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Euro 2012 underway

June 8, 2012

The Euro 2012 soccer tournament is underway in Warsaw, with co-hosts Poland taking on Greece in the first match this Friday evening.

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The mascots of the Euro 2012 soccer championship run on the field
Image: AP

The two teams are in Group A, along with Russia and Czech Republic, who play against each other later on Friday. The top two teams from each of the Euro 2012's four groups advance to the knock-out stage.

Poland are led by striker Robert Lewandowski and captain Kuba Blaszczkowski, who both play for German champions Borussia Dortmund. Greece, the Euro 2004 champions, took to the pitch under Portuguese coach Fernando Santos and are led by Celctic's striker Giorgos Samaras.

Before the game, a coordinated dance routine held on the pitch officially marked the opening ceremony, which included a performance of an etude from Polish composer Chopin by Hungarian pianist Adam Gyorgy.

Ukraine, the tournament's other co-host, play their first game in Group D on Monday against Sweden.

mz/pfd (AFP, SID)