Fernando Santos has won his first game as Greece coach, after his side beat Serbia 1-0 in a friendly match in Belgrade on Wednesday.
The only goal of the game came on the stroke of half-time from PAOK striker Dimitris Salpingidis who met a cross from Vassilis Torosidis with a diving header.
Greece produced a composed performance, lining up in a new 4-4-2 formation, as opposed to the 4-3-3 they had become accustomed to under Otto Rehhagel.
Aris goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis was given a rare start by Santos, in front of a defence that had Panathinaikos duo Loukas Vyntra and Nikos Spyropoulos at right and left back respectively.
Liverpool’s Sotiris Kyrgiakos and AC Milan’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos played in the centre of the defence.
Santos opted for a diamond shape in midfield. Costas Katsouranis played the holding role with Vassilis Torosidis and Giorgos Karagounis either side of him.
It was left to Sotiris Ninis to play at the tip of the diamond and supply Salpigidis and Celtic’s Giorgos Samaras.
Greece had some good possession and neat play in midfield but did not create an abundance of chances.
Serbia will feel hard done by to have lost the game as they hit the post twice and Sifakis pulled off several good saves.
The second-half gave Santos an opportunity to blood some of the youngsters he had included in his squad, including Olympiakos’s Yiannis Papadopoulos.
Speaking after the match the Greek coach said that he saw flaws in in his team’s game that he will seek to correct before the first Euro 2012 qualifier against Georgia on September 3.
“We were a bit fortunate because Serbia missed some good chances and had more possession but overall I am pleased and we are looking forward to the Euro 2012 qualifiers.”
Santos believes that he has the right mix to achieve qualification for the finals in Poland and Ukraine in two years’ time.
“It’s early days yet but I am confident we can qualify for the finals,” he said.
Meanwhile striker Ioannis Amanatidis has hung up his international boots, slamming the strange and suspicious choices regarding player selection.
The 28 year old was not called up for Serbia match by Santos. Amanatidis missed the finals in South Africa as he was not fully recovered from a knee injury.
“Many players have not played for their clubs and used the national team to promote themselves,” explained the Eintracht Frankfurt attacker, according to German publication Kicker.
“It’s already clear nine of the ten players who will be on the field, no matter how they perform for their club.
“If I divulge everything I know, then it would be like a bomb being dropped.”
Amanatidis made his debut in 2002, making 35 appearances and scoring three times for the national team.