WARSAW (AP) ― Alan Dzagoev scored his third goal of the European Championship and Jakub Blaszczykowski tied it in the second half as Russia and Poland drew 1-1 Tuesday.
The match was marred before kickoff by fighting between hooligans from both countries, leaving several people injured as thousands of Russian fans marched to celebrate the Russia Day national holiday.
Dzagoev darted past defender Lukasz Piszczek in the 37th minute and sent a glancing header beyond goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton after a curling free kick from Andrei Arshavin.
But Poland was rewarded for its attacking intent in the 57th when Blaszczykowski cut in from the right and sent a searing left-foot drive into the far corner of the goal.
“I think we deserve praise because all of us put a lot into this match,” Blaszczykowski said. “The tactics we set up before the match we carried out 100 percent.”
Poland’s Jakub Blaszczykowski celebrates his goal on Tuesday. (AP-Yonhap News)
The result left Russia at the top of Group A with four points but also kept alive Poland’s chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals.
“We’re still in the tournament, so with this point a win in our final match puts us into the knockout stage,” Blaszczykowski said.
Police said 10 people were injured in fighting before the match; seven Poles, two Russians and one German. Polish police also fired rubber bullets and tear gas at a group of young Poles who attacked them with glass bottles.
“To be honest, I haven’t seen or heard anything and nor have the players,” Russia coach Dick Advocaat said. “I don’t know what has happened.”
The march to the stadium by thousands of Russian fans was seen as a provocation by many Poles, who have long had tense relations with Russia.
The two countries share a difficult history, including decades of control by Moscow over Poland during the Cold War. Many Poles felt the Polish authorities should not have allowed the Russians to march as a group in Warsaw given the historical wounds.
Russia’s football federation pleaded with its fans to behave after video emerged online of supporters beating stewards at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw during the match against the Czech Republic, warning that more trouble could cost the team points.
Czech Republic beats Greece
WROCLAW, Poland (AP) ― Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar scored in the first six minutes to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 win over Greece on Tuesday at the European Championship.
Jiracek shot the ball past Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias in the third minute after a pass from Tomas Hubschmann sliced through the Greek defense. Three minutes later, Pilar scored his second goal of the tournament, beating Greek defenders to a ball sent across the goal by Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie.
Substitute Fanis Gekas pulled one back for Greece in 53rd minute with a tap in after Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech spilled the ball and bumped into defender Tomas Sivok.
“It was my mistake. Who else is there to blame?” the Chelsea goalkeeper said. “I’d been playing well till then, and I was determined I wouldn’t let any in.”
The Greeks, who played the Group A match without two key central defenders, nearly scored another in the 41st, but the header from Giorgos Fotakis was called back for offside.
The Greeks recovered well after their disastrous start, but lost another player when Chalkias limped off the field in the 23rd minute. He was replaced by Michalis Sifakis.
“This was another game with a very bad start for us,” said Greece coach Fernando Santos, whose side had trailed after 17 minutes of the draw with Poland.