Greece carries shocking run into finals

PORTO, Portugal — Greece jolted the European Championships yet again, beating the Czech Republic 1-0 in overtime Thursday on a header by Traianos Dellas.

The Greeks, winless in other major soccer appearances, will play host to Portugal in Lisbon on Sunday for the title.

"It is a dream," Greek player Stylianos Giannakopoulos said. "It is like we are sleeping and we won't wake up."

This marks the first time in 40 years a Euro final will be staged between two first-time finalists.

Greece also defeated defending champion France 1-0 in the quarterfinals and defeated Portugal 2-1 in the opening game.

The Greeks are relative newcomers to soccer's international stage, and making the most of it. They were winless in the 1994 World Cup and the 1980 Euro championship.

Dellas scored on a short header off a corner kick by Vasilios Tsiartas. The goal came just seconds before the first 15 minutes of overtime was to end. Had the period ended scoreless, it would have gone to another 15 minutes.

The Czechs were without captain Pavel Nedved from late in the first half after he injured his right knee in the 33rd minute when he failed to connect on a cross in the box and collided with Costas Katsouranis.

He went off on a stretcher, limped back on the field in the 36th and hobbled around until he was replaced in the 40th minute by Vladimir Smicer.

Greece withstood early pressure as the Czech Republic took control from the start. After just more than two minutes against the defensive Greeks, Tomas Rosicky's shot from 20 yards bounced off the crossbar.

Marek Jankulovski kept up the pressure, striking a 15-yard shot in the sixth minute, which went directly at 'keeper Antonios Nikopolidis. Jan Koller, 6-foot-9, sailed a high-arching header in the 19th that Nikopolidis grabbed as it dropped just short of the crossbar.

In the 29th minute, Greece almost scored a fluke goal on a cross from the left. Panagiotis Fyssas touched the cross but goalkeeper Petr Cech got his fingertips on the ball and nudged it past the post.

Jankulovski shot just wide in the 33rd. Seconds before the play, Nedved was hurt. When he tried to shoot, his leg struck the hip of Katsouranis.

The second half began with a series of fouls and yellow cards as both teams showed more muscle than fine play.