Two Russia Lost over Greece : In Match and Head To Head

WARSAW – Greece got 1-0 victory over the Russians, on the third matchday of Group A match European Cup, at the Warsaw National Stadium, Saturday (06/16/2012), and thus entitled to enter the quarter-finals as runners-up , with four points, or two behind the Czech Republic.

Greece the only goal created Giorgos Karagounis in the 45th minute +2. A throw-in failed to anticipate by Sergei Ignashevich, so Karagounis controlled the ball from the middle of the penalty box and fired into the goal.

In the first half, both sides played pretty open. However, it is offset by the solidity at the back, so the two sides never attack a goal, until the creation of Karagounis goal.

Russia’s first create a threat, by Andrei Arshavin in the third minute, which can be anticipated Michail Sifakis. Three minutes later, Fanis Gekas shot were tamed completely by Vyacheslav Malafeev.

After Vasilis Torosidis shot in the seventh minute hit the wall, Russia answered by Roman Shirokov and Arshavin shots on the other minutes, all of which ran aground in the hands of Sifakis.

After the 15th minute, Russia seemed to dominate the game and more often endanger the opponent’s goal. Rows of Greek defender inconvenience, but managed to close the space, so that the opponent attacks resolve difficulties with accurate execution.

Before the goal Karagounis, Russia releasing no less than five shots in a row, one of whom was shot by Shirokov, which is blocked by Giannis Maniatis, in the 45th minute.

In the second half, the game had not changed much. Russia still look aggressive and dominant. However, Russia continues to have difficulty getting maximum results.

At the 54th minute, for example, Roman Pavlyuchenko fired a shot, which sped to the top of Sifakis crossbar. Three minutes later, Igor Denisov saw his shot missed to the left side of the goal.

After Alexander Anyukov shot in the 69th minute missed the target, Greece steal attack from Giorgios Tzavella and Georgios Samaras shots in the 70th minute. While  Tzavella shot hit the crossbar, Samaras headed the ball over the goal post.

Russia reacted quickly out of the Greek pressure. Their first effort led to shots Anyukov in the 76th minute, which blocked by Makos.

Russia could maintain their pressure this time, but they still failed to catch up. Before the long whistle sounded, the Russian getting another chances from Shirokov and Denisov, in the 90th minute and 90th +1. However, all foundered on Sifakis hand.

According to UEFA, during the match, Russia controlled the ball as much as 62 percent and creating 25 chances out of ten experiments. The Greek accurately fired two shots from five experiments.

The composition of players:

Greece: 13-Michail Sifakis; 5-Kyriakos Papadopoulos, 19-Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 3-Giorgios Tzavellas, 15-Vasilis Torosidis; 21-Kostas Katsouranis, 10-Giorgos Karagounis (6-Grigoris Makos 67), 2-Giannis Maniatis; 7 -Georgios Samaras, 17-Theofanis Gekas (20-Jose Holebas 64), 14-Dimitris Salpingidis (18-Sotiris Ninis 83)

Russia: 16-Vyacheslav Malafeev; 4-Sergei Ignashevich, 12-Alexei Berezutsky, 5-Yuri Zhirkov, Alexander Anyukov 2-(9-Marat Izmailov 81); 7-Igor Denisov, 22-Denis Glushakov (20-Pavel Pogrebnyak 72) , 6-Roman Shirokov; 10-Andrei Arshavin, 11-Alexander Kerzhakov (14-Roman Pavlyuchenko 46), 17-Alan Dzagoev

Referee: Jonas Eriksson

This Is Football, said Advocaat

Russian national team coach, Dick Advocaat, assessing his team should win over Greece and so are not eliminated in the Group phase of Euro 2012 on Saturday (06/16/2012). According to him, the football does not always suit the business and he congratulated Greece.

Russia lost 0-1 to Greece. Greece created Giorgos Karagounis scored in the 45th minute +2. As a result of that, they sit in third place with four points, or just lose "head to head" of Greece.

"We do not take opportunities advantage very well, but I do not think it is fair to say we did not play well. We were unbeaten in 16 matches. We should have won today, but not how it happened and that’s football. Congratulations to the Greek," said Advocaat.

"We played very well, keep moving forward, but opponents defended well. I think we played very well in the first round. Greece hard to deal with in the second half," he added.