Greece make advantage pay

Greece's first two FIFA World Cup goals brought their first finals win in five attempts as they battled from behind against ten-man Nigeria.

The African side were cruising after Kalu Uche's 16th-minute free-kick but Sani Kaita's dismissal just after the half-hour changed everything. Insipid until then, Greece were initially transformed as Dimitrios Salpingidis made it all-square before the interval, and after a slow start to the second period they finally found a way past the otherwise excellent Vincent Enyeama when the keeper's spill allowed Vasilis Torosidis to fire in.

These sides mustered just three goal-bound shots between them in opening Group B losses but their meeting in Bloemfontein proved far more open. An early goal helped, Uche's free-kick evading everybody and dropping inside the far post with goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas anticipating a Peter Odemwingie header which never came.

Lars Lagerbäck's men were good for their lead but a moment of madness from Kaita, raising his foot at Torosidis, turned the game on its head. Otto Rehhagel brought on Georgios Samaras to provide attacking impetus and his players responded immediately. Samaras and Salpingidis both went close before, a minute before half-time, the latter's shot deflected off Lukman Haruna and into the far corner.

Having come out of their shell, Greece retreated back under it for a while until a terrible clearance from Joseph Yobo on the hour lured them back, Enyeama denying Fanis Gekas on a one-on-one. Within seconds, the 2004 European champions were almost behind again. Tzorvas came to their rescue to keep out Ayegbeni Yakubu and, with the goal at his mercy, Chinedu Obasi scuffed the rebound wide.

The game opened up, Enyeama brilliantly tipping away Samaras' header before all his good work was undone 19 minutes from time when he failed to hold Alexandros Tziolis's low shot. Torosidis did the rest.