Depleted Greece go down under
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Article summary
Several key players will miss Greece's trip to Australia to face the Socceroos on 25 May, as the UEFA EURO 2004™ winners limber up for their title defence.
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Several key players will miss Greece's first trip to Australia to face the Socceroos on 25 May. Coach Otto Rehhagel has omitted Mihalis Kapsis, Paraskevas Antzas and Evangelos Mantzios because of fitness concerns, while goalkeeper Konstantinos Chalkias is on duty for his club Real Murcia CF. However, Panathinaikos FC defender Ioannis Goumas and Olympiacos CFP midfielder Pantelis Kafes are both back after injury.
Title defence
The match forms a major part of Australia's build-up the FIFA World Cup, which starts on 9 June, while Greece are preparing the defence of their European Championship crown. The UEFA EURO 2004™ winners face Norway, Turkey, Hungary, Moldova, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Malta in their qualifying group for the 2008 tournament. They will play England in a friendly at Old Trafford on 16 August in Steve McClaren's first game in charge of the home team.
Greece squad
Goalkeepers: Antonios Nikopolidis (Olympiacos CFP), Stefanos Kotsolis (Larissa FC).
Defenders: Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Rangers FC), Panagiotis Fyssas (Heart of Midlothian FC), Georgios Seitaridis (FC Dinamo Moskva), Loukas Vintra (Panathinaikos FC), Georgios Anatolakis (Olympiacos CFP), Traianos Dellas (AEK Athens FC), Ioannis Goumas (Panathinaikos FC).
Midfielders: Konstantinos Katsouranis (AEK Athens FC), Theodoros Zagorakis (PAOK FC), Angelos Basinas (RCD Mallorca), Stylianos Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers FC), Georgios Karagounis (SL Benfica), Panagiotis Lagos (Iraklis FC), Pantelis Kafes (Olympiacos CFP).
Forwards: Angelos Charisteas (AFC Ajax), Ioannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Georgios Samaras (Manchester City FC), Dimitrios Papadopoulos (Panathinaikos FC), Dimitrios Salpingidis (PAOK FC), Theofanis Gekas (Panathinaikos FC).
