World Cup 2010

Moldova 1-1 Greece: Wasteful Greeks Held To Draw In Chisinau

Moldova has left Greece stunned in Chisinau as Andronic struck just before the full-time whistle...

Sep 9, 2009 11:08:27 PM

WCQ: Moldova - Greece / Samaras (INTIME)

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WCQ: Moldova - Greece / Samaras (INTIME)

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After being bounced out of top spot by Switzerland over the weekend, Greece failed to come through in Moldova as Theofanis Gekas’opening goal was cancelled out by Valeriu Andronic for a 1-1 score-line at the Zimbru Stadium. It was a case of plenty of possession, but little efficiency from the Greek attack, and now the road to South Africa is all the much steeper with just two matches left on their Group 2 agenda.

While the task for Otto Rehhagel’s Greece was straightforward right from the start, the visitors hardly managed to penetrate the Moldovan defense in the early going; despite earning plenty of possession.

Kostas Katsouranis, twice tried to get Greece going inside ten minutes; however, the Panathinaikos midfielder saw his shots from an awkward angle on the right side roll wide of the Moldovan goal.

Sending out three men in attack this time around, Greece’s offensive efforts looked much more fluid than they did over the weekend, and it nearly paid off as Theofanis Gekas met up with a cross from Angelos Charisteas but ‘keeper Stanislav Namasco made sure he was equal to the task.

With the Moldovans offering a thorough defensive effort, it seemed only isolated efforts would sneak past the hosts’ back-line. Charisteas burst into the box on nineteen minutes, but after eluding one defender with a sharp manoeuvre allowing a switch-over to his left foot, Charisteas could only scuff the effort thanks to pressure from the Moldovan defense.

As Greece continued to hold possession, only time was the issue as the visitors looked certain to score before the half-time whistle.

They did just that on thirty-three minutes, with the Moldovan defense scrambling to clear the ball out of their box, a clever pass from Katsouranis to Nikos Spyropoulos was hit one-time by the Panathinaikos defender and ultimately deflected into the Moldovan goal by the outstretched foot of Gekas.

It wasn’t until just before the interval that Greece looked to add to their lead. Giorgos Karagounis, who returned from an injury that kept him sidelined on the weekend, looked to put his side further in front with his free-kick effort, but the Moldovan wall was alert to keep out his well-hit shot.

Holding onto the lead without much resistance from the home side, Greece looked for more of the same after the restart.

Katsouranis displayed his passing skills as he picked out Gekas on a break-away run, but the Bayer Leverkusen man smashed his effort into the side netting.

A sense of desperation consumed the Greek camp, the hunt for a second goal turning into a strenuous task mid-way through the second frame. In fact, it seemed inconceivable to understand why Greece hadn’t notched a second goal – high pressure from the Greek back-line restricting Moldova to their own half.

The hosts did, however, enjoy a rare excursion into the Greek end on seventy minutes, their run eventually energized by a free-kick opportunity for captain Serghei Lascencov – an effort parried away for a corner by Greek ‘keeper Kostas Chalkias.

Inspired by their latest surge into the Greek end, Moldova returned for more just moments later. A deep cross into the box was met by the head of a diving Valeriu Catinsus, the Tom Tomsk defender doing well to connect but was left disappointed as his effort bounced off the upright.

Suddenly it was Greece who were on the back-foot, and with their hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup in South Africa lying in the balance, a nervy finish looked to be in store for the Greeks.

Gekas looked to ease the pressure, and rule out any hope for a Moldovan come-back, when he directed a headed effort on-goal, but Namasco acted quickly to force a corner.

With such wastefulness in front of goal, it was inevitable that Greece were going to pay harsh consequences at the other end. Sure enough Moldova grabbed a dramatic equalizer; substitute Valeriu Andronic beating Chalkias with a one-time effort on ninety-minutes.

With four minutes of stoppage time on the board, Greece couldn’t find a late winner, the final whistle sentencing the Greeks to unwanted draw in Chisinau – a result that could be detrimental to their hopes of qualifying for the final tournament.

Peter Katsiris, Goal.com

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