- European Championship Finals
- 16 June 2012, 7:45pm
- National Stadium
Greece | v | Russia |
1
| 0 |
live commentary
FULL-TIME: RUSSIA ARE OUT! Dzagoev sends a cross crashing way over the bar and that's it! Russia the strong favourites to win Group A are out of the competition! Greece have defended magnificently and their reward is a place in the quarter-finals alongside the Czech Republic! What a tournament this has been so far! We've had drama every single day! Thanks for joining Orange's live coverage stay tuned for the match report.
90+3 mins: Zhirkov cracks a cross from the left but the ref spots a free-kick for Greece. Co-hosts Poland are definitely out as the Czech Republic have beaten them!
90 mins: The red shirts of Russia are queing up at the left post to head in a cross from the right but they all put each other off! Four minutes for Russia to find a goal or they will be packing their bags.
88 mins: Still the Greek defence remain firm. Still Russia hunt for the goal they need to go through. They are running out of ideas and time.
86 mins: So close from Dzagoev! Arshavin plays in a beauty of a cross from the left and the CSKA Moscow man heads just the over side of the post!
83 mins: Greece eat into the remaining time with another sub and it's talented playmaker Ninis coming on for Salpingidis. They are nearly there.
81 mins: With Russia pressed firmly foward, there are huge gaps at the back which Greece nearly exploit as the ball flashes across goal from the right. Russia have brought on Pogrebnyak and Izmailov in search of the one goal they need to go through.
78 mins: There is simply no way through for the Russians! Arshavin receives the ball on the edge of the area but instantly turns into trouble.
75 mins: Denisov has another effort from range but Sifakis is down well to his left to make a good stop. Can Greece remarkably keep Russia out?
72 mins: If Russia do get the goal they need to qualify for the quarter-final then star man Dzagoev will not feature as he is in the book for a late challenge. That's his second yellow card this tournament which is an automatic one-match ban.
72 mins: If Russia do get the goal they need to qualify for the quarter-final then star man Dzagoev will not feature as he is in the book for a late challenge. That's his second yellow card this tournament which is an automatic one-match ban.
72 mins: If Russia do get the goal they need to qualify for the quarter-final then star man Dzagoev will not feature as he is in the book for a late challenge. That's his second yellow card this tournament which is an automatic one-match ban.
70 mins: Greece hit the post from the free-kick! Russia are in big trouble now as the Czechs are ahead against Poland which means they are currently out of the competition!
70 mins: Greece hit the post from the free-kick! Russia are in big trouble now as the Czechs are ahead against Poland which means they are currently out of the competition!
66 mins: Double change now from the Greeks with Makos and Holebas come on for Karagounis and Gekas.
62 mins: Karagounis denied a stonewall penalty! There's clear contact with Ignashevich in the area but the Greek number 10 is booked for diving! That yellow card rules him out of the quarter-final and he knows it. He's nearly in tears.
59 mins: Aniukov keeps Russia in it! He slides in to stop the ball from trickling over the line. This game is just bonkers!
57 mins: Denisov smashes a hopeful left-footed outwswinger inches past the right post. This will be an incredibly frustrating watch for the Russian fans.
54 mins:Russia continue to probe but they can find no way past this stern Greek defence. I count eight of them camped on the edge of their own area!
51 mins: Another chance for Russia goes begging! Aniukov's cross from the right is set-up for Shirokov, who casually belts over the bar.
48 mins: A Russian attack breaks down on the edge of the area and Greece break with Samaras. He slaloms forward before the red shirts flood back in numbers to rescue the situation
45 minsRussia waste no time in making a change with Pavlyuchenko come on for the misfiring Kerzhakov.
HALF-TIME:What a bizarre half of football. Russia are dominating but find themselves behind! As it stands, Russia and Greece will be going through with co-hosts Poland and the Czech Republic crashing out. There will be plenty of twists and turns though before full-time. So join me again in fifteen minutes to find out who's going to to the quater-finals.
