</line> <line count="2" minutes="Teams" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Roman Pavluchenko is fit to lead Russia's attack, while Giourkas Seitaridis starts for Greece despite suffering a recurrence of a groin problem in the 2-0 defeat to Sweden. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="3" minutes="Russia" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Akinfeev, Aniukov, Kolodin, Ignashevich, Zhirkov, Semak, Torbinsky, Zyryanov, Semshov, Bilyaletdinov, Pavluchenko. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="4" minutes="Greece" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Nikopolidis, Seitaridis, Dellas, Kyrgiakos, Torosidis, Katsouranis, Basinas, Patsatzoglou, Charisteas, Liberopoulos, Amanatidis. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="5" minutes="Predictions" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ So, whose tournament is coming to an end tonight? Will the defending champs bow out or live to fight another day? Let me know - and vent your spleen on anything else during the game - by clicking the FEEDBACK icon or emailing me at Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com, and I'll get as many of your insights printed as I can. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="6" minutes="Russia backed" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ As the national anthems ring out around Salzburg, your predictions are coming in. And, if you've got it right, it's farewell to the holders. Russia to win 2-0 or 3-0 seem the most popular options, with Ricardo Vaz - just two letters away from being a Bolton legend - opting for 2-0 and even asking me how I am. Fine thanks, Ricardo. Kind of you to ask. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="7" minutes="Under way" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Greece get this crucial clash started in Salzburg. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="8" minutes="1 - Early chance" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Ioannis Amanatidis almost gets in on goal in the very first minute, but Igor Akinfeev is off his line smartly to hack the ball clear. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="9" minutes="3 - Goal fest" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Anthony Greenwood is predicting a 4-3 thriller, with Russia coming out on top. That'd do me. They waste their first chance to put Greece under pressure, as Yuri Zhirkov's free-kick from the left is easily cleared. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="10" minutes="8 - Quiet" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Nervy start to the game, with neither team settling particularly well. Russia have looked slightly the more lively, with Zhirkov a threat on the left. We've got our first Greece backer of the night, Ben K - two letters off an England rugby legend - backing them to edge through 1-0. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="11" minutes="11 - Close" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Well, not that close. But it was almost exciting for a little while as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov cut in from the right before lashing his shot high over the bar from 20 yards. On the early evidence, Anthony's 4-3 thriller looks unlikely. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="12" minutes="14 - Good hands" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Better from Greece, breaking quickly and utilising Seitaridis on the right. His whipped cross is safely gathered by Akinfeev. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="13" minutes="15 - Good save" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Suddenly the game comes to life. Pavluchenko gets some space on the left and cheekily tries to chip Antonis Nikopolidis. The keeper, alert to the danger, backpedals and tips the ball over the bar. The corner is half-cleared to Zhirkov on the edge of the box, who lashes a volley just wide of the target. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="14" minutes="16 - Theatrical" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Nikos Leberopoulos breaks into the Russia box and, sensing a defender somewhere nearby, flings himself to the turf. He thinks it's a penalty, but is in a minority of one. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="15" minutes="17 - Appeals" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Penalty appeals at the other end now, and the linesman's flag spares the referee from making a far tougher decision this time. Pavluchenko's strike cannons off Dellas' arm, but from such close range it would have been a harsh penalty. Someone had strayed offside, though. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="16" minutes="19 - Little bit of politics" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ David O'Connell writes: "As we normally do in Ireland, I will vote NO and say there will be NO goals. My prediction is a boring 0-0 draw." ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="17" minutes="20 - Miss" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Greece should have proved David wrong almost immediately, with the sort of chance Charisteas was burying four years ago. This time, he makes poor contact with his free header six yards out, and the ball is smuggled round the post by Igor Semshov. Not sure how much the defender knew about it, but he got the ball to safety. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="18" minutes="23 - Wasteful" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Not a good couple of minutes for Charisteas. He's found nicely on the right-hand side by Patsatzoglou - who,sensible lad, has Patsa on the back of his shirt which is how I'll refer to him from now on - but shanks his cross behind for a goal-kick. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="19" minutes="28 - Simulation" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Konstantin Zyryanov is almost set clear by Pavluchenko's clever pass. But Zyryanov's first touch is heavy and, in desperation, he throws himself to the ground hoping for a free-kick which never comes. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="20" minutes="33 - GOAL!" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Horrible defending from the champions, and they are now facing elimination. Nikopolidis chases a cross out to his left despite no apparent signs of imminent danger and Amanatidis on hand to deal with any that should arise. Why Nikopolidis left his goal unguarded is a mystery, but Sergei Semak enterprisingly overhead kicks the ball back into the centre as the ball gets away from the Greek keeper, and Zyryanov has the simplest of tap-ins while the red-faced goalkeeper nurses a bruised ego. Baffling. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="21" minutes="34 - Offside" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Almost two in a minute for Russia, but Pavluchenko's header from close range bounces into the ground and up over the crossbar. Wouldn't have counted in any case as the offside flag was raised. Correct decision, but Pavluchenko was looking right across the line and should never have strayed. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="22" minutes="37 - Confidence" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia are buoyed by that goal. They're now spreading the ball around midfield nicely and have forced a couple of corners. Greece want the half-time whistle. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="23" minutes="40 - Substitution" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Seitaridis came into this game carrying an injury, and he has now been forced off the field. Giorgos Karagounis is the replacement: hardly a like-for-like replacement, so a reshuffle needed by Greece. They should certainly carry more attacking threat now. