Greece has failed to secure a direct passage to Brazil, despite wining their last game against Liechtenstein 2-0 in Athens on Tuesday.
Dimitris Salpingidis scored in the seventh minute but the goal shy Greeks – who had only scored 10 goals going into the match from their previous nine qualifiers – failed to add to that until veteran Giorgos Karagounis, appearing in his 130th game for the national side, scored with a free kick nine minutes from time.
Greece coach Fernandos Santos, who was praised for guiding unfancied Greece to last year’s Euro 2012 quarter-finals, said his side were unfortunate to have to contest the play-offs with the points they had accrued.
“If you would have told me before the start of the qualifying round that with 25 points we would not have gained a direct berth to the World Cup I would not have believed it,” he said.
“We have to congratulate Bosnia for their performance and finishing first.”
Bosnia-Herzegovina reached their first ever major finals on Wednesday morning as a 1-0 win over Lithuania saw them confirm their place at next year’s World Cup.
They will be joined by holders Spain, who made no mistake in beating Georgia 2-0 at home in Albacete, England, who also won 2-0 at home to Poland to reach their fifth successive World Cup finals.
Greece will learn who their opponents are in the play-offs in the draw next Monday.
Source: AFP.
