Greece coach Otto Rehhagel is without an entire 11-man team of key players for Monday’s UFWC clash with Cyprus. Olympiakos stars Antonis Nikopolidis, Vassilios Torosidis, Paraskevas Antzas and Christos Patsatzoglou – who will all play in this weekend’s Greek cup final – plus Georgios Samaras, Angelos Basinas, Georgios Seitaridis, Fanis Gekas, Ioannis Amanatidis, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Angelos Charisteas are all missing.

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)

Match Previews Cyprus, Greece

PORTUGAL 1-2 GREECE Dusseldorf, Germany, 26/03/2008
Karagounis 32, 59, Gomes 75

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

Match Reports Greece, Portugal