Ukraine holds Greece 1-1 in World Cup qualifier

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- Substitute Vassilis Tsiartas equalized in the 81st minute Saturday as European champion Greece came back to hold Group 2 rival Ukraine to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup qualifying match at the Olympic stadium.

AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko gave Ukraine the lead in the 49th minute after a massive blunder by Greece goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, who let a free kick from the side of the penalty box roll between his legs and into the net.

Tsiartas, who came on in the 70th minute, then fired a free kick from 27 meters (yards) that gave the Greeks just their second point after three qualifying matches.

Ukraine leads the group with six points from four games. Denmark, Turkey, Georgia, Albania and Kazakhstan are also in the group.

Playing on a slippery field through constant drizzle, Ukraine missed its first scoring opportunity in the 10th minute when Andriy Vorobey failed to beat Nikopolidis in a one-on-one situation.

Shevchenko wasted another chance later in the half, failing to score from five meters (yards) after picking up a pass from Bayer Leverkusen forward Andriy Voronin.

On the other side, Takis Fyssas fired a shot on goal in the 27th minute, but Oleksandr Shovkovskiy made the tough save.

Greece's best chance of the first half came when Stelios Giannakopoulos headed the ball toward the middle of Shovkovskiy's goal from 10 meters (yards), but the Ukraine 'keeper saved again.

Greece played without striker Dimitris Papadopoulos, out with a thigh injury, while Ukraine missed defender Yuriy Dmytrulin, who injured his ankle in a recent practice.

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Lineups:

Ukraine: Oleksandr Shovkovskiy; Andriy Nesmachny, Serhiy Fedorov, Anatolii Tymoshchuk, Volodynyr Yezerskiy, Andriy Rusol, Andriy Shevchenko, Oleh Shelayev (Serhiy Zakarliuka, 87th), Oleh Husev, Andriy Voronin (Oleksiy Belik, 90th), Andriy Vorobei (Andriy Husin, 65th).

Greece: Antonis Nikopolidis; Giourkas Seitaridis, Traianos Dellas, Angelos Basinas (Giorgios Georgiadis, 80th), Theodoros Zagorakis, Stelios Giannakopoulos (Angelos Charisteas, 61st), Takis Fyssas (Vassilis Tsiartas, 70th), Zisis Vryzas, Michalis Kapsis, Giorgos Karagounis, Costas Katsouranis.