Spain's diamond Guiza times it right as they fight back to beat Greece

13 April 2012

Greece 1 Spain 2

Spain extended an 18-match unbeaten run when their second-string side fought back to win in Salzburg last night.

Real Mallorca striker Dani Guiza headed home Sergio Garcia's far-post cross with just two minutes left to give the Spanish maximum points in Group D.

Spain's Ruben de la Red shoots to score his side's first goal past Greece's Antonis Nikopolidis

Angelos Charisteas, who scored the winner against Portugal in the final of Euro 2004, had given Greece the lead just before half-time. But Ruben de la Red levelled on the hour after Guiza nodded a long ball back to him.

With a quarter-final looming against Italy, Spain coach Luis Aragones rested 10 first-choice players.

Midfielder Andres Iniesta was the one regular. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas plus Liverpool trio Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa and Xabi Alonso were all given a run-out.

The closest either side came to a goal in the opening 30 minutes was a spectacular effort from inside the centre circle by Alonso. His shot went inches wide with backpedalling goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, who needed treatment after colliding with the woodwork, struggling.

Greece took the lead against the run of play when a free-kick on the left was curled in by Giorgos Karagounis and Charisteas escaped his marker to score with a thumping header.

Stand-in captain Alonso came close to an equaliser before De La Red's strike with another long-range effort, but the ball hit the inside of the post and stayed out.

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