"After getting outclassed for an hour and trailing 1-0 when by rights it should have been two or three, how did Scotland win this monumentally befuddling World Cup qualifier 3-1? How did they go from a team that was getting passed close to death by a slick Greece turn it around? What weird cosmic force was at work here? 'Football, bloody hell' doesn't cover it, not even close."
"In cataloguing Greek's dominance, we note the absolute sitter passed up by Vangelis Pavlidis early on. Then the Pavlidis shot saved by Angus Gunn. Then the Pavlidis header over Gunn's crossbar. Then there was the long overdue goal, a gorgeous thing that reflected all of Greece's coolness and class, their speed of thought and movement. A thing of beauty and to all the world a knockout blow. Scotland hadn't existed in the game."
"The hope, the optimism, the feelgood swirling around Hampden in the preamble was gone. Smiles on kids' faces, knowing looks from folk beforehand as the Greece team emerged without the names of Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias, the twin assassins of March when they came to Hampden and won 3-0. Two of Greece's most creative attackers on the bench. Two of Scotland's best - Aaron Hickey and Ben Gannon-Doak - restored having missed the March mauling."
Scotland trailed Greece and were outplayed for much of the match, especially during the first hour, yet recovered to win 3-1 and strengthen their World Cup qualification bid. Greece created numerous chances, with Vangelis Pavlidis missing a sitter, having a shot saved by Angus Gunn and heading over the bar before scoring a composed, classically crafted goal. Hampden atmosphere shifted from pre-match optimism to concern as Greece seemed dominant, with Konstantinos Karetsas and Giannis Konstantelias absent from the lineup and notable Scottish players Aaron Hickey and Ben Gannon-Doak returning from absence. Scotland mounted a late turnaround to secure victory.
Read at www.bbc.com
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