Gibraltar vs Greece

Gibraltar’s third qualification campaign for the European Championship finals kicks off at the Estádio Algarve against Greece.

Paired with some of the continent’s heaviest hitters, including France and the Netherlands, in Group B, FIFA’s 200th-ranked Gibraltar must make the most out of their curtain-raising meeting with Greece to avoid another bottom-place finish in Euro qualifiers. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Gibraltar lost all 18 Euro qualifiers in their two previous qualification campaigns by an aggregate score of 87-5, accounting for a disastrous average of 4.83 goals conceded per game. There’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, though, as Julio Cesar Ribas’ men racked up back-to-back wins over Liechtenstein and Andorra last November to arrest a dismal 23-game winless run in international football (D6, L17). That’s a small consolation for ‘Los Llanis,’ given they’ve yet to pick up a single point in qualification matches for elite tournaments (L38).

Meanwhile, visiting Greece will be looking to play down their underwhelming place in FIFA’s men’s rankings (#51) and secure a first Euro qualification since 2012. However, Greek football has been in steady decline over the past decade, with their last appearance at a major tournament dating back to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Indeed, in addition to failing to qualify for the two most recent Euro finals, the Euro 2004 winners won only five of their 20 fixtures in those two qualification campaigns (D5, L10). Hopes of bouncing back are as low as it gets after Gus Poyet’s men went winless in three consecutive away matches toward the end of the last calendar year (D1, L2), including a lackluster 1-0 defeat at Cyprus on their most recent competitive travel.