NO GREEK TRAGEDY: Greece have no reason to be ashamed after Costa Rica defeat

Greece's Theofanis Gekas (right) is consoled by Giorgios Tzavellas after losing their 2014 World Cup round of 16 game against Costa Rica at the Pernambuco arena in Recife on Monday. [PHOTO:REUTERS]

Accused of disdain for attacking flair, Greece have no reason to be ashamed after Costa Rica defeat

Like Daedulus, the father of Icarus, who 'betrayed' King Minos, the Greeks committed a sin in 2004 that still haunts them even at this Fifa World Cup.
In Greek mythology Daedulus were friends with King Minos of the Island of Crete. Their friendship, however, ended when Minos felt betrayed by Daedulus for advising Princess Ariadne to give Theseus the thread that helped him come out from the infamous Labyrinth, after killing the monster Minotaur.
The world, especially the self-proclaimed football purists have never forgiven Greece for winning the European championship in 2004 without style and class.
Portugal boasting Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Deco among other array of stars were everyone's favourite until Angelos Charisteas made a mockery of style and class with a 57th minute winner.
To many, that was infamy considering Greece's perceived disdain for attacking ethos.
And that dislike for the Greeks continued into this World Cup, where attacking has been the mantra in a competition that has yielded 2.8 goals per match.
Up until July 29, 145 goals had been scored and Greece had only contributed three at the group stage before a adding a fourth when they tied Costa Rica 1-1 in regulation time.
True, Greece had the poorest goal record of all the 16 teams that qualified for the second round.
Be that as it may, no one is talking about the supposed geniuses of football Italy and England, who crashed out with two goals scored.
The pundits and fans alike have closed their eyes and ears to this vital statistic and all they wanted to see were the backs of the Greeks.
No sooner had Michael Umana buried Costa Rica's fifth penalty than journalists penned all manner of Greek tragedy stories. Far from it. There was no tragedy. The Greek team re-wrote their history by qualifying for the first time to the second round with not so big talent to write home about.
The Greeks for me have been the epitome of teamwork. Knowing they were short of class and style the fans crave, the side captained by Giorgios Karagounis applied themselves like they playing successive finals.
It is not like it was their mistake to stay long in the tournament. For a country that has been accused of all manner of sins including the economic ills that have engulfed the Eurozone, they defended the Hellenic flag well.
Just like Greek politician Evangelos Venizelos said that to view Greece as the "central problem" of the European and global economy is "false, dangerous, and unfair"— it is also wrong to view Fernando Santos' tactics as anti-football.
In fact, Greece should go home with their heads held high for the manner they applied themselves than play to King Minos' terms of friendship where one's success should lead to severance of relations. Long live Papastathopoulos. Long live Christodoulopoulos