Greece captain Tasos Bakasetas gives hosts deserved lead
The Irish beat Finland on Thursday while Greece stunned England
Greece have beaten the Republic of Ireland three times in the past 16 months, including a 2-0 win in Dublin last month
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Two changes for both sides.
Goalscorer Tasos Bakasetas and Vangelis Pavlidis come off with Christos Zafeiris and Tasos Douvikas replacing them.
Some more attacking subs for the Republic of Ireland, with the energetic Mikey Johnston and Jayson Molumby taking over from the hard-working Sammie Szmodics and Jason Knight.
Fifteen minutes left for the Irish to find an equaliser.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Ray Houghton
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder on RTE
What a difference! In the opening 50 minutes of the game Greece were in total control now the Republic of Ireland have got their way back into it.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Jack Taylor comes close to a dream debut!
Josh Cullen whips in a delightful ball which Taylor flicks goalwards, but Odysseas Vlachodmios, who has largely been a spectator, reacts well to tip his effort over the crossbar.
That was promising from the Irish, who have grown into this second half.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Festy Ebosele, as he did in Finland, shows some dazzling footwork to get past his marker and deliver a good cross, but no one is there to get on the end of it.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Ray Houghton
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder on RTE
In the last few moments you can physically see that Greece are tiring a little bit after getting off to a great start to the second half with the goal.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
The substitutions have helped the Republic of Ireland get a foothold back in the game but they are yet to test Odysseas Vlachodimos in the Greek goal.
At the other end, Tasos Bakasetas curls a low free-kick wide.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Tasos Bakasetas dedicates his goal for Greece to the late George Baldock.
Image source, Getty ImagesGreece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Heimir Halligrimsson has rolled the dice early in an attempt for the Republic to muster a response to Greece's opener as he opts for a double change.
Festy Ebosele, who assisted Robbie Brady's winner in Finland comes on for Chiedozie Ogbene.
Ipswich midfielder Jack Taylor comes on for his international debut as Evan Ferguson is withdrawn.
Two bold changes but the Irish needed to change something in an attempt to get back into the game.
Image source, InphoGreece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Ray Houghton
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder on RTE
It is all Greece at the moment and the Republic of Ireland can't afford to make poor decisions, giving the ball away cheaply. Particularly with the one goal deficit, they can't afford to go two behind. One and you always have the chance of getting back into it.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Tasos Bakasetas' deflected strike has Greece ahead in Athens.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesGreece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
As they did in the first half, the Republic of Ireland are having to weather a storm early in the second period here and they are looking a bit ragged against a Greece side growing in cofidence.
They can ill afford to concede a second at the moment, but they almost do after a lovely Greek move.
Giorgos Masouras finds Tasos Bakasetas and he in turn feeds Dimitris Kourbelis on the edge of the area, but he guides a low shot wide.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
The Republic of Ireland went behind against Finland on Thursday and managed to come back to win, but it is a much more uphill task this evening against a Greece side who look in the mood for more goals after finally breaking the deadlock.
Greece 1-0 Republic of Ireland
Ray Houghton
Former Republic of Ireland midfielder on RTE
I think it took the smallest of touches off Liam Scales and that got the elevation to take it over the top of Caoimhin Kelleher and that's what made it much more difficult for the keeper, there was nothing he could do to keep it out.
Tasos Bakasetas - 48mins
Greece have lift off!
Two of Greece's influential players in the first half Christos Tzolis and Tasos Bakasetas combine for their opener, with the captain's low effort deflecting off Liam Scales, giving Caoimhin Kelleher no chance.
The Republic of Ireland will be disappointed to concede so early after the break, but they had a warning as Bakasetas had forced Kelleher into a save just moments before the goal.
Image source, Getty ImagesBakasetas' shot deflects off Scales and past Kelleher
Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
Stephen Kelly
Former Republic of Ireland defender on RTE
The person that has been the most relaxed on the ball has probably been Caoimhin Kelleher. He is so calm on the ball and when he gets it, everyone relaxes.
Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
We're back underway in Athens with no changes for either side.
The Republic of Ireland had a much-improved display against Finland in the second half on Thursday, can they repeat the feat this evening?
HT: Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
Stephen Kelly
Former Republic of Ireland defender on RTE
Normally I have my green tinted glasses on but even with them off I don't understand how that's not a penalty. He [Evan Ferguson] is about to take a shot which is probably going to be on target and the players contact with him knocks him off the ball.
HT: Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
Former Republic of Ireland international Richie Sadlier had an interesting view on that early chance for Evan Ferguson on RTE:
"I think this is a penalty.
"Before Ferguson takes it Rota comes in and there is contact which absolutely throws him off balance and knocks him to the floor. VAR would have looked at that but to me it's a penalty."
Thumbs up if you agree with Sadlier or thumbs down if you thought it wasn't a penalty.
Image source, geHT: Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
Richie Sadlier
Former Republic of Ireland striker on RTE Sport
It was commented before that our team looks attack minded, we have lots of attacking players but we have seen next to no attacking from them. Szmodics and Ogbene's work have been defending and it's been really difficult.
HT: Greece 0-0 Republic of Ireland
Caoimhin Kelleher was the Republic of Ireland's key man in that first half, making four saves to keep out Greece.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -2 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | -3 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | Israel | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -5 | 2 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | -4 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | -7 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | Estonia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
|
| 4 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| |
| 2 | Kosovo | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
|
| 3 | Cyprus | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 3 |
|
| 4 | Lithuania | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belarus | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
|
| 2 | Bulgaria | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
|
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | Luxembourg | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| |
| 2 | Armenia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 4 |
|
| 3 | Latvia | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 4 |
|
| 4 | Faroe Islands | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gibraltar | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
|
| 2 | San Marino | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
|
| 3 | Liechtenstein | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 2 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moldova | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
|
| 2 | Malta | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
|
| 3 | Andorra | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -1 | 3 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 12 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 3 |
| |
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 0 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 4 | Kazakhstan | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | -8 | 1 |
|
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 4 | Montenegro | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
|
Manager: Ivan Jovanovic
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Heimir Hallgrímsson
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
Manager: Ivan Jovanovic
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Heimir Hallgrímsson
Formation: 4 - 4 - 2
UEFA Nations League
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Greece are unbeaten in their six previous games against the Republic of Ireland, keeping five clean sheets across those matches (W5 D1).
Republic of Ireland are winless in their six previous meetings with Greece (D1 L5), losing the last four in a row – only against Italy have the Boys in Green ever lost more consecutive games (6 between 1926 and 1992).
Greece have lost just one of their last 12 home matches across all competitions (W8 D3) and are unbeaten in each of their last four on home soil (W3 D1) since a 0-1 defeat to Netherlands in a European Championship qualifier in October 2023.
Republic of Ireland won their first ever UEFA Nations League away match last time out (2-1 v Finland) and are looking to win back-to-back matches on the road across all competitions for the first time since November 2021 when they recorded wins against Azerbaijan and Luxembourg.
Greece have won each of their last four matches, keeping a clean sheet in three of those, and could make it five wins on the trot across all competitions for the first time since October 2016.
Republic of Ireland have won just four of their last 14 competitive matches, losing nine and drawing the other. They did however win last time out (2-1 v Finland) and are looking to win consecutive competitive matches for the first time since March 2019 when they beat Gibraltar and Georgia, both by a 1-0 scoreline.
Anastasios Bakasetas has been directly involved in 44% of all of Greece’s goals in the UEFA Nations League (12/27), scoring five and providing seven assists in his 20 matches. He has provided four assists in his last four appearances in the competition.
Robbie Brady has been directly involved in more goals for the Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League than any other player (5 – 2 goals, 3 assists), with Brady both scoring and providing an assist in the Boys in Green’s last match in the competition (2-1 v Finland).
