Wembley Upset: England Edge Past Greece Thanks to Pavlidis Double
England needed a late Harry Kane penalty to overcome a stubborn Greece side at Wembley, securing a 2-1 victory despite conceding two goals to the visitors.
It wasn't the smooth sailing many expected. Greece, ranked 48th in the world, looked more than capable of causing an upset from the outset. They pressed high and stifled England's usual fluidity, frustrating the home side throughout the first half.
The breakthrough came just after the hour mark when Georgios Pavlidis, the Greek striker, scored a stunning volley after a pinpoint cross from Kostas Fortounis. Wembley fell silent. England's dominance in possession wasn't translating into goals, and the crowd began to feel a sense of unease.
It got worse for England when Pavlidis, clearly relishing the big stage, added a second. A defensive lapse allowed him to latch onto a long ball, beat the offside trap, and slot the ball past Jordan Pickford. Greece, against all odds, led 2-0.
England was rattled. The manager, Gareth Southgate, made changes, bringing on Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish to inject some much-needed creativity. The pressure finally told in the 85th minute when Kyriakos Papadopoulos fouled Marcus Rashford inside the box.
Harry Kane stepped up to take the penalty and coolly converted, sending the Greek goalkeeper, Odysseas Vlachodimos, the wrong way. England had a lifeline.
The final few minutes were frantic. England threw everything at the Greek defense, searching for an equalizer. They came close on several occasions, but it wasn't to be. The final whistle blew, and the Wembley crowd was left stunned.
This wasn't the dominant performance they had hoped for. Greece, despite their lower ranking, gave England a real run for their money. This result is a reminder that football is a game of moments, and anything can happen on any given day, especially when you're playing against a determined and well-organized opponent.
This win, however hard-fought, keeps England's Euro 2024 qualification hopes alive. The next game is away to Ukraine, and Southgate will be hoping for a more convincing performance to build momentum going into the crucial qualifier.
