Play-off berth secured
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Match Information
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Stadium:
Karaiskakis Stadium, Czech Republic
Attendance: 13,932
Match Time: 19:00 UK
Official(s):
Darko Ceferin (Referee)
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Updated: October 14, 2009, 8:00 AM UK
Greece secured a place in the World Cup qualifying play-offs after comfortably
seeing off Luxembourg at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
Vasilis Torosidis headed the Greeks in front on the half-hour mark and
Theofanis Gekas, scorer of four goals in Saturday's 5-2 win over Latvia, added a
second three minutes later.
Ben Payal was dismissed for the visitors in the 58th minute after being shown a
second yellow card to complete both a miserable night and qualifying campaign
for Guy Hellers' team, whose only consolation came in the last minute when
Avraam Papadopoulos turned a cross past his own goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis.
Greece failed to add to the score but sealed a result which sees Otto
Rehhagel's 2004 European champions clinch their place in Monday's play-off draw
where they will be one of the seeded teams.
As a result, the Greeks could face one of Ukraine, Serbia, Slovenia or Bosnia.
Switzerland, who were held to a goalless draw by Israel in Basle, sealed top
spot with 21 points and they take the section's automatic qualification spot for
the 2010 finals in South Africa.
Greece went into the match full of confidence on the back of Saturday's 5-2 win
over Latvia but struggled to get going in front of an embarrassingly sparse
crowd and the visitors saw the first sight of goal, Gilles Bettmer firing a
speculative shot wide after four minutes.
It took Greece until the 20th minute to work an opening when Giorgos Fotakis
shot wide, while the visitors threatened on the breakaway. Lone striker Joel
Kitenge almost gave Luxembourg a surprise lead from a quick raid in the 25th
minute but his fierce drive was tipped over the crossbar by Sifakis.
The accuracy of captain Giorgos Karagounis from dead-ball situations proved the
key as Greece broke the deadlock with two goals in three minutes.
The first came when Torosidis rose to head home a Karagounis corner from the
right and then Gekas doubled the advantage by heading home a free-kick from the
Panathinaikos midfielder's cultured right boot.
Papadopoulos then spoiled an otherwise comfortable night for the Greece defence
by accidentally turning the ball past his own goalkeeper in the last minute.
Greece 2 - 1 Luxembourg