Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Euro 2012 Group A match between Greece and Czech Republic in Wroclaw.
Greece opened their European campaign with a 1-1 draw against co-hosts Poland on Friday. Meanwhile, the Czechs were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by an impressive Russia side.
Defeat for the Czech Republic would all but eliminate them from the competition. Meanwhile, a win for the Greeks would place them in a strong position with one game remaining.
Note that kickoff is at 5pm.
18.50So there we have it. Czech Republic keep their Euro 2012 hopes alive with a fairly comfortable 2-1 win over Greece. Two goals in the opening six minutes gave the Czechs the lead. Meanwhile, a horror piece of goalkeeping from Cech allowed Gekas to tap home after 53 minutes. In truth, the Greeks never really threatened to grab the equaliser and they remain with one point after two games in Group A. Our full report of the match can be found here. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for the coverage.
FULL-TIMEGreece 1-2 Czech Republic
90min+2Oh no, what a waste as Gekas kicks the ball straight out of play. Not long left in this one.
90 minWe will play three additional minutes.
90 minChange for the Czechs as Kolar is replaced by Frantisek Rajtoral.
90 min...however, again it breaks down. Cech has possession of the ball.
89 minRussia to come next for Greece. They have to score. Samaras brings the ball forward...
87 minIn fairness to the Czechs, they have actually defended quite well. Every long ball that has been whipped in has been headed clear. They are almost there.
85 minPilar looks a player when he gets on the ball and starts running. However, we just have not seen enough of it. Five remaining. Can Greece grab an equaliser?
83 minGreece are pretty much playing with four up front at the moment. However, it's all going long and in the air. Why not slip a ball in behind?
81 minFinally a bit of quality from the Czechs as Plasil and Pilar combine. However, the latter's touch is just too heavy when he might have squared it for Pekhart.
79 minAgain it's a long ball from Vasilis Torosidis into the Czech box. However, it drifts out of play. The Czechs have been woeful in this second period.
77 minAnother hopeless attempt from the Czechs as Pilar fires high and wide.
75 minIt's another high cross as Jose Holebas searches out Mitroglou in the area. However, the Greek forward was all over Kadlec.
73 minA stat courtesy of Infostrada Sports: "Last time a team failed to win a European Championship match after leading 2-0 at half-time was Czech Republic - a 3-3 draw vs Russia in group stage at Euro 96. Czechs are also last team to lose a match after leading by a 2-0 score, a 3-2 defeat vs Turkey four years ago (2-0 in 62nd min)."
72 minGreece continue to lump balls into the Czech area. We haven't seen a passing sequence from either team in quite some time.
71 minChange for Greece as Fortonuis is replaced by Kostas Mitroglou.
70 minOr will they? A succession of high balls into the area worry the Czech defence.
67 minStill Greece push forward. But you just don't get the impression that they are going to get the equaliser.
65 minIn truth, Czech Republic have offered extremely little in this half. A long shot from Kolar which dribbles wide about their best attempt.
65 minChange for the Czechs as Baros is replaced by Tomas Pekhart.
65 minThe goal for Greece has not changed a great deal in this match to be honest. They just don't look capable of scoring another.
63 minThe Czech right-back Gebre Selassie looks a real player. I wouldn't be surprised if he earned himself a big move after this tournament.
61 minIt's a dangerous cross from Karagounis as he searches out Samaras in the box. However, Cech produces a big punch to clear the danger. Czech Republic look extremely nervy in defence.
59 minMore from Danny Mills: "That was a pure lapse in concentration from Cech - he's had nothing to do all game. He looked at the nearest defender, who had nothing to do with it, almost hoping it was his fault. It wasn't. That was all down to Cech. He looked like he wanted a big hole to swallow him up."
59 minIt's nice play from Salpigidis as he digs out a low cross into the Czech box. However, the ball is cleared by Kadlec.
57 minStill no real urgency from either side with little over 30 minutes remaining. Meanwhile, Salpigidis is booked for a nasty challenge on Limbersky.
55 minThat is an absolute disaster for Cech. And suddenly Greece are in this match.
