguese decided to finally open things up and finally treated fans to an entertaining final twenty from both sides. Portugal nearly tied things up in the eighty-ninth minute but Neuer stoned Nelson Oliveira, charging out from his box and forcing the midfielder into a poor attempt on goal.


Group B - Results and Schedule


06/09/12 – Denmark 1 Netherlands 0
06/09/12 – Germany 1 Portugal 0
06/13/12 – Denmark vs Portugal
06/13/12 – Netherlands vs Germany
06/17/12 – Portugal vs Netherlands
06/17/12 – Denmark vs Germany