Our prediction for this Nations League match:
Greece
Match Time & Date:
07/09/2024
20:45
Prediction: 2-1
Finland
Buoyed by a 2-0 win over Malta, Greece will be looking to give fans yet another reason to celebrate when they take on Finland in their UEFA Nations League opener. Greece missed out on a spot at the 2024 European Championship finals, but they are surely capable of securing a top-two finish in the Nations League B Group 2. A man to watch in the home team will be new Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis, who has netted six goals in 38 appearances for the national team.
Finland, on the other hand, played out a 2-2 draw with Scotland in their last friendly game. The Scandinavians, though, are not regarded as good travellers, which is probably the main reason why home win should be considered. The good news for the visiting side is that Venezia striker Joel Pohjanpalo has overcome his long-term injury. Minnesota United attacker Teemu Pukki made the cut as well.
Highlighted Player (Kostas Fortounis):
Born in Trikala Greece on 16 October, 1992, Kostas Fortounis made his senior debut for his hometown club Trikala in the 2009/2010 Gamma Ethniki campaign. After playing 13 games for the club he moved to Asteras Tripolis at the end of the season.
In 2011 the Greek midfielder moved to Germany, signing a deal with Kaiserslautern. Fortounis made 70 league appearances for Kaiser, scoring two goals from 2011 to 2014. On 22 July, 2014 he returned to Greece, signing a four-year contract with Olympiacos. It has to be noted that he played for the Thrylos during his youth career (2003-2008).
Kostas Fortounis made his Greece debut against Belgium in February, 2012 and he represented his homeland at the 2012 European Championship finals. However, he was left out of the Greece 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. His main position is attacking midfielder, but he is capable of playing as a winger as well. Fortounis won two Greek Superleague titles (2014/2015, 2015/2016) with Olympiakos.
Highlighted Team (Finland):
Finland national football team played their first international game before the World War 1. The Finns were beaten by fellow Nordic side Sweden (2-5) on October 22, 1911, but eleven years later they recorded their biggest ever win on the international stage.
Finland outclassed Estonia 10-2 in Helsinki and, speaking of their heaviest defeat, the team suffered a 13-0 loss to Germany in Leipzig during the World War II (1940). Finland national team became a member of FIFA back in 1908, but they have yet to qualify for the finals of the major tournament. The Finns did not participate in the European Championship finals as well, but several top-class footballers were part of their national football team in the past.
Former Liverpool ace Jari Litmanen scored 32 goals in 137 appearances for Finland and Sami Hyypia is yet another notable footballer who played for the Eagle-owls. The colour of Finland’s home kits is white, while they play their away games in blue shirts and blue shorts.
Sparta Prague 
Atletico Madrid 
Barcelona 
Brest
Bayer Leverkusen 
Salzburg 
Bayern Munich 
PSG
Inter 
Leipzig 
Man City 
Feyenoord 
