OR National football ‘Threw’ the first half against Scotland. It didn’t work well on the creative track, and conceded a penalty shoot -out. Konstantinos Karetsas “transformed” her into the repetition, the blue-white closed the guests in their frames but did not avoid the defeat (0-1) in the first match of the two teams for the Nations League playoffs.
The rematch of the two teams will take place at Glasgow’s “Hampten Park” next Sunday (23.03.2025, 19:00, newsit.gr) and National Football will need to go beyond Scotland to go to the Nations League League.
The game …
The two teams started quite conservatives in the match. Greece and Scotland released the ball quite a bit, but faced a problem with the pressure that the opponent put on them. The match went quite a bit… after the first ten minutes of the match, with national football players looking for deep balls Ioannidis and Jolis and the guests pushing every danger.
In the 16 ‘and after a cross from the right, Tsimikas fell into the area after contacting McGin in an attempt to get the head. There was a break to check the phase in the VAR, but the match continued, as the phase was “clean”.
In a similar – and unsuccessful – way, Steve Clark’s players tried to make something in the attack. The Scots were slowly trying to exploit their power in the static phases and in the 27th they approached the goal. The guests saw the ball not leaving the area of Greece and – after a counter – the fallen Maktominey took the shot and sent the ball a little out.
National football showed a problem on the axis, since not only could it not be able to pass the right passes, but it received several vertical balls. Finally, in the 33 ‘the blue -white was back in the score. Steler gave a penalty shootout, in a mark of Rota to Maktominey, on the borders of the big area, the VAR was approved and the Napoli player defeated Tzolakis from … Voula and made it 0-1.
Greece’s first good time came in 39 ‘. After Constantelia’s filling, Ioannidis grabbed the head, but sent the ball quite out. The pressure of Scotland players did not leave much room for Greek internationals. In fact, the guests threatened twice. In the 43 ‘Tzolakis sent the ball to an opponent, but then he stopped the Adams shot! Two minutes later, the same player’s diagonal shot sent the ball again. The first half closed with Tsimika sending the ball over the horizontal beam, in a direct foul, from a good spot.
At the start of the repetition, Ivan Jovanovic threw Konstantinos Karetsa into the match to help national football. The kid managed to give another … air to the blue whites, showing great boldness with his movements. In the 51st, Greece scored a goal with Jolis, but it was canceled after the ball had a corner kick after Koulierakis’ dangerous head.
Karetsas significantly improved the image of national football, helping her close Scotland in her frames for more than a quarter and having some good shots. Despite its superiority, the blue -white did not reach the goal.
Scotland tried to reduce the national aggression briefly, but within two minutes the blue -white missed two great opportunities to score. In the 68th Karetsas made the cross from the left, Jolis jumped on the second beam, but his projection stopped on the beam. Shortly thereafter, Club Bruges striker shot from the left, the ball found in an opponent and passed a little out.
Seeing the national team has raised “turns”, Ivan Jovanovic made three gathered changes (Pavlidis instead of Jolis, Zafiris instead of Mandalou and Pelkas instead of Constantiles). The team played with two forwards in the 11th for several minutes.
The Scots closed the corridors well on the axis and thus “pushed” the national in the wings. The blue -white brought out several centers that did not work. In his last change, Jovanovic put Founta in the position of Ioannides. In the 84 ‘the OFI striker won a penalty shootout on the borders of the big area, with VAR canceling the decision and giving a foul (it was marginally out).
Groups’ compositions:
GREECE: Tzolakis, Tsimikas, Koulierakis, Mavropanos, Rota, Siopis, Mandalos (71 ′ Pavlidis), Konstalias (71 ′ Zafiris), Tzolis (71 ′ Pelkas), Massouras (46 ′).
Scotch: Gordon, Robertson, Hanley, Sourta, Ralston (89 ′ Porteus), Maclin (75 ′ Tirny), Gilmur (90 ′ Johnston), Maktomine, McGin, Ferguson, Adams (75).
Next Sunday (23/03/25, 19:00, Live from Newsit.gr) the rematch in Scotland’s “Hubden Park”.