GREECE LOST TO RUSSIA, ONE OF the poorest sides in Euro 2004 here in the Estadio Algarve last night, but progressed into the quarter-finals on the back of vibrant displays in their opening two matches. The 1-0 defeat of Spain by Portugal in Lisbon also helped, the Greeks pipping the Spanish by the narrowest of margins — on goals scored — for second place in group A.
How fine the line between success and failure is. Greece lived on their nerves for most of the evening, no greater illustrated than in the final minute when Alexei Bugaev crossed into the Greek area and three Russia players — Dmitri Sytchev, Dmitri Kirichenko and Rolan Gusev — all missed the ball. Had one of them touched it over the line, Spain and not Greece would have gone through to the last eight.
Greece had needed only a point to qualify for the quarter-finals of a leading tournament for the first time in their history. It was, after all, only the third time that they have played in the finals of a significant competition. However, they did not have many fans on the Algarve last night as most of them had bought tickets for only the first two matches in group A, believing that their team would already be eliminated by the time the last game came around.
It was, though, Russia who had already been eliminated, with no points, no goals and having had a player sent off in each of their previous two matches. Adding insult to a miserable campaign, Sergei Ovchinnikov, the goalkeeper, and Alexei Smertin, the captain, missed the final outing because of suspension while Alexander Mostovoi was absent after having been sent home last week for criticising the training methods.
Yet if Greece thought that Russia might be ripe for the plucking, they could not have been more wrong. Perhaps it was Greek nerves, perhaps the Russians at last revelled in playing without any expectation, perhaps it was a mixture of both. Whatever it was, Russia were good value for their 2-0 lead after 17 minutes and, with better finishing, the gap could have been even greater.
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Within 68 seconds in the blustery conditions, Russia had gone in front with the quickest goal in the history of the championship finals. Gusev clipped a long pass through and Kirichenko took advantage of a slip by Traianos Dellas before firing a powerful shot into the roof the net past Antonios Nikopolidis.
Greece were all over the place, the occasion appearing to have got the better of them, and it was no surprise when Russia increased their lead. Gusev was involved again, slinging over an inviting outswinging corner, and Dmitri Bulykin stooped to head in.
With Greece at last getting their act together, Viatcheslav Malafeev, the Russia goalkeeper, was forced to make a fine save from Angelis Basinas’s well-struck free kick. Bulykin should have made it 3-0 on the break but headed against a post, then Angelos Charisteas missed an even easier chance at the other end.
The open nature of the game was pleasing on the eye, with Andrei Kariaka threatening frequently for Russia. On one surging run, he took on three defenders before seeing his attempt deflected behind for a corner. Greece were rewarded for not collapsing completely when they reduced the gap two minutes from half-time, when Konstantinos Katsouranis flicked on Charisteas’s cross and Zisis Vryzas turned cleverly to clip the ball over the diving Malafeev.
A buzz went around the ground on the hour when the Greek fans heard that Portugal had gone 1-0 up against Spain. It meant that with Spain and Greece level on points, on their head-to-head record and on goal difference as the games stood, Greece would qualify for the last eight by dint of having scored more goals — four to Spain’s two. However, that knowledge seemed to filter through to the Greece players — and the realisation that another goal for Russia would hand the advantage back to Spain — and the nerves began to take a hold again.
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Russia started to move the ball around with the same freedom as they had early in the first half. Sytchev, a substitute, drew a good save from Nikopolidis. Dmitri Alenichev and Vladislav Radimov were booked for Russia — with the scoreboard laughingly informing the crowd that they would miss their next game — as the Greeks realised that the best form of defence might be attack. Vasilios Tsiartas went close to an equaliser from a 30-yard free kick but Malafeev was equal to it. Malafeev then punched away a similarly dangerous free kick from Stylianos Venetidis.
Russia (4-3-1-2): 12 V Malafeev — 14 A Anukov, 13 R Sharonov (sub: 17 D Sennikov, 56min), 21 A Bugaev, 16 V Evseev — 8 R Gusev, 2 V Radimov, 5 A Kariaka — 15 D Alenichev — 9 D Bulykin (sub: 3 D Sytchev, 45), 18 D Kirichenko. Substitutes not used: 23 I Akinfeev, 6 I Semshov, 7 M Izmailov, 11 A Kerzhakov, 19 B Bystrov, 20 D Loskov, 22 E Aldonin. Booked: Sharonov, Anukov, Evseev, Alenichev, Radimov, Malafeev.
Greece (4-2-3-1): 1 A Nikopolidis — 2 G Seitaridis, 19 M Kapsis, 5 T Dellas, 3 S Venetidis (sub: 14 P Fyssas, 89) — 7 T Zagorakis, 6 A Basinas (sub, 10 V Tsiartas, 43min) — 9 A Charisteas, 21 K Katsouranis, 22 D Papadopoulos (sub: 11 T Nikolaidis, 70) — 15 Z Vryzas. Substitutes not used: 12 K Chalkias, 13 T Katergiannakis, 4 N Dabizas, 8 S Giannakopoulos, 16 P Kafes, 17 G Georgiadis, 18 I Goumas, 23 V Lakis. Booked: Vryzas, Dellas.
Referee: G Veissière (France) Attendance: 25,000