National… painting in Ireland and 2X2 for Greece!

Our national team also passed through Dublin! OR Greece beat Ireland 2-0 away, just like last year, making it 2X2 in his League B Nations Leagueas a result of which it equals to top of the 2nd group standings along with England -whose representative group is superior for the time being.

Two amazing goals from them Ioannidis (50′) and Joli (87′) they gave the double to his team Ivan Jovanovichwith the Blue and White going 6-1-0 against the Irish.

In the coach’s mind

With formation 3-5-2 lined Ireland o Heimir Hallgrimsonwhich had Kelleher under the posts and O’Shea, Omobamidele and Collins in the stoppers, with Brady and Brown on the wings.

Ogbene, Smallbone and Molabi played in the midfield, while Knight and Smodis were ahead of them.

The Ivan Jovanovichchose 4-2-3-1with Vlachodimos in goal and Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis and Tsimikas in defense. Siopis took a position next to Bouchalakis, with Hatzigiovanis, Bakaseta and Tzolis behind Ioannidis.

The match

Our national team entered the match well, absorbing the pressure that the home team tried to exert. In the 11th minute, the first important moment was recorded, with Hatzigiovani to execute the corner from the left and the Koulierakis to catch a header, with the ball scraping the crossbar and ending up wide.

The hosts tried to respond, however his final effort Knight in the 22nd minute, he did not particularly worry Vlachodemos, who blocked comfortably.

In the 26th minute, it was his turn Bakaseta to threaten, with the Greek midfielder committing a foul outside the area and forcing Kelleher to throw up and intervene.

A quarter of an hour later, Mr Ogbene he sent the ball into the net with a terrific volley from outside the area, however luckily for our National team, the scorer… was caught in an offside position. In the 45th minute the Irish threatened again, as they switched the ball nicely from the right and it was put into the Brownwho shot high out from an advantageous position.

The second part started in the best possible way for the “blue and white”, as in 50th minute, Ioannidis executed a terrific, lobbed shot from outside the area on Kelleher, opening the score!

This development forced the hosts to raise their lines, with our National Team, however, responding to its defensive duties, keeping the Irish away from home.

In 67′, in fact, o Jolis entered the area from the right, with the shot, however, ending up high outside, while two minutes later his free kick Bakaseta had a corresponding ending.

The hosts intensified their pressure and in the 85th minute saw his shot Robinson through the area to counter and pass just outside the focus.

Two minutes later, however, Jolis put an end to the modest ceremony! His long ball Bakaseta found the young Club Brugge winger who exposed the opposition defender and slotted the ball into the net with a terrific finish to seal the double..

This was followed by a missed shot by Bakaseta in stoppage time and an effort by Zafiris that ended up in the arms of Kelleher, with 2-0 being the final score.

MVP: He picked up where the terrible left off Fotis Ioannidis! It was the Greek forward who paved the way for the big double in Dublin, unlocking the Irish defense with a stunning volley from outside the area. Already three goals in two matches in the Nations League for the forward of Panathinaikos.

The teams’ lineups

Ireland (H. Hallgrimson): Kelleher, O’Shea, Omobamidele (74′ Doherty), Collins, Brady, Ogbene (84′ Robinson), Smallbone, Molabi (63′ Ferguson), Brown, Knight (74′ McAteer), Smodis (84′ Aida)

On the counter: O’Leary, Travers, O’Dowda, O’Brien, Embosele, Scales, Parrott

Greece (I. Jovanovic): Vlachodimos, Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas, Siopis (89′ Doi), Bouchalakis (67′ Zafeiris), Hatzigiovanis (67′ Masouras), Bakasetas, Tzolis (89′ Vagiannidis), Ioannidis (88′ Pavlidis)

On the counter: Tzolakis, Mandas, Douvikas, Hatzidiakos, Constantelias, Mandalos, Giannoulis

Referee: Eskas (Norway)

Assistants: Engan, Bashevkin (Norway)

4th: Aslam (Norway)

VAR: Higgler, Blank (Netherlands)

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