FULL-TIME: Costa Rica 1 – 1 Greece. Extra time follows.
90+5′ – Karagounis recieved a reprieve from the referee as his ill-timed jump almost knock out a Costa Rica player on the left flank.
90+3′ – Bad news for Costa Rica, Nevas got himself injured. But he is up. A tricky situation for them as there is no substitute left.
90+2′ – Nevas, brilliant save! He denied a sure winner from a Konstantinos Mitroglou header.
90′ – Greece did it again!!! Finally Nevas beaten as a relentless Greece attack finally paid off with Sokratis Papastathopoulos scoring off a rebounce. At stoppage time.
89′ – Five minutes ADDED.
88′ – Greece continue to attack from both the flanks. And Yellow Card for Costa Rica goalie, Nevas for time-wasting.
87′ – With minutes into the final whistle, Christodoulopoulos produced a great run, cutting inside from the right. His pass to find Gekas in front of the Costa Rica was, however, thwarted a brillaint Nevas. Superb goal-keeping.
85′ – Costa Rica continue to test Greece defenders with Campbell, Diaz and Ruiz involving in the move.
84′ – From a Greece corner taken by Christodoulopoulos, Costa Rica made a counter attack. But they wasted the chance.
83′ – Costa Rica SUB: Christian Bolanos replaced by Randall Brenes.
82′ – Theofanis Gekas got a free run inside the Greek half. But he was caught up by a defender at the time of final delivery. Chance wasted.
81′ – Papastathopoulos’ delivery from the set-piece found Manolas. But the header from the Greek defender missed the target by some distance.
80′ – Greece soon won the ball back from a long Costa Rica goal-kick. Greece did well enough to reach the attacking third, where they won another free-kick.
79′ – From 25 metres, Karagounis tried to find the back of the net. But his attempt sailed over the bar. Poor attempt from the skipper.
78′ – Greece, with a man advantage, are pressing hard for the equaliser. Won a free-kick inside the Costa Rica half.
77′ – Greece SUB: Ioannis Maniatis replaced by Konstantinos Katsouranis.
76′ – Costa Rica SUB: Cristian Gamboa replaced by Johnny Acosta.
74′ – Greece, on the break, created their best chance of the half from the left. But Gekas failed to seized the opportunity as his attmempt off a cross went out of the play.
73′ – Bolanos delivered the ball inside the Greece box from the set-piece, but a defender got the ball first.
72′ – Yellow Card for Manolas as he ran into Campbell from behind. Costa Ricans are not happy with the tackle and asked for more than a yellow or a free-kick.
71′ – From the set-piece, Greece produced few good moves. But the brilliant Nevas deny them the equaliser.
70′ – Another Yellow Card for Costa Rica as skipper Ruiz fouled Samaras. Free-kick to Greece.
69′ – From the goal-kick, Costa Rica won a free-kick inside the Greece half. But Campbell’s effort was too meak to challenge the goalie.
68′ – Greece SUB:Dimitrios Salpingidis replaced Theofanis Geka.
67′ – Samaras got a header from the set-piece delivery, but it missed the target.
66′ – Second Yellow (RED) Card for Oscar Duarte. In the process, Greece won a free-kick in a dangerous area.
65′ – Costa Rica SUB: Yeltsin Tejeda replaced by Jose Cubero.
64′ – Salpingidis conceded a free-kick to Costa Rica as he fouled a Costa Rica player.
62′ – Greece are seemingly losing concentration with few fouls committed in the play. The referee has a long word with one of the Greece players.
61′ – From a goal-kick, Nevas took some time to set the play. Christian Bolanos conceded trying to control the high ball from Nevas, as he pushed a Greece player to the ground. Free-kick to Greece.
60′ – At the hour mark, Greece are building from their own half. However, Sokratis Papastathopoulos’ long ball in a bid to find a break-away team-mate inside the Costa Rica box went out of play.
59′ – Costa Rica won a goal-kick following an uncontrolled run from Torosidis.
58′ – Greece SUB: Andreas Samaris replaced by Konstantinos Mitroglou.
