Winless in their last two matches, Greece will attempt to start 2009 on the right track in what is expected to be the National Team’s last match in Piraeus for quite some time. Meanwhile, Denmark is also dreaming of a berth in next year’s World Cup, but the road to South Africa has only just begun.

Final Auditions
The Greeks were bitterly beaten by Switzerland back in October, as Blaise N’Kufo’s late strike gave the travelling Swiss a memorable win outside the Greek capital; immediately ending Greece’s perfect start to qualification for next year’s World Cup.

A month later a stiffer test came calling as World Champions Italy sailed across the Adriatic Sea to meet Greece in an international friendly at Karaiskaki. Theofanis Gekas put the Greeks on pace for a rare win against the Italians, until Bayern Munich’s Luca Toni equalized moments later to secure a draw for the ‘Azzurri’.

With victory eluding Rehhagel’s men for two consecutive games now, the ‘Ethniki’ is hoping for a celebratory start to the New Year. A back-to-back series of qualifiers with Israel looms in the horizon for Greece, and this particular meeting with the Danes is a critical check-up for the hosts.

Usually known for his experimental attitude during most international friendlies, Rehhagel has realized the importance of experience as Greece’s roster boasts more familiar faces than usual.

The German tactician chose not to call-up Panathinaikos starlet Sotiris Ninis, or Ergotelis’ midfield sensation Vasilis Koutsianikoulis, but did give Bologna’s Vaggelis Moras his first international shout.

With the microscope on the ‘Galanoleuki’ magnifying immensely game-after-game, there is plenty of pressure on Greece to secure what would be a momentum-boosting win on Wednesday evening.

Different Strokes
Shocking many by leading their qualifying group, which includes Portugal and Sweden, Denmark also views their Greek excursion as a critical encounter.

With a meeting with Malta, and then Albania in store for the Danes in about a month’s time, there is urgency in the need to return to form after a long pause on international football.

Despite an undefeated start to their qualifying campaign, Denmark couldn’t solve Wales when the pair met for an international friendly in Copenhagen back in November. The Danes will aim for a victory in Piraeus, but a another stiff match between these rising European associations is likely to be the story line.

While his touchline counterpart decided to rely on an older, more mature, contingent of players, Morten Olsen has handed out a rare international opportunity for several young talents.

Simon Kjaer appears to be the notable inclusion, as the 19-year-old joins a contingent of young blood seeking its first international cap.

While a youthful energy is installed into Denmark’s roster, leadership may be lacking as veteran center back Martin Laursen announced his retirement from international football ahead of the friendly. Alongside the Aston Villa defender, former Real Madrid and Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen also hung up his international boots as he discontinued his Denmark career.

Vaccinated Rosters
The injury bug usually creates a problem for Greece, but the only notable absentee through injury is striker Ioannis Amanatidis. The Eintracht Frankfurt striker has been out of service for club and country since October, and a return continues to elude one of the National Team’s regulars.

Laursen’s retirement appears to be the only change in Denmark’s squad as familiar faces, excluding Kjaer and Jakub Poulsen, have returned for ‘Olsen Banden’.

Levelling Old Scores
The last time these two sides met was back in 2005, and Denmark claimed to spoils with a 1-0 win in Copennghagen. That loss, combined with a shock defeat to Ukraine, saw then European Champions Greece miss out on the World Cup Finals in Germany. Denmark eventually received the same fate, as two of the early favourites finished behind group-winners Ukraine, and runners-up Turkey.

Although Denmark has been able to beat Greece in the comfort of Copenhagen, they lost during their last trip to the port city of Piraeus.

With an array of talent ready-to-go for both sides, Greece and Denmark will be seeking a win in front of a sparse Athenian crowd. The low attendance could be a disappointment for the hosts, but they will be keen to attract followers of the future with a strong performance

Greece (Otto Rehhagel):
Goalkeepers: Konstantinos Chalkias (PAOK), Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos), Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiacos), Nikos Spyropoulos (Panathinaikos), Giourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (AEK Athens), Vangelis Moras (Bologna)

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica), Alexandros Tziolis (Werder Bremen), Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos), Angelos Basinas (Portsmouth), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos).

Strikers: Theofanis Gekas (Portsmouth), Nikos Lyberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitrios Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Angelos Charisteas (Bayer Leverkusen), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic).

Denmark (Morten Olsen):
Goalkeepers: Jesper Christiansen (FC Copenhagen), Thomas Sorensen (Stoke), Stephan Andersen (Brondby).

