Greece vs Spain (August 22 friendly)

[PAO_HELLAS]

The game will be played in Toumba stadium in Thessaloniki and it is dedicated to Theodoros Zagorakis, the former captain of our national team. Zagorakis will play in the game and it will be his last game with the national team.

There is a possibility that Tsiartas and Nikolaides will be called back to the national team, just for this game. but it isn't sure yet.

[OCFP]

The game will be played in Toumba stadium in Thessaloniki and it is dedicated to Theodoros Zagorakis, the former captain of our national team. Zagorakis will play in the game and it will be his last game with the national team.

There is a possibility that Tsiartas and Nikolaides will be called back to the national team, just for this game. but it isn't sure yet.


Wow that would be a nice moment for every1. They should have picked an easier oppenent but anyway. Crowd should be in it. Thanks Zagorakis for everything. :drum: :drum:

[dannymex]

Wow that would be a nice moment for every1. They should have picked an easier oppenent but anyway. Crowd should be in it. Thanks Zagorakis for everything. :drum: :drum:



yeah seriously, easier would have been better

spain is gonna win :D

vamos espana!

[SiN]

Big freindly match, should be a cracker, Greece at home is not a easy feat and im expecting a close match but if either team get 2 goals or more that would defentaly end the game, good luck!

[plato-ny]

Zagorakis had a great Euro 2004 and became the MVP. This goal he set up against France will remain in our memories:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=79cMugFLPYw

Zagorakis, the Captain and MVP, lifting the trophy:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=u1qJ5wfgHKw&mode=related&search=

Bio of Zagorakis (in Greek)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qsLlnOsuNMU

[OCFP]

yeah seriously, easier would have been better

spain is gonna win :D

vamos espana!

Just like when they lost to Greece 1-0 in Spain for 04 qualifiers or when they couldn't beat us in Portugal.

[dannymex]

spain will win.

eso tenlo por seguro

[OCFP]

spain will win.

eso tenlo por seguro

Ok if u say so.

[dannymex]

nah i dont know,

good luck to both teams.

[PAO_HELLAS]

They should have picked an easier oppenent but anyway.

Well, Spain isn't any superpower. This moment they are an average European team. But average teams are the ones who cause trouble to Greece usually, many times when we play with bigger teams we perform better :D.

Anyway I doubt if the final result will be remembered, the purpose of this game is other. It is dedicated to Zagorakis and his offer to the national team all these year. It is not going to be degraded, no matter if we win or lose.

[PAO_HELLAS]

The squad for the game against Spain announced today:

Nikopolidis, Chalkias, Seitaridis, Basinas, Katsouranis, Kyrgiakos, Charisteas, Gekas, Samaras, Kapsis, Liberopoulos, Papadopoulos, Salpingidis, Vintra, Goumas, Torosodis, Dellas, Tziolis, Spyropoulos, Antzas, Patsatzoglu, Karagounis.

[Vic]

This game is really interesting and i expect a good fight. Spain has troubles in their gamestyle, can't work together as a team properly. Spain has the better players but i'm not sure if they have the better team.

Good luck to both teams.

[PAO_HELLAS]

The squad of Spain

Αλμπέλδα (Βαλένθια), Ανγκούλο (Βαλένθια), Φάμπρεγκας (Αρσεναλ), Ινιέστα (Μπαρτσελόνα), Χοακίν (Βαλένθια), Σίλβα (Βαλένθια), Τσάμπι Αλόνσο (Λίβερπουλ), Τσάβι (Μπαρτσελόνα), Χουανίτο (Μπέτις), Μαρτσένα (Βαλένθια), Πάμπλο Ιμπάνιεθ (Ατλέτικο Μ.), Περνία (Ατλέτικο Μ.), Σέρχιο Ράμος (Ρεάλ Μ.), Τόρες (Λίβερπουλ), Βίγια (Βαλένθια), Λουίς Γκαρσία (Εσπανιόλ), Κασίγιας (Ρεάλ Μ.), Ρέινα (Λίβερπουλ)

[PAO_HELLAS]

EPO announced Charisteas is out of the squad. I am not sure of the reason.

[dannymex]

el equipo de espana.

Goalkeepers - Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool)

Defenders - Mariano Pernia (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Ibanez (Atletico Madrid), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Juanito (Real Betis)

Midfielders - Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Miguel Angel Angulo (Valencia), David Silva (Valencia), David Albelda (Valencia), Joaquin (Valencia)

Forwards - David Villa (Valencia), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Luis Garcia (Espanyol)

[Park Ji Sung]

Yup, me predict Spain win too. South Korea defeated Greece 1-0 like three months ago, after Lee chun soo scored with a beautiful Freekick.

[poutismalakas]

Yeah like friendlies count so much

[PAO_HELLAS]

Well a win at this friendly specifically would have some importance, as the friendly is dedicated to Zagorakis and it is his last game with the national team. But as I said the offer of Zagorakis can't be degraded in any way, so no serious concern about the result is needed.

[poutismalakas]

Im making to comment towards the Greece South Korea friendly.

[dannymex]

well when your team looses its easy to say that friendlies dont matter isnt it.

