PIRAEUS, Greece (Reuters) – Greece extended their perfect Nations League campaign with a 2-0 home win over Ireland on Sunday, their fourth victory coming thanks to second-half goals from Anastasios Bakasetas and Petros Mantalas on an emotional night.
The Greeks top Group B2 on 12 points, three ahead of second-placed England, who won 3-1 away to Finland, while Ireland stay third on three points with Finland bottom on zero.
Greece came into the game on the back of an emotionally charged 2-1 win over England at Wembley on Thursday, a day after the death of their former teammate George Baldock, and they rose to the occasion once again in a poignant match.
After an impeccably observed minute’s silence before kick-off, the crowd inside the packed Karaiskakis Stadium made plenty of noise to get behind their team and the players responded.
Ireland’s Caoimhin Kelleher kept his side in the game with four important saves in the first half, but Greece made the breakthrough three minutes after the interval when Bakasetas’ shot took a deflection which took the ball beyond the keeper.
The goal brought Ireland to life and Jack Taylor’s header forced a save from Odysseas Vlachodimos before in added time Kelleher gifted the ball to Mantalos outside his area when attempting a pass and the midfielder slotted home.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Ken Ferris)
