2014 Greece v Faroe Islands football match
On 14 November 2014, the Faroe Islands met Greece during a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match at Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Greece. To the surprise of many, the Faroe Islands won 1–0, with the only goal of the game coming from Jóan Símun Edmundsson, causing what many consider to be one of the biggest upsets in UEFA Euro qualifying history.
Jóan Edmundsson scored the only goal of the match | |||||||
Event | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group F Matchday 4 | ||||||
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Date | 14 November 2014 | ||||||
Venue | Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus | ||||||
Referee | Nicola Rizzoli (Italy) | ||||||
Attendance | 16,821 |
It was the biggest shock in terms of FIFA World Rankings, as Greece were ranked 18th and the Faroe Islands were ranked 187th.[1]
Background
The Greek national team had taken part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, reaching the round of 16 for the first time ever, being eliminated only on penalties by the surprising Costa Rica after a 1–1 draw on regulation time. Despite this, they didn't start well in the Euro qualifying, losing at home to Romania, drawing away with Finland and losing home (again) to Northern Ireland.
The Faroes started their campaign with three defeats, losing at home to Finland, away to Northern Ireland, and home to Hungary.
Match
Details
Greece | 0–1 | |
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Greece
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Faroe Islands
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Match rules
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Aftermath
The result caused the sacking of Claudio Ranieri, whose next job would be manager of Leicester City the following July. In his first season, the club would go on to shock the football world by winning the 2015–16 Premier League.[2]
In the return fixture, played at Tórshavn on 13 June 2015, the Faroe Islands defeated Greece again, this time by 2–1.
References
- John Ashdown (19 November 2014). "Is the Faroe Islands' win over Greece the biggest shock of all time?". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
- Will Magee (1 March 2016). "Why Leicester fans need to thank the Faroe Islands for their stunning season". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 28 June 2019.