Germany kept coming and was about to run out of time.
The World Cup hosts had hit two crossbars and been denied repeatedly by
Poland goalie Artur Boruc. A scoreless tie appeared imminent.
Then, Oliver Neuville slid in the winning goal in second-half injury time
Wednesday night, a low shot from close range after a right-wing cross from
fellow substitute David Odonkor. It sealed Germany's first win over a European
team at a major tournament since it won the 1996 European Championship by
beating the Czech Republic in the final.
"It was a bit lucky, but it was more than deserved," Neuville said. "I should
have scored even before."
Miroslav Klose and captain Michael Ballack had each just hit the crossbar.
Klose headed a cross off the bar in the 90th, and Ballack hit the rebound onto
nearly the same spot.
"The goal came very late, but it was well-deserved," Ballack said. "We won a
lot of challenges."
Poland was playing with 10 men after midfielder Radoslaw Sobolewski was sent
off in the 75th for tripping Klose.
"After they went down to 10 men, we gave everything to get a goal and it
worked," Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann said. "The team maintained its rhythm.
There was always a high tempo."
The game between the European neighbors was scrappy and featured little
flowing play.
"Unfortunately, we still can't score goals," Poland coach Pawel Janas said.
Spain sure can. It got four in routing Ukraine 4-0 earlier.
And so can Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, which tied 2-2.
Germany and Poland were the first teams to play their second games at the
World Cup, and the win in Dortmund means the host team can advance to the second
round Thursday as long as Costa Rica does not beat Ecuador.
Two miles from the stadium in the city center, police clashed with dozens of
German hooligans two hours before gametime.
Throughout the day, local officers had teamed with Polish authorities to
troll for troublemakers -- and they found a crowd of them in one central square.
Police said at least 120 Germans were arrested after they threw bottles and
chairs at officers; 60 Poles identified as hooligans were arrested in scattered
incidents throughout the day.
Other incidents led to at least twice as many arrests elsewhere.
Spain got two goals from David Villa and one spectacular strike from Fernando
Torres in its win at Leipzig.
Spain got off to a sensational start, and the best part of its win over
Ukraine was Torres' goal in the 81st minute.
