The Back of the Net team report on Poland 0-1Czech Republic
Co-hosts Poland crashed out of Euro 2012 on Saturday evening following a 1-0 defeat to the Czech Republic, leaving their manager, players and fans with gallons of apparently unusable celebratory vodka.
However, a number of enterprising Poles soon found that the vodka, which they had planned to drink to acclaim PolandâÂÂs progression to the quarter-finals, could just as easily be drunk to commiserate their disappointing group-stage exit at the hands of a limited Czech Republic side.
âÂÂBefore the game, we were all really excited,â Leszek ÃÂleszyÃÂski, a 26-year old Wroclaw man, told FourFourTwo.com. âÂÂWhen we were dominating the first half, everyone was sure that come 90 minutes weâÂÂd be cracking open the celebratory vodka to toast a Poland victory.âÂÂ
âÂÂThen when we lost, we thought weâÂÂd have to throw the celebratory vodka away. Until someone pointed out that we could totally pretend that the celebratory vodka was actually misery vodka, and drink it anyway.âÂÂ
Vodka: popular
Petr JiráÃÂekâÂÂs 72nd-minute goal condemned Poland to defeat, and spoiled the victory party of manager Franciszek Smuda.
âÂÂI had planned to sit at a bare wooden table illuminated by a single lightbulb and drink celebratory vodka until I fell over from sheer joy,â he told journalists. âÂÂBut now that plan has been ruined. So instead, IâÂÂll be sitting at that table, under that lightbulb, drowning my sorrows with misery vodka until I fall over from abject despair.âÂÂ
Despite the gloom of missing out on a last-eight place, many Poles could take comfort in the simultaneous elimination of old foes Russia, 1-0 losers against Greece.
âÂÂThatâÂÂs RussiaâÂÂs celebratory vodka ruined! TheyâÂÂll have no use for celebratory vodka now!â ÃÂleszyÃÂski crowed, pouring himself another vodka. âÂÂDo you know, I reckon this misery vodka could easily pass as schadenfreude vodka.âÂÂ
More match reports from Back of the Net:SWE 2-3 ENG: Ice-cool England dispatch Sweden with ruthless efficiency... UKR 0-2 FRA: Ukraine, 400-year-old God of Thunder unable to stop FranceESP 4-0 IRE: Trapattoni pinpoints kick-off as turning point for IrelandITA 1-1 CRO: Croatia refuse to give in, grab socially awkward point with ItalyPOR 3-2 DEN: Postiga karaoke triumph enrages bitter Ronaldo
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