The calendar read October 10 when the National Team, straight out of the most beautiful dreams of football fans, triumphed with a 2-1 victory over England at Wembley. They not only overcame the strength of their formidable opponent but, more importantly, the shock of losing George Baldock, who had tragically passed away the previous night.

A month later, the two teams face off again, this time at OAKA (with fans selling out the stadium in just 8 hours), for the 5th and penultimate matchday of the Nations League. This match, barring any major surprises, is expected to decide the top spot, which also grants promotion to the tournament’s top division.

The away win in London and the four overall victories we’ve achieved put us in a strong position, as today the National Team secures the top spot in the group (even if they lose to Finland in the final matchday, they’ll have better head-to-head results against England). However, for Ivan Jovanović, there is no question of playing for anything less than a win.

“I want to be honest. Such a dilemma does not and cannot exist. It makes no sense. We can’t step onto a pitch with 60,000 fans and settle for a draw. We need to play an exceptional game. A draw can never be our primary objective. We’ll never approach a match thinking that two outcomes will suit us. We have to deliver another perfect performance. Against England, we have to be very strong for the entire game,” clarified the national coach, who will be without only the suspended Kourbelis.

Christos Zafeiris of Slavia Prague is expected to take his place, marking his first start, while Tsimikas and Pavlidis have the edge over Giannoulis and Ioannidis.

Scenarios for the National Team

As mentioned earlier, Greece secures the top spot in the group with a win or draw in today’s match. Regardless of the outcome, Greece is guaranteed at least second place, which means they’ll have a second chance to compete for promotion to League A of the Nations League through the playoffs in March.

Even in the event of a loss, Greece still has a chance at first place, though goal difference will be a crucial factor.

• If we lose by one goal, Greece will still have a better overall goal difference (Greece at +7, England at +6). This means that if Greece beats Finland by the same or more goals than England beats Ireland, Greece remains at the top of the group.
• If both teams draw or lose by the same score on the last matchday, Greece will also stay on top.
• If we lose by two or more goals, England takes the lead (with equal points but a better goal difference). In that case, Greece would need England to draw or lose to Ireland, while Greece would need to win against Finland on the final matchday.