MX23RW : Sunday, November 24 02:53:48| >> :600:129126:129126:
[monks data]
Greece national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Oct 16, 2023 at 7.45pm UK
OPAP Arena
Netherlands national football team

Greece
0 - 1
Netherlands


Kourbelis (14'), Mantalos (29'), Retsos (76'), Pavlidis (86')
Poyet (90+4')
FT(HT: 0-0)
van Dijk (90+3' pen.)
Geertruida (13'), Simons (51')

Preview: Greece vs. Netherlands - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's Euro Champ Qualifying clash between Greece and Netherlands, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

At risk of missing out on a top-two finish in Euro 2024 qualifying Group B, the Netherlands head to the Agia Sophia Stadium in Athens to meet Greece on Monday evening.

Oranje trail their hosts by three points in the rankings, and Gus Poyet's side could ensure a top-two finish by stunning their morale-depleted visitors by at least four goals on home soil.


Match preview

Greece coach Gustavo Poyet reacts on October 13, 2023© Reuters

As unrealistic as that four-goal scenario sounds, Greece are inching ever closer to a first Euros appearance since reaching the 2012 quarter-finals, prior to which the defence of their historic 2004 crown ended with a group-stage exit in the 2008 edition.

Poyet's men travelled to Dublin on Friday aiming to replicate their narrow triumph over the Republic of Ireland from four months ago, and after surviving a couple of early scares - including a strike from Evan Ferguson onto the woodwork - the visitors began to turn the screw.

With 20 minutes gone, Kostas Tsimikas's cross found Georgios Giakoumakis to direct a powerful header past a stranded Gavin Bazunu, before Dimitrios Pelkas's scuffed shot fell kindly for Georgios Masouras to double Greece's lead with the final act of the first half.

The Pirate Ship comfortably kept a lacklustre Irish XI at bay during the second 45 to cement their second-placed standing in Group B - three points worse off than Finals-bound France - and an unforeseen emphatic win over the Netherlands would see Poyet's side join Les Bleus in Germany with a game to spare.

All is not said and done for the Greeks just yet, though, as the Pirate Ship only sit three points clear of the Dutch having played a game more and must also host section leaders France in their final Group B fixture next month, but even in the worst-case scenario, Poyet's men will earn a ticket to the playoffs.

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman before the match on October 13, 2023© Reuters

An unwelcome abundance of injuries derailed the Dutch preparations for France's visit to Amsterdam on Friday, but even a fully-fit troupe would have had trouble quelling an on-song Kylian Mbappe, who made goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen's senior international debut one to forget.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker volleyed home from Jonathan Clauss's cross after just seven minutes before picking out the top corner with an outrageous curling strike in the second half, and a debut goal from Quilindschy Hartman - who beat Mike Maignan at his near post - was a mere consolation in a 2-1 beating.

Mbappe certainly had the last laugh after Oranje boss Ronald Koeman aimed a thinly-veiled dig at the Frenchman for PSG's Newcastle United trouncing, and a second defeat from five games in Group B leaves the Netherlands third in a five-team section, albeit with winnable fixtures against Ireland and Gibraltar to come.

As is the case with Greece, the Netherlands will also have their Nations League feats to fall back on if their top-two dreams crash and burn, having qualified for and hosted last year's finals, but defensive deficiencies forced Oranje to settle for fourth place.

However, Koeman had three first-half goals to thank as the Netherlands strolled past Greece 3-0 in last month's qualifier, which marked Oranje's eighth win from 10 contests against the Pirate Ship, whose solitary triumph against the 2010 World Cup finalists came in a 2016 friendly.

Greece Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Greece form (all competitions):


Netherlands Euro Champ Qualifying form:


Netherlands form (all competitions):


Team News

Netherlands' Quilindschy Hartman shakes hands with Donyell Malen after the match on October 13, 2023© Reuters

Coming through their success over Ireland without any new injury or suspension worries to take into account for Monday's match, Greece head coach Poyet should be hesitant to tinker with a winning formula in Athens, meaning another start up front for Atlanta United striker Giakoumakis.

Only trailing Mbappe in the Group B goalscoring charts with an eye-catching five efforts to his name, Masouras will now bid to reach double figures in national team colours as he keeps Taxiarchis Fountas and Vangelis Pavlidis at bay once more.

Thirty-five-year-old defender Giorgos Tzavellas was a notable absentee from Friday's matchday squad for unexplained reasons, so the Atromitos man may be kept waiting for his 50th cap as Dinos Mavropanos links up with Panos Retsos in front of Odysseas Vlachodimos.

In contrast, the Netherlands' well-documented fitness woes were exacerbated in the first half of their loss to France, as striker Wout Weghorst sustained an unspecified issue and had to be replaced by Donyell Malen with 38 minutes gone.

Koeman has revealed that Weghorst should be available here, but Malen was a bright spark in the second half and should have done enough to earn a start on Monday nonetheless, while Steven Bergwijn also has a case to come into the attack after setting up Hartman's debut goal.

Verbruggen, Tijjani Reijnders and Joey Veerman also made their first starts in Oranje last time out - the first time since 2013 that the Netherlands have had four full debutants in one game - but Mats Wieffer and Calvin Stengs are ready to freshen up the engine room if required.


Greece possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Rota, Retsos, Mavropanos, Tsimikas; Bakasetas, Kourbelis, Mantalos; Masouras, Giakoumakis, Pelkas

Netherlands possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Geertruida, Van Dijk, Ake; Dumfries, Reijnders, Veerman, Hartman; Simons, Malen, Bergwijn


SM words green background

We say: Greece 1-2 Netherlands

The Netherlands may have put three past Greece without reply a few weeks ago, but Poyet's troupe ought to be a different proposition in front of their own fans, especially with so much at stake in Group B.

However, a handful of Koeman's players still did themselves justice in the loss to France, and with a few alterations here and there, we expect Oranje to bring Greece crashing back down to earth and keep their hopes of a top-two ranking alive.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


ID:526416:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect16269:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Greece vs Netherlands

Greece
27.4%
Draw
13.7%
Netherlands
58.8%
226
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring their second goal on October 13, 2023
Read Next:
Portugal, Belgium, France qualify for Euro 2024
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
6pm
Vikings
@
Bears
6pm
Lions
@
Colts
6pm
Patriots
@
Dolphins
6pm
Buccaneers
@
Giants
6pm
Chiefs
@
Panthers
6pm
Titans
@
Texans
6pm
Cowboys
@
Washington
9.05pm
Broncos
@
Raiders
9.25pm
49ers
@
Packers
9.25pm
Cardinals
@
Seahawks
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!