Lyberopoulos makes holders happy

Holders Greece got their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying campaign off to a winning start as recalled striker Nikolaos Lyberopoulos came off the bench to score the goal that defeated Moldova.

Lyberopoulos had been out of the squad since January before his recall for this Group C fixture, and the AEK Athens FC forward headed in an Angelos Basinas corner to give Otto Rehhagel's side a familiar victory - their previous four UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers and all their knockout games in Portugal finished 1-0.

Greece came a disappointing fourth in their FIFA World Cup qualification group after opening with a loss in Albania and were determined not to repeat that tonight as they attacked from the off. They had the best chance of the first half when Traianos Dellas was fouled by Serghei Lascencov in the Moldova box on 28 minutes, only for Basinas to put his penalty wide.

Five minutes after the break Greece went close again. Basinas crossed from the right for striker Ioannis Amanatidis to head back across goal, but Moldova keeper Sergei Pascenco got to the ball before visiting substitute Dimitrios Salpingidis had the opportunity to score. Moldova could have snatched a goal in the 71st minute when Victor Berco broke clear but Georgios Karagounis made a vital tackle.

The visitors then make the breakthrough. Lyberopoulos, on for UEFA EURO 2004™ Player of the Tournament and Greece captain Theodoros Zagorakis, made a decisive connection five metres out with Basinas's inswinging set-piece from the left. Greece could have doubled their advantage late on when Konstantinos Katsouranis raced through and rounded Pascenco, but his cross to Amanatidis was cut out. Both countries' next group fixture is against Norway - Moldova go to Oslo on Wednesday, before Greece welcome the Norwegians to Athens on 7 October.