Greece - Ireland
Europe - European Championship, Qualification Group B, Round 3
In March, Greece comfortably won their match against the weakest team in their group, Gibraltar, with a 3-0 victory (goals scored by Masouras at 11', Siopis at 45', and Bakasetas at 58'). The match took place on neutral ground in Portugal, and it marked Greece's successful debut in the group. This was followed by a friendly draw with Lithuania at their new home, the "OPAP Arena." Both matches had a common theme of creating numerous opportunities but struggling to convert them into goals. Improvement in their efficiency is necessary if they want to have a chance of finishing in the top two and qualifying for the EURO finals. Tonight's match against Ireland is crucial for their group goals.
Regarding team news, coach Poget's decision not to call up Fortunis caused controversy, with the Uruguayan manager attributing it to tactical reasons. Initially, the top scorer of the Dutch league, Douvikas, was left out of the squad, but Ioannidis replaced him after an injury in training. Bouchalakis, Alexandropoulos, and Giannoulis are absent from today's match due to injuries and infection. The lineup is expected to be similar to the one used against Gibraltar.
Moving on to Ireland, they faced the mighty France in their group opener and suffered a 1-0 defeat at home. Despite defending well and preventing any threats to their goal, they conceded a goal early in the second half (50') due to a careless mistake outside their area. Goalkeeper Bazounou kept them in the game with his interventions, and they managed to equalize through set pieces near the end, with Collins missing a great chance in the 89th minute. After their match against the group favorites, these next two matches, including today's match against Greece, will play a significant role in determining their fortunes in the group. They will also face the weaker opponent, Gibraltar, on June 19th. To prepare for these matches, they trained for nine days in Antalya, Turkey.
In terms of team news, Ireland has two major absences from their squad. Captain midfielder Coleman and striker Ogbene are unavailable, with the latter picking up an injury during the team's pre-season. Other than that, there aren't any significant changes compared to their previous match. There are some uncertainties about the lineup, with a 3-4-3 formation likely. Bazunu is favored over Kelleher in goal, O'Dowda is expected to start over McLean on the left wing, and Johnston is likely to play instead of Obafemi in the attack.
The loser of this match essentially diminishes their chances of making an impact in the group. Poget's Greece appears strong in the qualifiers, making a victory over Ireland a highly anticipated outcome. With the home advantage, Greece needs to secure at least a draw.