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TURKS' DELIGHT AS GREEKS MISS OUT ON PLAY-OFFS
By Charles Carrick
The Daily Telegraph, UK
Oct 13 2005
European champions Greece saw their slim hopes of qualifying for
the World Cup play-offs snuffed out last night despite them beating
Georgia 1-0 in their final qualifier.
Turkey's 1-0 victory in Albania left the Greeks in fourth place in
Group Two, which was won by Ukraine.
Greece went into their game requiring a win but also needed the Turks
and Denmark to slip. However, Turkey won 1-0 in Albania to take the
play-off slot and also deny Denmark, 2-1 winners over Kazakhstan.
Turkey secured their play-off berth courtesy of a 57th-minute Tuemer
Metin goal.
With a new-look attack featuring Vangelis Mantzios and Dimitris
Salpingidis, Greece created their first chance in the fourth minute
but Salpingidis' header was deflected wide.
The much-needed goal arrived 13 minutes later when Yourkas Seitaridis
crossed deep from the right for Dimitris Papadopoulos to head past
goalkeeper Nukri Revishvili.
With the hosts attacking in waves in search of a second goal, Georgia
found space and could have scored but Levan Kobiashvili's 13th-minute
lob hit the crossbar and Kakha Kaladze's low drive from two metres
was blocked by Nikopolidis 12 minutes later.
The victory proved hollow, though, as the results from elswehere
confirmed that 15 months after being crowned surprise champions of
Europe, Greece would finish as also-rans.
Michael Gravgaard and Jon Dahl Tomasson scored second-half goals
in Denmark's victory. Midfielder Alexander Kuchma scored a late
consolation goal for the hosts.
Gravgaard, who also scored the winner against European champions
Greece on Saturday, scored the first goal in the 46th minute. Three
minutes later, Tomasson added another.
Substitute Daniyar Kenzhekhanov stunned the visitors when he staged
a quick counterattack in the 57th minute, but he just missed the
Danish net.
In the 77th, Kenzhekhanov again threatened while Kazakhstan increased
the pressure on the Danes.
The Czech Republic overcame Finland 3-0 in Group One to gain a play-off
spot. Tomas Jun, Tomas Rosicky and Marek Heinz scored for the Czechs,
who finished second with 27 points, two ahead of Romania.
Holland won the group with 31.
Jun scored in the sixth minute when he coolly side-footed into the
net in a one-on-one with Finland goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. The
move was started by veteran Vladimir Smicer on the left when he drew
Finland's central defenders out of position.
Rosicky doubled the lead in the 51st when his 20-yard shot escaped
Jaaskelainen's grasp. Heinz completed the scoring six minutes later.
Finland's Toni Kuivasto drew an outstanding save from Czech goalkeeper
Petr Cech and the central defender also hit the crossbar with a header.
Armenia ended their campaign with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Andorra
that lifted them off the bottom of Group One. Armenia, whose only
other win came against the same opponents in March, finished in
sixth place in the group with seven points from their 12 matches,
two ahead of Andorra.
The opening goal came when Midfielder Oscar Sonejee turned a cross from
the left into his own net in 39th minute and defender Ildefons Lima
received his marching orders soon after for spitting at an opponent.
Andorra's other goals came from Aram Akopyan and Ara Akopyan.
Sweden came from behind to beat Iceland 3-1 and book their place in
the finals as a best runner-up.
Serbia and Montenegro topped Group Seven by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina,
with Spain securing the play-off slot by hammering San Marino 6-0.
Slovakia pipped Russia to the play-off place from Group Three after
the teams drew 0-0.
By Charles Carrick
The Daily Telegraph, UK
Oct 13 2005
European champions Greece saw their slim hopes of qualifying for
the World Cup play-offs snuffed out last night despite them beating
Georgia 1-0 in their final qualifier.
Turkey's 1-0 victory in Albania left the Greeks in fourth place in
Group Two, which was won by Ukraine.
Greece went into their game requiring a win but also needed the Turks
and Denmark to slip. However, Turkey won 1-0 in Albania to take the
play-off slot and also deny Denmark, 2-1 winners over Kazakhstan.
Turkey secured their play-off berth courtesy of a 57th-minute Tuemer
Metin goal.
With a new-look attack featuring Vangelis Mantzios and Dimitris
Salpingidis, Greece created their first chance in the fourth minute
but Salpingidis' header was deflected wide.
The much-needed goal arrived 13 minutes later when Yourkas Seitaridis
crossed deep from the right for Dimitris Papadopoulos to head past
goalkeeper Nukri Revishvili.
With the hosts attacking in waves in search of a second goal, Georgia
found space and could have scored but Levan Kobiashvili's 13th-minute
lob hit the crossbar and Kakha Kaladze's low drive from two metres
was blocked by Nikopolidis 12 minutes later.
The victory proved hollow, though, as the results from elswehere
confirmed that 15 months after being crowned surprise champions of
Europe, Greece would finish as also-rans.
Michael Gravgaard and Jon Dahl Tomasson scored second-half goals
in Denmark's victory. Midfielder Alexander Kuchma scored a late
consolation goal for the hosts.
Gravgaard, who also scored the winner against European champions
Greece on Saturday, scored the first goal in the 46th minute. Three
minutes later, Tomasson added another.
Substitute Daniyar Kenzhekhanov stunned the visitors when he staged
a quick counterattack in the 57th minute, but he just missed the
Danish net.
In the 77th, Kenzhekhanov again threatened while Kazakhstan increased
the pressure on the Danes.
The Czech Republic overcame Finland 3-0 in Group One to gain a play-off
spot. Tomas Jun, Tomas Rosicky and Marek Heinz scored for the Czechs,
who finished second with 27 points, two ahead of Romania.
Holland won the group with 31.
Jun scored in the sixth minute when he coolly side-footed into the
net in a one-on-one with Finland goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. The
move was started by veteran Vladimir Smicer on the left when he drew
Finland's central defenders out of position.
Rosicky doubled the lead in the 51st when his 20-yard shot escaped
Jaaskelainen's grasp. Heinz completed the scoring six minutes later.
Finland's Toni Kuivasto drew an outstanding save from Czech goalkeeper
Petr Cech and the central defender also hit the crossbar with a header.
Armenia ended their campaign with a 3-0 victory over 10-man Andorra
that lifted them off the bottom of Group One. Armenia, whose only
other win came against the same opponents in March, finished in
sixth place in the group with seven points from their 12 matches,
two ahead of Andorra.
The opening goal came when Midfielder Oscar Sonejee turned a cross from
the left into his own net in 39th minute and defender Ildefons Lima
received his marching orders soon after for spitting at an opponent.
Andorra's other goals came from Aram Akopyan and Ara Akopyan.
Sweden came from behind to beat Iceland 3-1 and book their place in
the finals as a best runner-up.
Serbia and Montenegro topped Group Seven by beating Bosnia-Herzegovina,
with Spain securing the play-off slot by hammering San Marino 6-0.
Slovakia pipped Russia to the play-off place from Group Three after
the teams drew 0-0.