VIENNA, June 9: Euro 2008 favourites Germany made a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Poland in Klagenfurt on Sunday, but there was trouble in the Austrian city as 140 mainly German fans were detained by police.

Germany’s win sent them to the top of Group ‘B’ after Croatia had earlier ground out a 1-0 victory over Austria who, like fellow co-hosts Switzerland the day before, started the June 7-29 championship with a narrow defeat.

Widely seen as the weakest teams in their respective groups, Austria and Switzerland risk an early exit from a tournament already struggling to fire the imagination of the home fans.

German and Polish fans have a history of rivalry, which also flared in Dortmund during the 2006 World Cup when the hosts met Poland in the group stages. Then, police detained more than 400 people after outbreaks of violence.

On Sunday, a spokesman for Klagenfurt police said: “Some 140 high risk fans were detained following dangerous attacks, administrative offences and the suspicion of having committed legal offences.

“Most of them are German, though we are still in the process of checking everyone’s identity.”

Two groups of Germans were roving the streets of Klagenfurt, shouting anti-Polish chants, before being detained for disturbing the peace by Austrian and German police forces, Austrian news agency APA reported.

Austrian police said they had arrested 17 people overnight.

On the pitch, though, things could not have gone better for Germany. Their Polish-born forward Lukas Podolski scored both goals to secure their first victory at a European Championship since they won the final of Euro 96 at Wembley.

Podolski steered the ball into an empty net midway through the first half from a pass by Miroslav Klose, another Polish-born striker, and volleyed the second in the 72nd minute.

Poland, who have never beaten Germany in the 75 years they have been playing them, never looked like recovering.

Victory for Germany over Croatia in Thursday’s game in Klagenfurt would make a place in the last eight a formality.

Croatia were much less impressive when they took three points from the day’s opening game in Vienna, which was decided by a fourth minute penalty slotted home by Luka Modric.

Austria showed real spirit in the second half, laying siege to the Croatia goal in the final 20 minutes, and probably deserved a draw for their sheer effort alone.—Reuters