EURO 2020 DRAW RUNDOWN
Many of you reading this will by now know, who Greece has drawn, in the group-stage for EURO 2020 Qualifying.
Much talk has centred around how easy or how hard the Draw was, is or will be. But with us currently ranked at 43 in the World (some might argue even that is too high for how we are currently playing) and never ever doing anything “easy”, this will no doubt be another nail-biting year of following the Ethniki, as we chase a spot at EURO 2020.
Here is a short summary of our opponents as well as our histories against them:
Italy (Current Rank - 18)
Italy needs no introduction, 4-time World Cup Winners and EURO Winners back in 1968. As has been pretty well publicised in recent times, they have gone through their own problems, having surprisingly missed out on Qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Football nations the size of Italy do not stay down for long, so you can expect with the talent they have at their disposal, to be looking to hit back in this campaign and they will obviously pose the toughest test for us.
Competitively, we last locked horns in Qualifying for the 1982 World Cup. Losing the home tie 2-0 at Leoforos, but coming away with an impressive 1-1 draw in Turin.
Bosnia & Herzegovina (Current Rank - 34)
Most would frankly, be sick of the sight of the Bosnians. We have played them that many times recently it is getting ridiculous. With a lot of those clashes fresh in the memory, fuelled with controversy, fan clashes, great goals and big moments. A real rivalry has developed between the 2 sets of players.
The Bosnians are perhaps looking as good as they ever have, since becoming an independent country, with many great players competing in some of the top leagues of Europe. With Italy the obvious favourite in the group, the 2 matches with Bosnia will be absolutely pivotal and could shape our destiny.
Finland (Current Rank - 58)
We have just played them in the UEFA Nations League for 1 loss and 1 win. They were 2 matches where there was nothing really to write home about, we looked awful at times in both matches, it must be said.
Hopefully with recent clashes against them in the memory bank, the players can use that as some sort of motivation and Angelos Anastasiades, can formulate a plan to overcome them. 2 wins here against Finland in these Qualifiers are essential, and will go a long way to seeing us Qualify for EURO 2020.
Armenia (Current Rank - 101)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, that would be the extent of most people’s knowledge of Armenian Football and you’d be forgiven for thinking that. But they do have a couple of players worth mentioning, Yura Movsisyan now in MLS and Gevorg Ghazaryan who plays in Portugal and who was once on the books of Olympiakos.
Armenia are not travelling all too well either, after suffering a humiliating loss to Gibraltar in the UEFA Nations League. If we want to make EURO 2020, we must get 6 points here, which will be easier said than done.
For some interesting trivia, we beat Armenia both home and away to qualify for EURO 2004, let’s hope that is a good omen.
Liechtenstein (Current Rank - 181)
We played Liechtenstein as recently as in the Qualification stage for the 2014 World Cup. In that campaign we played some very good football and in those 2 matches particularly, but we failed to really do any damage on the scoreboard. Needing a late-ish winner in Liechtenstein to overcome them 1-0 and then winning 2-0 in Piraeus.
They are the quintessential minnows of this group. But as history proves, we don’t have the easiest time of it against these National Teams and certainly, you cannot take anyone lightly in this day and age. Anything less than 6 points here is disaster territory.
So the big question is, can we make EURO 2020?
There is no doubt we can, but we need the coaching staff and the playing group to come together quickly and be united in that goal.
One thing is for sure, it is going to be interesting viewing as it always is with the Ethniki. By Hellas Football.
Much talk has centred around how easy or how hard the Draw was, is or will be. But with us currently ranked at 43 in the World (some might argue even that is too high for how we are currently playing) and never ever doing anything “easy”, this will no doubt be another nail-biting year of following the Ethniki, as we chase a spot at EURO 2020.
Here is a short summary of our opponents as well as our histories against them:
Italy (Current Rank - 18)
Italy needs no introduction, 4-time World Cup Winners and EURO Winners back in 1968. As has been pretty well publicised in recent times, they have gone through their own problems, having surprisingly missed out on Qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. Football nations the size of Italy do not stay down for long, so you can expect with the talent they have at their disposal, to be looking to hit back in this campaign and they will obviously pose the toughest test for us.
Competitively, we last locked horns in Qualifying for the 1982 World Cup. Losing the home tie 2-0 at Leoforos, but coming away with an impressive 1-1 draw in Turin.
Bosnia & Herzegovina (Current Rank - 34)
Most would frankly, be sick of the sight of the Bosnians. We have played them that many times recently it is getting ridiculous. With a lot of those clashes fresh in the memory, fuelled with controversy, fan clashes, great goals and big moments. A real rivalry has developed between the 2 sets of players.
The Bosnians are perhaps looking as good as they ever have, since becoming an independent country, with many great players competing in some of the top leagues of Europe. With Italy the obvious favourite in the group, the 2 matches with Bosnia will be absolutely pivotal and could shape our destiny.
Finland (Current Rank - 58)
We have just played them in the UEFA Nations League for 1 loss and 1 win. They were 2 matches where there was nothing really to write home about, we looked awful at times in both matches, it must be said.
Hopefully with recent clashes against them in the memory bank, the players can use that as some sort of motivation and Angelos Anastasiades, can formulate a plan to overcome them. 2 wins here against Finland in these Qualifiers are essential, and will go a long way to seeing us Qualify for EURO 2020.
Armenia (Current Rank - 101)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, that would be the extent of most people’s knowledge of Armenian Football and you’d be forgiven for thinking that. But they do have a couple of players worth mentioning, Yura Movsisyan now in MLS and Gevorg Ghazaryan who plays in Portugal and who was once on the books of Olympiakos.
Armenia are not travelling all too well either, after suffering a humiliating loss to Gibraltar in the UEFA Nations League. If we want to make EURO 2020, we must get 6 points here, which will be easier said than done.
For some interesting trivia, we beat Armenia both home and away to qualify for EURO 2004, let’s hope that is a good omen.
Liechtenstein (Current Rank - 181)
We played Liechtenstein as recently as in the Qualification stage for the 2014 World Cup. In that campaign we played some very good football and in those 2 matches particularly, but we failed to really do any damage on the scoreboard. Needing a late-ish winner in Liechtenstein to overcome them 1-0 and then winning 2-0 in Piraeus.
They are the quintessential minnows of this group. But as history proves, we don’t have the easiest time of it against these National Teams and certainly, you cannot take anyone lightly in this day and age. Anything less than 6 points here is disaster territory.
So the big question is, can we make EURO 2020?
There is no doubt we can, but we need the coaching staff and the playing group to come together quickly and be united in that goal.
One thing is for sure, it is going to be interesting viewing as it always is with the Ethniki. By Hellas Football.
Comments
Post a Comment