October 14, (THEWILL) – Greece maintained their perfect record in the UEFA Nations League with a 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland at home. The match saw Greece dominate possession and create numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes.
The first half was characterised by Greek pressure and Irish resilience. Despite having 75% possession and 13 shots, Greece could not break through. Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher made several crucial saves, including a double stop to deny Anastasios Bakasetas and Vangelis Pavlidis.
Greece’s persistence paid off early in the second half when Bakasetas scored with a deflected half-volley. The midfielder celebrated by holding up his black armband, paying tribute to the late George Baldock. Ireland struggled to mount a significant response, with Troy Parrott’s header and Jack Taylor’s attempts from a corner failing to trouble the Greek defence.
The hosts sealed their victory in stoppage time. Substitute Petros Mantalos capitalised on a mistake by Kelleher, rounding the goalkeeper and scoring into an empty net. This result extended Greece’s unbeaten record against Ireland to seven matches, with six wins and one draw.
For Ireland, the defeat halted their progress in the Nations League. The team will have to wait for another opportunity to achieve back-to-back wins in the competition for the first time since its inception.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
