Both mangers had pretty much full squad available with only
Panagiotis Kone still injured, therefore both teams fielded expected starting Xls.
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| Starting XIs |
The usual Greece
As expected, both teams played really defensively in the
group stage. Costa Rica was a real outsider against England, Italy and
Uruguay, while Greece haven´t changed their approach for the past 10 years. Therefore,
the main question before the match was who will take the initiative and tries
to dictate the game. For the first time in the tournament, Costa Rica was
regarded as a favourite team and that´s the way they approached this game.
They had 54% of the possession in the first half, however most of the passes were
in the own half or on the flanks, far from Greece goal.
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| Costa Rica passes, 1st Half |
Greek players were happy to sit deep, keeping compact and
leaving no gaps in the middle of the pitch. They tried to disrupt the build up
when Navas was taking goal kicks, forcing him to go long and there were few
moments when they pressed around the half way line with 5 players, but
generally they were letting centerbacks time on the ball and close the players
down once the ball was played into their half.
As you would expect, Costa Rica couldn’t find space and recorded
only two shots and none on target. Their build up was slow and no one tried to
play penetrative passes, Campbell made some of his usual runs into the right
channel, but his teammates simply couldn´t find a pass through packed
middle of the park. Their most promising moments came when they managed to win
the ball, or better said, Greece lost the ball cheaply, higher up and tried to
combine quickly. Bolanos´s shot after 8 minutes was the best example. They had
couple of promising breaks too, but wasted them with a wrong pass.
Greece followed their usual gameplan and had better chances.
They didn´t get to counter too much as Costa Rica was really cautious with
their passing, but they were more dangerous when on the ball. Their main treat
came from fullbacks. Holebas was pushing up, always trying to get into crossing
position, but often looking for a cross from deeper and he played a fantastic
ball for Salpidigis who was only kept out by a great save from Navas. On the
right side, Torosidis didn´t cross that much, but he was looking for a diagonal
towards Samaras who made some good runs in behind the back 3.
Second half
After the break, the game took completely different path and
Greece became the dominant side. It came as a result of an early goal and
red card for Duarte as well as referees missing a clear hand ball by
Torosidis in the own box.
Costa Rica scored with their first shot on target. The goal
came after yet another cheap loss of possession by Greeks, but this time, Costa
Rica combine well down the left and Bolanos found Ruiz on the edge of the box
who placed a ball into the bottom far corner. It is worth pointing out
that Greece still had 7 v 4 in that situation, but left Ruiz completely
unattended as 5 players covered the space in the box where only one Costa Rican
was.
A minute later, Torosidis handed a ball in front
of two Costa Ricans going for the cross from the right. Should referee spotted
it, he would have been sent off and penalty would have been awarded.
With 66 minutes gone, Duarte made another silly foul and was
sent off after second yellow card. Costa Rica regrouped immediately, which
showed they were prepared for that and started to play as 4-4-1, with both wide
players giving extra protection for their wingbacks who became fullbacks, but
that left Campbell totally isolated up front and he found it really difficult
to battle against centerbacks.
Being 1:0 down and against 10 men, Greece did what they
should. They pushed forward, pinned Costa Rica back and looked to work down the
flanks through fullbacks.
Substitutions and
extra time
Santos made a first positive change after 58 minutes,
introducing Mitroglou in the place of Samaris. Karagounis dropped alongside
Maniatis and Samaras played just behind him. Gekas came on for Salpidigis right
after Duarte´s dismissal to provide even more aerial treat. Greece now played
with two central midfielders, two strikers, Samaras on the left, Christodoulopoulos the
right, but both of them drifting inside to create space for fullbacks to get
forward. Katsouranis replaced Maniatis to provide fresh legs in the middle.
Pinto´s
first change was a strait swop as Cubero replaced Tejeda in the midfield duo
moments before Duarte got sent off. Other two subs were of a defensive character.
Acosta replaced attacking minded Gamboa on the right. Brenes came on for
Bolanos and went right to help deal with threat of Holebas. Ruiz switched
sides.
Greece
pushed up more and more as the game went on, trying to find their two strikers
with crosses and long ball, but Costa Rica´s defence did well. For the last 10
minutes Socratis went on top to try to win some headers and that was decisive.
Greece now had 3 v 2 in that area they eventually made it count. The trio ´combined´
as Mitroglou won a header for Gekas, who took a shot from a close range and
Navas was only able to push the ball in front of Sokratis who volleyed it home.
Greece could have even won it, but Navas made a great save to deny Mitroglou a
winner.
The
first period of extra time was all about Greece. The continued to push as you
would expect with a man advantage and had a couple of promising chances after
long balls and crosses. Costa Rica looked more and more tired.
In
the second period however, Greece were more dangerous and Costa Rica got into
the game more. Campbell looked absolutely exhausted up front and didn´t offer
much outlet, but managed to hold the ball and win couple of free kicks to take
the pressure of. Costa Rica committed men forward for set pieces and it almost
cost them, when Greeks broke 5 v 2 after corner, but Mitroglou probably didn´t
pick the best pass and Navas saved the shot from Christodoulopoulos. In the
stoppage time, Navas made yet another
great save to deny Mitroglou who got at the end of Gekas´s flick. Navas was
clearly a man of the match after 90 and 120 minutes, but he prove that again in
the penalty shoot-out as he made another fantastic save to deny Gekas.
Conclusion
Arguably
the two most defensively minded sides meet and one of them had to come and try
to play. It was Costa Rica until they scored, than it was Greece who had to
chase the game and had a man advantage. Greece were probably the better side,
even before Duarte´s dismissal as they played as usual while Costa Rica simply
doesn´t have many creative players who can unlock the defences and they primarily
rely on the counter attacks. Greece created enough chances to win the game and
they played into their strengths once they were losing. They continued the same
way in the extra time and probably regret they haven´t converted that 5 v 2
break into the goal, but it´s difficult to blame them for not scoring from
other chances.
But
Costa Rica deserves great credit too. They were a man down for almost half of
the game, forced to play back 4 instead of back 5 and still managed to prevent Greece
from creating chances by good passing and combination play. They were brave to commit
men forward for set pieces in the extra time, which showed they wanted to win
too, not just to get to penalties. Joel Campbell had a difficult game as he
thrives on quick counters, but fought well for his team and it´s difficult to remember
seeing an attacker so exhausted at the end of the game. Penalty shoot-out are
the lottery, but it was amazing to see how well Costa Ricans took theirs to
book a historic place in the quarter final against Netherlands, the game where
they will be underdogs, looking to surprise the world of football again!
Highlighs: Costa Rica 1:1 (5:3p) Greece
