On the eve of the Germany match

On the eve of the Germany match…

Musical backdrop: “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana. Samples provided by espn.com, the game one running diary and your imagination.

Pre-game enthusiasm. Poland’s “huge and colourful travelling support.” Happy fans, a smattering of hotties, facepaint, etc.

The Poland and Ecuador players stand in neat lines on the pitch.

Shot of Pawel Janas, looking cool and calculating, despite the bad tie.

Overhead shot: diagram of Janas’ 4-5-1 formation.

Early play, a bit of a threat from lone striker Zurawski.

Jacek Krzynowek launches a free kick out of the solar system.

Ecuador attacks, Polish defense folds.

Tenorio heads it in off a header pass…

Tenorio heads it in off a header pass…

Tenorio heads it in.

Boruc looks at the ground, stunned again.

A Polish drive. A nice attack can’t be completed by Ebi “The Hash Bomber” Smolarek.

Janas, the bird of prey.

Krzynowek looking embarrassed.

Delgado, goal.

Delgado, goal.

Delgado…

And then desperate play. Jelen’s shot off the crossbar, the crossbar.

Brozek shoots from the right side of the box. OFF THE POST! OFF THE POST!

Shoots, OFF THE POST!

Time.

Team Polska trudges off the pitch.

Shot of Janas, the Hash Bomber, Zurawski in the crush of a pack of media piranha.

“Mounting pressure…”

The confusion on the face of Bak as he tries so desperately to explain.

“…the unenviable task…”

Janas looking older.

“…of trying to beat the Germans for the first time in 85 years.”

Janas: “Changes have to be made in the team…”

Close up on Krzynowek.

“…because they played poorly.”

The invisible Radomski, looking lost.

“I take advice from all of my coaching staff.”

Andrzej Szarmach second-guessing Zurawski.

“But I am the boss.”

Wlodzimierz Smolarek “unimpressed” with Janas.

“I make the final decision.”

Close up of Dude(k). Is he trying not to smirk?

Grzegorz Lato: “A game with the Germans is a game about everything.”

Shot of Gerd Muller’s goal in 1974.

“It’s about life and death.”

Team Polska leaves the field humiliated after twin 2-0 trouncings in World Cup 2002.

Ebi: “There is a very easy way to get out of the group…”

In minute 57, a threat spearheaded by Ebi is broken up.

“…we beat Germany.”

Klose’s stuff against Costa Rica, cruising effortlessly.

“…we beat Germany.”

Goal, Klose. Goal, Frings.

“They are not unbeatable.”

Klinsmann on the sidelines.

Poland’s “huge and colourful travelling support.”

“One day we have to win against the Germans.”

Team Polska in victory celebration.

“I hope very much that it will be tomorrow.”