Ethniki Omada Memorable Moments Part 4

World Cup European Playoff vs Romania

Our Ethniki Omada had a solid World Cup qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil finishing in second place behind Bosnia and Herzegovina who scrapped into top place and gained automatic progression into the World Cup Finals as Greece finished in second place on the same amount of points as Bosnia and Herzegovina but finished in second place due to goal difference.

This resulted in Greece having to play a 2-leg playoff against Romania in order to qualify for the World Cup Finals in Brazil. The playoff draw took place on the 21st of October in 2013, with the FIFA World Rankings being used to decide which of the teams would be seeded. Greece were the second best ranked team out of all 8 teams participating in the playoffs. Greece were drawn in Pot A to play against Romania.

The first leg was played in Greece at the Karaiskaki Stadium. Going in as favourites to win the playoffs and advance to the 2014 World Cup Finals, Greece got off to an outstanding start with Dimitris Salpingitis putting a delightful ball into the box for striker Kostas Mitroglou to volley the ball home into the corner and putting Greece up 1-0 in the 14th minute.

Romania hit straight back catching the Greek players napping from a set piece which went to the back post where it seemed as if Greek goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis was caught in no mans land and Romanian Bogdan Stancu scored the headed goal.

Only 2 minutes later, Greece would take the lead once again this time through Dimitris Salpingitis. The goal was created by Georgios Samaras who put out a cross field ball to right back Vasileios Torosidis who put a great ball in for Salpingitis to tap the ball in.

Samaras created Greece’s third goal with a set piece which took a deflection in the box and fell to in-form Kostas Mitroglou’s boot and he smashed the ball home which almost secured Greece pathway to the World Cup. In the second leg, Greece most likely only needed one more goal to advance to the World Cup and within the 22nd minute of the second leg away from home Giorgos Karagounis chipping the ball over the Romanian defence for Kostas Mitroglou to run onto as he was put in a one on one with the goalkeeper and waited for the Romanian keeper to go to ground before passing the ball into the corner of the net and securing a Greece a ticket to Brazil.

By Athan Stylos for Hellas Football

________________________________________________________________________________________

Greek Gods strike killer blow to deliver the Greatest Football fairy tale ever

Just over 14 years ago to the day, Greece did what no one imagined by winning Euro 2004. Before it began, the Ethniki had never won a game at a major tournament.

By the time the Final came around, our beloved Ethniki Omada had already sent shockwaves throughout the football world. As the rank outsiders (ranked 16th out of 16 teams in the tournament), we defeated the host nation Portugal on the opening day, had a respectable draw with Spain, rode our luck to make the knockout stages against Russia, beat the reigning Euro Champions France in the quarter final and beat the tournament dark horse the Czech Republic.

By this stage, Greeks from all around the globe were out on streets celebrating like no tomorrow in a manner that only Greeks know how to. For the playing group, the mission was simple - beat a star-studded Portuguese side to complete the greatest football fairytale ever. Led by the wily German coach Otto Rehhagel, defensive discipline and organisation had to be at the forefront, but in order to win chances needed to be created and finished.

The starting 11 was fairly settled, with the only change being Stelios Giannakopoulos replacing the suspended Giorgos Karagounis. Miguel had the first best chance of the game for the more-fancied hosts but Antonis Nikopolidis dived well to his right to tip it out of danger. The Ethniki then created a half chance up the other end but it was a comfortable save for Ricardo as Charisteas could not generate enough power. Meanwhile back at the other end, Nikopolidis was at it again, this time denying Pauleta, who shot from distance outside the box.

By now, the tempo of the game was settled with the Portuguese dictating play. However, the longer the game wore on the Ethniki grew into it and looked more assured. Chances from a cross and a free kick could not be converted, but going into sheds goalless at the break played into our hands. Rehhagel had the players primed for the second half.

Chances were at a premium until the 57th minute. An underrated feature of our triumph in 2004 was our quality attacking play. Tsiartas, Zagorakis, Karagounis and Giannakopoulos were all quality midfielders, however, it was fullback Giourkas Seitaridis on this occasion who bombed forward for an attack to create width. He earned a corner.

The rest as they say is history... In what is all still a blur for every Greek on the planet, Angelos Basinas whipped in a delightful corner for Angelos Charisteas to nod home from point blank range. It is not an exaggeration to say the entire would shook when the ball hit the back of the net.

Once again, the players knew they had to defend stoutly for over half an hour, but given our defensive prowess it would have taken something special to breach a determined back line spearheaded by Traianos Dellas and Michalis Kapsis. That something special never came. A young Cristiano Ronaldo had two big chances for an equaliser as the clock wound down, Nikopolidis saved brilliantly for one. Luis Figo also came close but could not thwart our staunch defence. Ricardo Carvalho even had a go from distance.

However, the tension was slowly released and by the time Zagorakis launched a shot well into the crowd to wind down the clock, Greeks knew the impossible was achieved. The referee then blew full time. Greece were Champions of Europe against all the odds. Impossible is nothing. The players dropped to the floor, probably not realising what they had achieved, Rehhegal ran around with his arms in the air. Greeks in every corner of the planet partied even harder than the semi final win over the Czechs and the parties continued for a long time.

It is a moment in time where every Greek remembers where they were and what they did. As a young kid still in primary school at the time, it was the first major tournament I got to see the Ethniki play. The players will go down in the history books as legends, as will Rehhagel. Together they put Greek football on the map and illustrated the well-known Greek fighting spirit.

By Nick Tsambouniaris for Hellas Football