Croatians stun Germany

Darijo Srna and Ivica Olic struck their side's goals as Croatia, who had only ever beaten Germany once before, produced arguably the first major upset of Euro 2008 in an entertaining encounter in Klagenfurt.

Lukas Podolski pulled a goal back late on for Germany with his third strike in two games to set up a nail-biting finale, but there was to be no way back for Joachim Low's team, who finished with 10 men following the 90th-minute dismissal of substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger.

A frantic start to the match promised much but for all their huffing and puffing, neither side were able to create anything resembling a chance in the opening 20 minutes as defences held firm.

The ball did find its way into the back of the net in the 22nd minute when Germany striker Mario Gomez slotted past Stipe Pletikosa but the offside flag had already gone up against the Stuttgart man well beforehand.

The deadlock was broken for real just two minutes after that incident though, when Croatia went ahead through Srna.

Danijel Pranjic sent over a superb cross from the left and Srna nipped in front of marker Marcell Jansen to slide the ball in at the far post, Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann given no chance to save.

The Croats doubled their advantage when a Rakitic cross from the right took a deflection off Lukas Podolski before arrowing goalwards and although Lehmann, who had begun to come out for the initial cross, managed to dive backwards and get a hand on it, the ball struck his near post before rebounding back out to Olic, who had the easy task of slotting home.

Low's side earned themselves a lifeline with 12 minutes to go though when Podolski lashed home a shot on the half-volley after the ball had fallen kindly to him in the box.

Germany could not build on that goal, though, and their final hopes of getting anything out of the match all but disappeared when Schweinsteiger was given a straight red card for shoving an opponent.