Rounding up soccer squad
Burnley goalkeeper Nikos Michopoulos was recalled on Tuesday to the Greek squad after a four-year absence by coach Otto Rehhagel for home friendlies against Romania and Cyprus next month. The former PAOK player, who now plays in the English first division, replaces Aris goalkeeper Fanis Kateryiannakis who has been dropped. Strikers Alekos Alexandris and Dimitris Nalitzis were also recalled for the games on May 12 and 15. Experienced Olympiakos forward Alexandris last represented his country against England in June, in a match in which the UK earned a last-minute 2-2 draw thanks to a free kick from David Beckham. Alexandris’s recent fine club form has prompted a recall. Sporting Lisbon’s Nalitzis will join the squad after the Romania game when the Portuguese league’s season finishes. Ajax’s Nikos Machlas will also join the squad for the second match against Cyprus on the island of Rhodes. Current PAOK defender Tassos Katsiambis returns to the squad after a two-match absence, along with Olympiakos’s Giorgos Amanatidis. The rest of the squad is made up of goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis (Panathinaikos); defenders Sotiris Kyrgiakos, Panayiotis Fyssas, Yiannis Goumas (Panathinaikos), Stelios Venetidis (Olympiakos), Nikos Dabizas (Newcastle), and Michalis Kasapis (AEK); midfielders Costas Constantinidis (Bolton Wanderers), Angelos Basinas (Panathinaikos), Giorgos Georgiadis, Pantelis Kafes, Pantelis Constantindis (PAOK), Thodoris Zagorakis, Vassilis Tsartas, Vassilis Lakis (AEK) and Stelios Yiannakopoulos (Olympiakos); and forwards Demis Nikolaidis (AEK) and Zissis Vryzas (Perugia). (Reuters)