53 minOh my word. It is an absolute horror show for Cech as he palms a tame Samaras cross straight at the feet of Gekas who taps home.
53 min GOAL! Greece 1-2 Czech Republic (Gekas)
52 min41,000 people here this evening. With the majority supporting the Czechs.
50 minIt seems that the Czechs are allowing Greece possession in deep areas. However, they close the door around their box.
49 minGreece enjoying a spell of possession in the early stages. But where's the goal threat?
47 minThe Czechs immediately start on the attack and but for clumsey play by Baros - it might have been three.
46 minHere we go then. Will the second period bring more goals? Change for Greece as Theofanis Gekas replaces Fotakis. Meanwhile, Daniel Kolar replaces Rosicky for the Czechs.
17.56A word from former Tottenham Hotspur boss David Pleat: "Greece have tried to respond but they were terribly square for the two goals. They were supposed to be on a piece of string at the back - but somebody must have cut the string. It's a big uphill battle and I expect Czech Republic to score more as Greece try to get back into the game by pushing forward," he told the BBC.
17.46So there we have it. Two goals in the opening six minutes give Czech Republic a 2-0 lead over Greece after 45 minutes of football. The Czechs started much the better with Jiracek impressing. Meanwhile, in truth, we have seen extremely little from the Greeks.
HALF-TIMEGreece 0-2 Czech Republic
45 minWe will play an additional one minute at the end of the half.
43 minIt must be said that the Greek's left-side of defence is so suspect. Rosicky and Gebre Salassie are running riot.
43 minChance for Jiracek to make it three as he gets in down the left. However, the midfielder fires high and wide.
41 minIt's a little bit better from Greece. They have to take heart from that disallowed goal.
40 minGreece have the ball in the back of the net as Fotakis heads home in the box. However, it is ruled out for offside.
38 minAgain it's nice work from Rosicky as he feeds Baros. However, it's good defending from Greece as they clear the danger. No real goal action for either side in quite some time.
36 minGreece still have not had a single effort on goal with 36 minutes on the clock. How can they possibly recover with that kind of stat?
34 minWe haven't seen anything from Greek midfield duo Georgios Fotakis or Giannis Maniatis thus far. Saying that, we haven't seen much from Greece in general.
32 minDavid Limbersky gains a corner for the Czechs with a mazy run. However, it's a thumping header clear from Samaras.
30 minJust lovely football from the Czechs as Rosicky and Gebre Selassie combine. However, it just breaks down at the vital moment.
29 minAnd it almost came as Rosicky strikes from distance. However, the ball is pushed wide.
28 minThe Czechs continue pass and probe around the Greek box. You can almost feel another goal coming.
26 minNo team scored more than one goal against Greece during qualification. Yet, they conceded two in six minutes tonight. Meanwhile, first yellow of the match for Rosicky as he fells Karagounis.
26 minIt's nice combination play between Jiracek and Baros. The former looks a real livewire in this match.
24 minThe game has just gone ever so quiet in previous moments. Greece are enjoying more of the ball. However, they are yet to really threaten.
22 minEarly change for the Greeks as Ioannis Fetfatzidis replaces Chalkias between the sticks.
20 minGreece goalkeeper Kostas Chalkias has got a problem here.
19 minIt might have been three for the Czechs as Pilar drives a shot across goal. However, it just misses the target.
18 min...however, the delivery is poor and Rosicky clears the danger.
18 minFree-kick to Greece in a dangerous position...
17 minMore from Danny Mills: "Very occasionally Samaras, who I played with at Manchester City, would do something where you thought 'wow'. The lad has got something - but he looks quite awkward and clumsy at times. His body language doesn't help either. To have that lazy swagger you've got to be an exceptional player - Manchester City fans know he isn't that."
15 minGreece just starting to enjoy possession of the ball. However, they are yet to create any chances.
13 minIt doesn't look good for Jaroslav Plasil as he falls on his shoulder. However, it appears that he is ok to continue.
