A Fotis Ioannidis brace and Benjamin Kallman's own goal secured a comfortable 3-0 Nations League victory for Greece over Finland in the Republic of Ireland's group B2.
The hosts went ahead against the run of play in Athens when Ioannidis robbed Finnish goalkeeper Lucas Hradecky in the 23rd minute, then a great team move was deflected in off Kallman for a 2-0 interval lead.
Ioannidis hit the post after the break but wrapped it up for the hosts with a 76th-minute header from a corner.
Greece, who beat Ireland twice in Euro 2024 qualifying, travel to Dublin for a Nations League rematch on Tuesday.
Ireland began their campaign today with a 2-0 defeat to England, in which former Irish internationals Declan Rice and Jack Grealish were on the scoresheet.
Germany turned on the style as they opened their Nations League campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Hungary in Dusseldorf.
Niclas Fullkrug opened the scoring before the break in the Group A3 encounter, with Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Aleksandar Pavlovic and Kai Havertz all getting on the scoresheet as Hungary wilted in the second half.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side dominated from the outset with Musiala, whose fine solo breakaway goal gave the hosts a firm grip on the game, devastating throughout.
Five goals from as many men lifted the Netherlands to a 5-2 triumph over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the evening’s other A3 clash.
Manchester United summer signing Joshua Zirkzee scored in the 13th minute at Eindhoven’s Philips Stadion but saw his opener cancelled out by Ermedin Demirovic 14 minutes later.
Tijjani Reijnders restored the hosts’ lead in the second minute of first-half added time before Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo netted 11 minutes after the restart.
Edin Dzeko clawed one back in the 73rd minute, but the Netherlands had more to come as Wout Weghorst made it four for the hosts in the 88th minute and Xavi Simons added his name to the scoresheet in the second minute of stoppage time.
Georgia came out on top of their B1 opener with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Czechia, while Albania beat Ukraine 2-1 in the group’s other encounter.
A penalty apiece for the Faroe Islands and North Macedonia saw the sides split the points in their 1-1 group C4 draw.
Group-mates Armenia opened their campaign with a 4-1 victory over Latvia, with an own goal conceded by both sides.
Moldova beat Malta 2-0 to kick off their League D group two campaign.
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