UEFA Euro 2012 Group B
# UEFA Euro 2012 Group B

Group B of UEFA Euro 2012 began on 9 June 2012 and ended on 17 June 2012. The pool was made up of the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Portugal. Germany and Portugal progressed to the quarter-finals, while Denmark and the Netherlands were eliminated from the tournament.

Group B was dubbed by many the "group of death" of Euro 2012. All four teams were in the top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings at the start of the tournament.

In the first round, Denmark upset Netherlands 1–0 with a 24th-minute goal from Michael Krohn-Dehli. In the next match, Germany defeated Portugal 1–0 with a 72nd-minute goal from Mario Gómez, leaving Germany and Denmark tied at three points at the top of the group with Portugal and the Netherlands at the bottom of the group with no points.

In the second round, when Portugal played Denmark, Portugal went ahead 2–0 with a 24th-minute goal from Pepe and a 36th-minute goal from Hélder Postiga, but with two goals from Nicklas Bendtner (41st and 80th minute), Denmark equalized. However, Portugal's Silvestre Varela scored in the 87th minute to give Portugal the win. In the next match, Netherlands and Germany continued their longstanding rivalry. Striker Mario Gómez scored twice in the first half (24th and 38th minute) to put the Germans ahead 2–0, and despite a 73rd-minute goal from Robin van Persie, Germany won 2–1.

Leading into the third round, all four teams were still able to qualify and no team was already qualified, despite the fact that Germany had 6 points and Netherlands had 0 points. Ultimately, Germany defeated Denmark 2–1 after Lukas Podolski and Lars Bender scored for Germany in the 19th and 80th minutes, respectively, despite an equalizer from Michael Krohn-Dehli in the 24th minute. In the other match (played simultaneously in order to prevent the teams from gaining a strategic advantage by knowing the result of the other match on the same day) between Portugal and Netherlands, Rafael van der Vaart scored to give the Netherlands a lead for the first time in the entire tournament, but after much criticism in the media for his failure to score in the first two matches, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice to secure a 2–1 victory for Portugal. With these results, Germany and Portugal qualified, in first and second place, respectively, and Denmark and Netherlands were eliminated.

## Teams

| Draw position | Team | Pot | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | UEFA Rankings November 2011 | FIFA Rankings June 2012 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| B1 | Netherlands | 1 | Group E winner | 6 September 2011 | 9th | 2008 | Winners (1988) | 2 | 4 |
| B2 | Denmark | 4 | Group H winner | 11 October 2011 | 8th | 2004 | Winners (1992) | 11 | 9 |
| B3 | Germany | 2 | Group A winner | 2 September 2011 | 11th | 2008 | Winners (1972, 1980, 1996) | 3 | 3 |
| B4 | Portugal | 3 | Play-off winner | 15 November 2011 | 6th | 2008 | Runners-up (2004) | 9 | 10 |

Notes

* ↑ The UEFA rankings of November 2011 were used for seeding for the final draw.
* ↑ From 1972 to 1988, Germany competed as West Germany.

## Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Germany | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 9 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 2 | Portugal | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | Advance to knockout phase |
| 3 | Denmark | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Netherlands | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 0 | |

In the quarter-finals,

* The winner of Group B, Germany, advanced to play the runner-up of Group A, Greece.
* The runner-up of Group B, Portugal, advanced to play the winner of Group A, Czech Republic.

## Matches

### Netherlands vs Denmark

| Netherlands | Denmark |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Maarten Stekelenburg |
| RB | 2 | Gregory van der Wiel | | 85' |
| CB | 3 | John Heitinga |
| CB | 13 | Ron Vlaar |
| LB | 15 | Jetro Willems |
| CM | 8 | Nigel de Jong | | 71' |
| CM | 6 | Mark van Bommel (c) | 67' |
| RW | 11 | Arjen Robben |
| AM | 10 | Wesley Sneijder |
| LW | 20 | Ibrahim Afellay | | 71' |
| CF | 16 | Robin van Persie |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 23 | Rafael van der Vaart | | 71' |
| FW | 9 | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | | 71' |
| FW | 7 | Dirk Kuyt | | 85' |
| Manager: ||
| Bert van Marwijk ||
| GK | 1 | Stephan Andersen |
| RB | 6 | Lars Jacobsen |
| CB | 3 | Simon Kjær |
| CB | 4 | Daniel Agger (c) |
| LB | 5 | Simon Poulsen | 78' |
| CM | 7 | William Kvist | 81' |
| CM | 21 | Niki Zimling |
| RW | 10 | Dennis Rommedahl | | 84' |
| AM | 8 | Christian Eriksen | | 74' |
| LW | 9 | Michael Krohn-Dehli |
| CF | 11 | Nicklas Bendtner |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 14 | Lasse Schøne | | 74' |
| FW | 23 | Tobias Mikkelsen | | 84' |
| Manager: ||
| Morten Olsen ||