45+2 MINS: GREECE TAKE A SHOCK LEAD! Where on earth has this come from? Second best for the entire first-half and the Greeks are ahead! They win a throw down the right side and KARAGOUNIS wrestles Zhirkov off the ball before closing in on goal and smashing it past the helpless Malafeev, who has been a spectator for much of this half! Incredible scenes!
45 mins: Russia knock at Greece's door once again however Dzagoev and Shirokov are both thwarted by this sturdy defence. Two minutes added on.
40 mins: It appears Russia are adopting a shoot on sight policy just before the half-time whistle. Glushakov and Zhirkov both let rip from distance but they fly over the crossbar.
37 mins: Kerzhakov is poised to meet Dzagoev's headed cross and... falls over! A little bit of composure there and Sifakis would have been struggling to keep that one out from such close range.
35 mins: Shirokov goes down just as he was about to burst into the box. Russian eyes turn towards the ref who remains completely motionless.
Meget Arschvole -"come on russia score please"
33 mins: Samaras tries to break forward from deep inside his own half but a Denisov trips ensures he doesn't make it over the half-way line.
33 mins: Samaras tries to break forward from deep inside his own half but a Denisov trips ensures he doesn't make it over the half-way line.
30 mins: Arshavin's square cross in the area is intercepted at the last second and it's a good job too, as Kerzhakov was lurking around to tap into an empty net.
27 mins: Shirokov nearly unlocks the Greek defence however his return pass intended for the free Aniukov is too powerful to control.
24 mins: The Russians are beginning to exert their authority as we reach the half-way point of the first-half. Greece have everyone behind the ball with a very deep defensive line.
21 mins:Kerzhakov runs into trouble on the edge of the area but the ball breaks for Arshavin. His drilled strike is well saved by the already busy Sifakis.
18 mins: Zhirkov makes a great lung-bursting run from left-back but his cross doesn't pick out a team-mate in Russian red. Dzagoev then has a crack from 25 yards out which Sifakis manages to hold.
15 mins:Nervy moments for Malafeev as he scampers back towards goal to pluck a looping header from Papastathopoulos out of the Warsaw night sky. He makes a more confident punch away from a Greece corner moments later.
13 mins: So close from Kerzhakov! He cracks a lovely volley from the edge of the box which flashes past the top right corner. Sifakis wasn't getting anywhere near that!
Jonny Curran, Cardiff -"got a double on poland and russia to win come on!!"
10 mins: Aniukov is back on and nearly witnesses team-mate Arshavin poke home Dzageov's floated cross from the right. Sifakis makes a smart save though down to his right.
8 mins: There's a pause in play after Aniukov comes off worst in a clash of heads from a Greece corner. The physios just spray water in face which I don't think is going to help to be honest. Russia are momentarily down to ten.
5 mins: Greece go close! The ball comes in from the right via the trusty right boot of Karagounis and Malafeev claws away Katsouranis' cheeky flick.
3 mins: Russia look bright and breezy as an Arshavin miskick breaks for Shirokov but out comes Sifakis, way out in fact, to grab the loose ball.
0 mins: We're off! Greece play from left to right in this half and are in their all-white kits. Russia are decked in red.
1943: So with the national anthems belted out, it's almost time for kick-off. Can Greece somehow get through at the expense of Poland or Russia? I can't see it myself.
1900:Good evening and welcome to Warsaw for Greece v Russia. Delving straight into the team news, Greece make four changes with Sifakis, Papastathopoulos, Tzavelas and Gekas all coming in and Russia make one solitary switch with Glushakov replacing Zyryanov. Kick-off is not too far away, so why not get yourselves familiar with the Group A permutations below and send me your predictions by clicking on my name above? You know you want to!
