The obvious reaction to England's shock 2-1 Nations League defeat by Greece on Oct 10 would be to blame the radical selection of interim coach Lee Carsley, but the key moments came not in the crowded midfield but when the Three Lions had numbers galore at the back.
Vangelis Pavlidis scored both Greece goals at Wembley, the second in stoppage time, despite being surrounded by defenders on both occasions.
Tentative or non-existent tackling together with disorganisation that left players colliding and in a heap on the pitch opened the way, as Pavlidis showed neat control to secure Greece's first-ever win over England.
The result means the Greeks top Group B2 on nine points, three ahead of England.
The scoreline could have been worse, with the video assistant referee (VAR) ruling out two more Greek goals for offside as England were repeatedly exposed at the back, despite Jude Bellingham's 87th-minute equaliser briefly looking to have earned a flattering point for the Euro 2024 finalists.
This story is from the October 12, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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This story is from the October 12, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.
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