Greece vs. Russia Preview

The final round of group games begins on Saturday, with Group A leaders Russia facing Euro 2004 winners Greece in Warsaw. Dick Advocat’s side need just a point to guarantee qualification to the semi-finals, whilst victory would ensure they win the group outright.

The Russians won their opening game convincingly, before drawing with co-hosts Poland on Tuesday; a result which stretched their unbeaten run to sixteen internationals.

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw when they last met in a friendly in November. Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Roman Shirokov gave Russia an early lead before Panathanikos’s Konstantinos Katsouranis equalised on the hour mark.

Striker Alan Dzagoev is once again set to lead the line for Russian following his three goals in his sides opening two matches. The CSKA Moscow man is priced at 9.0 (8/1) with Bet Victor to finish the tournament as top scorer.

Russia go into the game as odds-on favourites, with Paddy Power offering the best price of (3/4). Greece are 5.5 (9/2) with Stan James whilst the draw is (14/5) with the same firm.

The Greeks drew the opening match of the tournament with co-hosts Poland, before falling to a 2-1 defeat to Czech Republic on Tuesday. Two goals in the first six minutes, from Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar were enough to give Michel Bilak’s men victory, with Fanis Gekas pulling one back for the Greeks in the second half. That consolation goal moved Gekas to joint third in the list of all time Greek goal scorers, and the 32 year old is 11.0 (10/1) with Ladbrokes to open the scoring here.

Tuesday’s defeat was only Greece’s second in twenty-three games, having gone through their qualification campaign unbeaten; only victory here will see Fernando Santos’s side into the quarter finals.