Greece beat England for the first time as striker Vangelis Pavlidis’s double earned the visitors a richly-deserved 2-1 victory to put them in control of Nations League Group B2 at Wembley on Thursday.
While Pavlidis’s winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time sparked wild celebrations amongst the Greek fans, England’s were left stunned as stand-in manager Lee Carsley got a sobering reality check.
Two victories since Gareth Southgate stood down had raised Carsley’s stock as a likely full-time replacement, but after a this ragged defeat, his hopes may have dwindled.
Pavlidis had given his side the lead early in the second half with a clinical finish and Greece had three goals ruled out against an England side that started with an experimental-looking attacking formation but misfired badly.
Jude Bellingham looked to have rescued his side when he lashed home an 87th-minute equaliser with England’s second shot on target, but there was another twist as the outstanding Pavlidis punished some woeful defending to shoot past Jordan Pickford from close range.
Greece top the table with a maximum nine points while England’s first defeat under Carsley left them second with six.
Carsley, who was without injured captain Harry Kane, stood by his decision to start without a recognised striker in a five-man attack, although he admitted it had failed.
“I think with the players we have, we have to be courageous with our systems and be creative,” he told reporters. “It was my idea and I take the blame for that. It definitely didn’t come off but we shouldn’t rule out trying something different.”
POIGNANT EVENING
It was a poignant evening for Greece with a minute’s silence held before kickoff for their former international George Baldock who died, aged 31, this week.
“It a very special day and match for us. Our thoughts are with George (Baldock). But we are professionals and had to play the match,” Pavlidis said. “We gave our soul for him tonight. Today is not a day to talk about football.”
After the often conservative nature of England’s football under Southgate there was a buzz of anticipation around Wembley as Carsley, who has been put in charge for the Nations League games, picked in-form Cole Palmer.
The Chelsea player, who scored England’s equaliser in the Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain as a substitute, started just behind force nine Bellingham and Phil Foden.
Bellingham stung Greek keeper Vlachodimos Odysseas’s fingers with a ferocious dipping drive and Palmer blazed wastefully over the crossbar when well-placed.
But for all England’s attacking potential, it was Greece who had the better first-half opportunities.
Pavlidis curled one effort wide before home keeper Pickford almost gifted Greece the lead, losing the ball on the edge of his area and having his blushes spared by a brilliant goal-line clearance by Levi Colwill.
Pickford then flapped at a high ball and Konstantinos Mavropanos headed into the net but was ruled offside.
England began the second half in lethargic fashion and Greece took the lead in the 49th minute as Pavlidis showed great footwork to dispatch a low shot past Pickford despite being hemmed in by England defenders.
Giorgos Masouras and Pavlidis then had goals ruled out by VAR and many England fans had already headed for home by the time Bellingham’s shot beat Odyyseas Vlachodimos.
Greece were undaunted though and Pavlidis made sure of victory at the 10th attempt against England.
