UEFA European Under-21 Championship hopefuls Germany fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Greece in Thessaloniki on Tuesday evening.
The visitors never truly recovered from going 1-0 down after just 35 seconds when Panagiotis Lagos set up Dimitrios Salpigidis for the opening goal. Even the FC PAOK striker, who has scored eight goals in 12 matches for his club this year, cannot have expected such a quick-fire start.
Despite the frenetic opening exchanges, it was to be a game of few chances, but the crowd gathered in the Kaftanzoglio stadium were nevertheless well entertained. As the first half progresed, the home side began to dominate the head-to-head duels and German goalkeeper Tom Starke did well to save when Ioannis Amanitidis burst through after captain Salpigidis' assist on 20 minutes. The Germans had to wait until the 27th minute for their first chance, but Lukas Podolski's header from a corner was cleared off the line.
Shortly after half-time Dimosthenis Manousakis doubled Greece's lead by converting from close range after Starke had mistimed his charge from the visitors' goalmouth. Podolski missed another good chance from a corner on the hour and Bastian Schweinsteiger's 20-metre shot seven minutes later was comfortably saved, as was Sascha Riether's 73rd-minute effort from the right.
VfB Stuttgart's Christian Tiffert scored what proved to be a consolation goal for the Germans in the second minute of added time and there was still time for Christos Karipidis to head narrowly wide at the other end as an alert Greek side deservedly strolled to victory.
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[bild1]UEFA European Under-21 Championship hopefuls Germany fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Greece in Thessaloniki on Tuesday evening.
The visitors never truly recovered from going 1-0 down after just 35 seconds when Panagiotis Lagos set up Dimitrios Salpigidis for the opening goal. Even the FC PAOK striker, who has scored eight goals in 12 matches for his club this year, cannot have expected such a quick-fire start.
Despite the frenetic opening exchanges, it was to be a game of few chances, but the crowd gathered in the Kaftanzoglio stadium were nevertheless well entertained. As the first half progresed, the home side began to dominate the head-to-head duels and German goalkeeper Tom Starke did well to save when Ioannis Amanitidis burst through after captain Salpigidis' assist on 20 minutes. The Germans had to wait until the 27th minute for their first chance, but Lukas Podolski's header from a corner was cleared off the line.
Shortly after half-time Dimosthenis Manousakis doubled Greece's lead by converting from close range after Starke had mistimed his charge from the visitors' goalmouth. Podolski missed another good chance from a corner on the hour and Bastian Schweinsteiger's 20-metre shot seven minutes later was comfortably saved, as was Sascha Riether's 73rd-minute effort from the right.
VfB Stuttgart's Christian Tiffert scored what proved to be a consolation goal for the Germans in the second minute of added time and there was still time for Christos Karipidis to head narrowly wide at the other end as an alert Greek side deservedly strolled to victory.