Defenders: Chris Sorensen (Odense), Daniel Agger (Liverpool), Jakob Poulsen (Aarhus), Lars Jacobsen (Everton), Per Kroldrup (Fiorentina), Simon Kjaer (Palermo).

Midfielders: Christian Poulsen (Juventus), Daniel Jensen (Werder Bremen), Jonas Borring (FC Midtjylland), Leon Andreasen (Hannover), Martin Vingaard (FC Copenhagen), Thomas Kristensen (FC Copenhagen), Dennis Rommedahl (NEC Nijmegen).

Forwards: Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal), Soren Larsen (Toulouse).

A very experienced core of players continue to hold their spots with the ‘Ethniki’, including Angelos Basinas who has since left AEK Athens to join English side Portsmouth FC.

Fellow midfielder Giorgos Karagounis joins the former AEK midfielder, as does Olympiacos midfielder Christos Patsatzoglou.

Evangelos Mantzios has missed out on call-up after returning to the squad against Italy. His Panathinaikos teammate, however, Dimitrios Salpigidis, has been named as the lone domestic striker.

In defense there isn’t much change to a regular back line presented by the Greeks, as Vasilis Torosidis leads a charge of domestic defenders which also include Sotiris Kyrgiakos and Nikos Spyropoulos.

Kostas Chalkias remains on the list of goalkeepers selected by Rehhagel, but the PAOK shot stopper is joined by Super League rival Alexandros Tzorvas. The Panathinaikos ‘keeper impressed in a 1-1 draw with Adriatic rivals Italy, and could potentially start against the Danes next Wednesday.

The German bench boss has passed on the likes of Greek youngsters Sotiris Ninis and Vasilis Koutsianikoulis, even though the pair were called up for a friendly with Italy back in November.

This will be Greece’s final test before meeting Group B rivals Israel for a back-to-back meeting with the second placed side in Group B.

Greece (Otto Rehhagel):

Goalkeepers — Konstantinos Chalkias (PAOK), Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos).

Defenders: Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos), Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiacos), Nikos Spyropoulos (Panathinaikos), Giourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (AEK Athens), Vangelis Moras (Bologna)

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica), Alexandros Tziolis (Werder Bremen), Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos), Angelos Basinas (Portsmouth), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos).

Strikers: Theofanis Gekas (Portsmouth), Nikos Lyberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitrios Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Angelos Charisteas (Bayer Leverkusen), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic).

According to the EPO, the Danish Football Federation complained travelling to Volos for a friendly against the EURO 2004 winners would inflict too much trouble for their squad who will arrive in Greece at the Eleftheros Venizelos Airport in Athens.

Acknowledging the trouble their opponents could have during their trip to central Greece, the EPO relocated the friendly to the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus – the original venue of the friendly.

Greece to host Israel in Crete
While Athenians were granted one more match, another was taken away from the capital as the EPO confirmed the World Cup Qualifier with Israel in March will in fact be played in Crete.

While it was rumoured Greece would shift its home ground for the qualifier to Crete last month, the move of abandoning a rather unsupportive Athenian crowd came earlier than expected for the EPO who had planned to just play Greece’s final two qualifiers on the island.

The first half got underway with a cautious introduction, with defensive duties the primary objective for both sides. After a few flimsy efforts at both goalmouths, Italy grabbed the first decent opportunity of the match. A corner from Daniele De Rossi was handled poorly by the Greek defense, allowing Gennaro Gattuso to fire a shot at keeper Alexandros Tzorvas. The Greek debutant was equal to the task as he forced another corner. The Italians then had a few set-piece opportunities, but the side lethally known for its aerial abilities was unable to test a confident Tzorvas.

Greece was a little less accurate with its opening effort. Panathinaikos pair, Nikos Spiropoulos and Georgios Karagounis, connected through a clever pass from Spiropoulos. Karagounis, however, made little use of the crafted pass as he fired his effort unhandsomely over the bar.

Greece continued its cautious build-up towards the Italian end, as a united front guided the Greeks into Italian territory. Despite the several contributions to the Greek cause, Otto Rehhagel’s men struggled to penetrate the Italian defense.

Italy continued to press towards a breakthrough, but it was the final ball in each attempt that lacked conviction. Tzorvas continuously poached for slicing crosses, leaving Bayern Munich forward Luca Toni isolated.

