Greece punish Ireland in familiar fashion on emotional night

David Sneyd reports from Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus

Nations League – League B, Group 2

Greece 2

Republic of Ireland 0

WE ALL KNOW the routine by now.

Whenever opposing managers or players talk about the DNA of the Republic of Ireland they always speak of spirit and strength and a sense of deep pride.

“And of course, you guys always concede goals early into the second half, usually from outside the box.”

That familiar failing cost Ireland again here, Liam Scales’ outstretched foot deflecting Tasos Bakasetas’ strike beyond Caoimhín Kelleher three minutes after the restart.

The Ireland goalkeeper had been in contention for man of the match due to his performance in keeping the game scoreless for that long. Instead, his misplaced pass in the 91st minute gifted Petros Mantalos a tap in and he’ll have a different kind of feeling in the pit of his stomach.

This was a repeat in almost every sense of last month’s defeat to Greece; seeing out an early onslaught before going behind when some punters weren’t even back in their seats, then having a late sucker punch as they chased a point.

Heimir Hallgrímsson spoke about consistency and knowing what to expect but this is not what he meant.

Some of the Greek players fell to their knees at the full time whistle, others embraced their teammates with long hugs.

This was an emotional night for the hosts, paying tribute to the late George Baldock, and the home fans chanted his name and sang their songs with fervour as they headed into the Greek night still on top of Group 2 in League B of the Nations League.

In the time between Thursday’s win over Finland in Helsinki and this more testing assignment just outside Athens, Hallgrímsson’s message was constant and consistent.

He spoke about his desire to see more assertiveness from his players, about being on the front foot, and not just with how they pressed and made life uncomfortable for the Greeks in possession.

The Ireland boss said it was a “scary thought” if they started as slowly here as they did in the Finnish capital and even though they were blessed to make it to the half-time break with the game goalless, the visitors did actually begin with the kind of purpose that was demanded of them.

Jason Knight followed his manager’s instructions to a tee in the fifth minute, bursting from his midfield slot when he saw that defender Dimitris Giannoulis was about to receive a pass while static and square on his right side.

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His pass was hurried and misplaced, with the ball spinning back into the box where Evan Ferguson reacted quickest. By the time he shot approaching the penalty spot he was off balance as the covering Lazaros Rota had come in from the side and kicked his lower leg.

The effort – one of only two Ireland had in that first half – went well wide but no spot kick was awarded or VAR overturn deemed necessary.

That moment seemed to shock the Greeks back into life as they soon found the kind of flow in attack that showed why they were capable of going to Wembley and beating England earlier in the week.

Only Kelleher’s strong hands and quick feet kept the home side at bay.

The Liverpool keeper outstretched his right leg on two occasions from both sides to keep powerful low efforts out – the first from captain Tasos Bakasetas on 19 minutes falling kindly for forward Vangelis Pavlidis whose follow up was smothered gratefully by the Cork native.

The second of Kelleher’s fine saves with his feet was from left back Dimitris Giannoulis just before the half hour when they again probed and found space in the Ireland area.

They were getting pinned back with a mixture of neat passing from the Greeks breaking their midfield lines as well as overlaps down the wings as the away side struggled to get a handle.

Giorgos Masouras had three efforts blocked from Scales, Dara O’Shea and Sammie Szmodics in one dizzying passage of play, and by the 20-minute Greece already had 10 shots compared to Ireland’s two.

The fact they only added three more before the break highlighted how they did tail off somewhat, even if they maintained a threat would be evident so early after the re-start.

Once, on 39 minutes, Ireland did keep hold of the ball with Josh Cullen and Jason Knight in midfield before Chiedozie Ogbene was released down the right.

Greece, with their both full backs pushed high throughout, were suddenly exposed but Ogbene had nothing in the way of support and had to settle for a corner as both Ferguson and Troy Parrott – the one change from Thursday, were further back.

After weathering that initial flurry and reaching the break level, Ireland then conceded three minutes into the second period.

It wasn’t that the goal, deflected off Scales and away from Kelleher, undone impressive defensive work, as Greece cut Ireland open and should have already been ahead, but that such a flaw that Hallgrímsson is seeking to eradicate surfaced so soon after last month.

Greece continued their 100% record with Ireland in their four meetings over the last 18 months, and like that most recent victory in Dublin, when they struck five minutes into the second period, this one came courtesy of a deflected strike in the 48th minute.

A neat one two between Christos Tzolis and Bakasetas on the edge of the area created the space required to get a shot away, Scales sliding to produce another block only for it to strike off him and beyond Kelleher.

At the very start of this window, before a ball was kicked, Hallgrímsson and assistant head coach also referenced those first 45 minutes against Greece at Aviva Stadium as the blueprint to build on.

Then the expectation was the outcome would be decided by fine margins.

Well, Hallgrímsson correctly predicted that, and he took time to assess his plan of action in response to falling behind by bringing on Festy Ebosele and Jack Taylor for Ogbene and Ferguson on 57 minutes.

Taylor forced goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimo into his first important save of the night on 69 minutes when a cross from Cullen was perfect for a powerful header that needed to be tipped over the bar.

Taylor also had what looked to be a goal-bound volley blocked in the six-yard box after Robbie Brady’s 86th-minute corner.

Hallgrímsson had introduced Mikey Johnston, Jayson Molumby and Kasey McAteer by that stage to try and inspire a late snatch and grab.

But it was Ireland who gifted their opponents that late second and they left empty handed. Deservedly so, even if the story of the game could have been different had a penalty been awarded for that early foul on Ferguson.

Greece: Odysseas Vlachodimos; Lazaros Rota, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Dimitris Giannoulis; Dimitris Kourbelis (Kostas Tsimikas 82), Manolis Siopis; Giorgios Masouras (Dimitris Pelkas 65), Tasos Bakasetas (captain) (Christos Zafeiris 72), Christos Tzolis (Petros Mantalos 72); Vangelis Pavlidis (Tasos Douvikas 72).

Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher, Dara O’Shea (Kasey McAteer 82), Nathan Collins (captain), Liam Scales, Robbie Brady; Chiedozie Ogbene (Festy Ebosele 57), Jason Knight (Jayson Molumby 72), Josh Cullen, Sammie Szmodics (Mikey Johnston 72); Troy Parrott; Evan Ferguson (Jack Taylor 57).

Referee: Joey Kooij (Ned)