Group A permutations:Clear your head and concentrate because it's quite complicated. All four teams can still qualify for the knockout stages. Russia are in pole position and need just a point to go through, but they must win to make sure of top spot. Realistically, the only way they can be eliminated is if they lose and there is a winner between Czech Republic and Poland. Greece will go through if they beat the Russians, but any other result and they are out. Same for Poland who must beat Czech Republic to reach the last eight. The Czechs will qualify with a win over the co-hosts, while a draw will be enough if Greece fail to beat Russia. Should the Greeks win and Czech Republic draw, the Czechs would need Greece to triumph by more than five goals to join the 2004 winners in the quarters at the expense of Russia. You might want read that through a few more times!
Join Mark Scott later to follow live commentary from Warsaw. Send in your Euro repartees and predictions by using the box above.
- European Championship Finals
- 16 June 2012, 7:45pm
- National Stadium
| Greece | v | Russia |
1
| 0 |
match report
Giorgos Karagounis stunned Russia on the stroke of half-time to give Greece a 1-0 win and a shock place in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.
The shock champions of eight years ago turned Group A upside down in a remarkable final round of fixtures in Poland on Saturday evening.
Karagounis' winner - on the night he equalled a national record by earning his 120th cap - came completely against the run of play on the stroke of half-time at Warsaw's National Stadium.
But no-one could argue Greece did not deserve their victory at the final whistle, with 2004 hero Karagounis denied a blatant penalty - and picking up a booking that ruled him out of the next match.
Russia, who had thrashed Czech Republic 4-1 in their opening game, barely tested goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis and were made to pay as the Czechs beat Poland in Wroclaw to steal top spot.
Dick Advocaat's men went into the game in the dangerous position of knowing they needed only a draw to reach the quarter-finals, with even a defeat not necessarily fatal.
It was win or bust for their opponents, who got off to the fast start they failed to produce in their previous games by winning a succession of early corners.
Vyacheslav Malafeev made an acrobatic save from one of them when Kostas Katsouranis hooked Karagounis' sixth-minute delivery within reach of the goalkeeper - although it was going wide anyway.
Vassilis Torossidis also had a shot blocked before Russia's technical superiority began to show, Andrey Arshavin poking Alan Dzagoev's 10th-minute cross straight at Sifakis and Aleksandr Kerzhakov inches wide with a superb 20-yard half-volley.
Yuri Zhirkov spoilt a thrilling break with a wayward cutback and Kerzhakov should have done better seven minutes from half-time when he produced an embarrassing air shot from Dzagoev's knockdown.
Zhirkov also sent a stunning long-ranger inches over the top as the half looked to end goalless until Karagounis pounced on the former Chelsea winger's loose header before drilling the ball under Malafeev.
Russia boss Advocaat took immediate action by hauling off Kerzhakov for Roman Pavlyuchenko after the interval before seeing Roman Shirokov and Igor Denisov both fail from long range.
Greece would have doubled their lead shortly before the hour mark had Aleksandr Anyukov not succeeded with a desperate clearance to prevent Theofanis Gekas turning in Torossidis' cross.
And they were denied a 61st-minute penalty when Karagounis danced his way through the Russia defence and went down after touching legs with Sergei Ignashevich.
There was definite contact but referee Jonas Eriksson thought otherwise and booked a distraught Karagounis.
Manager Fernando Santos quickly withdrew the midfielder for Grigoris Makos after sending on Jose Holebas for Gekas.
Zhirkov was yellow carded for hauling back Dimitris Salpingidis and was lucky to avoid further punishment when Giorgos Tzavellas curled a beautiful free-kick against the angle of post and crossbar.
Russia were losing their discipline and Tzavellas was the victim of a crude challenge by Dzagoev, who was booked.
Advocaat threw on Pavel Pogrebnyak for Denis Glushakov as news the Czechs had taken the lead in their game - leaving his side needing to score - filtered through.
Denisov drilled a fine first-time strike too close to Sifakis before Russia's last throw of the dice saw Marat Izmailov replace Anyukov.
Greece responded by withdrawing Salpingidis for Sotiris Ninis for the final seven minutes as the men in red poured forward, Dzagoev glancing Arshavin's header inches beyond the post.
It was all Russia in the dying seconds but all they could manage was a Pogrebnyak booking for deliberate handball.
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