At the other end Kostas Katsouranis narrowly missed out on putting Greece ahead, with a free-header opportunity the Benfica midfielder angled his header just wide of Morgan De Sanctis’ goal.

With the match holding a very slow tempo, it was difficult for either side to break free of the tight defensive hold awaiting each attack just past the midfield point. With so few chances, precision seemed like the key factor. A free-kick for the ‘Azzurri’ proved the key trait was lacking for the Italians, as De Rossi’s free-kick was narrowly missed by a sliding Toni and Giorgio Chiellini.

On a return to the Greek end a frustrated Toni attempted to take measures into his own hands by taking on defender Traianos Dellas. Despite narrowly rounding the Anorthosis Famagusta center back, Toni’s effort was not as handsome as he rolled his unbalanced effort way wide of the goal.

To the crowd’s dismay, referee Howard Webb overlooked a handball by Mauro Camoranesi who controlled a leftward ball with his foot and then his left hand. Greece was quick to protest, but another wave in the Greek attack shortly followed. Greek fans erupted in celebration when Evangelos Mantzios eluded De Sanctis and slotted home the ball; however, it was all for a lost cause as the Panathinaikos striker was flagged offside.

As the half died down, both sides showed their ambitions to hold a clean sheet. Italy’s Giuseppe Rossi tried to challenge Tzorvas’ goal just before halftime, but the Villarreal striker put a sharp run to poor use as his effort trickled into Tzorvas’ grasp.

A stalemate after a somewhat un-entertaining opening frame in Piraeus was just desserts for both sides. It was clear the experience-depleted roster on display for sides was lacking in the creation of convincing scoring opportunities. The Italians relied on the mastery of De Rossi, whilst Karagounis’ extra-gear effort was missing in the first half.

Noticing the gaps in his side, Otto Rehhagel made two halftime changes with Bundesliga duo Theofanis Gekas and Nikos Liberopoulos replacing Panathinaikos pair Mantzios and Karagounis. Marcelo Lippi also made two changes, but the modifications came in the midfield and the heart of the Italian defense. Nicola Legrottaglie replaced Chiellini, while Riccardo Montolivo made way for Simone Pepe.

The Italians started the second half brightly, as the Italians looked to test the Greek comforts early and often. Toni, however, couldn’t make use of his forty-seventh minute opportunity as he fired directly towards Tzorvas.

The Greek keeper continued to be peppered by Italian efforts. First, De Rossi teed up a streaking Pepe, but the Udinese winger released a weak shot which did little to trouble Tzorvas. Moments later, Camoranesi fired a blistering shot towards the Greek shot stopper and Tzorvas managed to fulfill his job description. But the rebound left many worried until a floored Tzorvas swatted the ball out of bounds for an Italian corner.

At the other end, Greece experienced better fortunes. A clever cohesion between Alexandros Tziolis and substitute Gekas saw Greece take the lead on fifty minutes. The Panathinaikos midfielder did well to leave the Italian back line dumbfounded with a slick pass to Gekas, who with his first touch beat De Sanctis with ease.

Sokratis Papastathopoulos looked certain to extend the Greek lead when he busted down the left flank. A sneaky Gattuso tackled the young Genoa defender prior to him releasing a shot. A free-kick near De Sanctis’ goal was awarded, but a low-driven shot from Angelos Basinas was easily handled by the Italian keeper.

It was only moments later that Italy pegged back to level the game. A De Rossi free-kick found a stretched Toni who placed his header cleanly past a flat-footed Tzorvas. The Bayern Munich striker freed himself of Greek defenders, to curl his header just inside the far side.

Italy could have grabbed the lead just minutes later but Toni’s layoff to Camoranesi was wasted by the latter, as the Juventus star fired directly towards the Greek keeper.

A flurry of substitutions interrupted the gradual growth of the match, as a refreshment of faces purged any progress either team had made. Greece narrowly grabbed a lead despite all the changes. Dimitrios Salpigidis received a pass from Katsouranis, but the Panathinaikos forward was unable to direct his effort goal wards – allowing it to roll wide of the goal.

The last chance of the match came just before the final whistle, but there was little to fear in Greek minds. Substitute Vicenzo Iaquinta had the opportunity to score the decisive goal, but like many players on this night, the Juventus striker couldn’t connect properly with the bouncing ball and the threat was called off.

