Injury time penalty sends Greece through
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ByEurosport
Updated 25/06/2014 at 09:02 GMT
World Cup, Group C, Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza – Ivory Coast 1 (Bony 74) Greece 2 (Samaris 2, Samaras 90+3 pen)
Samaras Greece (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
Georgios Samaras scored a dramatic injury time penalty to send Greece through to the last 16 for the first time.
The Greeks had gone ahead thanks to substitute Andreas Samaris’ goal just before the break after a defensive howler from Cheick Tiote.
However, Ivory Coast looked to be heading through with the draw they needed when Wilfried Bony finished off a slick move 15 minutes from time.
But with just a minute remaining on the clock, Giovanni Sio clipped Samaras in the box and the striker got up to tuck away penalty and send Greece through.
Making Greece’s win all the more remarkable is that they were able to recover from a double injury setback within the opening 25 minutes. First Panagiotis Kone pulled up with a hamstring strain before keeper Orestis Karnezis was forced to withdraw with a back injury.
They will now face Costa Rica in the second round as Ivory Coast are left to reflect on a third successive exit at the group stage.
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Greece's forward Georgios Samaras celebrates (AFP)
Image credit: AFP
KEY MOMENTS
PRE-MATCH: Dortmund's Sokratis Papastathopoulos will play his 50th game for Greece. Didier Drogba is preferred up front to Wilfried Bony and Giorgios Karagounis captains Greece in the absence of the banned Kostas Katsouranis.
11’ – GREECE LOSE KONE: He pulls up with a hamstring problem and is out of the match.
24’ – GREECE LOSE KARNEZIS: More bad news for the Greeks as their keeper goes off with a back injury, replaced by the one capped Glykos.
32’ – GREECE HIT THE BAR: Greece counter from the corner and Samaras finds Cholevas who cracks a thunderous shot against the bar!
42’ – GOAL GREECE: It’s a terrible pass from Tiote and Samaras picks it up before passing to sub Samaris who slots home past Barry.
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3D goal: Andreas Samaris for Greece
58’ – BARRY SAVE: It’s a ferocious drive from Salpingidis and the keeper parries it away.
67’ – KARAGOUNIS HIT THE BAR: It’s a fierce drive from fully 30 yards that shakes the woodwork.
74’ – GOAL IVORY COAST: Bony finishes off a slick move, slotting home from Gervinho’s pass.
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3D goal: Wilfried Bony for Ivory Coast
90+3’ – SAMARAS WINS IT: He’s clipped in the area by Sio and gets up to calmly slot past Barry and send Greece through.
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3D goal: Georgios Samaras for Greece
KEY STATS
Greece have qualified for the knockout stage for the first time in their World Cup history.
Andreas Samaris netted Greece’s first World Cup goal in 331 minutes of action.
He was the third Greek to score at the World Cup and the first as a substitute.
It is only the second World Cup game Greece have scored in, in nine attempts.
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Greece's forward Georgios Samaras comforts Ivory Coast's goalkeeper Boubacar Barry, World Cup 2014
Image credit: AFP
Gervinho has been involved in each of the last three World Cup goals scored by Ivory Coast (scoring two and assisting one).
Nine of Ivory Coast’s 13 goals at the World Cup have been scored after the 60th minute of games.
It was only Greece’s second win in their last nine games at World Cup (D1 L6).
Greece’s Panagiotis Glykos was the first goalkeeper in this World Cup to be brought on from the bench.
It is the only the second time in nine games that both teams have scored in a World Cup game featuring Greece.
Georgios Samaras has ended his goalscoring drought of 1478 minutes with Greece. It was his first shot on target at the tournament in 270 minutes of action.
Greece's seven wins at major tournaments (World Cups & Euros): 1-0 (4 times) & 2-1 (3 times)
TALKING POINT
Horror errors cost Ivory Coast: They have only themselves to blame as schoolboy defending let them down. Tiote’s woeful pass lead to Greece’s first before Sio needlessly clipped Samaras in the box.
MAN OF THE MATCH
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Andreas Samaris
Image credit: AFP
Andreas Samaris (Greece): Came off the bench to score a vital first and troubled Ivory Coast with his movement all evening.
PLAYER RATINGS
Ivory Coast: Barry 6, Boka 6, K Toure 6, Kalou 6, Tiote 5, Gervinho 7, Drogba 5, Aurier 7, Y Toure 7, Die 6, Bamba 6. SUBS: Bony 7, Diomande 6, Sio 5
Greece: Karnezis 5; Maniatis 7, Manolas 6, Samaras 7, Kone 6, Karagounis 7, Salpingidis 6, Torosidis 6, Lazaros 7, Sokratis 6, Cholevas 7. SUBS: Samaris 8, Glykos 7, Gekas 6
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
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