Nikolaidis chasing chance of a lifetime

Greece striker Demis Nikolaidis believes the Euro 2004 surprise packages will seize their “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity and claim a place in the final by beating the Czech Republic tomorrow.

Otto Rehhagel’s side are still considered the outsiders of the four teams remaining in the tournament – even though they dispatched outgoing champions France in a last-eight match at Lisbon’s Jose Alvalade Stadium.

However, Nikolaidis does not see things that way and believes Greece can keep the momentum going in their semi-final at the Dragao Stadium in Porto.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said the Atletico Madrid forward.

“Never have we succeeded before in going so far in a competition. We will do everything we can to get to the final.”

Before arriving in Portugal, Greece had never won a match in a final tournament – their last appearance on the big stage in the 1994 World Cup saw them return home humiliated in all their matches.

Nikolaidis is expected to return to the substitutes’ bench as Fiorentina striker Zissis Vryzas will return from suspension alongside Greece’s new talisman Angelos Charisteas up front.

It was Vryzas whose goal in the 2-1 Group A defeat at the hands of Russia which proved the difference between qualification and elimination, with Spain instead shown the way home as Greece progressed with Portugal.

Stelios Giannakopoulos is the other likely change and he will probably come into midfield with either Kostas Katsouranis or Angelos Basinas expected to make way.

Giorgos Karagounis, who scored the opener against Portugal, has had an injured foot but is expected to play although like his skipper Theo Zagorakis he is one of the two Greek players walking a tightrope in the knowledge that a caution against the Czechs would rule them out of the final in the event of victory in the semi-final.

Giannakopoulos, like Nikolaidis, is optimistic ahead of the meeting with Karel Bruckner’s side and said: “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We have already earned a place in the annals of Greek football history.

“This is the best moment in all our careers and that is also what our fans are saying.”

The players brought their passports to the France game, which indicated perhaps that they too were surprised by their performance against Jacques Santini’s team and they have had to change hotel because they did not expect to progress so far in the competition.

They had been based in Vila do Conde north of Porto and training at the home of the town’s football club Rio Ave but are now in Braga.

The success of the team has also caught many in Greece by surprise but charter flights are being hastily arranged to fly thousands more blue-and-white clad supporters to Porto for the semi-final which could see them book a ticket to play the victor of tonight’s match between Portugal and Holland.