Greece gear up for World Cup with Bolivia win

Greece completed their programme of FIFA World Cup warm-up games with a 2-1 triumph against Bolivia in New Jersey, USA.

Livelier throughout, Fernando Santos's men went ahead courtesy of Panagiotis Kone's maiden international goal on 20 minutes, with captain Kostas Katsouranis doubling their advantage after the break. Bolivia hit back via Rudy Cardozo, but it was Greece who ended the game in the ascendancy.

The Ethniki could have won by a far more commanding scoreline, in fact, their impressive performance spearheaded by Kone and Giorgios Samaras. Fanis Gekas was particularly culpable of missing chances, spurning at least three clear openings to put the game beyond doubt. Greece nevertheless got the result they wanted, and it was Kone who set them on their way, applying a towering header to Dimitris Salpingidis's pinpoint cross.

Their second then followed with 54 minutes gone, Katsouranis rising above everybody at the near post to meet a José Holebas corner and send his flicked header beyond the goalkeeper. Greece subsequently took their foot off the pedal and made a string of substitutions, allowing Bolivia back into the match when Cardozo unleashed a thunderous effort from long range.

Unperturbed, Greece could have restored their two-goal cushion with a minute remaining. Giannis Fetfatzidis set up Lazaros Christodoulopoulos with the goal at his mercy, but his team-mate was caught off guard and let the opportunity slip.

Santos's charges begin their World Cup bid against Colombia in Belo Horizonte on 14 June, and also face meetings with Japan and Ivory Coast in Group C.