Greece vs Cyprus: The Derby of Eternal Frenemies Returns
Greece vs Cyprus:
The Derby of Eternal Frenemies Returns
It is that time again when my national loyalty comes into question and this can only mean one thing. Greece will be facing off against Cyprus this week in the Nations League. Even with the ironic title of this blog, I believe that it is still an apt depiction of what we witness whenever the sister nations clash on the international stage.
There is usually a friendly atmosphere in the build-up to this fixture, with Greeks from all over the world tuning in to watch it. Both national teams stand together and proudly sing the Hymn of Liberty, the national anthem for both countries. It is quite a beautiful sight to behold as the crowd joins in to make for a real united atmosphere.
But underneath all the comradery there is the edge of competitiveness in the air. For Greece, they cannot be upstaged by what is seen as the younger sibling of the two, having not lost to the Island nation since 2001. For Cyprus, it is another opportunity to claim their first victory over the Ethniki in over 20 years.
Nations League Campaign So Far
Greece has made it two wins from two so far in the Nations League, having played what were arguably the two hardest games of the group. Gus Poyet manned his Greece side in his first competitive game as head coach in Belfast as his side took on a tough test in Northern Ireland. Even with the host's poor run in the build-up to this match, Piratiko had been stung in previous encounters with the Green and white army most notably in defeats during the disastrous Euro 2016 campaign. Thankfully history did not repeat itself as Greece claimed a deserved 0-1 win thanks to an impressive strike from campaign Tasos Bakaestas.
The next was much more of a worry for Ethniki supporters, however, as Kosovo lay in wait for Poyet's men. We as followers of the national team know all too well the previous four fixtures against the Kosovans having embarrassingly failed to beat them in a single one. This was both a physical and mental mountain that Greece had to overcome. Once again on the road, the Ethniki pulled off a solid display and won 0-1 in a class defensive performance.
While many will agree both matches were far from perfect performances it felt almost reminiscent of the 2004-2014 era of the national team, defensively compact and organised on the counter, capable of holding a lead without too much hassle while still frustratingly failing to score more than one goal. But they always got the result.
Cyprus on the other hand had a much more mixed start to their Nations League campaign. After impressively dumbing Estonia out of the relegation playoff to stay in Group C, Kostenoglou's men disappointingly but unsurprisingly lost at home to Kosovo 0-2 in a rather lacklustre performance. They would then pay out a credible but frustrating 0-0 draw with Northern Ireland. Cyprus very much could have won this game, with several huge chances missed in Larnaka.
Prediction
As I mentioned earlier, this match is worth watching just for the spectacular singing of the national anthem on all sides and the party-like atmosphere with every matchup between Greece and Cyprus. Looking at this subjectively, without having both a moral and ethnic internal crisis, this should in theory be very straightforward for the Ethniki. They have already gathered momentum with their first two wins and, without calling it too soon, look set to finally tip a Nations League group, albeit unless a huge collapse occurs.
Cyprus on the other hand, as talented a squad as they have, something that I have been telling people profusely the last couple of years, struggling to create many chances and when they do, have been squandered. Against a solid defence like Greece, I can't see Cyprus winning when they travel to Volos. I believe that it'll be a comfortable 2-0 for Greece, and yes I do think they will score more than one goal. More than that, however, would be completely preposterous.
@stevekountourou
Hellas Football
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