Germany 0-0 Poland, Uefa Euro 2016 - Long-time rivals play out drab draw in Paris

Full-time: Germany 0-0 Poland

All over in Paris, then! A game that promised so much never came close to delivering.

A good point for the Poles, but the Germans have much to ponder if they're going to win Euro 2016. Until next time...

Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock... time is ebbing away in the French capital and we're no closer to finding a goal.

There will be three minutes of time added. Put us all out of our misery referee, please.

We're a few minutes away from the first goalless draw of Euro 2016. More frustratingly, this game has fallen very far short of our pre-match expectations.

Boateng commits a handball on the edge of the box - but he escapes a second booking. Luck boy.

Anyway, the Poles have a free-kick in a dangerous position. It comes to nothing, though, and we move closer to a goalless draw.

Sadly, because of the design of this tournament, neither side is under desperate pressure to seek a winning goal.

Less than ten minutes left and my optimism is starting to subside. A goal appears to be an increasingly unlikely prospect, given how the last few minutes have evolved.

Right, it's now time for the Poles to make a change of their own.

I feel, although this may be false hope, that we are getting closer and closer to a first goal. Only 15 minutes left, mind, so they'll need to hurry up.

Now, Ozil - who is having an increasing influence on this game - finds Andre Schurrle in the box, but his left-footed effort is straight at the keeper.

Meanwhile, here comes Gomez, who is introduced at the expense of Draxler. The striker has around 20 minutes to make his mark.

Milik has done it again - can you believe it!? The ball dribbles to him in yards of space inside the area but he takes a wild swing at it and it strikes his standing foot. He should have scored, there.

And moments later, a goal-bound effort from Germany's Mesut Ozil is tipped over the bar.

Finally, the Germans make a switch, although I'm not sure it's the one most people expected. Andre Schurrle is introduced at the expense of Gotze. That may mean the former Chelsea man plays through the middle now.

Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass... this is fine, but the Germans are going nowhere for the moment. Where's the incisiveness? Where's the invention? Where's the sense of urgency?

This is the sort of football Louis van Gaal might love, yet the Germans ought to be looking for a goal at some stage.

For the first time in the match, Poland are on top and look the more threatening team. Mario Gomez is warming up at the moment - and I'm not sure it'll be too long before we see him.

The Germans are clearly missing something this evening... besides a goal, obviously.

Krychowiak goes down under pressure from Muller. A free-kick is awarded in a dangerous area. Lewandowski against Neur, this. What can the Bayern man do?

In the end, they shift it to the left and Milik hits it just wide of the post. And moments later, Lewandowski looks to be in before a German defender makes a last-ditch stop. Jerome Boateng was the man on that occasion.

Grosiki goes into the book for the Poles. It was a tactical foul, as Draxler looked to race beyond the half-way line.

The number of bookings are starting to rack up now, as we reach the hour mark.

Milik launches a three-on-three breakaway for the Poles, but Hummels gets back and clears the ball. Poland are starting to knock on the door now, though.

At the other end, the Germans are still looking a bit toothless in attack. For all of their undoubted quality, the World Champions are clearly lacking a cutting edge. Time for a change, perhaps?

Oh, Poland miss a sitter within seconds of the restart! Milik gets his head on a cross from the right side and looks certainly just to poke it home, but gets his headed effort completely wrong. It was easier to score.

We're back under way in Paris. Let's hope the second half is better than the first, which kind of wilted.

Half-time: Germany 0-0 Poland

Lots of possession for the Germans, but no cutting edge. Must do better, a school report would read in such circumstances.

The injury-prone Sami Khedira hits an effort from distance, but screws his shot well wide of the goal. As much as I hate to say it, that was one of Germany's better efforts of what's developed into an underwhelming half of football.

The Poles appear to be pretty comfortable at the moment. Everything is happening in front of their defence, which is what they'd prefer. Can the Germans produce a little bit of magic?

Meanwhile, Lewandowksi is flagged offside when he appears to be through on goal.

After a promising opening, this game has gone to sleep somewhat. I think a rethink might be needed from the Germans if it remains like this until the break.

It's all a bit too passive. Without a centre-forward in their side, there is no physical presence and no threat in behind.

They're passing the ball impressively - but there's no real penetration to what they're doing.

I'm not sure what it says about Mario Gomez that he can't get into this team. It's amazing to think that the World Champions are so devoid of top-class centre-forwards.

At the minute, the Germans look rather blunt as an attacking force. And to compound their increasing frustrations, Ozil has gone into the book for a niggling foul.

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, Gotze is the most peripheral of Germany's attacking options, just nine touches so far. I'm not sure he's suited to this false nine position.

The Germans need to involve Mesut Ozil in the game more, too.

Lewandowski isn't seeing much of the ball, but when it does come his way, he has the strength and technical skills to keep Boateng and Hummels at bay.

The Bayern Munich man is clearly the big danger for the Germans.

More than a quarter of the game gone and still no clear-cut chances for either side. From a Polish viewpoint, they're a little over-eager in possession. They could do with being a bit more patient and not trying to force it.

