Group A - Greece 1-2 Czech Rep

Post Match Prediction - Doesn't bode well for this being too exciting. Neither team showed very much in their opening encounters.

Greece were terrible in the 1st half against Poland & by rights should have been out of it by the half. They showed a bit more urgency 2nd half & got rewarded when the Poles and in particular Szczesny imploded & gave them a route back into the game. They have lost a few to injuries & suspensions and still have Samaras starting which is as bad as it can get after Fridays display.

The Czechs, despite being well beaten by Russia, did show some glimpses of talent. They were caught on the counter-attack for 3 goals & I can't see Greece being as adventurous as the Russians were. The right-back & the 2 in midfield looked promising for the Czechs and if Petr Cech & the big 4 show any improvement I think they can get the better of Greece here.


Greece 0-2 Czech Rep



Post-match Verdict : This was a superb result for the Czechs after a storming start.

The Greek goalkeeper should be disappointed with his own part in the two goals. He has had a poor tournament which looks to be over for him now after his injury. In all 3 of the goals conceded by the Greeks he has been partially to blame.

The Czechs again showed some good touches & once again Jiracek in midfield and Gebre Selassie at right-back gave good performances & managed a goal and an assist between them. Gebre Selassie still plays in the Czech Rep for Slovan Liberec so he could be a decent signing for a Premier League club. Jiracek is at Wolfsburg so may cost a bit more but based on his two performances so far, he is showing signs that he would be a good addition to a Premier League club.

The Czechs biggest problem so far would appear to be Chelsea goalkeeper, Petr Cech. He was very poor against Russia & should have done better for at least 3 and possibly all 4 of the goals depending on how harsh you are. He followed that up with another disaster, allowing a cross to slip through his hands into the path of a Greek striker. Luckily the Czechs hung on for the victory but Cech needs to get over this Champions League hangover if he wants to take his season beyond the weekend.

Celtic striker Samaras deserves some praise too for finally looking like a footballer again. I'm not saying he had a great game or even a good game but he certainly had a better game. The big man showed some nice touches & helped create a few chances for his teammates. He is, and always has been, a confidence player & hopefully this improvement will help him get back to form.

Next up for the Greeks is Russia & whilst they still have a chance of qualification they haven't really shown much to make you think they have a realistic chance of getting the victory they need.

For the Czechs it's now onto what looks like being an absolute cracker of a match against the hosts, Poland. A draw may well be enough for the Czechs depending on the other result but that won't be an easy task against a fired up host.