* Man of the Match:
* Michael Krohn-Dehli (Denmark)
* Assistant referees:
* Primoz Arhar (Slovenia)
* Matej Žunič (Slovenia)
* Fourth official:
* Pavel Královec (Czech Republic)
* Additional assistant referees:
* Matej Jug (Slovenia)
* Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Roman Slyško (Slovakia)

### Germany vs Portugal

| Germany | Portugal |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Manuel Neuer |
| RB | 20 | Jérôme Boateng | 69' |
| CB | 5 | Mats Hummels |
| CB | 14 | Holger Badstuber | 43' |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm (c) |
| CM | 6 | Sami Khedira |
| CM | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger |
| RW | 13 | Thomas Müller | | 90+4' |
| AM | 8 | Mesut Özil | | 87' |
| LW | 10 | Lukas Podolski |
| CF | 23 | Mario Gómez | | 80' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Miroslav Klose | | 80' |
| MF | 18 | Toni Kroos | | 87' |
| MF | 15 | Lars Bender | | 90+4' |
| Manager: ||
| Joachim Löw ||
| GK | 12 | Rui Patrício |
| RB | 21 | João Pereira |
| CB | 2 | Bruno Alves |
| CB | 3 | Pepe |
| LB | 5 | Fábio Coentrão | 60' |
| CM | 16 | Raul Meireles | | 80' |
| CM | 4 | Miguel Veloso |
| CM | 8 | João Moutinho |
| RF | 17 | Nani |
| CF | 23 | Hélder Postiga | 13' | 70' |
| LF | 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo (c) |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Nélson Oliveira | | 70' |
| FW | 18 | Silvestre Varela | | 80' |
| Manager: ||
| Paulo Bento ||

* Man of the Match:
* Mesut Özil (Germany)
* Assistant referees:
* Frédéric Cano (France)
* Michaël Annonier (France)
* Fourth official:
* Marcin Borski (Poland)
* Additional assistant referees:
* Fredy Fautrel (France)
* Ruddy Buquet (France)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Marcin Borkowski (Poland)

### Denmark vs Portugal

| Denmark | Portugal |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Stephan Andersen |
| RB | 6 | Lars Jacobsen | 81' |
| CB | 3 | Simon Kjær |
| CB | 4 | Daniel Agger (c) |
| LB | 5 | Simon Poulsen |
| DM | 7 | William Kvist |
| CM | 21 | Niki Zimling | | 16' |
| RW | 10 | Dennis Rommedahl | | 60' |
| AM | 8 | Christian Eriksen |
| LW | 9 | Michael Krohn-Dehli | | 90+2' |
| CF | 11 | Nicklas Bendtner |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 19 | Jakob Poulsen | 56' | 16' |
| FW | 23 | Tobias Mikkelsen | | 60' |
| MF | 14 | Lasse Schøne | | 90+2' |
| Manager: ||
| Morten Olsen ||
| GK | 12 | Rui Patrício |
| RB | 21 | João Pereira |
| CB | 2 | Bruno Alves |
| CB | 3 | Pepe |
| LB | 5 | Fábio Coentrão |
| CM | 16 | Raul Meireles | 29' | 84' |
| CM | 4 | Miguel Veloso |
| CM | 8 | João Moutinho |
| RF | 17 | Nani | | 89' |
| CF | 23 | Hélder Postiga | | 64' |
| LF | 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo (c) | 90+2' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Nélson Oliveira | | 64' |
| FW | 18 | Silvestre Varela | | 84' |
| DF | 14 | Rolando | | 89' |
| Manager: ||
| Paulo Bento ||

* Man of the Match:
* Pepe (Portugal)
* Assistant referees:
* Alasdair Ross (Scotland)
* Derek Rose (Scotland)
* Fourth official:
* Viktor Shvetsov (Ukraine)
* Additional assistant referees:
* William Collum (Scotland)
* Euan Norris (Scotland)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Oleksandr Voytyuk (Ukraine)

