On Friday, Germany showed just why they are considered the team to beat at Euro 2012. The three-time European champions hammered Greece 4-2 to enter the semi-finals, where they will await the winners of the match between England and Italy.
Philipp Lahm opened the scoring with a magnificent strike, with Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus also getting in on the act in Gdansk. Greece, who had been brilliant in the defensive area before the quarterfinals, crumbled under wave after wave of German attacks. An equaliser from Giorgios Samaras brought Greece hope, but Khedira, Klose and Reus underlined the German dominance before Dmitri Salpingidis netted a late penalty to make the final score a little bit more respectable.
Germany, who made four changes to the side that beat Denmark in the final group game, expectedly, dominated proceeding right from the off, with the Greeks defending deep and desperately. Such is Germany's bench strength that coach Joachim Low could rest the likes of Lukas Podolski, Mario Gomez and Thomas Muller, with Klose handed his 120th appearance for his country.
It looked like the Euro 2004 champions might finish the first half even, but Germany's captain Lahm curled in a wonderful right-footed strike, after cutting in from the left to give his team a deserved advantage.
However, ten minutes into the second half, Greece equalised out of nowhere. A quick break from the right saw Samaras score off a cross from Salpingidis. Khedira restored Germany's advantage in the 61st minute, volleying home a nice goal from Jerome Boateng's pass. It was 3-1 seven minutes later when Klose headed home Mesut Ozil's freekick. Klose, who has 64 goals, is just four goals shy of Germany's all-time scoring record held by the legendary Gerd Muller.
Reus added the fourth, with a volley that went off the underside of the crossbar after latching onto a rebound off Klose's initial shot.
Salpingidis scored Greece's consolation goal with referee Damir Skomina handing the Greeks a generous penalty, after the ball struck Boateng's hand in the penalty area in the 89th minute. It was too little too late though for the Greeks.
On the four previous occasions Germany have won in the last-eight stage, they have gone onto reach the final. A daunting prospect indeed for their next opponents - England or Italy.
