Greece vs Finland

Greece and Finland are set to lock horns at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in their curtain-raising 2024/25 UEFA Nations League B fixture.

Greece’s disturbing loss to Georgia on penalties in their Euro 2024 playoff tie marked the end of Gus Poyet’s tenure, with Euro 2004 winners appointing former Panathinaikos boss Ivan Jovanovic as the new chief of staff. Jovanovic’s only task is to lead the Greeks back to a major international tournament after a lengthy 12-year absence as he gears up for his touchline debut. Greece eased past Malta 2-0 in their final warm-up fixture ahead of their debut campaign in League B following three consecutive League C appearances. Defensively robust, Jovanovic’s men have registered six clean sheets across their last nine outings (W5, D1, L3), suggesting they’re no pushovers. They asserted that tag in the previous League Nations edition, winning five of their six group-stage fixtures (L1).

As for Finland, they embark on their third successive League B campaign after back-to-back runner-up finishes, seeking redemption for missing out on Euro 2024 qualification. Long-serving manager Markku Kanerva grasps the importance of building momentum ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers after overseeing just one win across the last four matches (D1, L2). However, as all four featured over 2.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet, fans in attendance should expect a high-scoring contest. Unfortunately for Finland, they could be on the receiving end of whichever scoreline, considering their humiliating record of six defeats on their seven visits to Greece (W1). If it’s any consolation for the visitors, they’ve won seven of their last 13 away internationals (L6).