Bitter taste for Greeks can still sour Scotland's hopes

World Cup qualifying Group C: Greece v Scotland

Venue: Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC Two, BBC Scotland, iPlayer, website & app; listen on BBC Radio Scotland & BBC Sounds; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app

If there was a word to encapsulate how Greeks are feeling about their World Cup qualifying failure it would be "bitter".

That of bitter disappointment.

Three defeats on the spin saw their hopes of reaching a first major tournament since 2014 crash like so many plates on the tiled flooring of an Athens tavern.

"The progression of the qualifiers was very bad for us with the defeats that took us out of contention for qualification early on," said coach Ivan Jovanovic as he assembled his squad for what are, on the face of it, meaningless matches against Scotland and with Belarus to come on Tuesday in the ultimate dead rubber.

"A pretty difficult period," the Serbian went on. "It was hard to accept, because as a team we had the ability and the quality and the ability to qualify."

Given what the Greeks demonstrated for two and a half of the three meetings with Steve Clarke's team in 2025, there won't be too many disagreeing with him.

Jovanovic and his players had genuine belief that their major tournament hiatus would end this year as they tip-toed over the wreckage of that Scotland performance in March's Nations League play-off in Glasgow.

It was a stirring Greek display that looked to have set the tone ahead of these autumnal meetings which were infinitely more important.

Last month, back at Hampden and despite dominating for long spells, despite taking the lead, despite another sluggish Scottish performance, the Greeks were left sucker-punched by an incredible Scottish victory that all-but ended their hopes of progression, something that was confirmed a few days later after another 3-1 reverse in Denmark.

So, how dangerous will an already-eliminated Greece be as Scotland search for the most precious of points when the sides meet yet again on Saturday night in the port city of Piraeus in the shadow of the capital Athens?

Firstly, there is the timely bonus of Greece being shorn through injury of three of their best players in West Ham defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, exciting PAOK winger Giannis Konstantelias and £25m striker Fotis Ionnidis of Portugal's Sporting Club.

All three could have been named in the starting XI by Jovanovic who has insisted this week that there is still plenty for his team to play for.

"We have high-level matches ahead," he said.

"Although they are not important in terms of points, every match for the national team is different and because we have talent, we are a team with perspective, we have a group of players who live for the national team, we must continue to play well.

"The players represent Greece in the best possible way. We must try to return to good matches and victories."

There can be some parallels drawn between this Greek side and the Norway team Scotland pipped to a place at Euro 2024.

It is likely that major tournament appearances for this Greek squad are just round the corner and it would be no surprise to see them emulating what the Norwegians have done this year and causing havoc in the qualifying campaign to reach Euro 2028.

And it is those qualifiers in less than two years' time that Jovanovic and his players are now focussing on which will be enough warning to Scotland that this game won't be treated lightly by the hosts.

Scotland have already won in Piraeus this year when Scott McTominay's penalty secured a first leg win in March, but the second half was a struggle after the introduction of the dynamic youngster Konstantinos Karetsas who will surely start this game ahead of his 18th birthday this month.

He has set up six goals in his last four matches for club side Genk, including two against Braga in the Europa League last Thursday, whilst Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis will have replayed his glaring first half Hampden miss last month many times since. He has 14 goals in 22 appearances this season for his club and will be keen to start making amends.

Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis has already spoken about the revenge on his mind after Scotland's pilfering of all three points four weeks ago which suggests the Greeks won't be giving Clarke's men any easier a ride on Saturday.

There may be a bitter taste in Greek mouths just now, but that in itself could yet deny the Scots the sweet taste of their own success this month if they can turn the tables on Clarke.