How Greece qualified for Euro 2012
Match by match, Greece played to prove that they deserve a spot in this year’s UEFA European Championship in Poland and Ukraine. They are one of the few teams to have qualified with an unbeaten record.
Group F runners-up Croatia pushed the Greeks to the wall. In 10 matches, the latter snatched 7 victories and drew thrice. With this formidable record during the qualifiers, Greece cruised to a top spot finish.
The defining moment was on Matchday 9 when they clinched a vital 2-0 win at home to Croatia. Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas scored within the last 20 minutes of the match. The Greeks maintained their 2-point lead in the final round of matches with a 2-1 win away to Georgia.
Who is Greece’s coach?
Portuguese manager Fernando Santos will guide the nation that inflicted sorrow on his home country back in 2004. The former FC Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica coach has huge experience in Greek football. Fernando Santos managed AEK Athens during the 2001/02 season then moved to Panathinaikos the following year. He returned to AEK Athens in 2004 and left a couple of years later.
Just before getting the Greece job in 2010, the 57-year-old coach was at PAOK. The 2002 Greek Cup is Fernando Santos’ only piece of silverware in Greece. However, the two-time Portuguese SuperCup winning manager has the confidence of Greek fans. Ahead of Euro 2012, Fernando Santos is entrusted to build the best squad and continue what he started in the qualifiers.
Who are Greece’s key players?
Greece do not centre their game on one player but in the absence of APOEL’s Dionisis Chiotis, any goalkeeper will come under pressure to perform during Euro 2012. Chiotis did not make the cut in Fernando Santos’ provisional man squad at the surprise of many.
Meanwhile, Samaras played an important role during the qualifiers and should receive help in attack from Atromitos’ Kostas Mitroglou.
Greece’s Euro 2012 squad
Goalkeeepers: Kostas Chalkias, Michalis Sifakis, Alexis Tzorvas
Defenders: Avraam Papadopoulos, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Vassilis Torosidis, Jose Holebas, Stelios Malezas, Giannis Maniatis, Giorgos Tzavellas, Kyriakos Papadopoulos
Midfielders: Giannis Fetfatzidis, Grigoris Makos, Kostas Katsouranis, Georgios Fotakis, Kostas Fortounis, Giorgos Karagounis, Sotiris Ninis
Forwards: Georgios Samaras, Dimitris Salpigidis, Costas Mitroglou, Nikos Liberopoulos, Theofanis Gekas
Who are Greece’s Euro 2012 group opponents?
Greece will compete against co-hosts Poland, Russia and the Czech Republic. Group A looks like a section where each participating nation has an equal chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages.
Greece’s group matches schedule
June 8, 2012: Poland vs Greece – National Stadium, Warsaw
June 12, 2012: Greece vs Czech Republic – Municipal Stadium, Wroclaw
June 16, 2012: Greece vs Russia – National Stadium, Warsaw
More on Greece’s live streaming and TV schedule info page.
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking
Greece are 15th in the world and 10th in Europe. They are sandwiched between France and Sweden in the UEFA zone.
