Greece threw away a half-time lead and conceded three goals within 16 second-half minutes to hand the UFWC championship title to Hungary. It was Hungary’s first victory against Greece since 1987, and sees the Magyars take back the title they last held in September 2007.

Greece, so strong in recent matches, looked poor against a revitalised Hungary, paying for the first time under Dutch coach Erwin Koeman, older brother of Ronald. But an opening goal came against the run of play, when a defensive mix-up allowed Ioannis Amanatidis to give Greece the lead right on the stroke of half time.

Whatever Koeman said during his half-time team talk certainly worked. Hungary hit Greece with a triple-whammy, with goals from Balazs Dzsudzak, Roland Juhasz and Krisztian Vadocz between the 47th and 63rd minutes.

Nikos Liberopoulos pulled back a consolation goal for Greece in the final minute.

So Hungary are the new UFWC champions. This was the Magyars’ 17th UFWC title victory. Hungary did not qualify for Euro 2008, but there is still a chance that the UFWC title will be there. Hungary’s next match is against Slavin Bilic’s highly-rated Croatia on 31 May.

A makeshift Greece squad – missing 11 key players – managed to brush aside Cyprus 2-0 in this Euro 2008 build-up match.

18-year-old Panathinaikos starlet Sotiris Ninis scored within five minutes of making his international debut, beating Cyprus goalkeeper Antonis Georgallidis with a low shot from inside the area. Ninis becomes the youngest player to score for Greece. ‘It’s a wonderful feeling,’ said Ninis.

Benfica’s Costas Katsouranis scored a penalty in the 58th minute, to give the dominant Greeks a 2-0 win.

The game was interupted shortly before the end when part of the 23,500-strong sell-out crowd ran onto the pitch in the mistaken belief that they had heard the final whistle.

The match had been preceded by the unusual sight of a float in the shape of Greece’s German coach Otto Rehhagel being driven around the pitch to cheers and shouts of ‘good luck’.

Rehhagel has named his squad for Saturday’s match with Hungary, and the big news is that teenage scorer Sotiris Ninis is dropped – and with so many key players returning to the fold he is unlikely to return to the squad for Euro 2008. Rehhagel will announce his Euro 2008 squad immidatlety after the Hungary match, with the team leaving for a pre-tournament training camp in Germany on Sunday.

Hungary were UFWC champions until September of last year. However, an attempt to take the title from Greece in November ended in a 2-1 defeat.

Instead, Rehhagel will turn to 18-year-old Panathinaikos prodigy Sotiris Ninis, plus Panionios midfielder Grigorios Makos, PAOK striker Lazaros Christodoulopoulos and OFI goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas. Also included is Stelios, this week released by Bolton Wanderers.

THe match will take place at the Panpeloponisiako Stadium in Patras.

Greece squad: Chalkias (Aris Salonika), Tzorvas; Spyropoulos, Vintra, Goumas (all Panathinaikos) Dellas, Papastathopoulos (both AEK Athens), Melissis (PAOK); Karagounis, Alexandros Tziolis, Sotiris Ninis (all Panathinaikos), Stelios (unattached), Katsouranis (Benfica), Makos (Panionios GSS); Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Liberopoulos, Christodoulopoulos (PAOK)

Two carbon-copy free kicks from ‘Gorgeous’ Girogos Karagounis gave Euro and UFWC champions Greece victory over Portugal in this friendly match on neutral turf.

Greece, who beat Portugal twice at Euro 2004, dominated the game and scored in the 32nd and 59th minutes.

Nuno Gomes pulled a goal back for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side, who were without Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Deco.

But Portugal, who were without Traianos Dellas, held out for a deserved victory.

Portugal’s Gomes commented, ‘We couldn’t handle Greece in the first half. They’re a very experienced team, with a number of veteran players who know how to control a game.’

