Greece grind out Luxembourg win
Wednesday 14 October 2009
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Greece's Georgios Fotakis (right) jostles with Ben Payal (©Getty Images)
Two goals from set-pieces saw Greece side tie up a play-off place as FIFA World Cup qualifying Group 2 runners-up, but their performance in Athens was not one for the scrapbook.
Set-piece efforts
A 10,000 crowd at the Olympic Stadium was modest by usual standards, and Greece put in a subdued display. They took the lead on the half-hour with Vassilis Torosidis heading in Giorgos Karagounis's corner, and three minutes later Fanis Gekas found the net from a Karagounis free-kick. It was Gekas' tenth goal of the campaign, making him the top scorer in the European qualifying tournament.
Late lapse
Greece's task ought to have become considerably easier after Ben Payal was dismissed for a 58th-minute challenge on Dimitris Salpingidis, and the victim of that foul should have made it 3-0 on 76 minutes, shooting against the post with Luxembourg goalkeeper Jonathan Joubert beaten. The visitors then provided a sting in the tail with an Avraam Papadopoulos own goal denying Michalis Sifakis a clean sheet on his international debut.
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