Expected by many, the clash in Greece ended in a draw and it wasn’t that hard to predict. In the prediction for that game here, I fancied the Ukraine’s value and picked the double chance in the favor of Ukraine. Well, they performed above OK as a whole and especially at the second part of the second half they could have got a priceless away goal which would probably booked the ticket to World Cup if they were a bit more careful.

Now, we have a goalless draw in our hands from the first leg, a solidly defensive Greece side which comes from their football culture and a compact team like Ukraine. Let’s digg into some facts then…

From what we got as pre-game facts it wont be wrong to list; Greece will be OK with a penalty shoot-out contest. Ukraine won’t attack by taking too many risks especially in the beginning stage, to avoid an away goal. Since Ukraine are a compact and balanced team, still they are not a goal machine yet; so, it is also questionable if they can open the lock if they even attack by taking too many risks. Right, mixture of these known facts are heading us to another potential draw, but I am not so sure.

What makes me think there might be something unexpected happen in this match is Greece team’s lacking that spirit and organization they used to have. I wasn’t impressed with them in the first leg. Well, they were never magical on the pitch, even when they clinched Euro 2004 title; I am speaking about the spirit that lets them double their potential on the pitch. They seemed without that power in the first leg and yet they seemed to have no player that would step forward and influence the team. They looked pretty vulnerable.

Ukraine on the other hand seemed like a balanced team in the first leg, as always. Their main advantage here is most of their players’ playing in the domestic league mainly for Dinamo Kiev and Shaktar Donetsk. Teams which have also been doing pretty well in the European Cups in recent years. This is one of the key factors of their being so balanced and well organized. Another advantage is the home venue. Right, home advantage is always a factor for the hosts but not every national team uses that home venue advantage well enough as most of the top level teams’ players are playing abroad and home pitches are also a foreign pitch for most of them in a way. Ukraine with having too many domestic league based players in the squad, will be using that home venue pitch advantage pretty effectively from that point of view, at least bit more then most of the top level teams, no doubt about that.

Final words;  I am expecting Ukraine to advance to the World Cup and considering the facts  mentioned above, I think they will achieve that in the regular time.

Prediction
Ukraine | Win
Extras
Exact Score | 2-1