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel is set to extend his contract with national team until 2012.
Portugal: Ricardo, Paulo Ferreira, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Caneira, Fernando Meira, Carlos Martins, Miguel Veloso, Ricardo Quaresma, Simao, Nuno Gomes
Used substitutes: Joao Moutinho, Bruno Alves, Miguel, Hugo Almeida, Jorge Ribeiro, Raul Meireles

Greece: Nikopolidis, Patzatzoglou, Antzas, Kyrgiakos, Torosidis, Basinas, Karagounis, Katsouranis, Amanatidis, Charisteas, Gekas
Used substitutes: Giannakopoulos, Seitaridis, Samaras, Goumas, Salpingidis

Current UFWC Champions Greece will play Portugal at the neutral venue of Dusseldorf’s LTU Arena in a friendly match on 26 March. The game will be a replay of the 2004 Euro final – Greece actually defeated Portugal twice during that tournament and, of course, became Euro Champions. Portugal lost 3-1 to Italy last month, and coach Luiz Felipe ‘Big Phil’ Scolari says, ‘It’s good for us to face the world champions and now the European title holders. We can get a better idea of what state we are in and what we have to improve.’

Scolari includes Huelva midfielder Carlos Martins in his squad, while Greek coach Otto Rehhagel recalls Atletico Madrid defender Giuourkas Seitaridis.

Portugal squad: Ricardo Pereira (Real Betis), Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon), Miguel Monteiro (Valencia), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Fernando Meira (VfB Stuttgart), Bruno Alves (Porto), Pepe (Real Madrid), Marco Caneira (Valencia), Raul Meirelos (Porto), Miguel Veloso (Sporting Lisbon), Joao Moutinho (Sporting Lisbon), Jorge Ribeiro (Boavista), Carlos Martins (Recreativo Huelva), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Quaresma (Porto), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United)

Greece (preliminary) squad: Giourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Angelos Basinas (Mallorca), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers), Georgos Samaras (Celtic), Fanis Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Giannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Angelos Charisteas (Nuremberg), Costas Katsouranis (Benfica)

Okay, this is complicated: This match is part of the friendly Cyprus International Tournament, also involving the Czech Republic and Poland. On the previous afternoon, 5 February, a Greece side played a Czech Republic side. This was regarded by both sides as a ‘training camp’ match, and featured many reserve and under-21 players. Crucially, the match was NOT recognised by FIFA as an ‘A’ match and therefore does NOT count as a UFWC title match. 24 hours later, this match against Finland also featured several reserve players, but WAS recognised as a FIFA ‘A’ match. Therefore it WAS a UFWC title match. Phew.

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel hoped to include uncapped 33-year-old Olympiakos midfielder Ieroklis Stoltidis in his line-up. Unfortunately, Stoltidis considered himself too old to make his international debut. ‘I am at an age where I can no longer perform at the required level for both my club and my country,’ he said. Meanwhile, Finland manager Stuart Baxter was helming his first full international.

Greece dominated the match, but the result was never a foregone conclusion. Finland took the lead after 66 minutes through veteran star and new Fulham signing Jari Litmanen. But Greece were level within a minute, with Angelos Charisteas heading in a Giorgos Karagounis free kick. Benfica midfielder Costas Katsouranis won the match with a long-range effort that deceived Finland goalkeeper Peter Enckelman.

Greece retain the title and are now unbeaten in six games. The team’s next scheduled game is a friendly away to Hungary on 24 May, although it is expected that other Euro 2008 warm-up games will be announced.

Greece: Antonis Nikopolidis (Chrisostomos Michailidis, 46), Christos Patsatzoglou (Panagiotis Lagos, 46), Vassilis Torosidis, Angelos Basinas, Sotiris Kyrgiakos, Paraskevas Antzas, Costas Katsouranis, Giorgos Karagounis (Nikos Spiropoulos, 70), Ioannis Amanatidis (Dimitris Salpingidis, 46), Angelos Charisteas, Fanis Gekas (Nikos Lymberopoulos, 78).

Finland: Peter Enckelman, Markus Halsti, Mika Vayrynen, Mikael Forssell, Jari Litmanen (Roni Porokara, 70), Juha Pasoja, Ari Nyman (Veli Lampi, 77), Markus Heikkinen, Alexei Eremenko, Jonatan Johansson (Kari Arkivuo, 77), Toni Kallio.

