UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Holders Czechoslovakia stay alive with Greece win in EURO 1980 Group 1

Greece 1-3 Czechoslovakia
Beaten in their opening fixture, the holders bounced back to stay in with a shout.

Antonín Panenka(centre) made the breakthrough in Rome
Antonín Panenka(centre) made the breakthrough in Rome Icon Sport via Getty Images

If Czechoslovakia's opening loss to West Germany was a sign that the holders were in decline, their 3-1 win against Greece was a clear warning that they were not yet ready to be written off altogether.

Though the manner of the Germans' victory made them clear favourites to progress from Group A, the Czechs knew the importance of at least remaining in contention. As if to underline that their descent had not yet turned into free fall, it was the Czechs' 1976 penalty shoot-out hero Antonín Panenka whose wickedly curling free-kick put them in front after just six minutes.

EURO 1980: All you need to know

They lacked a killer instinct, though, and Greece were level inside the quarter-hour, Thomas Mavros crossing into a crowded penalty area for Nikos Anastopoulos to head in. The same player nearly scored again before Mavros himself went close with a header.

Highlights: The best goals of EURO 1980

Though threatening going forward, Greece continued to look susceptible at the back. Ladislav Vízek ran onto a through ball to put the Czechs in front on 26 minutes, but it was not until just after the hour that they put the game to bed when Zdeněk Nehoda converted an easy opening created by Ján Kozák.

The champions had an outside chance of defending their title in the final, but knew they were going to need Greece to do them a favour in their final assignment against West Germany.

EURO 1980: Team of the Tournament

Lineups

Greece: Konstantinou; Kyrastas, Iosifidis, Foiros, Kapsis (c); Terzanidis (Galakos 46), Livathinos, Kouis; Kostikos (Xanthopoulos 57), Mavros, Anastapoulos
Substitutes: not listed
Coach: Alketas Panagoulias

Czechoslovakia: Seman; Barmoš, Ondruš (c), Jurkemík, Gögh; Kozák, Panenka, Berger (Lička 23); Masný, Nehoda (Gajdušek 74), Vízek
Substitutes
: not listed
Coach: Jozef Vengloš

Referee: Pat Partridge (England)