Euro 2012: Giorgos Karagounis does it again as unfancied Greeks advance

Eight years ago, Giorgos Karagounis pounced on a mistake that made him a sporting immortal in Greece.

On Saturday, he did it again.

The 35-year-old Greece captain scored the opening goal in the opening match against hosts Portugal at the 2004 European Championship.

Beating the odds once more, Karagounis scored on Saturday, his ninth for his country, against Group A favorites Russia. The Russians were unable to find a way back with Greece coach Fernando Santos setting up an unyielding defense that denied them space.

Greece had made the quarter-finals, and the timing could hardly have been better with the country mired under the weight of financial and political crisis.

“We’re not Brazil, but we’re a team that fights. I thank God that we can live such moments,” Karagounis said.

He also equalled a national appearance record of 120 games set by former captain Theo Zagorakis five years ago.

A crowd and team favorite, Karagounis debuted for Greece at 22 years old and has featured in all 10 Euro 2012 qualifiers.

“We’d been winding him up all day before the game about the appearance record,” Greek football federation president Sofoklis Pilavios said. “For Giorgos to get that goal on his 120th cap made everyone happy. We are so proud of the players. It’s hard to describe what they’ve done.”