[poutismalakas]

so that is what you said when you lost to the US?

[plato-ny]

Only idiots make a fuss about meaningless friendlies' records and results, regardless of the outcomes.

[dannymex]

so that is what you said when you lost to the US?

actually i laughed.

[PAO_HELLAS]

Only idiots make a fuss about meaningless friendlies' records and results, regardless of the outcomes.

I agree, I would just use the word "ignorant of football" instead of "idiot".

I just remembered the old anthem of Olympiakos, which had a honorable memoir in friendly win (flamewar provocation?) :D :lol: :p

[Panathinaikos2]

So far Greece is winning 2-1 :D Gekas is playing very good!

[PAO_HELLAS]

Salpingidis also needs a goal. His performance is good so far and he must anwser to these pathetic PAOK fans who swear at him. The behavior of these fanatic supporters is just pathetic, in a game of the National team they swear against Salpingidis, Athens, Panathinaikos, Olympiakos etc. with their chants. This is an insult to Zagorakis, let's hope that this behavior will not affect more this party-game.

[dannymex]

damn too bad i cant watch it! What is the score so far?

[PAO_HELLAS]

Spain just equalized. It is 2-2 right now.

[Panathinaikos2]

Spain just scored in the 91st minute... Spain 3-2 Greece :sad:

[Panathinaikos2]

Anyways in the first half Greece played very good attacking football and we fought very hard but in the second half we sat back and defended most of the half against an attacking machine such as Spain and it costed us in the 91th minute. Regardless of the result this was a very good test and we played very good despite missing Charisteas, Amanatides, and Kyriakos.

[Panathinaikos2]

Salpingidis also needs a goal. His performance is good so far and he must anwser to these pathetic PAOK fans who swear at him. The behavior of these fanatic supporters is just pathetic, in a game of the National team they swear against Salpingidis, Athens, Panathinaikos, Olympiakos etc. with their chants. This is an insult to Zagorakis, let's hope that this behavior will not affect more this party-game.Yes these PAOK supporters were just pathetic :mad2: Salpiggides was one of the best players on the pitch and they booed him all game :boo: Anyways it's a shame Salpiggides didn't get a goal becuase Salpiggides really fought hard for the goal all game.

[dannymex]

so i'm guess spain won?

:D

[PAO_HELLAS]

2-3 final score, after the goal of Da Silva in the last minute of the extra time. I would not say the result is unfair as we were not good in the second half, however the only one who has to be concerned about it is Rehagel and he must consider it for his plans in the game against Norway. As I said before the game, no result would be able to degrade the offer of Zagorakis to our National team.

So this was the last game of Zagorakis. Before the game he received many honors from the Greek and Spanish football federations, from PAOK and many others. The stadium was full and everyone was cheering for our captain - the bad behavior of a few fanatic PAOK supporters wasn't enough to ruin the good general atmosphere of the game.

One of the greatest players of our National Team retired officially, his offer will not be forgotten:

http://www.contra.gr/images/zagorakis_ellada_spain_220807.jpg

[Panathinaikos2]

Otto Rehaggel should never had played Vyntra, Papadopoulos, and Tziolis in the second half. They were horrible.. Otto should have substitued in Samaras and Lymberopoulos in the second half but instead Otto wanted us to sit back and defend the 2-1 lead instead of going for another goal :boo:

[Panathinaikos2]

Zagorakis truly was an outstounding player :) Zagorakis was the soul and spirit of our national team :)

[dannymex]

its too bad Zagorakis had his farewell with a lose, but i'm glad spain won. Hopefully later you guys can post the highlights

[Cihangir]

Everytime a legendary player retires, his team loses. Lol that really sucks.

[plato-ny]

Our other competitors' friendly matches:

Bosnia-Croatia 3-5
Romania-Turkey 2-0
Norway-Argentina 2-1
Hungary-Italy 3-1

Despite the loss to Spain, Greece moved up 2 spots and is now ranked 14th in the FIFA Rankings

1 Brazil 1508 0
2 Argentina 1491 0
3 Italy 1430 0
4 France 1380 0
5 Germany 1337 0
6 Croatia 1223 1
7 Netherlands 1211 -1
8 Spain 1165 1
9 Czech Republic 1158 2
10 Portugal 1157 -2
11 Mexico 1099 -1
12 England 1091 0
13 Romania 1090 0
14 Greece 1034 2
15 Ukraine 1002 2
16 Cameroon 1001 -1
17 USA 985 -3
18 Serbia 965 -1
19 Sweden 950 1
20 Poland

[plato-ny]

The goals:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ik6ale-RXLQ&mode=related&search=

[Carsi_1903]

Well, Spain isn't any superpower. This moment they are an average European team. But average teams are the ones who cause trouble to Greece usually, many times when we play with bigger teams we perform better :D.

Anyway I doubt if the final result will be remembered, the purpose of this game is other. It is dedicated to Zagorakis and his offer to the national team all these year. It is not going to be degraded, no matter if we win or lose.

Spain has the capacity to become a major powerhouse like the Krauts and the Italians but ethnic rivalries have prevented Spain from accomplishing this. Pity.