EURO draw throws up fascinating group tests
Friday, December 2, 2011
Article summary
The 16 UEFA EURO 2012 contenders were placed into four hugely challenging groups by Friday's draw which pitted Poland against Greece in the opening game of the tournament.
Article top media content
Article body
Holders Spain will face Italy, Republic of Ireland and Croatia in Group C of UEFA EURO 2012 after Friday's final tournament draw at the Palace of Arts in Kyiv, Ukraine.
The draw also threw up a tournament-opening game for Poland against the UEFA EURO 2004 winners Greece at the National Stadium Warsaw on 8 June. Poland, pre-designated the seeded team in Group A, also have the prospect of central and eastern European derbies with the Czech Republic and Russia respectively.
For the other co-host nation, who were seeded first in Group D, there are equally enticing challenges in store in six months' time: Ukraine will take on the might of Sweden, France and England. There also promises to be no quarter given in Group B where three former European champions – the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany – will come up against Portugal, the runners-up in 2004, in what is the toughest-looking section.
Draw
Group A (Warsaw/Wroclaw)
Poland (co-hosts)
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic
Group B (Kharkiv/Lviv)
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal
Group C (Gdansk/Poznan)
Spain (holders)
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia
Group D (Kyiv/Donetsk)
Ukraine (co-hosts)
Sweden
France
England