NEWS

Greece sweeps away Norway

Cleaning ladies armed with brooms had to help sweep water off the pitch at the Karaiskaki Stadium in Neo Faliron, southern Athens, on Saturday so Greece could take on, and beat, Norway in a Euro 2008 soccer qualifier. A heavy downpour before kickoff looked like it was going to force the referee to postpone the match but some 10 cleaning ladies and stadium employees were eventually sent out to help remove water from the pitch. The game was due to begin at 9.30 p.m. but kicked off some 50 minutes later. Greece won the game 1-0, thanks to a first-half goal from Costas Katsouranis. «It was a massive win for us. It was like gaining six points,» said midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos. Saturday’s win put Greece jointly on top of Group C with Norway and Turkey, the latter of which beat Hungary 1-0 in Budapest. Greece faces Bosnia-Herzegovina away on Wednesday. The Bosnians drew 2-2 with Moldova.

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