Greece will cross the distance from South Europe to the Baltic Sea where Michael Skibbe’s men will face Estonia after four consecutive wins. Both nations will play their third group H fixture of the 2018 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers where they’re alongside Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus and Gibraltar. After first two rounds Belgium and Greece are still without mistake, making them clear favourites for the top position which secures visas for Russia in summer of 2018. However, Greece cannot afford any wrong step since Bosnia shouldn’t be written off from the competition and we’re sure Greek team took its lesson after the extremely frustrating UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, where “Piratiko” finished last (6th), even behind the Faroe Islands.
Estonia vs Greece – Team News and Match Preview
In a fact Greece suffered two defeats by the Faroe Islands which was the most embarrassing part of their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and decision of the Hellenic Football Federation to appoint German coach Michael Skibbe looks really reasonable. He took the helm of Greece national team exactly one year ago, in October 2015, as thus Greece surely dreams for glorious days like under management of another German manager Otto Rehhagel. He was the one who made Greece trademark in European football and Michael Skibbe starts in promising way. These four consecutive defeats began in the summer when Greece played two matches in Australia, losing first of them with 0-1, but winning the second one with 2-1. Both matches against Socceroos were in June and they were followed by even more prestigious friendly match – 2-1 win against the Netherlands in Eindhoven. Great success which was accomplished after a full comeback, coming right on time to boost Greek spirit few days before kicking-off their 2018 World Cup qualifying quest with a 4-1 success in Gibraltar.
Greece’s first home qualifier was against Cyprus when on Friday night both nations met at the “Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki” in Piraeus. Match has ended with a 2-0 win for Greece and this inspires even more optimism before match against Estonia.
Estonia are one of the traditional underdogs in European football and no one expects something outstanding by the “Blueshirts”. Their last friendly in late August was an 1-1 draw against Malta and it was followed by a 0-5 defeat from Bosnia and Herzegovina few days later. That devastating defeat in Zenica was last match for Swedish coach Magnus Pehrsson in charge of Estonian national team and he was replaced by the 45-year-old domestic coach Martin Reim, who previously led different youth formations (U18, U21, U23) of the country in period 2012-2016.
Martin Reim is a personality that arouses respect as he’s the most capped footballer of Estonian national team with 157 matches and 14 goals in period 1992–2009. Now he has one really tricky challenge ahead but at least he started with a massive victory – 4:0 against Gibraltar. Inspirational victory where two of the goals were scored by Fulham’s 18-year-old midfielder Mattias Käit, who played its second cap for Estonia main team. Other two goals were also scored by midfielders – Konstantin Vassiljev and Sergei Mošnikov.
It was first match where Estonia has scored four goals since five years – 4:1 vs Northern Ireland, as well as first victory for the Blueshirts with four goals margin since the 4:0 success over Luxembourg from September 2004, when Reim was in the Arno Pijpers’ squad.
Estonia vs Greece – Betting Prediction and Possible Lineups
Estonia and Greece have only two past meetings and they both were friendlies – 2:2 draw in December 1999, followed by a 4-2 Greek win from November 2001. Well, lot has changes since then and that victory was one of the first matches of Otto Rehhagel since his appointment on 9 August 2001. Rest is history and 51-year-old Michael Skibbe is surely motivated by the outstanding work done by his compatriot.
We can say that Greek football generation has been refreshed and most experienced names in current selection are of goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis, defenders Jose Holebas, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Vasilis Torosidis, midfielders Giannis Maniatis and Alexandros Tziolis, as well as of Benfica’s striker Kostas Mitroglou. Latter is Greece’s leading goal scorer so far as he has scored in last three victories – one goal in each game. Mitroglou is expected to lead Greece’s attack once again and he’ll receive support by trio including names of Petros Mantalos, Kostas Fortounis and Anastasios Bakasetas, as they all represent new wave of Greek footballers. Players like Giannis Gianniotas, Nikos Karelis and Apostolos Vellios are also waiting for their chance, but we believe Skibbe will start with the same squad used against Cyprus last round.
Possible rotation is related with PAOK’s left-back Giorgos Tzavellas, who got injured in closing minutes of the match and was substituted, so someone between José Holebas and Kostas Stafylidis can take his position.
We also doubt that Martin Reim has some special intention to change its roster after that expressive success against Gibraltar. It truly came against one of the weakest teams in the UEFA but as we already highlighted, Estonia was waiting 12 years for such a win, so it will have great psychological effect over the squad.
Final conclusion and Betting Tip
Despite Estonia’s home advantage and good spirit after last round’s victory, we all know that Greeks know how to win these type of games. All results from past few months are showing that awful period in their Euro 2016 qualifying route remains in the past, as it seems like so far. Thus we find good value in the suggested odds for potential Greek success and we’re ready to place our bets on the away sign – classic 1X2 betting Greece to win in Estonia.
Venue: “A. Le Coq Arena”, Talinn.
Referee: István Vad from Hungary
Possible starting lineups of Estonia and Greece
Estonia: Mihkel Aksalu – Dmitri Kruglov, Ragnar Klavan, Nikita Baranov, Taijo Teniste – Mattias Käit, Karol Mets – Siim Luts, Konstantin Vassiljev, Sergei Zenjov – Henri Anier. (4-2-3-1)
Greece: Orestis Karnezis – Konstantinos Stafylidis, Konstantinos Manolas, Sokratis, Vasilis Torosidis – Giannis Maniatis, Alexandros Tziolis – Anastasios Bakasetas, Konstantinos Fortounis, Petros Mantalos – Konstantinos Mitroglou. (4-2-3-1)