Uefa Nations League C Group 2: Northern Ireland 0-1 Greece
THE talk beforehand was about achieving four wins from four this month but instead Northern Ireland are still waiting for their first victory in this, their third Nations League campaign.
Indeed Greece captain Tasos Bakasetas inflicted a ninth defeat in 11 matches at this level with a coolly converted chance late in the first half and Gus Poyet's side saw their way to three points fairly comfortably.
For all the huff and puff from the hosts, the sound and fury from the surprisingly sizeable support of almost 17,000, it ended up signifying nothing in terms of points yet again for Ian Baraclough. As so often, NI lacked a cutting edge, and were probably fortunate that Greece didn't score at least once more.
The boss had given a first competitive start for Paddy Lane at left-back, or left wing-back to be precise. It seemed that 'Bara' might be deploying a 4-4-2, but he stuck with his preferred system and Paddy McNair instead operated as the third centre-back.
The midfield three had Ali McCann as the most advanced, but George Saville got forward a fair amount, as did skipper Steven Davis, as ever.
The Greeks were determined to play out from the back, which meant plenty of pressing high from the home front two of Gavin Whyte and Shayne Lavery, but neither received much decent ball to feet or even to chase from their own team-mates.
There was a clash of Liverpool FC full-back stand-ins on one flank, with Conor Bradley up against 'the Greek Scouser', Kostas Tsimikas. The Aghyaran lad was as keen to impress as ever but his touch was off at times. In contrast Tsimikas looked confident, and launched one ambitious cross-field pass, but Lane did well to head it back to his goalkeeper.
When the two Anfield Reds did clash, with Bradley lunging in late, the one in green was fortunate to escape without a booking.
While nothing may seem to change as regards Northern Ireland and the Nations League, there were some surprises.
Greek forward Giorgos Giakoumakis wasn't jeered, despite his being a Celtic player, although perhaps the blue sash on the visitors' jerseys played a part in that.
Greece captain Bakasetas has bridged another divide, playing his club football for new Turkish champions Trabzonspor, and he showed his quality with a tempting, curling cross which Giakoumakis got his head to - but he couldn't find the back of the net as Bailey Peacock-Farrell caught the ball comfortably.
Little of note happened for most of the second quarter until the Greeks broke the deadlock. Lane, who had appeared comfortable, gambled by chasing for a ball in midfield, and Dimitris Limnios nipped in ahead of him, before sliding a pass to his skipper. There was still work to do but Bakasetas confidently drilled a low shot beyond Peacock-Farrell.
Greece could have gone two ahead just before the break, when Tsimikas strongly dispossessed Bradley and drifted forward and infield, before finding Limnios. He shipped the ball on to right-back Lazaros Rota but rather than crossing to a colleague at the back post he went for glory and only succeeded in shooting wide of the near post.
The men in white and blue got through the home rearguard again early in the second half, again through right-sided attacker Limnios, but his brilliant low cross was somehow not converted by Giakoumakis from close range.
That let-off seemed to lift NI, and they gave the already voluble home support something to actually shout about with a period of pressure, crosses clipped in and shots blocked, without testing the Greek goalkeeper.
The introduction of Kyle Lafferty, on in a double substitution on the hour mark along with Niall McGinn for Laverty and Bradley, raised the volume further.
It also brought a formation change, with McNair going to right-back in a back four, and McGinn on the left of a front three, with Whyte over to the right of centre-forward Lafferty.
Greece boss Poyet responded with a triple substitution less than 10 minutes later, taking off his goalscorer and captain along with creator Limnios and their centre-forward Giakoumakis, although he replaced like with like in bringing on Chatzigiovanis, Kourbelis, and Pavlidis.
Despite the lively atmosphere in the crowd, there were few opportunities for another goal, although a whipped Lane cross was shot wide by another home sub, Dion Charles.
His namesake Shea, the highly-rated Manchester City youngster, came on for his senior debut, along with Trai Hume of Sunderland for his second cap, but an equaliser would not come. The teenage Charles did show real promise in a defensive midfield role, but the lack of creativity further forward remained.
Lafferty did clip the top of the net with a free kick from around 25 yards out but the failure to cause experienced Greek keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos any problems of note was the story of another disappointing night in the Nations League for Northern Ireland.
The Green and White Army now head to Cyprus, who lost their group opener 2-0 at home to Kosovo; the latter will host Greece on Sunday and then welcome NI next Thursday night.
If Baraclough's men and boys return to Belfast without at least three points from those two matches they might be thinking about 'D Days', with demotion not unthinkable from a tricky section.
Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell; Bradley (McGinn, 61), McNair, J Evans, Ballard, Lane (Hume, 78); Davis (capt.), Saville (S Charles, 78); A McCann; Lavery (Lafferty, 61), Whyte (D Charles, 71).
Greece: Vlachodimos; Rota (Baldock, 92), Mavropanos, Hatzidiakos, Tsimikas; Bouchalakis, Siopis (Tzavellas, 81), Bakasetas (capt.) (Kourbelis, 69); Limnios (Pavlidis, 68), Giakoumakis (Chatzigiovanis, 68), Mantalos.
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (Belgium).
Attendance: 16,977.