Two champions of the new millennium couldn’t solve each other on this night, as an injury stricken Greece and Italy played to a 1-1 draw. Italian manager, Marcelo Lippi, would be happy his side did not lose in the Greek capital. With the draw the 2006 World Cup winner tied a long standing record with his streak of thirty-one consecutive undefeated, as manager of ‘La Nazionale’ tied legendary Italian boss Vittorio Pozzo.

For Greece, disappointment will surely be the mood after a somewhat poor effort in Piraeus. The Greeks conceded their lead after a series of defensive mistakes.

It was clear both managers were keen to experiment with their lineups on Wednesday night, as traditional benchwarmers got their playing time. For Greece, supports of the ‘Ethinki’ would be disappointed to see starlet Sotiris Ninis receive just two minutes of playing time.

Both sides will enjoy a long break before returning to action. Both teams have February friendlies scheduled, with the Italians meeting Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in London. Greece will enjoy home comforts when they meet Denmark in Volos.

Greece 1-1 Italy
Gekas 50′ – Toni 54′

Yellow Cards:
Greece – Vyntra 78′.
Italy – Camoranesi 15′.

Greece (Otto Rehhagel): Tzorvas, Spiropoulos, Papasathathopoulos, Dellas, Vyntra, Tziolis, Basinas (88′ Pliatsikas), Katsouranis, Karagounis (46′ Liberopoulos), Salpigidis (88′ Ninis), Mantzios (46′ Gekas).

Italy (Marcelo Lippi): De Sanctis, Grosso, Chiellini (46′ Legrottaglie), Cannavaro (60′ Gamberini), Bonera, Gattuso, De Rossi, Montolivo (46′ Pepe), Camoranesi (60′ Maggio), Rossi (70′ Iaquinta), Toni (60′ Gilardino).

Referee: Howard Webb (England)

Venue: Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece.

The main focus for both sides has been to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The Italians, a regular in the quadrennial tournament, are looking to qualify for the world showpiece and defend their crown. Their pursuit to repeat as World Champions has been boosted by many returns. With Marcelo Lippi returning as manager of the ‘Azzurri’, many stars followed suit and returned to the squad. With an undefeated record after four matches, the Italians sit atop Group 8 with ten points.

The Greeks, meanwhile, have only qualified for the world’s most popular tournament on one occasion. After their finest hour in 2004, Greece was a shoe-in to make the final tournament in Germany. A string of poor results in the climax of their qualifying campaign saw Greece limited to watching the finals from their television sets. With past results put behind them, Greece has started brightly on its quest for South Africa. The only blunder came in a shock 2-1 loss at home to Switzerland; but the defeat to the Swiss was not enough to dethrone the Greeks from their spot atop the Group 2 standing.

Wednesday’s mouth-watering clash won’t have any effect on either qualifying campaign, but instead could determine which players will be part of each side’s respective roster for the upcoming qualifiers. With European qualifiers on pause until March, it seems both managers are comfortable to call upon irregulars to the squad. In Greece’s this couldn’t be any more obvious, as the German manager has called upon many youngsters to the ‘Galanoleuki’.

In recent matches the Greek National Team has seen the presence of many youthful stars, but their contributions have been limited to sitting on the sidelines. That could all change on Wednesday evening, as long line of injuries have somewhat forced Rehhagel’s hand into the fountain of youth.

Legionnaires are still present in abundance, but it is the new names that are causing all the rage. Regular stars of tomorrow, Sotiris Ninis and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, have been called as usual; however, Rehhagel has dug even further to give Ergotelis forward, Vassilis Koutsianikoulis, his first stint with the national team. The 20-year-old was relatively unknown to the Greek football scene until a two-goal performance in Athens against Panathinaikos gave him praises. Now the star known for his second half demolition of the ‘Tryfilli’ sets his sights on success with the national team.

Another uncapped player enters the national team fold, as Vassilis Pliatsikas hopes this international call-up will hold more success than the last. The AEK midfielder replaced Ioannis Amanatidis in the squad last month, but his role with the ‘Ethniki’ was firmly for injury purposes.

With so many new faces on the squad, many players have also been left out through various reasons. In attack, Amanatidis, Giorgos Samaras and Angelos Charisteas have been left off the list due to injuries. The Greek midfield looks to be unscathed, but Christos Patsatzoglou is doubtful for the match. In defense, more absentees plague the Piraeus encounter as defensive spearhead Sotirios Kyrgiakos joins Giourkas Seitaridis on the unavailable list.

