Couple of defensive errors cost Greece in Italy

Greece paid for two lapses of defensive concentration in the second half to go down 2-0 to Italy in Rome, after a decent performance that could have merited a better result in this Euro 2020 qualifier on Saturday.

Greece coach John van't Schip made eight changes from Greece's previous match, leaving out the defensive mainstays of Costas Manolas and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. The less experienced but more athletic team worked well to fill the gaps in defense and the midfield, but once again produced little up front.

The first half went by without any major scares for Greece, as the double line of defense contained the Italian attacks keeping the hosts' forwards at bay.

It was actually Greece that threatened first in the game on the 12th minute through a Dimitris Limnios shot that Italian keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma pushed away.

Paschalakis came to Greece...