Daily Independent Online.
*
Friday, July 02, 2004.
Greece upsets Czech to reach final
Greece have punched well above their weight
at Euro 2004 and now believe they can knock out the free-scoring Czech Republic
to reach their first ever final.
The Greeks face the beaten finalists from
1996 in the competition's second semi-final at the Dragao stadium here on
Thursday.
Appearing in only their third tournament,
the Greeks have been a revelation with wins over hosts Portugal in their
opening match and defending champions France in the quarter-finals.
Many had predicted they would be flying
home after the group stage, but under wily German coach Otto Rehhagel the Greek
philosophy outsmarted two of the pre-championship favourites with
smash-and-grab victories.
Revelling in their tag as underdogs,
Greece's success has been built on a rock-solid defence and a strong worth
ethic and their swift counter-attacking play has reaped rich rewards.
Midfielder Georgios Karagounis is happy to
have put Greek football on the map, but having proved they can live with the
big boys and confidence sky high, he now feels they can make the final.
"The Czechs have won all of their four
matches and are favourites on Thursday and maybe for the championships,"
said the 27-year-old Inter Milan player, a free transfer signing from
Panathinaikos last summer. "We have nothing to lose but it's such a huge
occasion we don't want to let it pass us by. We desperately want to reach the
final."
Karagounis insisted the Greeks would not
change their game plan to try and master a team that has scored 10 goals in
four matches.
"We are not Brazil, we stick to what
we are good at," he said.
In their only other appearance at the
European championships in 1980, Greece finished bottom of their group behind
eventual winners West Germany.
In their only appearance at a World Cup in
1994 in the United States they finished bottom of their group with no points.
Veteran Czech striker Vladimir Smicer said
Greece's march to the semis reminded him of his own team's performances at Euro
'96 in England when they took everybody by surprise by reaching the final,
which they lost to Germany.
"They are like the Czech team in 1996.
Nobody expected us to get to the final but we were there," said the
Liverpool forward.
"So we must be very careful, they are
not just there because they had luck. They've played some very good games and I
think it will not be easy for us.
"It is a semi-final. Greece have
played very well, they have beaten France and Portugal, they must be a good
team. We are the favourites, but it does not change anything on the
pitch." The Czechs will be looking for more goals from in-form striker
Milan Baros.
The Liverpool marksman netted twice in the
3-0 quarter-final win over Denmark and is the tournament's leading scorer with
five goals.
Czech centre-back Rene Bolf resumed
training on Tuesday after limping off injured against the Danes and is
available for selection, but defender Martin Jiranek will miss the match with a
groin strain.
Greece coach Rehhagel has a full squad to
choose from with Fiorentina striker Zisis Vryzas back from suspension and
midfielder Stylios Giannakopoulos fully recovered from a shin injury.
The Czech Republic have not lost to Greece
in their six previous meetings, winning five and drawing the other.
Five players are walking the suspension
tightrope and will miss the final if they are booked on Thursday.
They are Giorgios Karagounis and Theodoros
Zagorakis for Greece and
Marek Jankulovski, Tomas Ujfalusi and Pavel
Nedved for the Czechs. Juventus midfielder Nedved missed the 2003 Champions
League final after receiving a booking in the semi-final against Real Madrid.
An attempt by his team to have the booking
re-examined was rejected by UEFA on Tuesday.