Despite a relatively inexperienced side registered, Greece still poses a threat to World Champion Italy. The man between the posts is likely to be PAOK’s Kostas Chalkias, who will be interested to erase demons that plagued his visit to Karaiskaki on Sunday.

A youthful defensive line should be led by UEFA Champions League participant Traianos Dellas. The Anorthosis Famagusta center back has been instrumental in his club’s Champions League run to date, and will look to do the same against Italy. Partnering with the 32-year-old will be Avraam Papadopoulos, who replaces the injured Kyrgiakos. On the flanks duties are likely to be handed to Genoa’s Papastathopoulos, and Olympiacos’ Vasilis Torosidis.

Giorgos Karagounis will lead the spirited midfield, but should expect assistance from Kostas Katsouranis, and captain Angelos Basinas. With Patsatzoglou out due to injury, Ninis or his Panathinaikos teammate, Alexandros Tziolis, could make a presence in Greece’s lineup.

In attack the Greeks are likely to rely on Theofanis Gekas, who will likely team up with Dimitrios Salpigidis; while Nikos Liberopoulos could make a presence off the bench. Evangelos Mantzios, who returns to the Greece fold after a long absence, could also make an impact for the ‘Ethniki’. His form has been superb for Panathinaikos, leading their Champions League campaign with three goals – all against Werder Bremen.

The Italians face a similar scenario with their squad, but Lippi has picked his squad strategically to cover any gaps left by injuries. Italy’s squad faces more impactful absences than the Greeks, as the likes of sensational keeper Gianluigi Buffon and resurgent midfielder Alessandro Del Piero have been left home by the Italian manager. AC Milan’s Andrea Pirlo and Gianluca Zambrotta join the Juventus pair on the unavailable list.

Despite the long list of absentees, Lippi has a long list of capable players at his disposal. If there is one component of the Italian squad that is less experienced than the Greeks, it will be in goal where Siena’s Gianluca Curci is favoured to make the start ahead of Galatasaray’s Morgan De Sanctis.

In defense, the pinnacle of the national team, Fabio Cannavaro, is expected to anchor the back line alongside Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini. On the flanks, Fabio Grosso – famous for his penalty-kick winner in Germany two years ago-will occupy the left flank, while AC Milan’s Daniel Bonera does the same on the opposite flank.

Gennaro Gatusso will make sure there is a gritty presence to the Italian midfield, while his center-midfield counterpart is likely to be Roma’s Daniele De Rossi. The flanks will boast some fresh faces for the ‘Azzurri’, as Fiorentina’s Riccardo Montolivo is likely to be the third midfielder for Lippi’s side. Off the bench, Mauro Camoranesi can give the Italians an extra boost – if need be against Greece. Likewise, Simone Perrotta will also be keen to apply his trade in the Greek capital.

In attack, a late injury to Fabio Quagliarella could skew Lippi’s scouting plans. The Udinese striker was rushed to an Athens hospital on Tuesday with a broken nose he suffered in training. Nonetheless, there are many capable talismans for the Italians. Luca Toni is the most reputable striker on the list, as the Bayern Munich striker looks to score his first goal with the national side. Fiorentina’s Alberto Gilardino could partner Toni in attack, as a move away from Milan has given the unfavoured striker – at least with AC Milan – an extra step to his stride. Giuseppe Rossi could act as the third striker, whilst Vicenzo Iaquinta and Simone Pepe are likely to be limited to the bench; the latter, however, could be used in one of Lippi’s many experiments.

Although the Italian attack boasts many superstars, the exclusion of Del Piero has left many scratching their head. After scoring a sweet brace at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, the Juventus ‘Golden Boy’ has managed to turn back the clock with his club in both domestic competition and UEFA Champions League appearances. It is certain Del Piero will be bitter about missing out on the visit to Greece.

With so many capable players in both rosters, it is obvious both sides will be keen to dispose of their Adriatic rivals. A home crowd for the Greeks will surely help, especially considering the venue is the fortress-like Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium. The Italians, meanwhile, hold an edge in experience; and with their talented build-up to the squad, they are capable of grabbing a victory away to their neighbours to the east.

Greece (Otto Rehhagel):
Goalkeepers - Kostas Chalkias (PAOK), Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos).
Defenders - Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiacos), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos), Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos), Nikos Spyropoulos (Panathinaikos).
Midfielders – Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica), Angelos Basinas (AEK Athens), Vasilis Pliatsikas (AEK Athens), Alexandros Tziolis (Panathinaikos), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos).
Forwards - Vasilis Koutsianikoulis (Ergotelis), Evangelos Mantzios (Panathinaikos), Theofanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Nikos Liberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitris Salpigidis (Panathinaikos).

