SPORTSTICKER EURO RECAP (CZECH REPUBLIC-GREECE)
PORTO, Portugal (Ticker) -- Traianos Dellas headed in a dramatic game-winning goal in the 105th minute to send Greece to the Euro 2004 final after a 1-0 victory over a heavily-favored Czech Republic.
With just seconds to go in the first period of extra time, Dellas stooped to head Vassilios Tsiartas' right-wing corner kick inside the near post.
Before Euro 2004 started, Greece had never won a match in a major international competition.
"I know that I gave great joy to my teammates, to my coach and to my whole country," Dellas said. "But we believed in ourselves from the beginning and we achieved it."
Coach Otto Rehhagel agreed with Dellas.
"We have been together as a team for three years now and have developed step by step," he said. "Now we have seen the result."
Czech captain Pavel Nedved hobbled off in the first half with a knee injury, a major loss since he had been setting up the potent Czech offense.
Nedved's injury did not prevent the Czech's from setting up several goal scoring oppportunities. Jan Koller was wide open in the top of the penalty area, but his shot went wide of the net in the 80th minute. Milan Baros, leading scorer in Euro 2004, pushed his shot wide three minutes later.
The Greeks managed to stifle a Czech offense that had scored at least two goals in each of its last nine competitive matches.
"It was a difficult match from the beginning," Dellas said. "Neither team wanted to lose. But I believe that we played very cleverly as we shut down their strong points."
Despite the Czech onslaught, the Greeks advanced to face Portugal in the final in a repeat of the opening game of the tournament, won by Greece, 2-1.
"I'm not dissatisfied and I have already told my boys that I'm proud of them," Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner said. "Our performance in these championships was not bad at all."
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