Torosidis header sends Greece top
Reuters - Saturday 26 March 2011, 22:04
TA'QALI - Vasilis Torosidis
struck a last-gasp winner as Greece beat Malta 1-0 away to move
top of Euro 2012 qualifying Group F by a point on Saturday.
The defender headed home from close range in the fifth
minute of added-time as Greece replaced Croatia as leaders after
Slaven Bilic's side suffered a shock 1-0 defeat in Georgia.
Greece had Sokratis Papastathopoulos sent off for a
professional foul on Michael Mifsud with six minutes left.
Fernando Santos' side created several good chances but
struggled to break down Malta's stubborn resistance on a
frustrating night at the Ta' Qali National Stadium.
However, Torosidis' late goal was enough to take Greece top
of the standings with 11 points from five games. Croatia are
second with 10 points while Georgia are a further point adrift
in third place. Malta remain bottom without a single point.
Greece were unlucky not to open the scoring early in the
second half when striker Nikos Liberopoulos went close with two
headers in the space of a minute, the second hitting Malta
goalkeeper Justin Haber's crossbar.
Haber also produced a smart save to keep out Kostas
Katsouranis's low drive on the hour as the visitors continued to
search for a breakthrough.
Greece were reduced to 10 men in the 84th when
Papastathopoulos felled Mifsud as the home striker threatened to
break clear on the counter-attack.
But frustration turned to jubilation when Torosidis flicked
home a mis-hit shot by substitute Kostas Mitroglou from Giorgos
Karagounis' left-wing corner.
The teams meet again in their next qualifying match in
Athens on 4 June with Greece first facing Euro 2012 co-hosts
Poland in an international friendly on Tuesday.