Greece going for the Euro championship
Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2004 12:22 am
While I'm in here I thought I'd mention that a very improbable sports story is unfolding here in Greece right now. For those who don't follow soccer at all (or football as it's known in the other 182 countries where it's the main sport), for the past two 1/2 weeks the tournament known as Euro2004 has been going on in Portugal. Just as with the World Cup, it is played only every four years, and obviously it is just for teams in Europe. I would say it is as big a deal to European football as the World Cup.
Anyway, little Greece entered the tournament never having won a single game in any of the previous events. Just to have made it in through 2 years of qualifying matches was considered a pretty big deal here, as only 16 teams make it that far. Four teams comprise a group and the top two teams in points from each group go on to the elimination rounds.
Greece was in a group with host Portugal, Spain and Russia. Nobody gave them a chance, none, zilch. They have no stars on their team, no members of a premier league team in Britain or Italy like most of the other countries. they were supposed to go the way of the other no-chance outfits like the Latvians and the Croatians, cannon fodder for the big boys: France, Germany, Britain, Italy etc. The Greek fans would have been happy if their local heroes had just even eked out a single point, which you get for a draw.
I think you're getting the picture, right? The Greeks had no shot to do squat, but someone forgot to tell them that. In their first match they beat the Portugal squad 2-1. Huge upset, people were stunned. Next, they tied the Spanish 1-1. Disbelief reigned. They lost to the Russians, but with 4 points squeaked into the elimination round anyway, where everyone here felt that they were about to get their asses handed to them by the powerful French.
They beat those Gallians 1-0 in a thrilling match, to move on to the semi-finals against the even-more powerful, undefeated Czechs, who boast two of the best players in the world. The miracle run was about to end right? Nobody in Greece would have been disappointed, it was already a huge source of national pride that they had made it this far.
Well damn if those plucky Greeks didn't beat the Czechs as well, 1-0 again, in extra time, with only 30 secs. to go before a shootout would have decided it. A great goal, a header off a corner kick, caught the Czechs flat-footed and sent this town into an absolute apoplexy.
So here we are, the finals coming up tomorrow night (on the 4th!), Greece vs. Portugal, in Lisbon. Greece has already beaten them, but Portugal will be playing in front of their home town fans, so it will be tough! I for one am not counting the Greeks out, after what has happened up til now. I will park myself in front of a big screen at a local watering hole, surrounded by rabid, frantic Greeks and allow myself to get swept up in the moment. Go Greece!
I'll report back here afterwards win or lose. This has really been fun.
Anyway, little Greece entered the tournament never having won a single game in any of the previous events. Just to have made it in through 2 years of qualifying matches was considered a pretty big deal here, as only 16 teams make it that far. Four teams comprise a group and the top two teams in points from each group go on to the elimination rounds.
Greece was in a group with host Portugal, Spain and Russia. Nobody gave them a chance, none, zilch. They have no stars on their team, no members of a premier league team in Britain or Italy like most of the other countries. they were supposed to go the way of the other no-chance outfits like the Latvians and the Croatians, cannon fodder for the big boys: France, Germany, Britain, Italy etc. The Greek fans would have been happy if their local heroes had just even eked out a single point, which you get for a draw.
I think you're getting the picture, right? The Greeks had no shot to do squat, but someone forgot to tell them that. In their first match they beat the Portugal squad 2-1. Huge upset, people were stunned. Next, they tied the Spanish 1-1. Disbelief reigned. They lost to the Russians, but with 4 points squeaked into the elimination round anyway, where everyone here felt that they were about to get their asses handed to them by the powerful French.
They beat those Gallians 1-0 in a thrilling match, to move on to the semi-finals against the even-more powerful, undefeated Czechs, who boast two of the best players in the world. The miracle run was about to end right? Nobody in Greece would have been disappointed, it was already a huge source of national pride that they had made it this far.
Well damn if those plucky Greeks didn't beat the Czechs as well, 1-0 again, in extra time, with only 30 secs. to go before a shootout would have decided it. A great goal, a header off a corner kick, caught the Czechs flat-footed and sent this town into an absolute apoplexy.
So here we are, the finals coming up tomorrow night (on the 4th!), Greece vs. Portugal, in Lisbon. Greece has already beaten them, but Portugal will be playing in front of their home town fans, so it will be tough! I for one am not counting the Greeks out, after what has happened up til now. I will park myself in front of a big screen at a local watering hole, surrounded by rabid, frantic Greeks and allow myself to get swept up in the moment. Go Greece!
I'll report back here afterwards win or lose. This has really been fun.