Italy (Marcelo Lippi):
Goalkeepers - Gianluca Curci (Siena), Morgan De Sanctis (Galatasaray).
Defenders - Daniele Bonera (AC Milan), Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Andrea Dossena (Liverpool), Alessandro Gamberini (Fiorentina), Fabio Grosso (Lyon), Nicola Legrottaglie (Juventus).
Midfielders - Mauro Camoranesi (Juventus), Gaetano D’Agostino (Udinese), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Gennaro Gattuso (AC Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli), Riccardo Montolivo (Fiorentina), Simone Perrotta (AS Roma).
Forwards – Alberto Gilardino (Fiorentina), Vincenzo Iaquinta (Juventus), Simone Pepe (Udinese), Fabio Quagliarella (Udinese), Giuseppe Rossi (Villarreal), Luca Toni (Bayern Munich).

Using the opportunity to scout several players, Otto Rehhagel elected to keep the face of the squad the same but allowed room for a few newcomers to crack the starting eleven. One of the lucky few was Sokratis Papastathopoulos, a former-AEK player who recently made the move to Serie A club Genoa. The youngster was kept busy in the opening forty-five minutes, as the home side created several chances. Playing under new manager Vladimír Weiss for the first time, the Slovaks were unable to capitalize on several opportunities they had in the opening frame.

Aided with substitutions, a revitalized Greek side took the pitch in the second half. Capitalizing on the lack of finishing in the first half, Greece grabbed the advantage shortly after the restart. Breaking the deadlock shortly after the hour-mark, Theofanis Gekas turned in a pass from Dimitrios Salpingidis to give Greece a 1-0 lead. The Bayer Leverkusen striker doubled his tally twenty-minutes later when e beat three defenders on the turn and slotted the ball past a stranded Štefan Senecký. Gekas nearly bagged a third just before the final whistle, but his effort was well saved by a stretched Senecký.

The win gives Greece plenty of confidence heading into the country’s quest to reach the World Cup Finals in South Africa; with the first match to that tricky task less than a month away. AEK fans could be relieved to see Sotiris Kyrgiakos and Angelos Basinas finally see action this summer. Basinas, who captained the team played, eighty-one minutes; Kyrgiakos, meanwhile, was limited to only the second half.

Greece 2-0 Slovakia
Gekas 61′, 82′

Yellow Cards:
Greece – Karagounis 19′
Slovakia – Cech 19′

Slovakia (Vladimir Weiss): Senecky, Zabavnik, Skrtel, Durica, Cech, Hamsik (79′ Svento), Karhan, Kozak (66′ Mintal), Vittek, Sapara (59′ Sestak), Holosko (54′ Sebo).

Greece (Otto Rehhagel): Chalkias, Seitaridis (46′ Spiropoulos), Torosidis, Dellas, Papastathopoulos (46′ Kyrgiakos), Katsouranis, Basinas (80′ Patsatzoglou), Karagounis (68′ Vyntra), Salpingidis (73′ Lyberopoulos), Amanatidis (46′ Gekas), Charisteas.

The squad bolsters a new wave of talent, with many of Greece’s legends making way for the new generation of stars. The likes of Antonis Nikopolidis and Paraskevas Antzas submitted their international retirement shortly after EURO 2008. Unlike the recent retirees, Stelios Giannakopoulos has been omitted from the roster; likewise, Ioannis Goumas is also absent.

Its clear the focus is qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa and building a team for the future. The qualifying campaign — which starts next month — will be Greece’s experimental phase. Veterans on the national team will pave the way for the less experienced players, as the squad readies itself for a new a cycle.

Criticized for the fact he used the same squad (almost) from EURO 2004 for the most recent edition of the European Championships, the German tactician has responded ahead of Greece’s qualifying campaign kicks-off. In a group featuring Switzerland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Moldova and Latvia, Greece is favourite to emerge on top of the group — just like they did ahead of the EURO 2008 final tournament. With that being said, the task wont be easy nor will it if Greece reaches the promise land in two summers time. With an aging squad reaching the end of its prime, its time for Greece’s newest starlets to dawn the blue-and-white.

