Kostas Katsouranis scored in the 31st minute to
give Greece a 1-0 win over Norway on Saturday in a European
Championship qualifier.
The defending European champions have six points from two
matches, the same as Turkey. Norway has six points from three
matches.
``We are very satisfied with the result,'' Greece coach Otto
Rehhagel said. ``We now have six points from two games, which is
positive.''
The match at Karaiskakis stadium started after a 50-minute rain
delay.
Greece got off to a lively start, but Norway had the first chance
in the 12th when a powerful volley by Frederick Stromstad was tipped
over the bar by Antonis Nikopolidis. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's low
drive went narrowly wide in the 23rd before Katsouranis put the
Greeks ahead with an overhead kick in the 31st.
``We started aggressively and that's why we scored in the first
half,'' Rehhagel said. ``Norway improved in the second half and
pressured us.''
The visitors pushed forward in the second half, but rarely
troubled the Greek team, which looked to extend its lead on the
counterattack. Greece almost made it 2-0 in the 90th when Yiannis
Amanatidis met a cross by Giorgos Samaras, but his effort was
stopped by the post.
The Norwegian team launched a series of attacks to equalize in
the dying stages of the game, but the Greek defence resisted well.
Greece plays at Bosnia on Wednesday.