57′ – Free-kick to Greece as Ruiz fouled a Greece player inside the Greece half.
56′ – Oscar Granados on the Costa Rica bench got booked.
54′ – Costa Rica, once again found the Greece back-line exposed. Costa Rica attacks in flurry.
Moments earlier, Greece defender Vasilis Torosidis almost conceded a penalty for a handball inside the box. But his touch went un-noticed.
53′ – Soon after the re-start, Costa Rica once again broke loose with a beautiful cross.
52′ – GOAL Costa Rica!!! Captain Bryan Ruiz slotted a perfect ball to give his team lead in Recife.
51′ – After a throw-in, Greece rolled back the back to the defensive line, probably, to start a move. Then, after few passes, won another throw-in, before giving away the ball to Costa Rica.
50′ – Christodoulopoulos’ corner found Sokratis Papastathopoulos header. But it too missed the target.
49′ – From the set-piece play, Greece won a corner.
48′ – Yellow Card for Tejeda as he lunged on to Karagounis. Free-kick to Greece.
47′ – Greece won a free-kick in a dangerous area. From the set-piece, Cholevas delivered right inside the Costa Rica box, where Samaras found a header. But it sailed over the bar.
46′ – 45 minutes play more to decide which team plays Netherlands in the quarter-finals. From the re-start, Greece gained early ground.
In the first-half’s play, both the teams created few chances. But counting on the attempts, Greece have got the upper hand with four of the seven hitting the target.
But for Costa Rica, the couple of attempts failed to hit the target.
HALF-TIME: Costa Rica 0 – 0 Greece
45+1′ – Samaris conceded a free-kick Costa Rica in the centre with high boot.
45′ – After few passes, Costa Rica won a goal-kick.
44′ – Cristian Gamboa conceded a free-kick inside the Greece half. From the set-piece taken by goalie, Karnezis helped Greece built up an excellent attack with at least four players inside the Costa Rica half. Two minutes ADDED.
43′ – Karagounis’s attempt from the set-piece was easily collected by the onrushing Nevas.
42′ – Yellow Card for Oscar Duarte as the Costa Rica defender tripped Salpingidis on the run. Free kick for Greece inside the Costa Rica half.
41′ – Good incisive play from Costa Rica but Greece defenders marked pretty well to thwart the attack.
40′ – From the re-start, Costa Rica used the right flank to attack Greece, but they lost the ball. Greece, on the other hand, after few passing around, gave away the ball with a long ball. Goal-kick to Costa Rica.
39′ – Some excellent play from the Greece players, as the quickly unlock the Costa Rica defence. But Salpingidis was caught offside.
37′ – From the Karagounis corner, Costa Rica won a free-kick for pushing and shoving.
36′ – Great save from Nevas as his extended left foot blocked Dimitris Salpingidis’s point blank shot, for a corner.
35′ – Yellow Card for Andreas Samaris as the midfielder caught late Campbell inside the Greece half.
34′ – Costa Rica forward, Campbell tumbled inside the Greece box. Great chance for Costa Rica. The presence of two defenders made it tough for Campbell.
32′ – Costa Rica once again won a throw-in. From Gamboa’s throw to Duarte, they controlled the ball some time. And from the final play in the attacking third, Giancarlo Gonzalez released a direction-less cross. Goal kick to Greece.
30′ – Then Christodoulopoulos found himself vying for the ball inside the Costa Rica box from a long ball. But the lines-man’s flag was already up.
29′ – Costa Rica won a throw-in inside the Greece half. From Gamboa’s throw, they won a corner. But his delivery from the flag-post was collected by a jumping Karnezis.
28′ – From a Costa Rica counter attack, Greece won back the ball then press hard with Samaras inside the Costa Rica box. But Samaras was caught off-side.
27′ – Then, after a loose passes, Greece managed to create an opening in the Costa Rica defence, with the skipper Karagounis going for a long ranger, which was easily saved by Navas.
26′ – Maniatis had a great pass delivered to Jose Holebas on the left flank, where after a tussle, Greece won a throw-in.
