Germany seal last-minute win over Poland

SOCCER: Germany scored a dramatic goal in stoppage time to beat neighbours Poland 1-0 on Wednesday in a match marred by the worst fan trouble since the start of the World Cup.

As the hard-fought Group A game moved toward the final whistle, Oliver Neuville latched on to a low cross from fellow substitute David Odonkor to slide the winner past keeper Artur Boruc, setting off wild cheers in the Westfalenstadion.

The German victory capped a thrilling goal-filled sixth day at the tournament which saw Spain thrash Ukraine 4-0 in Leipzig and Tunisia also score in stoppage time to earn a 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in the other Group H match.

The drama on the pitch was coloured by clashes between rival German and Polish fans in Dortmund's city centre.

Ahead of the match, police rounded up some 300 Polish and German hooligans and other fans who turned violent - by far the largest number of detentions since the finals began on Friday.

As the police moved in, German fans pelted them with beer bottles, fireworks and the chairs and tables from restaurants, according to a Reuters eyewitness. Earlier, a group of German supporters greeted Poles with the Hitler salute - a criminal offence in the host country and a grim reminder of Poland's suffering under German occupation in World War Two. A police spokeswoman said fans and police were slightly injured in the clashes.

The stakes in the Germany-Poland match were high. After a disappointing 2-0 loss to Ecuador in their opening match, the Polish team needed a win or draw to have a realistic chance of progressing beyond the group stage.

Poland had not beaten their neighbours in 14 attempts spanning 85 years and both teams played tenaciously from the start of the high-paced physical encounter.

With German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Poland President Lech Kaczynski watching from the stands, the Polish defence repelled Germany's forwards time and again as the clock ticked down.

Boruc made two outstanding saves to deny Philipp Lahm and Neuville, who had replaced striker Lukas Podolski in the 71st minute. But with the match seemingly headed for a goalless draw, Neuville stretched for Odonkor's dipping cross and sealed Poland's fate.

"When everything comes together like this it's like a big burst, one feels the emotion of the players," German Coach Juergen Klinsmann said.

It was Germany's first win against a European team at the finals of either the World Cup or European Championship since their victory over Czech Republic in the final of Euro '96.

DORTMUND, Thursaday, Reuters