Greece - Nigeria
(2 - 1)
Greece won its first-ever FIFA World Cup match, as Dimitris Salpigidis and Vasileios Torosidis scored against 10-man Nigeria in a 2-1 win Thursday at Free State Stadium in Group B play.
Kalu Uche scored in the 16h minute for Nigeria, but Salpigidis equalized with Greece's first-ever World Cup goal in the 44th minute and Torosidis scored the game-winner in the 71st.
Greece failed to score in its first World Cup appearance in 1994 and also lost its 2010 opener to South Korea without scoring, but tallied both goals after a red card to Nigeria's Sani Kaita in the 33rd minute.
(Nigeria)
Argentina sits atop Group B with six points following its win over South Korea earlier Thursday. Greece and South Korea each have three points and Nigeria is still alive despite a pair of losses.
Greece's only threat on goal in the opening half hour came in the 13th minute on a 50-yard shot from Konstantinos Katsouranis that Nigeria goalie Vincent Enyeama snared on the goal line.
Nigeria responded with its first scoring chance in the 16th minute, and Uche's free kick slid past Greece goalie Alexandros Tzorvas to open the scoring. Uche drove the kick to the middle of the area to teammate Peter Odemwingie, who let ball go just over his head and into the net past a fooled Tzorvas.
Greece was lifeless until Kaita was red carded for shoving and then kicking at Torosidis in the 33rd minute.
Greek coach Otto Rehhagel immediately brought striker Georgios Samaras on for defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos and abandoned the team's defensive style.
Salpigidis had Greece's first good opportunity in the 39th, when Enyeama came off his line to deflect his shot and Nigeria defender Danny Shittu cleared the rebound with Theofanis Gekas lurking.
(Greece)
Samaras' 41st-minute header was saved off the line by Nigeria's Lukman Haruna, but Greece broke through three minutes later.
Greece used a nice build up of nine passes, the last by Katsouranis, to set up Salpigidis just outside the area. Salpigidis drove a shot into the area, and it took a deflection off Haruna and sailed into the upper-left corner.
Greece's Georgios Karagounis opened the second half with a header over the bar and Uche followed with a chip-shot from the left end line that Tzorvas pushed over the bar in the 48th.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos forced Enyeama to make a save in the 55th, and Gekas failed to solve the impressive goalie in the 60th.
Nigeria countered Gekas' attempt with its best scoring chance after the break, but Ayegbeni Yakubu and Chinedu Ogbuke wasted two consecutive great chances.
Yakubu finished the break with a one-on-one chance against Tzorvas but his shot toward the right was deflected by the goalie's left hand. The ball rolled to the right to an open Ogbuke, who miraculously missed an open net.
Greece turned the pressure up after Nigeria's near misses and, after two more saves from Enyeama on Gekas and Samaras, scored the winner in the 71st minute.
Alexandros Tziolis tested Enyeama from 30 yards and, although Enyeama stopped the initial shot, the rebound rolled into open space on the left side of the area. Torosidis beat Enyeama to the loose ball and scored inside the left post as Greece became the first team in this World Cup to overturn a deficit.
Enyeama made another fine saves minutes later as Greece tried to seal the win, but Nigeria showed no signs of adding a late equalizer.
Nigeria lost 1-0 to Argentina in its opener, but still has a chance to advance with a win over South Korea on Tuesday, coupled with an Argentina win over the Greeks that same day and a swing in goal differential.
source 15 - YELLOW CARD - Greece's Socratis Papastathopoulos is booked for pulling down Nigeria's Peter Odemwingie.
16 - GOAL - GREECE 0 NIGERIA 1 - Another goalkeeping error at the South African finals allows Nigeria to take the lead. Kalu Uche curls in a long range free kick which misses everyone, and deceives Greek keeper Alexandros Tzorvas who dives out the way allowing the ball to bounce into the net.
33 - RED CARD - Nigeria's Sani Kaita is given a straight red card for kicking out at Vassilis Torosidis for no apparent reason in a bizarre off the ball incident.
37 - SUBSTITUTION - Greece take off defender Papastathopoulos and bring on striker Giorgos Samaras.
40 - A nice interchange of passes by Greece has Dimitris Salpingidis through on goal but Nigeria's keeper Vincent Enyeama smothers his shot well.
41 - Greece almost equalise. Haruna Lukman clears off the line after a corner from the right is met by Samaras who directs a shot on goal but the Nigerian midfielder guarding the near post hacks the ball to safety.
44 - GOAL - GREECE 1 NIGERIA 1 - Greece find the back of the net as Salpingidis hits a low drive from outside the box and his shot takes a wicked deflection off Lukman and flies into the net past a helpless Enyeama.
45+3 - HALFTIME - The teams go in all square but the Greeks have their tails up after the Nigerian sending-off and their equaliser.
46 - SUBSTITUTION - Nigeria make a change at the start of the second half, with Chinedu Obasi replacing Odemwingie.
49 - Uche puts in a looping cross shot from near the byline and keeper Torosidis is forced to push over acrobatically.
55 - SUBSTITUTION - Nigeria bring on Elderson Echiejile for the injured Taye Taiwo.
59 - A deep cross into the Nigerian box is headed across his own penalty area by defender Joseph Yobo straight into the path of Fanis Gekas whose shot is well-saved by Enyeama.
Nigeria then break away at pace and in numbers. Yakubu Aiyegbeni gets clear on goal and Tzorvas makes a fine save, but can only palm the ball into the path of Obasi, who puts his shot wide of an open goal.
59 - YELLOW CARD - Alexandros Tziolis is booked for a foul.
68 - A terrific flying save by Enyeama denies the Greeks. Samaras rises well to meet a cross from the Greek right and send a header curling towards goal, but the keeper flies to his left in spectacular fashion to turn the ball away.
71 - GOAL - GREECE 2 NIGERIA 1 - A concerted spell of Greek pressure pays off. From a corner the ball is only cleared as far as Tziolis who drives in a low shot which Enyeama spills. Torosidis is first to react and he puts the ball into the net.
76 - Aiyegbeni twists and turns to find some space on the edge of the Greek penalty area and hits a fierce shot just wide of the Greek goal.
77 - Greek midfielder Giorgos Karagounis hits a powerful low shot which Enyeama at full stretch parries and the Nigerians manage to clear for a corner with Gekas ready to pounce.
77 - SUBSTTUTION - Nigeria bring on Rabiu Afolabi for the injured Echiejile.
79 - SUBSTITUTION - Gekas is taken off and Sotiris Ninis replaces him for Greece.
88 - YELLOW CARD - Samaras is booked for a late challenge.
89 - YELLOW CARD - Obasi goes into the referee's book for shoving Karagounis in the back.
90+3 - Tzolis almost gets Greece's third hitting a well-struck shot towards the bottom right corner, but Enyeama again pulls off a good save.
90+4 - FULL TIME - Greece get their first win of the tournament and join South Korea on three points in second place in Group B, while Nigeria are yet to secure any points.
Match Facts
Greece v Nigeria
Goals 2-1
1st Half Goals 1-1
Shots on Target 11-3
Blocked Shots 6-2
Blocked Shots 6-2
Corners 11-3
Fouls 13-14
Offsides 3-1
Yellow Cards 3-1
Red Cards 0-1
Passing Success 83.9%-78.5%
Tackles 13-9
Tackles Success 69.2%-77.8%
Possession 57.3%-42.7%
Territorial Advantage 57.7%-42.3%