25′- After a not so eventful corner, Costa Rica got the ball rolling for a counter. But the long ball was cut short by a Greece defender.
24′ – From the play, Greece managed to won a corner as Costa Roca defender Giancarlo Gonzalez headed away towards the far flag.
23′ – Gamboa’s sliding tackle got veteran Karagounis on the floor. But no card. Greece won a free-kick.
22′ – From the free-kick, taken by Bolanos, Borges got a clear header but it went of play.
In between, in the built up to the free-kick, referee intervene to control two sets of players in argument.
20′ – Maniatis got a good clearance inside the Greece half off a Gamboa play. Throw-in for Costa Rica. From the play, Campbell was fouled at the edge of the box by Karagounis.
18′ – After a brief Greece possession, Campbell got himself into a good position, running in from the left. But he ran into two Greece defenders.
17′ – From the following play, Costa Rica gained vital space inside the Greece half. Duarte and Ruiz changed positions as they tried to create space. But good defending from the Greece defenders.
16′ – Jose Holebas took a throw-in inside the Costa Rica half, then after a quick swift, Greece tried to create an opening from the right. But one of the Greece players was caught off-side.
15′ – Karagounis, from the near corner, delivered the ball inside the Costa Rica box. But it was cleared away.
14′ – Good cross from Samaras from the left, but equally effective defending by Umana for Costa Rica. Corner to Greece.
12′ – Greece, after scrapping through to the knock-out, are measuring up with the one of the three teams which has conceded only one goal at the group stage. In fact, Greece are the only team to have negative goal difference and play in the knock-outs.
11′ – Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, after fighting off a rough challenge on the left flank, went for a direct shot at the Costa Rica goal. But it failed to hit the target. Poor attempt.
10′ – Pretty good take by Samaras off a high ball from the right. But he was caught just offside.
8′ – Then, Costa Rica won the ball back and have controlled the proceedings.
7′ – Nice little period from Costa Rica. But from a long-ball, Greece won a goal-kick.
6′ – Cristian Gamboa got a throw-in back to Costa Rica defenders. From the following play, Christian Bolanos got a shot missing the target from the left side. It was indeed one good move with Bryan Ruiz.
5′ – From a Jose Holebas throw, Greece soon lost the possession as Costa Rica moved ahead with Campbell and Ruiz combining well. But Karagounis won back the ball for Greece.
4′ – Costa Rica won a throw-in in their own half. And from the back-line, got a good run with Gamboa sending a cross inside the Greece box.
3′ – Greece are controlling the ball and waiting for Costa Rican to open up.
2′ – Karagounis’ free-kick was an poor effort and it was easily headed away by a Costa Rica defender. Then Papastathopoulos got a sight on the goal, which sailed over the bar.
1′ – Costa Rica started the match from the centre, and soon, Greece won the ball from their half and won the first free-kick of the match, inside the Costa rica half.
After the national anthems, both the teams are ready for the kick-off. Greece are in all whites, while Costa Rica are in all whites.
The interesting fact is, both the captains play for EPL side Fulham. Bryan Ruiz is on loan to PSV Eindhoven, by the way.
And Williams is the first Aussie to officiate a World Cup knock-out game.
This will be the first meeting between these two unheralded teams in the World Cup. Greece, despite winning hosts of other major tournaments like the European trophy, have never survived the preliminary round in the previous editions. So, it will be a great opportunity for Fernando Santos and his team.
For Costa Rica, this is their second Round of 16 appearance after the 1990 edition. Thanks to their discipline defensive unit and a superb goalie in Keylor Navas, they are yet to concede from open play in Brazil, The only goal scored against them was from a penalty, by Edinson Cavani of Uruguay.
Benjamin Williams from Australia will officiate the match.
Playing XI’s are here:
Costa Rica XI: Navas; Duarte, Gonzalez, Umana; Gamboa, Tejeda, Borges, Diaz; Ruiz, Bolanos; Campbell
Greece XI: Karnezis; Torosidis, Manolas, Papastathopoulos, Cholevas; Maniatis, Samaris, Karagounis; Salpingidis, Christodoulopoulos; Samaras
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 