MATCH 18 REPORT : NERVOUS GREECE ADVANCE

Attacking intent
Rehhagel opted for an attacking formation, despite his side needing just a point to be sure of a place in the last eight. Panathinaikos FC striker Dimitrios Papadopoulos was handed his tournament debut in a three-pronged attack alongside Vryzas and Angelos Charisteas, while Angelos Basinas bolstered a midfield that had lost Stylianos Giannakopoulos to injury and Georgios Karagounis to suspension.

Seven changes
Russia, already eliminated after two straight defeats, made seven changes from the side that lost to Portugal, with Vladislav Radimov playing the anchor role in a new-look midfield that had Rolan Gusev on the right, Andrei Kariaka on the left and Dmitri Alenichev in the hole behind front two Bulykin and Kirichenko.

Sudden impact
It was Kirichenko's first taste of action in Portugal and the PFC CSKA Moskva striker wasted no time making his mark, scoring Russia's first goal of the campaign inside two minutes. Greece lost concentration at the back as Konstantinos Katsouranis missed his attempted clearance, allowing Kirichenko to race clear and steer a right-foot shot past Antonios Nikopolidis.

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