It is the make-or-break moment for Gus Poyet’s Greece side as they prepare for the play-offs that will decide whether they can qualify for their first tournament since the 2014 FIFA World Cup, with their first challenge being to down Kazakhstan.

The “Ethniki” takes on the Kazakh outfit at “Agia Sophia” Stadium on Friday morning at 6.45 a.m. (AEDT) in an elimination semi-finals play-offs match, with the victor set to face the winner of Georgia-Luxembourg in a decider for one of the three remaining spots at UEFA Euro 2024.

Greece manager Gus Poyet expressed the importance of this moment to media ahead of the contest, which has been two years in the making as part of the collective goal to make the European Championships.

“There are no excuses, we are ready,” Poyet said simply.

“The first game is key, now we are only talking about Kazakhstan. We have to play a top game, have the players in good condition and do our best on the pitch.”

The coach stated that the team is well-prepared for what their opponents have to offer, and that they cannot afford to take them lightly.

“We are ready. We know everything about them. I will be surprised if they change anything. We have to be in the best possible condition,” he said.

Speaking to Sport24, Greece and AEK midfielder Petros Mantalos did not shy away in admitting the significance of these matches to come.

“For me, this match and the next are the most important games that I will play for the National team,” Mantalos said.

He admitted that there is increased pressure on the team as they are now required to win two knockout matches to secure qualification for the nation’s first appearance at a major tournament in ten years, but that the team is using that as extra motivation.

“We believe that 2024 will be a year that many players and supporters will remember for our return to the major competitions,” Mantalos said.

The interview concluded with a question on if he believes the team will qualify, to which the AEK midfielder replied “Yes, we will. We really want it and we will make it happen”.

Should Greece beat Kazakhstan, they will face either Georgia or Luxembourg on Wednesday, March 27 (AEDT), a match that the “Ethniki” will do everything in their power to feature in.