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Attendance: 58,000
Greece national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Jun 24, 2014 at 9pm UK
 
Ivory Coast national football team

2-1

Samaris (42'), Samaras (90+3' pen.)
FT(HT: 1-0)
Bony (74')

Player Ratings: Greece 2-1 Ivory Coast

Sports Mole rates the players on their performances in the World Cup Group C clash between Greece and the Ivory Coast.

Greece advanced to the second round of the World Cup as they beat the Ivory Coast 2-1 in their Group C decider on Tuesday.

Andreas Samaris fired Fernando Santos's side into the lead in the first half, but Wilfried Bony dragged Les Elephants level with 15 minutes to play.

Georgios Samaras won a penalty in stoppage time and slotted the spot kick into the net to seal his side's place in the last 16 of the tournament.

Here, Sports Mole rates every player on their performance in Fortaleza.


Greece pose for a team photo prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group C match between Greece and the Ivory Coast at Castelao on June 24, 2014© Getty Images

GREECE

Goal

Orestis Karnezis: The keeper made one good claim in the first 20 minutes as he gathered the ball under pressure in his six-yard box, but was then forced off with back problem in the 23rd minute and replaced by Panagiotis Glykos. (6/10)

Defence

Vasilis Torosidis: Defensively he was lot a stronger in this game than in his previous outings and did a good job to seal off the right side of the pitch for the majority of the game. Raided forward when he could and became a stronger force down the right as the game progressed. (7/10)

Kostas Manolas: The 23-year-old was once again magnificent in the heart of the defence for his side. He didn't give Drogba an inch all evening and was more than combative in the air. Strong on the ground as well as he seemed to win every challenge and always seems to be one step ahead of his opponents. (8/10)

Sokratis Papastathopoulos: Made one crucial error as he tried to play offside against Gervinho, which led to Bony's equaliser. Apart from that blemish he put in another tremendous performance alongside Manolas. (7/10)

Jose Holebas: Another improving player as he seems to be getting more confident in his role at the back. At times he was too aggressive in pushing upfield, which did leave space behind for the Ivory Coast to exploit. However, he was a constant threat when he did get forward and helped put Aurier on the back foot. Made the cross to find Samaras for the penalty decision. (7/10)

Midfield

Georgios Karagounis: The 37-year-old rolled back the years with a committed performance and ran his legs off for the team. He used the ball well in possession and closed down the opposition well to limit their production from midfield. Was unlucky not to find the net with drive from distance that hit the crossbar. (7/10)

Giannis Maniatis: Solid performance from the midfielder. Nothing flashy, but he did his job for the team and provided an excellent defensive shield in front of his back four and allowed his creative players to work around him. (6/10)

Panagiotis Kone: Was forced off in the 12th minute with hamstring problem and didn't do a great deal in his brief time on the pitch. (6/10)

Attack

Dimitris Salpingidis: After a poor showing in the first game he was dropped for the clash againt Japan, but rebounded strongly in this clash as he showed quality touches in and around the box. Hassled Boka all evening at left-back to prevent him driving forward and saw a good effort well saved by Barry. (7/10)

Georgios Samaras: An excellent showing by the striker who finally got to play in his favoured position down the middle and didn't disappoint Santos with his display. He provided excellent link-up for the first goal with Samaris as he played him in well minutes after doing the same with Holebas. Showed great composure in stoppage time to score winning penalty. (8/10)

Lazaros Christodoulopoulos: Made his first start of the tournament and put in a good showing down the left for his side. Was full of running and showed intelligence making several key runs throughout the game. Had a few efforts at goal, which on another day may have found the back of the net. (7/10)

Substitutes

Andreas Samaris: An excellent showing from the 24-year-old. He put in a complete performance in midfield as he drove his side from box to box. Was clinical with his finish after pouncing on the loose ball from Cheick Tiote, while in the second half thwarted the Ivory Coast with several good challenges and interceptions in front of his back four. (8/10)

