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Group
6
It
seemed unlikely after the first round of matches in UEFA EURO
2004 qualifying Group 6 that Greece would end up celebrating
automatic qualification and Spain contemplating the play-offs.
Yet one week in June turned the group on its head.
The opening matches in September 2002 only hinted at the
twists to come. Spain impressed in winning 2-0 in Greece,
while Ukraine stormed into a 2-0 lead in Armenia only for the
home side to mount a comeback and equalise through substitute
Albert Sargsyan's penalty three minutes into added time.
Greece's poor start continued in October as they lost 2-0
again, this time in Ukraine, while Spain cruised to a 3-0
victory at home against Northern Ireland. A 2-0 home win
against Armenia finally got Greece off the mark four days
later, while Northern Ireland held Ukraine 0-0 in Belfast.
The section's most dramatic match came in Kiev on 29 March,
Ukraine holding a 1-0 lead against Spain until the 83rd minute
- when goals from Raúl González and Joseba Etxeberría put
the visitors ahead only for Andriy Husin to volley an
equaliser in added time. Armenia scored a similarly late
winner to beat Northern Ireland 1-0, while four days later
Greece won 2-0 in Belfast and Spain saw off Armenia 3-0.
Spain were in firm command of the group, but on 6 June that
all changed as Greece came to Zaragoza with a new sweeper
system and Stylianos Giannakopoulos's 42nd-minute goal gave
them victory against the run of play. Meanwhile, Ukraine
needed another injury-time strike to beat Armenia 4-3. Four
days later Greece went top for the first time as they overcame
Ukraine 1-0 and Spain were held by Northern Ireland.
It was a turn of events from which Spain and Ukraine never
recovered. In September, Greece beat Armenia by their favoured
1-0 scoreline, while Ukraine were held 0-0 in Kiev by Northern
Ireland. Four days later, Ukraine were out as they lost 2-1 in
Spain, while Armenia secured fourth place by beating Northern
Ireland 1-0 - the losers setting a European record with their
12th consecutive goalless game.
As the group ended, Spain visited Armenia needing Northern
Ireland to do them a favour in Greece. Spain duly won 4-0, but
Vassilios Tsiartas's 69th-minute penalty secured Greece's
fourth straight 1-0 victory, and booked their ticket to
Portugal. Spain were left to console themselves with a place
in the play-offs, where they were paired with Norway.
- UEFA.com
| Greece |
0-2 |
Spain |
07/09/02 |
| |
Raul
7
Valeron 76 |
| Armenia |
2-2 |
Ukraine |
07/09/02 |
Petrosyan
74
Sargsyan pen 89 |
Serebrennikov
2
Zubov 33 |
| Spain |
3-0 |
Northern
Ireland |
12/10/02 |
Baraja
19, 88
Guti ?? |
|
| Ukraine |
2-1 |
Greece |
12/10/02 |
Vorobey
52
Voronin 90 |
|
| Greece |
2-0 |
Armenia |
16/10/02 |
| Nikolaidis
2, 60 |
|
| Northern
Ireland |
0-0 |
Ukraine |
16/10/02 |
| |
|
| Armenia |
1-0 |
Northern
Ireland |
29/03/03 |
| Petrosian
86 |
|
| Ukraine |
2-2 |
Spain |
29/03/03 |
Voronin
12
Gorshkov 90 |
Raul
84
Etxeberria 86 |
| Northern
Ireland |
0-2 |
Greece |
02/04/03 |
| |
Charisteas
3, 56 |
| Spain |
3-0 |
Armenia |
02/04/03 |
Tristan
61
Helguera 67
Joaquin 90 |
|
| Spain |
0-1 |
Greece |
07/06/03 |
| |
Giannakopoulos
42 |
| Ukraine |
4-3 |
Armenia |
07/06/03 |
Gorshkov
43
Shevchenko pen 65, 73
Fedorov 90 |
Sargsian
pen 15, 50
Petrosian 73 |
| Northern
Ireland |
0-0 |
Spain |
11/06/03 |
| |
|
| Greece |
1-0 |
Ukraine |
11/06/03 |
| Charisteas
78 |
|
| Armenia |
0-1 |
Greece |
06/09/03 |
| |
Vryzas
36 |
| Ukraine |
0-0 |
Northern
Ireland |
06/09/03 |
| |
|
| Northern
Ireland |
0-1 |
Armenia |
10/09/03 |
| |
Karamian
27 |
| Spain |
2-1 |
Ukraine |
10/09/03 |
| Raul
61, 72 |
Shevchenko
83 |
| Greece |
1-0 |
Northern
Ireland |
11/10/03 |
| Tsartas
pen 69 |
|
| Armenia |
0-4 |
Spain |
11/10/03 |
| |
Valeron
7
Raul 74
Reyes 86, 90 |
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