It's the final day of World Cup qualifying. At the end of the day we will know all 32 teams heading to South Africa next summer.
In Donetsk, Greece tries to outlast Ukraine, after finishing the first leg at a 0-0 draw. A boring first leg, with cautious play by Greece, leads up to this final match that determines the fate of two nations.
The starting lineups:
Greece (White)
Goalkeeper: Alexandros Tzorvas
Vangelis Moras, Nikos Spyropoulos, Georgios Samaras, Konstantinos Katsouranis, Angelos Charisteas, Georgios Karago, Lukas Vyntra, Dimitrios Salpigidis, Socratis Papaststhopoulos, Sotirios Kyrgiakos
Ukraine (Yellow)
Goalkeeper: Andrei Pyatov
Yaroslav Rakitskiy, Olexander Kucher, Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Andriy Yarmolenko, Andriy Shevchenko, Oleksandr Aliev, Artem Milevskiy, Yevhen Khacheridi, Vasyl Kobin, Taras Mikhalik
If Greece can score early, they can put a lot of pressure on Ukraine. A tie greater than 0-0, and they will be moving onto South Africa next summer.
Andriy Shevchenko, though 39 years old, is still the leader and is looking to get involved early for Ukraine.
Early, not much pressure either way, but Ukraine is maintaining a steady possession in Greek territory.
First shot of the game by Oleksandr Aliev from about 32 yds out. Misses the net by a long shot. Ukraine continues to put pressure on, playing balls in behind to Shevchenko.
Shevkenko mishits a rebound in front of the net after a great strike by Aliev at the top of the box. It was one you expect Shevchenko to put away.
Greece with their first opportunity puts a header over the net off a free kick outside the box. Samaras missed the header.
Ukraine gets free kick a couple yards outside the box. A rip to the right corner of the net is denied by the Greek keeper. Shot taken by Aliev.
Greece has settled down a bit and gained some possession of their own as they look to counter and force free kicks and corners around the 18 yd box.
A couple chances each way, leaves us at a pretty even match halfway through the first half.
Socratis Papaststhopoulos goes down for Greece and it looks as if they will have to make a change early on.
Some more pressure on the wings by Ukraine as Kobin plays a pretty ball across the box. Ukraine players could not get on the end of it.
Vassilis Pilatsikos replaces Papaststhopoulos in the 29th minute because of injury for Greece.
GREEEEEEEEEECE GOAL! A beautiful ball from Georgios Samaras in behind the defense leaves Salpigidis one on one with the goalkeeper and he calmly places it into the right corner of the net. What a pretty ball and pretty finish. Another example of the beauty of soccer. Almost everything has to go perfect for a goal to be scored. 31st minute.
Greece has put in the precious away goal putting pressure on Ukraine to score multiple goals in order to qualify for the World Cup.
Ukraine plays around with it a little much in the box after some excellent passing to put pressure on Greece. They have to want and find the net, it doesn't have to be pretty. Kyrgiakos of Greece has been a huge force in the center of the defense thus far, seemingly putting a stop to every chance the Ukrainians think they have to score.
Shevchenko takes a shot inside the box from a very difficult angle pulling it way wide of the net. Only perfection would have allowed for a goal from such an impossible angle.
A free kick from about 30 yds out on the right side of the box is placed perfectly in front of the net. Neither of two Ukrainians can get a touch on the ball and another chance goes unfinished with only a couple minutes remaining in the first half.
It has been an interesting half to watch for sure. The Ukrainians have held most of the possession and had a few very dangerous opportunities to score. Greece has played solid defense inside their own box and capitalized on solid midfield play and counter attacking. Ukraine will have to score two goals in the second half while limiting the Greeks to none. If the second half is anything like the first don't be surprised if they are able to do this. It should be fun.
Halftime Score: Greece 1-Ukraine 0
The second half begins. The tension can be cut with a knife as the Ukrainian crowd hopes for and anticipates a come from behind victory.
The last time Greece played in Ukraine was a 2005 World Cup qualifying match in November. The score of that game was 1-1 but Greece did not qualify for the World Cup. If that is the outcome today, they will be heading to South Africa next summer.
Shevchenko comes out aggressive and creating by finding Khackeridi who hits it straight at the keeper missing another opportunity.
Yellow Card for Khackeridi in the 52nd minute.
More pressure from Ukraine and Oleksandr Aliev's free kick is batted away by Greek keeper Tzorvas in the 57th minute. Aliev has been taken out of the game and replaced by Yevgen Seleznov.
Ukraine is really turning it on as Tzorvas denies another shot from 18 yards out by Shevchenko. They need to find the net soon if they are to make the comeback late in the game.
Seleznov, who just came in, has another chance for Ukraine as he turns in the box and misses wide of the net. They can smell a goal, now they just have to taste the net. A goal here could turn the momentum back their way.
61st minute.
Greece's Theofanis Gekas, the leading scorer in European qualifying, comes off the bench to replace Georgios Samaras in the 63rd minute. Samaras assisted on the lone goal of the game.
Ukraine's Lukas Vyntra receives a yellow card: 63rd minute.
66th minute: Oleksiy Gay replaces Taras Mikhalik for the Ukrainians.
Algeria has just beat Egypt 1-0 to go to The FIFA World Cup in South Africa next summer.
Ukraine continues to dominate the game. Shot after shot is being fired but nothing can find the back of the net. Greece seems content in sitting back and letting Ukraine figure out how to score two goals in the final 20 minutes. It is unquestionably a difficult task and Greece is at a huge advantage.
Oleg Gusev comes in for Ukraine, replacing Andriy Yarmolenko in the 69th minute. Maybe fresh legs will help Ukraine finally get one in the net.
Alexandros Tziolis comes of the bench to replace Angelos Charisteas for Greece in the 71st minute.
Sotirios Kyrgiakos recieves a yellow card in the 78th minute. Time is desperately running out on Ukraine.
When a team gets this deep in the game, with such a dominating performance, but nothing has gone their way, it is difficult for them to keep their spirits up. Disappointment is starting to show in the body language of the Ukrainians. It will be interesting to see if they can continue to put pressure on Greece as time runs out on their chance at the 2010 World Cup.
86th minute.
A dismal attempt to score by Anatoliy Tymoschuk with a few minutes left may be the final opportunity as the Ukrainians see their World Cup dreams slipping hopelessly out of their grasp.
Greece did not have the sort of performance most teams would like to bring to the field today. But, when it is all said and done, they did what they needed to do to make it to South Africa next summer. They scored the one goal they needed to get and decided to pack it in on defense. Getting through that tough as nails central defense, it is no surprise the Ukrainians never found the back of the net. Greek Goalkeeper Alexandros Tzorvas was phenomenal today as chance after chance was sent his way.
The Ukraine team was valiant in their effort today. A strong performance from Oleksandr Aliev in the middle allowed them to continuously put pressure on the Greek defensive backs. On another day, we would likely have seen a different outcome.
Greece has the capability of being a world soccer powerhouse. They have over half a year to try to put everything together before they make a run at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
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