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Hosts will be under pressure
It's hard to believe that Greece, not Czechs, are going to play the final. They are truly giant-killers of Euro 2004, writes Sourav Ganguly.
It's difficult to believe that Greece, not Czech Republic, are going to play the Euro 2004 final against Portugal on Sunday. They are truly the giant-killers in this tournament. After beating Portugal in the first match of the tournament, they drew with Spain, beat France in the quarter-finals and then the Czechs in the semis. It's a great achievement by a team that was not even among the dark horses.
The sports fraternity should salute this effort. This historical milestone is going to give a boost to the Greeks, who are hosting the Olympics in August.
We have seen Turkey, Senegal, Cameroon in the past staging upsets in tournaments like the World Cup. In World Cup cricket also I have seen so many upsets. Zimbabwe and Kenya have surprised millions by beating big teams. But they couldn't reach the final of any tournament. This is the difference between them and Greece.
My money was on the Czechs because they were very impressive all through the tournament. Moreover, they were unbeaten throughout the tournament. But the only match they lost meant the end of their road for them. That's sport.
I think Pavel Nedved's replacement in the semis became the biggest factor for the Czechs. A dependable player like him is always an added strength for any team. But if he departs early because of injury, it's a blow for the team as it affects the players' morale.
So many missed chances, and lack of good defence put the the Czechs on the backfoot. They were also not lucky enough. With the silver goal rule they could chase the goal in the first half of extra time, but Greece scored in the very last minute of that half and there was no scope for the Czechs to equalise.
This kind of mistake takes everything out of you. You cannot come back to struggle for existence and that's exactly what happened to the team of Karel Bruckner.
Will lady luck shine again on Greece in the final on Sunday? It's a big question now. It will be a very difficult task for them and most of the analysts are putting their money on Portugal. But I am not going to commit another mistake this time. I think it's 50-50 in Estadio De Luz. Nobody is a favourite here.
Greece have nothing to lose. But Portugal have a lot to lose. This will put them under tremendous pressure. Playing a big final before the home crowd is very difficult. Everyone in the gallery and all over the country expects you to die for a win on the field. But they will have tremendous support. That's a plus point.
Portugal have more stars than Greece. In this kind of big match big stars do become factors. But I believe, Greece will fight till the last minute. Late goals will be more vital than earlier ones.
Let's hope for a tough battle. Like me, everyone wants to watch a nail-biting finish on Sunday night.
