Low expects defensive Greece in quarters

Lviv (Ukraine), June 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Germany coach Joachim Low said he expects the Greeks to play as defensively as Denmark in their Euro 2012 quarter-final.

Low criticised Denmark for playing “like a handball team” in Germany’s 2-1 victory in Lviv Sunday, when the Germans sealed their passage to the knockout stage.

“Greece will be similar, they will try and take the pace out of the game,” Low said. “The Greeks had three chances, or four chances, and scored three goals. They are the masters of efficiency,” he added.

Greece shocked group leaders Russia 1-0 on Friday to overtake them and qualify for the quarterfinals.

“No one expected that the Greeks would have made it,” Low said.

Lukas Podolski, winning his 100th cap, scored the opener against Denmark on 19 minutes, slamming home from six yards out after Muller’s low cross from the right was missed by Gomez.

Denmark equalised on 24 minutes through Michael Krohn-Dehli, who leapt above Mats Hummels to redirect a Nicklas Bendtner header into the net from close range.

Germany ended their group stage campaign with three wins out of three, having toppled Portugal 1-0 and the Netherlands 2-1.