13 minFar too easy for Petr Cech as the Greek skipper Giorgos Karagounis drops a free-kick straight into his hands. He's better than that.
11 minJiracek is running riot in the early stages for the Czechs. Meanwhile, we haven't seen anything from Greek strike pair Samaras and Fortounis thus far.
9 minSo nearly another attack as Gebre Selassie advances down the right. However, Jiracek's ball is just too long for the full-back. What on earth are Greece doing?
8 minWould you believe this start? I honestly do not think Greece have had the ball yet.
7 minOh my word it's two! It's tidy play from Theodor Gebre Selassie down the right. The defender slips the ball across the box and Vaclav Pilar is on hand to tap home from close range.
6 minGOAL! Greece 0-2 Czech Republic (Pilar)
5 minWow. That's some start. Greece just have not started this match yet. They look so shaky in defence.
3 minThe Czechs take the lead after just three minutes as Tomas Hubschman finds Jiracek and the midfielder slots under the goalkeeper.
3 minGOAL! Greece 0-1 Czech Republic (Jiracek)
2 minIt's the Czechs who have started the match on the attack with Rosicky and Jiracek seeing plenty of the ball in midfield.
1 minHere we go then. Greece vs. Czech Republic. Fernando Santos vs. Michal Bilek. We are underway.
16.56Here come the national anthems.
16.54The players are emerging onto the pitch. It's a game that neither can afford to lose.
16.52If the Czechs are to secure the victory tonight then they need a performance from their skipper Tomas Rosicky. He is certainly capable of producing the goods.
16.49What about Milan Baros for the Czechs? He scored five goals at Euro 2004 but looked out of form against Russia.
16.47Here's a stat couresy of Opta Joe: "330 - Greece attempted the fewest passes in the opening round of games at Euro 2012. Limited."
16.43The players are warming up on the pitch with around 15 minutes to kickoff. It's going to be another struggle to get these names right today!
16.40A word from former England defender Danny Mills: "The Greek fans were expecting big things of Sotiris Ninis in their opening game against Poland, but he didn't live up to expectations. He was just trying a little too hard. Salpingidis came on and made a big difference, so it's no surprise to him starting instead," he told the BBC.
16.38Kostas Fortounis also starts for Greece today. And the 19-year-old will be keen to impress.
16.36Meanwhile, Greece are without defensive duo Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Avraam Papadopoulos through suspension and injury. The pair were key members of the Greek defence that conceded just five goals in qualifying.
16.34A word from Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech ahead of the match: "The lessons we learned were not to make unnecessary mistakes and to play much more aggressively. They had a lot of space and they have some very good players, so they were able to use that," Cech told UEFA.
"We attacked them too late in the game, and they had already created their chances and scored them. We do not want to repeat those same mistakes and we will, of course, play more solidly in defence."
16.32The Czechs suffered their heaviest defeat at an international tournament on Friday when they lost 4-1 to Russia. Meanwhile, they scored just 12 goals in qualifying - the lowest of all the finalists.
16.30Greece did beat the Czechs the last time the two met, however, to book a spot in the Euro 2004 final.
16.28Recent history certainly does not favour Greece with Czech Republic winning five, and losing just one of the pair's last seven encounters.
16.26Greece coach Fernando Santos made his debut at a major tournament finals when he took charge against Poland. However, he will be keen to record his first win at Euro 2012 this evening.
16.24Meanwhile, Michal Kadlec switches to centre-back for the Czech Republic, with David Limbersky taking his place on the left. Tomas Hubschman and Petr Jiracek have also been handed starts.
16.24Greece attacker Dimitris Salpingidis has been rewarded for a fine cameo against Poland with a start and he will support Georgios Samaras in attack.
16.22Team News: Czech Republic: Cech; Gebre Selassie, Kadlec, Sivok, Limbersky; Plasil, Hubschman, Jiracek, Rosicky; Pilar, Baros
16.22Team News: Greece: Chalkias; Torosidis, Papadopoulos, Katsouranis, Holebas; Fotakis, Maniatis, Karagounis, Salpingidis; Samaras, Fortounis
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
