PORTO, 13 June 2004 — Greece recorded the greatest win in their soccer history by upsetting host nation Portugal 2-1 in the opening game of Euro 2004 yesterday.
Portugal, hot favorites to win, were stunned by an early goal and can have no complaints as they rarely troubled a well-drilled and committed Greek team.
“This is the biggest win of any Greek team ever,” coach Otto Rehhagel said. “Tomorrow is a Sunday and I hope that Greeks will hang flags outside their houses.”
Greece had never previously won a match at a major tournament.
The Group A outsiders, looking composed on the ball and determined in defense, led through Giorgos Karagounis’ seventh-minute shot and doubled the advantage with an Angelos Basinas penalty six minutes into the second half.
They then held out until injury time when Cristiano Ronaldo got a consolation goal with a close range header from a Luis Figo corner.
After the excitement of Porto’s Champions League success last month and the anticipation of hosting their first major tournament, the result was a huge anti-climax for most of the 50,000 crowd at the impressive Dragao Stadium and millions watching around the country.
However, for the few thousand wildly celebrating Greek fans and lovers of a soccer underdog, it was a day to cherish.
“We’ve achieved something totally unknown to us. We came to fight,” said Karagounis.
Greece, who qualified ahead of Spain and drew with Portugal in a November friendly, had shown they would not be overawed as they cut through in the first minute, striker Angelos Haristeas miskicking in front of goal after a low cross by Zisis Vryzas.
It was an encouraging start for a team who failed to score in their three group games during their last appearance in a major tournament, the World Cup 10 years ago.
It got better six minutes later as midfielder Karagounis pounced on a misplaced pass out of defense by Paulo Ferreira, took the ball forward and drove a low shot past goalkeeper Ricardo from the edge of the area.
Greece had more chances as Haristeas shot wide and overlapping fullback Takis Fyssas arrived in the box to send a volley over the bar.
Portugal, who had not lost any of their previous nine European Championship group games, eventually settled, with Figo, Rui Costa and Simao Sabrosa beginning to show nice touches in midfield.
However, they rarely penetrated a defense superbly led by center backs Traianos Dellas and Michalis Kapsis and their only real chance of the first half was a Costa header which he sent wide after 25 minutes.
Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari introduced Ronaldo to add invention in the second half but the winger’s first contribution was to bring down Yourkas Seitaridis with a clumsy challenge.
Italian referee Pierluigi Collina pointed to the spot and midfielder Angelos Basinas sent Ricardo the wrong way with a crisply-struck penalty.
Despite having almost 40 minutes to get back into the game, Portugal appeared to be feeling the effects of two years without a competitive match and were bereft of ideas.
Greek keeper Antonis Nikopolidis was not tested until the 86th minute when he made a diving save to keep out a Nuno Gomes effort. Ronaldo’s sharp header came too late to spoil Greece’s day.