The new wave of talent features Panathinaikos starlet Sotiris Ninis in the midfield. The 18-year old has only one cap to his name – a friendly against Cyprus in May. Managing to crack the starting-11 for that game, the young midfielder also capitalized on an oppotunity to score in his international debut.

Former-AEK defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos. Now with Italian club Genoa, the 20-year old hopes to establish a spot on the National Team after just missing out on the EURO 2008 squad.

Avraam Papadopoulos will also look to crack a permanent spot on the squad, just months after moving from Aris Thessaloniki to Piraeus with the League Champions Olympiacos.

Greece (Otto Rehhagel):
Goalkeepers: Kostas Chalkias (PAOK), Alexandros Tzorvas (OFI Crete)

Defenders: Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (AEK), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos), Giourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Nikos Spiropoulos (Panathinaikos), Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiacos), Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos).

Midfielders: Angelos Basinas (AEK), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Kostas Katsouranis (SL Benfica), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Alexandros Tziolis (Panathinaikos).

Forwards: Ioannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Angelos Charisteas (FC Nuremberg) Theofanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Nikos Liberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitrios Salpingidis (Panathinaikos), Georgios Samaras (Celtic FC).

Returning to the squad is Panathinaikos youngster Sotiris Ninis. In his only appearance with the Greek National Team, Ninis impressed in a friendly against Cyprus in May. The 18-year old managed to open the scoring against the Cypriots, as he score six minutes into his international career.

In goal, the starting role could be in question with Olympiacos goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis calling time on his international career. Kostas Chalkias has maintained his spot within the squad, but his chances at a starting role could be ailing after a shaky domestic season with Aris last year. Now with Aris crosstown rivals PAOK, Chalkias will need to impress in the Super League to fend off the likes of OFI’s Alexandros Tzorvas.

Paraskevas Antzas also retired after the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland, but his Olympiacos counterpart Avraam Papadopoulos has gotten the call-up.

Not on the roster is out-of-contract Stelios Giannakopoulos, as well as Panathinaikos center-back Ioannis Goumas. Both players, whom were usual regulars with the Ethniki, have been left out of this ‘new’ edition of the Piratiko.

Greece (Otto Rehhagel):
Goalkeepers: Kostas Chalkias (PAOK), Alexandros Tzorvas (OFI Crete)

Defenders: Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (AEK), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Christos Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos), Giourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Nikos Spiropoulos (Panathinaikos), Vassilis Torosidis (Olympiacos), Loukas Vyntra (Panathinaikos).

Midfielders: Angelos Basinas (AEK), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Kostas Katsouranis (SL Benfica), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Alexandros Tziolis (Panathinaikos).

Forwards: Ioannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Angelos Charisteas (FC Nuremberg) Theofanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Nikos Liberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitrios Salpingidis (Panathinaikos), Georgios Samaras (Celtic FC).

One of the call-ups is Sokratis Papastathopoulos, who narrowly missed making the EURO 2008 squad. Since his dismissal from the Greece squad in May, the 21-year old has made the move abroad. His next stop is the Serie A, where Papastathopoulos has signed with Genoa. The 21-year old is expected to play a big role in Greece’s squad over the next several years. His first task will be impressing in this friendly for a spot in Greece’s World Cup Qualifying roster.

Not on the list is Stelios Giannakopoulos, who was released by Bolton Wanderers at the end of the Premier League season. Currently out-of-contract, the experienced midfielder has yet to find a new club and it appears now that he has lost his spot on the national team.

Greece head into the game looking for redemption after a miserable EURO 2008 run. Slovakia never made it to Austria and Switzerland, but the home side should be a stiff test for the EURO 2004 winners. The match will be the last tune-up for both sides before both countries gear up for their World Cup Qualifying campaign.

The complete list of players will be revealed next week. For now, the foreigners that will star in the August 20th friendly include: Ioannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Angelos Charisteas (FC Nuremberg), Traianos Dellas (Anorthosis Famagusta), Theofanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica), Nikos Lyberopoulos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic), Giourkas Seitaridis (Atlético Madrid).

The Italy friendly will coincide well with Greece’s World Cup Qualifying Campaign, which sees them paired up with one half of EURO 2008 hosts, Switzerland; as well as Luxembourg, Israel, Moldova, and Latvia.

An friendly against Slovakia in Bratislava has already been set for August 20th, 2008. The friendly will act as a warm-up to Greece’s qualifying campaign, which kick starts on September 6th, against Luxembourg.