Russia v Greece - MATCH SUMMARY
Historic Greece lose and prosper
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| Russian Striker Dmitry Bulykin celebrates after scoring a goal, 20 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship football match at Faro stadium. Russia and Greece are competing in Group A with Spain and host Portugal. |
Greece progressed to the quarter-finals of the European championships for the first time in their history despite losing 2-1 to Russia on Sunday.
Hosts Portugal defeated Spain 1-0 in high drama in Lisbon to top the group with Greece finishing above Spain, who also have four points, by virtue of a greater number of goals scored.
Russia had not scored in the opening two games in Portugal but took just two minutes to open their account with the Greek backline half asleep.
Dmitri Kirichenko pounced on some hesistant defending outside the penalty area and rifled home the quickest goal in European championships history.
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| Russian Striker Dmitry Kirichenko (C) kicks the ball despite of Greece's midfielder Theodoros Zagorakis (L) and Greece's defender Mihalis Kapsis, 20 June 2004 during their European Nations Championship football match at Faro stadium. Russia and Greece are competing in Group A with Spain and host Portugal. |
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| Russian players celebrate after Russian Striker Dmitry Kirichenko scored against Greece, 20 June 2004 during their European Nations championship football match at Faro stadium. Russia and Greece are competing in Group A with Spain and Portugal. . AFP PHOTO FRANCOIS GUILLOT |
Russia were running Olympic rings around Greece in the first 20 minutes and doubled their lead through Dmitri Bulykin's bullet header from a Rolan Gusev corner.
The Greek defence that was watertight in qualifying was all at sea and on 24 minutes Andrei Karyaka should have made it 3-0 but somehow blazed over from the penalty spot.
It was one of the worst misses of the tournament but another contender came sixty seconds later when Werder Bremen's Greek striker Angelos Charisteas lashed his shot over the bar from six metres out.
Greece then pulled a goal back through Zisis Vryzas on 43 minutes with the marksman turning neatly in the box and chipping the ball over Viacheslav Malafeev in the Russia goal.
Greece started the brighter in the second period, clearly fired up after a stern team-talk from Rehhagel, but on the hour mark Russian substitute Dmitri Sychev almost extended their advantage with his swerving shot drawing a fine save from Greek custodian Antonios Nikopolidis.
But despite the loss, the Greek players linked arms to celebrate wildly on the pitch.