Greece's vaunted defense is going to have to get a lot tighter if the surprise champions from four years ago are to avoid a humbling first-round exit at this year's European Championship.
Greece, which had not allowed a goal at the tournament in 425 minutes, gave up two in six minutes of the second half yesterday to open their Euro 2008 campaign with a 2-0 loss to Sweden.
Sweden's Henrik Larsson (L) vies with a Greek player during the Euro 2008 Group D football match between Greece and Sweden on June 10, 2008 at Wals-Siezenheim Stadium in Salzburg, Austria. Sweden won 2-0. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
"The Greeks didn't play with heart like they normally do, and the Swedes pushed us hard," Greece coach Otto Rehhagel said. "Some of my players were unable to play at the level I expected them to. They tried hard but it wasn't enough."
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his first international goal in almost three years and Petter Hansson hit the second to give the Swedes the maximum three points. In their next match, they'll face Group D favorite Spain, which routed Russia 4-1 in Innsbruck.
"The players did an excellent job," Sweden coach Lars Lagerback said. "I think we deserved to win 100 percent."
Sweden's Petter Hansson (R) celebrates scoring during the Euro 2008 Group D football match between Greece and Sweden on June 10, 2008 at Wals-Siezenheim Stadium in Salzburg, Austria. Sweden won 2-0. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
Ibrahimovic, set up by strike partner Henrik Larsson, scored in the 67th minute with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty box. Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis threw himself to the right and got a finger on the ball but it sailed into his upper right corner of the goal.
The last time the Greeks gave up a goal at the continental tournament was in its final group game in 2004, a 2-1 loss to Russia.
"I saw the opening to the left and that's where I put it," said Ibrahimovic, who was named man of the match. "It was a fantastic feeling."
It was the Inter Milan striker's first goal for Sweden since Oct. 12, 2005, when Sweden beat Iceland 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier. Ibrahimovic has now scored 19 goals in 51 matches for Sweden.