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="24" minutes="42 - Making an entrance" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Inauspicious start for substitute Karagounis. He scuffs a free-kick and, as Russia look to break, he hauls down Semshov and picks up a booking. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="25" minutes="45 - Offside" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Kyrgiakos can't quite get on the end of Karagounis' cross from the left, but he'd just gone a bit early in any case and is flagged offside. We're into the one added minute at the end of a first half largely dominated by Russia. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="26" minutes="45+1 - Half-time" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ They may have had some help from Nikopolidis' brainstorm, but Russia head off for a half-time cuppa deserving leaders in this crucial Group D clash. The defending champions need to find something in the second 45 minutes or their reign is over, and the world's papers will be awash with 'Greek Tragedy' headlines tomorrow. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="27" minutes="46 - Second half" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia kick-off the second half, and if they play as they did in the first half they should close out this match. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="28" minutes="46 - Great chance" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Straight away, the Russian defence falls asleep and Charisteas sneaks in behind them. As the Russians look pleadingly to the linesman, Charisteas tamely chips the ball into Akinfeev's hands when he really should have given his side a scarcely-deserved leveller. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="29" minutes="47 - Russia hit back" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Two chances in quick succession for Pavluchenko as Russia look to give themselves breathing space. Both are smartly saved by Nikopolidis, who looks to have a few more grey hairs after his first-half horror show. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="30" minutes="51 - Great run" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Pavluchenko picks the ball up on the left and, bereft of support, embarks on a mazy run that takes him into the Greece area. He gets a shooting chance but drags it into the side-netting from an awkward angle. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="31" minutes="54 - Better" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Greece enjoying their best spell here. Akinfeev twice has to be alert to beat away shots from Karagounis and, almost an hour into the second game, the defending champions finally show something as an attacking force. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="32" minutes="58 - Yellow" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Liberopoulous puts an arm across Anyukov as they contest a high ball and is, perhaps harshly, cautioned. It was a foul, but there was no real malice there. Greece are putting up a fight here - reckon they can keep the dream alive? Click the FEEDBACK link or email me - Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com - with your thoughts on the game. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="33" minutes="63 - Stretched" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ It's a much more open game now as Greece search desperately for an equaliser. But they're leaving gaps at the back and some more comedy defending almost lets in Bilyaletdinov, but his shot is blocked behind for a corner. That comes to nothing, and Greece are - just about - still in this. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="34" minutes="68 - Greece chance" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ The champions are getting closer, but Charisteas header is straight at Akinfeev and Russia still lead. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="35" minutes="71 - Free role" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Karagounis has been given licence, it seems, to roam free on the left and is beginning to make his presence felt. He cuts in to shoot right-footed from 25 yards, but sends it wide of the target. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="36" minutes="75 - Farce" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Martin de Oliveira says: "By the end of this match the biggest farce in European football over the last four years will have ended." Martin is, if you hadn't guessed, a Portugal fan... ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="37" minutes="77 - Booking" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia sub Ivan Saenko goes into the book for a foul on Karagounis, who remains Greece's most likely source of salvation in this clash. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="38" minutes="80 - Change" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Greece make a substitution, after a delay while the electronic board misbehaves. Stelios is the man coming on, and it's Amanatidis who makes way once the electronics start working again. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="39" minutes="82 - Clumsy" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Karagounis needlessly concedes a free-kick right on the edge of his own area, and Russia have a chance to put the game to bed. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="40" minutes="83 - Almost" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Zhirkov whips the ball up and over the wall, but can't quite get the ball to dip quickly enough to sneak under the crossbar. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="41" minutes="86 - Outnumbered" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Greece are over-committed forward, and Russia have a four-on-two break but make a mess of it. Kolodin tries to play the ball across to Pavluchenko and it's cut out. Just a lack of conviction about that break. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="42" minutes="87 - Ball in the net" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Charisteas has the ball in the net for Greece, but the offside flag was already up from earlier in the move as Gekas broke from midfield. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="43" minutes="89 - Killing time" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia win a corner and try to keep the ball in the corner and run down the clock. Saenko doesn't make a particularly effective job of it and Greece have a goal-kick. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="44" minutes="90 - Time running out" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Dellas playing as an emergency centre-forward for Greece now, but he's flagged offside as the ball is launched forward from the back. There are three added minutes at the end of normal time for the champions to stay in the tournament. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="45" minutes="90+1 - Let-off" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia concede possession in their own half, but Greece fail to take advantage. Goal-kick Russia. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="46" minutes="90+2 - What a miss" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ Russia have another break, but again they make a mess of it. This time the ball does get through to Pavluchenko but he shoots over the bar when he really should have sealed the game. ]]></text> <title/> </line> <line count="47" minutes="90+3 - Full-time" team="0" colour=""> <text><![CDATA[ It's all over for the champions. Russia were holding on a bit by the end but were the better side for long periods. They now need to beat Sweden in the final group game to progress, while Spain are safely through thanks to this result. ]]></text> <title/> </line> </root>