Basinas gets Greece back on track

Greece bounced back from last weekend's 4-1 home defeat by Turkey with a 1-0 victory in Malta that takes them to within one point of top spot in Group C.

Basinas winner
Captain Angelos Basinas scored the only goal from the penalty spot after 66 minutes to secure a fourth win in five UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers for the reigning European champions. Malta, who lost Roderick Briffa to a red card, remain in sixth place.

Greek dominance
With six changes from the side embarrassed by group leaders Turkey, Greece started like a team with a point to prove, midfielder Georgios Karagounis shaving the woodwork inside the opening 30 seconds. That set the tone for 45 minutes of Greek dominance – although their best route to goal seemed to be from the steady stream of set-pieces they delivered into the home box.

Aerial threat
The Malta defence struggled to cope with the aerial threat of defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, in particular, and it took a goalline clearance from George Mallia to keep out his stooping header on 36 minutes. For all the visitors' control, Malta survived until the break, albeit only after a fingertip save from goalkeeper Justin Haber that stopped Theofanis Gekas's towering header on 44 minutes.

Panic stations
The hosts' respite lasted only as long as the interval, however, the second half beginning with another Greece corner that prompted momentary panic before Dimitrios Salpingidis forced Haber into action with a low strike through the crowd. As the hour approached, Malta started to come out of their shells, captain Gilbert Agius trying his luck from distance and Michael Mifsud inciting shouts for a penalty when he went down under a Traianos Dellas challenge.

Fatal blow
On 66 minutes, though, home hopes received a fatal blow as Briffa tripped Vassilios Tosoridis in the box – earning a second yellow card – and Basinas converted the resulting spot-kick. With the extra man, Greece could have added further goals - Katsouranis heading against a post - but it was job done nonetheless for Otto Rehhagel's men whose next assignment is against Hungary on 2 June, when Malta will visit Norway.