The fiery momentum of the European Championship continued to surge.
Though it was only the second round of the group stage, top European powerhouses were already going full throttle, tightening the race for knockout qualification.
Group B, in particular, had become a battleground between two giants.
Poland and Austria were hoping Croatia and Germany would wear each other down in a grueling clash—giving them a chance to fish in troubled waters.
So as Croatia and Germany prepared to face off, both national teams closely watched this match.
And it wasn't just them—every team with ambitions to go far in the Euros had their eyes on it.
In the first round, the Netherlands had taken down a fading Italy with high-energy play.Now, Croatia was gearing up to challenge the German Panzer.
At this point, Ballack still held the most authority in the German squad.
Even head coach Löw didn't have the same commanding presence.
On the eve of the match against Croatia, there had been a heated "discussion" between Ballack and Löw—mainly due to tactical disagreements.
While it hadn't yet erupted into a full-blown conflict, it was close.
This match was crucial—it could very well determine Germany's trajectory in the tournament.
From Germany's lineup, it was clear: Ballack had lost the tactical battle. Löw had chosen a conservative defensive approach.
Even with firepower from Klose, Ballack, and Gomez, this was exactly the kind of threat Croatia handled best.
Eastern European teams were renowned for their resilience, especially on defense.
They never feared brute force—that much was evident in teams like Croatia and the Czech Republic.
Instead, they struggled more against teams like Spain that used intricate passing and positional play.
Of course, Spain's "tiki-taka" style was still relatively new. Most teams that had built their identity on counterattacking football were still adjusting to this sudden evolution in strategy.
At the time, the only team to have "successfully countered" tiki-taka was AC Milan.
As a result, many coaches were studying how Carlo Ancelotti had neutralized Barcelona, hoping to adapt similar tactics against Spain.
Austria – Ernst-Happel Stadium
The Croatian and German players lined up on either side of the pitch. The match was moments away from kickoff.
Ballack wore a grim expression.
Partly due to the gravity of the match, partly because of the earlier clash with Löw—either way, his face was tight with tension.
Many German players looked uncertain.
They didn't know whether to support Ballack or coach Löw.
This German squad was in a very sensitive state—and that instability would inevitably affect the game.
Šuker stood at the center circle with Mandžukić.
The former glanced at the German players' expressions with amusement. He turned to Mandžukić and said,"You stay up front—don't drop back, at least not in the first half."
Mandžukić nodded.
That was Van Stoyak's exact instruction too.
Soon, the referee confirmed with both goalkeepers, then backed out of the center circle.
At 5 PM Austrian time, the sky glowed faintly red from the evening sun.
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
The clash between Croatia and Germany had begun!
"This is Day 6 of the 2008 UEFA Euro, Group B, Round 2—Croatia vs. Germany!"
"Currently, these two teams are ranked first and second in Group B. Both secured wins in the first round, and the outcome of this match could determine whether one of them qualifies directly for the knockout stage."
"So both Croatia and Germany will give it everything they've got!"
Right from the start, Croatia didn't launch into immediate attack after kickoff.
Contrary to the commentator's expectations, they began cautiously, passing the ball patiently in midfield.
Germany held their shape.
Šuker and Kranjčar tucked in, adding more control points in the middle.
Modrić carefully recycled possession, playing only safe passes—never risking it in their own half.
At the same time, he was reading Germany's posture.
After a few passes, with Germany still holding back, Modrić sent the ball forward to Šuker.
"Close him down!"
Just as Ballack turned, he saw Šuker lay the ball back with a deft touch.
"Watch the far post!"
German center-back Mertesacker yelled out.
But when Rakitić received the ball, he didn't cross—instead, he passed it back to Modrić.
Seeing this, Ballack frowned slightly.
"Hold your positions!"
Modrić looked at Ballack's positioning, then sent a pass to the opposite side.
Same angle, same pattern—Kranjčar to Rakitić, Rakitić back to Modrić.
Two probing passes that looked like forward intent—but were actually psychological jabs at Germany's defense.
Modrić's passes seemed to ask, "Aren't you going to press us?"
"Stay calm!"
Ballack roared.
Pressing now would be a disaster.
Croatia was trying to bait Germany's midfield line to push forward and create gaps behind them for their attacking midfielders to exploit.
But Ballack wasn't going to fall for it.
"Germany's playing very conservatively. They're not taking the bait," Bilic muttered, furrowing his brow.
"Don't worry," Van Stoyak grinned. "We control the ball. We control the pace. They're the ones doing all the defending—that costs stamina and mental focus. Trust me, they won't hold out for long."
His confidence made Bilic nod slightly.
The match on the pitch was quiet.
Compared to the explosive attacking display Croatia put on in the previous game, this one had a very different feel—patient, probing, controlled.
Still, the fans understood.
This was a clash between heavyweights. Caution was expected.
The opening minutes were slow.
For ten full minutes, there wasn't a single shot on goal. The ball remained largely in midfield.
There were a few turnovers, but Croatia always regained control and reasserted their rhythm.
Germany looked passive.
On the sideline, Löw rubbed his chin, sensing something was wrong.
Then he picked his nose—his signature nervous tic.
If Germany kept letting the game drift like this, by the second half, they'd be too fatigued to resist a Croatian surge.
"We can't keep stalling!"
Löw muttered to himself and signaled his players to press.
Ballack and the rest saw the gesture.
Everyone looked toward Ballack.
Ballack gritted his teeth and charged forward. The others followed.
"Here they come!"
Modrić shouted.
He laid the ball back, then quickly darted into a new space to receive again.
But Šimunić played it wide instead, sending the ball down the left wing to Šuker.
Šuker turned and faced the defense. Lahm and Mertesacker were ready.
Fritz also dropped back to help.
As the three closed in, Šuker suddenly burst forward.
One explosive touch.
He knocked the ball down the line and chased it—blazing past Lahm with raw acceleration.
"Damn it!"
Lahm turned to chase, reaching out to check Šuker.
But he couldn't keep up—Šuker shoved his arm aside and blew past him.
With a quick horizontal cut, Šuker slipped in front of Lahm and completely broke free.
"Cross it!"
"Far post!"
Mandžukić and Kranjčar shouted for service.
Šuker looked up at the goal—and fired with his right foot.
Bang!
The ball smacked into Mertesacker's foot, deflected high, and dropped straight toward the crossbar.
Lehmann didn't dare gamble—he leapt up and slapped the ball away, just tipping it onto the roof of the net.
"Šuker shoots! Dangerous! Lehmann plays it safe, palms it over the bar. Croatia gets the first corner of the match!"
"Let's see this corner—Mandžukić goes up! But the header's straight at Lehmann, who catches it and launches a counterattack!"
"Vukojević chases back and clears it behind. The German counter didn't quite take off!"