Holders Greece out after 1-0 loss to Russia

Group D, Wals-Siezenheim, Salzburg

Greece 0
Russia 1

Holders Greece were knocked out of Euro 2008 after losing 1-0 to Russia in their Group D match last night, a result that put Spain in the last eight.

Russia scored the only goal in the 33rd minute when Greece keeper Antonis Nikopolidis ran out in an attempt to clear, leaving Konstantin Zyryanov free to tap the ball into an empty net after clever Sergei Semak's overhead pass.

Greece, surprise winners of Euro 2004 in Portugal, have now lost their first two matches in the group and are eliminated before their final game.

Coach Otto Rehhagel said: "Unfortunately, we couldn't put away the chances we had. But I have always said that the Greek team is not one which scores a lot of goals. I had hoped we could get one, but unfortunately that wasn't the case."

"We contributed a great deal to the Russian goal, which was unnecessary," he added. "But we have to be satisfied - the team we played was first-class, unbelievably fast and secure."

Spain are top on six points, three ahead of Sweden and Russia who meet in their final group match on Wednesday, with Greece trailing in last place and the only team not to have scored a goal at this tournament.

The young Russian side never looked back after opening the scoring and attacked in waves leaving the desperate Greeks relying on crosses into the area.

"Everyone fought hard," said Russia coach Guus Hiddink. "I'm very glad that I now know that Russian players can react when it's needed."

The Russians carved out chance after chance and should have added several more goals in a 30-minute second-half spell that left the struggling Greece defence in tatters.

Roman Pavlyuchenko's close range effort in the 47th was saved by Nikopolidis and he was close again six minutes later when he picked up a pass by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and raced down the left but his low drive was wide.

The Russian striker continued to wreak havoc in the Greece defence and tried to turn provider in the 57th with a clever backheel to Bilyaletdinov who fired wide.

The disappointing Greeks failed to create one clear chance in the match with captain Angelos Basinas's shot over the bar 10 minutes after the break summing up their night of frustration.

Even when Rehhagel freshened up his attack with the speedy Fanis Gekas replacing the tiring Nikos Liberopoulos they could find no way of breaking down a well-drilled Russian defence as they saw their hold on the trophy slip away.

Greece: A. Nikopolidis; G. Seitaridis (G. Karagounis 40), T. Dellas, S. Kyrgiakos, V. Torosidis; C. Katsouranis, A. Basinas, C. Patsatzoglou; A. Haristeas, N. Liberopoulos (F. Gekas 61), Y. Amanatidis (S. Giannakopoulos 79).

Russia: I. Akinfeyev; A. Anyukov, D. Kolodin, S. Ignashevich, Y. Zhirkov (V. Berezutsky 87); S. Semak; D. Torbinsky, K. Zyryanov, I. Semshov, D. Bilyaletdinov (I. Saenko 70); R. Pavlyuchenko.

Scorer: Zyryznov 33 (Russia)

Referee: Roberto Rosetti (Italy).