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Friday November 20, 2009

Rehhagel thanks the gods for W-Cup ticket

DONETSK (Ukraine): Greece coach Otto Rehhagel thanked the gods after their 1-0 win in Ukraine on Wednesday sent them through to next year’s World Cup.

“Our boys were rewarded today for an unbelievable passion and fighting spirit. We said that no road should be too far and before you have success you have to have the gods sweating for you,” he told reporters.

Greece, who had come as underdogs following their 0-0 draw in the first leg of the European playoff in Athens four days ago, stunned the hosts with a first-half goal from Dimitris Salpigidis.

Despite stinging media criticism following their lacklustre performance in the first leg where Greece fielded five defenders, he stuck to his guns and again flooded his back line. “We will play exciting football when we have (Lionel) Messi, Kaka, (Andres) Iniesta and Xavi on the team,” Rehhagel said jokingly.

Ukraine, hoping to make it to their second consecutive World Cup, had their opponents on the back foot for much of the game but failed to score.

“It is very painful to end the campaign like this because we deserved to be at the World Cup. We lacked a bit of maturity to fulfil our dream,” coach Olexiy Mikhailichenko said. — Reuters

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