Greece v. Colombia World Cup Preview: Will the Greeks Finally Come Out to Play?

The first of four World Cup matches this Saturday is between a boring Greek team and a Falcao-less Colombia.

Greece

The Greeks hope to repeat their 2004 Championship run

The Greeks, who shocked everyone when they won the 2004 Euro Cup, will use the same boring, defensive tactics that they always use. If you watched yesterday's Cameroon game, you got a good sample of how the Greeks are going to play; locking in on their defensive half and chasing down runs into the box. The thing is, though, the Greeks are big enough and strong enough and good enough defensively that even the strongest offensive teams will have trouble scoring against them. Strong outside back Holebas and center back Papastathopoulos will anchor the defensive side who are very strong at slowing down and shutting down runs into the box.

Offensively the Greeks will not do much. However, if they were going to score a goal it would most likely come from a set piece like a corner or free kick that connects with the head of a teammate. The Greeks will not beat themselves; you must beat the Greeks

Colombia

An injured Falcao is a major
loss for the Colombians

When the news that superstar Radamel Falcao was going to miss the entirety of the World Cup, many people lost all hope in the Colombians. The Colombian offense was basically built around the AS Monaco star, and it seemed far-fetched to expect them to be able to re-model their entire offense within a couple of weeks. However, many people do not give enough credit to the other players on the Colombian side who, in their own right, are exceptional footballers. Jackson Martinez is an elite goal scorer for FC Porto and will try to use his strong heading ability to bring home a goal for Colombia. Look for the 5'7" Colombian right back Zuniga to whip in a cross to Martinez for a Colombian golazo.

Prediction

Ultimately, the Greeks are playing to not give up a goal; they do not care if they score a goal. Without the offensive threat from Falcao, the Greeks will be able to hunt down Martinez and I do not expect a goal to be scored this game.

Greece: 0
Colombia: 0