Current UFWC Champions Greece will kick off 2008 with a friendly match against Finland on 8 February. Finland have played 13 UFWC matches, but failed to win any of them. Greece are currently ranked 11th in the world by FIFA, one place ahead of England. Finland are ranked 37th, one place behind the Republic of Ireland. Finland are unbeaten in eight games, five of which were 0-0 draws. Finland captain Jari Litmanen is currently on trial at Fulham. Can Greece extend their three match reign as champions, or will Finland take the title for the first time? Full coverage at www.ufwc.co.uk.

Greece came from behind to retain the UFWC title in this final Euro 2008 Qualifier. The reigning European Champions had already qualified for the tournament, and will now go through as a number one seed.

An experimental Greek side started poorly, and Hungary scored after seven minutes through Akos Buzsaky’s deflected shot. But the Magyars pressed the self-destruct button on 22 minutes, when a back-header from defender Vilmos Vanczak eluded out-of-position keeper Marton Fulop and ended up in the net.

Otto Rehhagel re-organised his team, and Greece were much improved in the second half. On 59 minutes, Bayer Leverkusen star Fanis Gekas was fouled by Fulop and won a penalty, which was converted by Angelos Basinas. Greece held on to win 2-1.
Formidable Greece are now unbeaten in five games, and will go into Euro 2008 with a genuine chance of retaining their trophy. The next UFWC title match is still to be announced.

UFWC and European Champions Greece thrashed poor Malta 5-0 to easily retain the unofficial title in this Euro Qualifying Group C encounter. Greece had already qualified for the finals, but they did not go easy on their visitors, who are rooted to the bottom of the group table.

Bayer Leverkusen forward Fanis Gekas was the hat-trick hero for the Pirates, claiming his first goal by stabbing in a rebound from a Stelios header. Malta kept the score respectable until half-time, but fell apart after the interval.

The pick of the Greek goals was a brilliant 20-yard strike into the top corner of the Malta net from captain Angelos Basinas. Then Giannis Amanatidis drilled home a loose ball to make it 3-0. Gekas then scored two goals in two minutes to claim his hat-trick, first a looping header, and then a poacher’s strike from a ball played straight down the middle.

Malta have now conceded 23 times in seven UFWC title matches, and failed to score once.

Impressive Greece now travel to Hungary on Wednesday evening for their final Euro qualifying match. Hungary were UFWC Champions as recently as September, having taken the title from Italy, then holding off Bosnia-Herzegovinia, before losing out to Turkey. Greece have already qualified, and Hungary cannot qualify for Euro 2008, so this match is all about the UFWC title.
Greece: Nikopolidis, Patsatzoglou, Dellas, Kyrgiakos, Torosidis (Spyropoulos 48), Basinas, Katsouranis,Karagounis (Tziolis 70), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Liberopoulos 46),Gekas, Amanatidis.
Malta: Haber, Josef Mifsud, Briffa, Said, Azzopardi, Pullicino, Pace, Sammut (Cohen 61), Nwoko, Schembri (Scerri 68),Michael Mifsud (Sciberras 78).

Saturday sees Malta attempt to take the UFWC title in this Euro Qualifier. Current UFWC and Euro Champions Greece have already qualified for Euro 2008, but Malta are seeking to avoid Qualifying Group C’s wooden spoon. Malta are currently rock-bottom of their group with just five points from ten games – 20 points less than Greece.

Malta coach Dušan Fitzel said, “Greece have already qualified and I expect a full house in Athens as Greek supporters will want to watch their heroes.”

Malta face a tough task – Euro champs Greece are FIFA-ranked 14th in the world, while the Maltese are ranked a lowly 137th, inbetween Yemen and Lenbanon.
Malta – with a population of just 400,000 against Greece’s 11 million – have never held the UFWC title. They have lost all six of their previous title matches, failing to score a single goal and conceding eighteen.

The Maltese squad includes three UK-based players – Michael Mifsud (Coventry City), and Andrew Cohen and Terence Scerri (both Hibernian). Macclesfield Town’s Luke Dimech is suspended.

The Greece squad includes Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers) and Georgios Samaras (Manchester City). Greece will be without star striker Angelos Charisteas and Olympiakos defender Paraskevas Antzas due to injuries.

Should Malta manage to defeat Greece, they will take the UFWC title into a Euro with Norway four days later on Wednesday 21 November. If Greece hold onto the title, they will next defend it against Hungary on the same day.