In contrast to Gotze, Lewandowski does provide a reference point for Poland's attacks. The centre-forward is adept at playing with his back to goal and is sure to give Mats Hummels something to think about this evening.

Germany are struggling to find that cutting-edge pass to open up the Poles. They're having lots of possession but aren't posing a huge threat ... yet.

Up at the other end, Muller lays the ball off to Kroos, but as he stretches, the classy midfielder cannot direct his effort on goal.

This is developing into an enjoyable, end-to-end affair, though.

The first moment of quality from the Poles comes through Lewandowski, who takes advantage of Hummels' sluggishness to make a break up the right side. However, the Bayern Munich man fails to find a teammate in the middle.

The Germans are patiently looking for an opening. It ought to be said, though, that without a recognised centre-forward in their ranks, there is no obvious focal point for their attack.

Meanwhile...

There's a sensational atmosphere inside the stadium. Both sets of fans are right into this game.

On the pitch, meanwhile, the pattern of play is pretty clear: Germany are dominating the ball with their superior midfielders; the Poles are looking to create something on the counter-attack.

Not too many attacks of note so far, though.

The Germans are on the front foot from the outset. Hector flashes an effort just wide of the post, too.

It's one -way traffic for the time being, with Toni Kroos at the hub of everything the Germans are doing. Unsurprisingly.

Gotze has the first opening of the game. The ball is sent into the box and the diminutive attacker gets his head on the ball, but it sails harmlessly over the bar.

Khedira goes into the book early on. A late tackle means he'll need to watch his step for the rest of this game. That all came from a counter-attack from the Poles, who are very dangerous on the break.

The anthems are done and dusted. Now time for the really serious business. Here we go...

Right, the stage is set in Paris. Two very decent sides and one frenzied atmosphere for what could be one of the games of the tournament.

Germany will be looking to make a statement after their underwhelming win against Ukraine; Poland seeking to cause an upset against their bitter rivals.

The players are in the tunnel in the Stade de France...

The most obvious weakness in the German side is the lack of a recognised number nine. In the first match, reported Liverpool target Mario Gotze was deployed as the so-called false nine.

In truth, it didn't work; but the Germans have stuck to their original plan this evening. They'll be backing the World Cup-winning attacker to produce a much-improved display against Poland.

Pre-match stats

• Germany scored in each of their last 14 games at major tournaments.
• Poland have never scored more than one goal in a European Championship match.
• Lewandowski has scored in two of his three appearances for Poland against Germany.

Speaking of the rivalry, Robert Lewandowski is likely to be the centre of attention this evening. Poland's star man also happens to the star player for Germany's biggest club, Bayern Munich.

How will the striker fare against his club teammates tonight...? We're about to find out.

The players are busily going through their last-minute preparations in the French capital. The crowd is building up nicely, too.

There's an historic rivalry between these two sides and the fans are sure to be right up for this occasion. Games like this are few and far between - and we don't have too much long to wait.

Since winning the World Cup two years ago, there has been a bit of an overhaul of the German side, with some of their better-known players heading off into retirement.

But as one door closes, another opens .... and the current Germany squad boasts some extremely talented young players, many of whom will be looking to make their mark in this tournament.

Both of these teams won their opening games of the tournament, and whoever wins tonight will be in the next round of the tournament.

Germany are, of course, the pre-match favourites, given their enviable quality and depth - but don't write off any side with Lewandowski in their ranks.

The players have been out on the pitch already, soaking in the atmosphere. This is one of the best stadiums in Europe and a fitting stage for a game of this magnitude.

Germany will be glad to have Hummels back in their line up. The new Bayern Munich man ought to give a bit of calmness to their backline. What's more, he has the added advantage of being familiar with Lewandowski.

Breaking Team News:

As expected, Mats Hummels is back for the Germans...

Germany: Neuer, Howedes, Boateng, Hummels, Hector, Kroos, Khedira, Muller, Ozil, Draxler, Gotze.

Poland: Fabianski, Piszczek, Glik, Pazdan, Jedrzejczyk, Blaszczykowski, Krychowiak, Maczynski, Grosicki, Milik, Lewandowski.

Preview

Poland are also coming into the game on the back of a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland and will be raring to take on the world champions.

The Poles will be confident going into the match against Germany, whom they beat for the first time in their history during the qualifiers for Euro 2016.

Robert Lewandowski will come up against a number of his Bayern Munich teammates and they will be wary of the striker, who was the golden boot winner in the Bundesliga last season.

Preview

Germany will be in a buoyant mood ahead of their game against Poland following their convincing 2-0 win over Ukraine in the opening match.

It was an all-round performance by the world champions, who are second pre-tournament favourites after hosts France.

Good evening and welcome to live coverage of this much-anticipated Group C clash at the Stade de France in Paris. This is, perhaps, the glamour tie of the group stage and one that everyone across the continent will be looking forward to.

Germany, one of the pre-tournament favourites, take on their long-time rivals Poland in the French capital. We'll bring you all the team news as soon as we get it.