Panagiotis Glykos: Replaced Karnezis after 23 minutes and put in a decent display. He wasn't tested a great deal but he did enough when called upon. Didn't look overly convincing from set pieces as he punched the ball away poorly on more than one occasion. (6/10)

Theofanis Gekas: Brought on late to replace Karagounis and didn't have an effect on the game as he barely touched the ball in his 12 minutes on the pitch. (6/10)


The Ivory Coast pose for a team photo prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group C match between Greece and the Ivory Coast at Castelao on June 24, 2014© Getty Images

IVORY COAST

Goal

Boubacar Barry: Could have done a bit better to trouble Samaris for the opening goal as he gave the midfielder an easy target to hit. Made a decent attempt to save Samaras's penalty as he went the right way but was beaten by the quality of the strike. Showed good handling and command of his area. (6/10)

Defence

Serge Aurier: The 21-year-old didn't have the best of games as he wasn't allowed to get into a rhythm in the final third of the pitch. Greece did a good job to ensure that he was unable to cross the ball with the regularity he showed in the first game. Defensively he was caught out on a couple of occasions and allowed Holebase to cross for the penalty decision. (6/10)

Kolo Toure: Had a decent outing as he wasn't to blame for his side's problems against Greece on the counter-attack. Was decent in the air, but not a commanding presence at the back. (6/10)

Sol Bamba: Like Toure, wasn't really at fault for any of the goals his side conceded although his communication with Tiote could have been better to ensure that the midfielder knew of the danger of Samaris. Put in a good battle with Samaras, but didn't always come out on top. (6/10)

Arthur Boka: Wasn't allowed to push forward as much as he would have liked and was troubled by the approach of Salpingidis in the final third of the pitch. He never really got to grips with the midfielder throughout the match. (5/10)

Midfield

Serey Die: Was pedestrian in midfield and did nothing to help his side push on the final third. His positional sense was poor as he was often caught out by the counter-attacking play of Greece in the second half. Didn't produce enough quick ball to his attacking players to find them in space. (5/10)

Cheick Tiote: An abject display from the Newcastle United midfielder. His blunder for the first goal summed up his performance as he played a sloppy pass to Bamba, which Samaris seized upon and scored. Didn't push forward enough in the final third to help his side get back in the game and his overall distribution was poor. (4/10)

Yaya Toure: Showed glimpses of his Manchester City form as he made a few bursting runs into the box to try to open things up for his side, but the ball didn't quite fall to him or his teammates as it did at the Etihad Stadium last season. Showed naivety in the last minute to go for goal rather than play out the clock which cost his side. (5/10)

Attack

Gervinho: Was one of his side's few bright sparks and produced a good run and pass to find Bony for his side's equaliser. Was always an option for his midfielders, but was too often closed down due to the lateness of the pass. (6/10)

Salomon Kalou: The former Chelsea forward tried his utmost throughout the game, but he drifted in and out of the picture in a crowded final third for his side. Was unlucky to see one good effort go just wide of the post in the second. Could have done better with late break upfield. (6/10)

Didier Drogba: Was ineffectual in what could be his last game in the World Cup. He wasn't able to affect the game at all in the final third as Manolas and Papastathopoulos seemed to have the measure of him and his tactics. (5/10)

Substitutes

Wilfried Bony: Was dropped after his poor performance against Colombia, but showed his predatory instincts by netting his side's equaliser with a neat finish. Wasn't overly convincing apart from his goal, but he did his job for Les Elephants. (6/10)

Ismael Diomande: Brought on to shore up his side's midfield in the last 12 minutes, but was helpless as Greece seized control of the game in the Ivory Coast half. (5/10)

Giovanni Sio: Conceded the penalty on Samaras as he did just enough to catch the forward, although he also tripped over his own leg to win the spot kick. Unlucky in some regard, but he could have made a better tackle or once the striker had control of the ball backed off as there were bodies in the way to prevent the shot. (5/10)


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 Giorgos Karagounis of Greece challenges Shinji Kagawa of Japan during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group C match between Japan and Greece at Estadio das Dunas on June 19, 2014
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