Greeks cash in on blank Czechs
Greece snatched an unlikely win over the Czech Republic to turn the European Championship of 2004 on its head with a "silver goal" fifteen minutes into extra time.
Greece, out-played and out-classed for long periods by the clever Czechs, showed remarkable reserves of courage and commitment to qualify for the final of the tournament against host nation, Portugal, on Sunday in Lisbon.
Their historic achievement made a nonsense of pre-tournament predictions that labelled them 80/1 outsiders. Their memorable run through the competition ensured that their German-born manager, Otto Rehhagel, and his squad of players will forever be remembered for their heroics as they established themselves firmly on the world stage.
Spare a thought for gallant Czech Republic whose prospects were dealt a devastating blow as early as the third minute when their outstanding Pavel Nedved picked up an injury that eventually forced him off. And spare a thought also for Greek forward, Karagounis of Inter Milan, who picked up a yellow card booking that will keep him out of Sunday's final.
The loss of Nedved was a blow but came as no surprise. He was clearly marked for special attention for the game was only three minutes old when Katsouranis slid in late on him.
The Greeks were tight as a drum as usual in their marking and Nedved was only one of many marked out for attention. Baros, Koller and Poborsky could all feel the hot breath of a Greek shadow on their necks.
Still the Czechs contrived to create several likely scoring chances and they ensured that goalkeeper Nikopolidis was given opportunities to show his particular talents. He made several important saves to ensure the first half was scoreless.
He was lucky in the third minute when Koller knocked a header to Rosicky and the diminutive little playmaker flattened a shot against the crossbar from 19 yards. Otherwise Nikopolidis was in control.
The Czechs looked the part. Their passing was slick, their movement clever, their support play industrious. But they were compromised as an archer with blunt arrows is compromised for there was no incision at centre-forward. Baros and Koller could not deliver the cutting edge.
Greece showed once again there is more to their game than good organisation and a capacity for hard work. They matched the Czechs in central midfield for much of the game with team captain Zagorakis and Basinas providing Galasek and Rosicky with a vigorous contest.
Greece were very compact in their team play and their technical ability enabled them retain possession for long spells. Just like the Czechs, they lacked penetration even though they operated from a 3-4-3 formation, in contrast to the more conservative line-up in previous games.
It must be said the Greeks were also a little street-wise in their approach and quite obviously content to allow penalties to decide the issue.
There is a word in Irish that summed up their attitude accurately - they were "glic". Their antics were far from wholesome at times and Nedved's impassioned complaints to referee Collina at the final whistle were symptomatic of much of what had gone before.
Greece were cynical in their treatment of the gifted Nedved and too cute for Koller whose influence is so important to the Czechs. Collina repeatedly penalised the giant centre-forward and it was not unusual to find Koller throwing his arms in exasperation and pleading with his bench.
Kapsis escaped without a booking when he clearly kicked through Koller's legs to knock a ball away in the 57th minute and the Czech striker might have had a penalty in the 53rd minute. Karagounis fouled Grygera and when Poborsky delivered the free delicately into the penalty area for Koller, the big centre-forward was held back from the ball by Dellas.
Still the Czechs had themselves to blame for not making the match secure before extra time. They created the chances and failed to take them. But they were unlucky also when Koller headed a corner from Poborsky in the 59th minute and the ball was headed for the net when it rebounded off his partner Baros's back.
Perhaps the best bit of football on a dramatic night arrived in the 80th minute. Ujfalusi fed Smicer and he sent Rosicky streaking in on goal from the right. A lightning pass inside to Koller was just as quickly steered back into the speeding Rosicky's path by the big man, but when he might have scored himself he chose to turn the ball again to Koller. Now a goal looked inevitable but from 14 yards out and with Greece in disarray, Koller spooned a shot wide.
So to the exciting 15 minutes of extra-time and a critical substitution by manager Otto Rehhagel. He withdrew the ineffective Vryzas, sent Triartis of AEK Athens into central midfield and won the match for Greece.
Tsiartis used the ball to devastating effect and with the Bolton player Giannakopoulos supporting Charisteas with strength and commitment, they suddenly began to punch holes in the Czech defence.
Twice Giannakopoulos failed to score when the ball got caught under his feet in separate incidents and centre-back Dellas strode forward to force goalkeeper Cech to an inspired save when he powered a header from Tsiartas's brilliant free at goal from 12 yards in the 103rd minute.
Tsiartas looked capable of dropping the ball into a dustbin from 50 yards he was so accurate from dead-ball situations and it was the decisive factor. The referee was about to blow for half-time of extra time when Tsiartis struck a right wing corner so precisely that it enabled Dellas deflect a header in at the near post even though he was surrounded by four defenders.
As strokes of genius go, this was magical work from Tsiartas and the Roma defender Dellas.
: Cech; Grygera, Bolf, Ujfalusi, Jankulovski; Poborsky, Rosicky, Galasek, Nedved (Smicer 40); Koller, Baros.
: Nikopolidis; Seitaridis, Dellas, Kapsis; Katsouranis, Basinas (Giannakopoulos 72), Zagorakis, Fyssas; Charisteas, Vryzas (Tsiartis 91), Karagounis.
: P. Collina (Italy).
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