KIMETZ THE BARBARIAN

Germany lost 1-2 to Croatia in their Euro 2008 Group B match on Thursday. Darijo Srna netted on 23 minutes and Ivica Olic added the second 17 minutes after the restart before Lukas Podolski netted a 78th-minute consolation.

After a cagey opening the game burst into life midway through the opening stanza. Croatia took the lead on 24 minutes with a move of fluency. Quick passes created space for left-back Danijel Pranjic and his pin-point cross picked out Darijo Srna at the back post. He beat Marcell Jansen to the ball to prod home with an outstretched leg.

Germany hit back with a 25-yard Michael Ballack free-kick that Stipe Pletikosa in the Croat goal palmed to safety before also repelling a shot from Christoph Metzelder moments later. The Germans were pushing for an equaliser and centre-back Metzelder headed narrowly over from a Torsten Frings corner.

Three minutes before the break the Croats had another chance as Vedran Corluka left Jansen for dead and crossed into the box where Olic teed up Kranjcar once again only for Jens Lehmann to make a stunning point-blank save from the midfielder's left-foot volley.

On 62 minutes the lead was doubled as Rakitic's right wing cross took a huge deflection off Lukas Podolski and beat Lehmann at his near post, coming back off the upright and presenting Olic with a simple tap in.

Germany did at last come alive and Pletikosa had to divert behind a fierce cross-shot from substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger.Podolski gave them a life-line with 11 minutes to go as he thrashed home a loose ball in the box on the half-volley but it wasn't enough.

And Germany's misery was complete in stoppage time when Schweinsteiger was dismissed for a push on substitute Jerko Leko.