### Netherlands vs Germany

| Netherlands | Germany |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Maarten Stekelenburg |
| RB | 2 | Gregory van der Wiel |
| CB | 3 | John Heitinga |
| CB | 4 | Joris Mathijsen |
| LB | 15 | Jetro Willems | 90' |
| CM | 8 | Nigel de Jong | 80' |
| CM | 6 | Mark van Bommel (c) | | 46' |
| RW | 11 | Arjen Robben | | 83' |
| AM | 10 | Wesley Sneijder |
| LW | 20 | Ibrahim Afellay | | 46' |
| CF | 16 | Robin van Persie |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 23 | Rafael van der Vaart | | 46' |
| FW | 9 | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | | 46' |
| FW | 7 | Dirk Kuyt | | 83' |
| Manager: ||
| Bert van Marwijk ||
| GK | 1 | Manuel Neuer |
| RB | 20 | Jérôme Boateng | 87' |
| CB | 5 | Mats Hummels |
| CB | 14 | Holger Badstuber |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm (c) |
| CM | 6 | Sami Khedira |
| CM | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger |
| RW | 13 | Thomas Müller | | 90+2' |
| AM | 8 | Mesut Özil | | 81' |
| LW | 10 | Lukas Podolski |
| CF | 23 | Mario Gómez | | 72' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Miroslav Klose | | 72' |
| MF | 18 | Toni Kroos | | 81' |
| MF | 15 | Lars Bender | | 90+2' |
| Manager: ||
| Joachim Löw ||

* Man of the Match:
* Mario Gómez (Germany)
* Assistant referees:
* Stefan Wittberg (Sweden)
* Mathias Klasenius (Sweden)
* Fourth official:
* Tom Harald Hagen (Norway)
* Additional assistant referees:
* Markus Strömbergsson (Sweden)
* Stefan Johannesson (Sweden)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Damien MacGraith (Republic of Ireland)

### Portugal vs Netherlands

| Portugal | Netherlands |
| - | - |
| GK | 12 | Rui Patrício |
| RB | 21 | João Pereira | 90+2' |
| CB | 2 | Bruno Alves |
| CB | 3 | Pepe |
| LB | 5 | Fábio Coentrão |
| CM | 16 | Raul Meireles | | 72' |
| CM | 4 | Miguel Veloso |
| CM | 8 | João Moutinho |
| RF | 17 | Nani | | 87' |
| CF | 23 | Hélder Postiga | | 64' |
| LF | 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo (c) |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Nélson Oliveira | | 64' |
| MF | 6 | Custódio | | 72' |
| DF | 14 | Rolando | | 87' |
| Manager: ||
| Paulo Bento ||
| GK | 1 | Maarten Stekelenburg |
| RB | 2 | Gregory van der Wiel |
| CB | 13 | Ron Vlaar |
| CB | 4 | Joris Mathijsen |
| LB | 15 | Jetro Willems | 51' | 67' |
| DM | 8 | Nigel de Jong |
| CM | 23 | Rafael van der Vaart (c) |
| RW | 11 | Arjen Robben |
| AM | 16 | Robin van Persie | 69' |
| LW | 10 | Wesley Sneijder |
| CF | 9 | Klaas-Jan Huntelaar |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 20 | Ibrahim Afellay | | 67' |
| Manager: ||
| Bert van Marwijk ||

* Man of the Match:
* Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
* Assistant referees:
* Renato Faverani (Italy)
* Andrea Stefani (Italy)
* Fourth official:
* Martin Atkinson (England)
* Additional assistant referees:
* Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)
* Paolo Tagliavento (Italy)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Michael Mullarkey (England)

### Denmark vs Germany

| Denmark | Germany |
| - | - |
| GK | 1 | Stephan Andersen |
| RB | 6 | Lars Jacobsen |
| CB | 3 | Simon Kjær |
| CB | 4 | Daniel Agger (c) |
| LB | 5 | Simon Poulsen |
| DM | 7 | William Kvist |
| CM | 19 | Jakob Poulsen | 82' |
| CM | 21 | Niki Zimling | 78' |
| RW | 8 | Christian Eriksen |
| LW | 9 | Michael Krohn-Dehli |
| CF | 11 | Nicklas Bendtner |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 2 | Christian Poulsen | 78' |
| FW | 23 | Tobias Mikkelsen | 82' |
| Manager: ||
| Morten Olsen ||
| GK | 1 | Manuel Neuer |
| RB | 15 | Lars Bender |
| CB | 5 | Mats Hummels |
| CB | 14 | Holger Badstuber |
| LB | 16 | Philipp Lahm (c) |
| CM | 6 | Sami Khedira |
| CM | 7 | Bastian Schweinsteiger |
| RW | 13 | Thomas Müller | 84' |
| AM | 8 | Mesut Özil |
| LW | 10 | Lukas Podolski | 64' |
| CF | 23 | Mario Gómez | 74' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 9 | André Schürrle | 64' |
| FW | 11 | Miroslav Klose | 74' |
| MF | 18 | Toni Kroos | 84' |
| Manager: ||
| Joachim Löw ||

* Man of the Match:
* Lukas Podolski (Germany)
* Assistant referees:
* Roberto Alonso Fernández (Spain)
* Juan Carlos Yuste Jiménez (Spain)
* Fourth official:
* Mark Clattenburg (England)
* Additional assistant referees:
* David Fernández Borbalán (Spain)
* Carlos Clos Gómez (Spain)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Peter Kirkup (England)
