Poland's Robert Lewandowski, left, scores a goal against Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Poland and Greece in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Poland's Robert Lewandowski, left, scores a goal against Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Poland and Greece in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Poland's Ludovic Obraniak, left, and Greece's Costas Katsouranis fight for the ball during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Poland and Greece in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
Poland's Robert Lewandowski, left, scores a goal against Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias during the Euro 2012 soccer championship Group A match between Poland and Greece in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, June 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? The 2012 European Championship kicked off Friday with co-host Poland playing Greece. Later Friday, the Czech Republic plays Russia.
Here's a running account of developments. The times, which indicate when each update was filed, are Polish time, which is two hours ahead of GMT and 7 hours ahead of EDT.
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GOAL: POLAND 1 GREECE 1
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1904: The second half is underway and Lewandowski comes close to doubling the lead for Poland and his tally for the match. He pulls away from his marker but blazes over the bar from inside the penalty box. Decent chance.
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1902: Dimitris Salpingidis replaces Sotiris Ninis for Greece at the start of the second half. No changes for Poland.
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1900: Poland manager Franciszek Smuda has spoken very highly of his side in the build up to the curtain-raiser of Euro 2012. "This team has convinced me I can rely on them; they have convinced me in every way during the last two and a half years," said Smuda. They have not let him down so far today.
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1857: The referee today is Carlo Velasco Carballo of Spain. He gave 15 red cards and 141 yellow cards in 19 matches last season.Jose Holebas is booked now for Greece. Defender Perquis loses his footing trying to deal with a ball in and seems to handle on his way down. Holebas is booked for protesting to the referee, who waves the play on. A good thing for Greece that half-time is now as a few players seems close to losing their temper.
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HALF TIMEPOLAND 1 GREECE 0
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Papastathopoulos has received the first red card at Euro 2012 after bringing down Rafal Murawski. It seemed harsh as Murawski looked to be on his way down already. The referee thought deeply about sending off Sokratis...
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1844: Away from events here at the National Stadium for a moment. AP reporter Karl Ritter says Denmark midfielder Niki Zimling left the team's training session in an ambulance today. It is unknown what the problem is at the moment.
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RED CARD. Sokratis Papastathopoulos picks up a second yellow in a few minutes and it's the first red of the tournament.
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1840: Poland should be 2-0 up but it is a horrible miss from defender Damien Perquis who drags his shot wide after Greece fail to deal with a set-piece. And the first substitution, too. Avraam Papadopoulos has picked up a knock and Kyriakos Papadopoulos replaces him.
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1838: Sokratis Papastathopoulos gets the first yellow card of the tournament after a challenge with the lively Lewandowski.
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1830: Signs in the last few minutes that Greece are getting back into the game but Poland look dangerous and fast on the counter attack. Greece win a free kick just outside the right hand side of the penalty area. Sotiris Ninis, who was fouled, takes it and Poland clear.
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1826: Kostas Katsouranis tries his luck from 25 yards out for Greece, but his effort bounces tamely wide of Szczeny. The Polish fans are waving their red and white scarves in unison and chanting the name of their team. That goal has seen the atmosphere go up another gear. Poland are looking to get forward at every oppoRtunity.
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1819: Poland attack down the right once again and this time, they take full advantage of another opportunity. A cross from captain Blaszczykowski finds an unmarked Lewandowski, who dispatches his header with ease and sends the National Stadium into raptures. Minutes earlier Lewandowski was inches away from giving Poland the lead. A neat interchange of passing releases Lukasz Piszczek and his ball across the six yard box is millimetres away from the head of Lewandowski, with goalkeeper Chalkias stranded.
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1817: Poland 1 Greece 0. Robert Lewandowski scores the first goal of the tournament with a close range header.
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1807: Greece are looking to keep the ball and take the pace out of Poland's early advances. When Poland win back possesion, Greece are quick to get at least eight men behind the ball. And it is not long until Chalkias is in action again, this time having to tip a shot from Rafal Murawski over the bar from 20 yards. The resulting corner is dealt with by Greece, but Poland have the upper hand in the opening minutes.
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1805: Lewandowski and Obraniak look to link up in Greece's penalty area, but Lewandowski's overhead flick falls to Kostas Chalkias in the Greek goal. AP reporter Derek Gatopoulos says the majority of Greek fans in Poland are from the immigrant community in Germany. It is Greece who get the game underway. The pitch looks in immaculate condition.
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1800: The Euros have started. Poland and Greece teams on the field on a hot, humid day in Warsaw.
Today's match will be played at the newly built National Stadium. The first game there for Poland saw them draw 0-0 against Portugal.Stadium looks to be packed with red and white fans of Poland with a handful of Greeks.
Greece will look to Giorgios Samaras for goals today, as he will lead the line for them. They go into today's match on the back of a 1-0 victory over Armenia, where Samaras missed a penalty.Defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos scored for the 2004 champion Greece, who later missed a second penalty through Kostas Katsouranis.
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1713: No surprises there from Polish manager Franciszek Smuda, as Robert Lewandowski leads the attack for the co-host. Ludovic Obraniak, who normally plays behind Lewandowski, is also one to look out for. He is a Ligue 1 winner with Lille, too.
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1709: GREECE: Chalkias, Torosidis, Papadopoulos, Papastathopoulos, Holebas, Maniatis, Katsouranis, Karagounis, Ninis, Gekas, Samaras
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1717: POLAND: Szczesny; Piszczek, Wasilewski, Perquis, Boenisch, Blaszczykowski, Polanski, Murawski, Rybus, Obraniak, Lewandowski.
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1649: France has revealed that midfielder Yann M'Vila is likely to miss their Group D opener against England.
Arsenal's Wojiech Szczesny is expected to be named goalkeeper for Poland whilst home-fans will have their eyes on Robert Lewandowski, who played a vital role in helping his side Borussia Dortmund win the Bundesliga.
Associated Pressbrian williams patrice o neal patrice o neal wayne gretzky wayne gretzky occupy los angeles occupy los angeles
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