Greece vs. Russia
Russians have a history of dealing with monarchs, and King Otto is sweating.
The Greeks need to kick-start their tournament and the agricultural defending of the Russians may give them the set-pieces that they love to exploit. The Russians however are full of running which may take it's toll on the older Greeks.
posted by gooner71 @ 9:00 AM
21 Comments:
This is another of those "must win" games for both sides that we've been seeing all week. I'm tipping Guus Hiddink's side to do the biz today and knock the holders out.
Andy and Julie seem to think that Greece will come out and play today. Want to bet? They don't know how to play any differently under King Otto. I expect more stoic defense and the occasional counterattack from a set piece.
Reese Davis keeps baiting Andy and Tommy day after day on their failure to understand the convoluted offside interpretation on that Van Nistelrooy goal from last Monday. I reckon that they're going to nut him before this tournament is over.
Here are the teams for tonight's match:
Greece: Nikopolidis, Seitaridis, Dellas, Kyrgiakos, Torosidis, Katsouranis, Basinas, Patsatzoglou, Charisteas, Liberopoulos, Amanatidis
Subs: Chalkias, Antzas, Goumas, Vyntra, Spyropoulos, Giannakopoulos, Karagounis, Tziolis, Samaras, Salpigidis, Gekas, Tzorvas
Russia: Akinfeev, Aniukov, Kolodin, Ignashevich, Zhirkov, Semak, Torbinsky, Zyryanov, Semshov, Bilyaletdinov, Pavluchenko
Subs: Gabulov, Shirokov, Vasili Berezutsky, Yanbaev, Alexei Berezutsky, Ivanov, Bystrov, Sychev, Saenko, Adamov, Malafeev
Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy)
Dellas goes in hard and gives up an early free kick in a decent area for Russia. Come on, you Russians!
Bright start for Russia here. As I'd expected, the Greeks are dropping deep. For a moment after I saw the changes in the Greek line-up, I had some hope that Andy Gray might know something I don't. But alas, this is much as I feared.
Nice effort from Torisidis with the outside of his boot. He was the only Greek player who impressed me against Sweden.
As expected, it's been one-way traffic for the Russians, with Pavluchenko and Basinas producing good saves from the Greek keeper.
Suddenly the Greeks have a set play...
Ooooh, and they nearly did the typical Greek smash and grab job there. A good cross went in and the big man Charisteas, who scored the winner in 2004 in similar fashion, this time contrived to miss the ball entirely.
GOAL! Woo hoo! Russia have broken the tedium. A total clanger from Nikopolidis who went walkabout across the area. The ball was popped back in and Zyryanov scored easily.
Russia 1-0!
Greece set up for another free kick...
Well cleared out by the keeper.
Tactical move fairly early in the match. Karagounis is coming for Seitaridis.
Half-time: Russia 1-0.
It's all going to plan so far, but after a week of breathtaking footie, this one has brought us back to earth with a bump. I would hope for better in the second half but I know better.
Second half starting....
Charisteas was straight through there but I think he was shocked that he hadn't been waved offside and his effort was tame in the end.
Pavluchenko tried one from the near post but Nikipolidis palmed it away. Good start to this second period. Andy Gray says, "more of the same, please," and I concur.
Pavluchenko wastes a good chance there, trying one at the near post again when two teammates were crying out for the ball. He's looked more naive in this game.
Twenty minutes left...
Stelios is on for the last ten minutes.
Pavlyuchenko misses another good opportunity. He's been wasteful this afternoon.
Full-time: Russia 1-0.
And Greece's run as European Champions is well and truly over. It shows what a fluke 2004 was. They didn't qualify for the WC in 2006 and now they've been knocked out of Euro 2008 after two games having scored no goals in a fairly reasonable group. They're rubbish and King Otto and his lot are going home. Good riddance!
Sorry I missed everything yesterday. I was at the soccer tournament all day yesterday(10a.m. to 7 p.m.)
I am gone all day today as well. I have a game this morning and then my youngest boy has his tournament and then my middle one has a game in a far far away land. I can't wait for this season to go. ONE MORE WEEK!!
I am pleased that Spain are through and Greece aren't. Today's games are being played at the same time. The Portuguese have rested five but the other game is the important one.
What happens if they draw? I have no idea how they are going to separate them. Same goals scored and conceded. If they draw, nothing changes.
I will read the blog when I get home.
Cheers.
Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!!
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