Greece are through to the Round of 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup following a dramatic 2-1 win over the Ivory Coast in Fortaleza this evening.
The Greeks had not scored prior to today's match but managed to net twice to produce the victory they needed to finish second in Group C behind runaway winners Colombia.
However, the triumph came in controversial circumstances as Greece were awarded a questionable penalty deep into injury-time which allowed Georgios Samaras to send them through to the knockout phases.
Greece took the lead late in the first half when Samaras pounced on a poor backpass from Cheick Tiote before setting it up for substitute Andreas Samaris who raced goalward and fired over the advancing Boubacar Barry for his side's first goal at this tournament.
Ivory Coast were largely outplayed by the Greeks but were able to produce an equaliser in the 74th minute when second-half sub Wilfried Bony finished with a clinical first-time effort after being teed up by Gervinho.
Yaya Toure played Gervinho in down the left side before the Roma man squared it for the Swansea City ace to slot home beyond Greece substitute Panagiotis Glykos' right hand.
It was a tense affair throughout, with the Greeks having the better of the Africans, and their attacking threat proved too much at the death when Elephants sub Giovanni Sio was adjudged to have felled Samaras in the area as he attempted to shoot.
Samaras appeared to have kicked himself in his planted foot when trying to get a shot on target but referee Carlos Vera pointed to the spot, penalising Sio, and allowing the departing Celtic forward to finish with aplomb over a desperate Boubacar Barry.
Earlier, Greece were unlucky not to score on two occasions when Jose Holebas hit the crossbar after being played in by Samaras. His brilliant right-footed attempt had Barry well-beaten but was denied by the woodwork just after the half-hour mark.
The 2004 European champions also struck the bar when Georgios Karagounis tried his luck from 35 yards with a wobbling effort which again had Barry beaten but couldn't sneak in under the crossbar.
In the end it was an extremely disappointing result for Ivory Coast who started both Yaya and Kolo Toure despite the pair losing their brother Ibrahim who passed away last week, aged 28, following a battle with cancer.
But the show must go on, and it will for Greece who will now prepare for their Round of 16 clash with Costa Rica in Recife on Sunday.
For the Ivory Coast, it will go down as an opportunity missed, especially after winning their opening group stage fixture over Japan.
2014 FIFA World Cup - Group C
Greece: 2 (Andreas Samaris 42', Georgios Samaras (p) 90+3') Ivory Coast: 1 (Wilfried Bony 74')
Estadio Castelao, Fortaleza - 59,095
Yellow cards:GRE - nil CIV - Didier Drogba 37', Salomon Kalou 62', Serey Die 70'
