Greece stubbornly refuse to enter the spirit of this liberating World Cup or give up their place in it. Water-tight, compact and on the scoresheet when it mattered, they scripted another tale of lost opportunity for the Ivory Coast and consigned the Elephants to the graveyard with a 93rd minute penalty from Giorgos Samaras. For the lauded generation of Didier Drogba and co, on their knees when the Ecuador referee pointed to the spot in injury time, it is all over.
The celebrations may not wash far beyond the Aegean Sea but credit coach Fernando Santos for his steadfast belief in a style that has begun to grate with Greeces own supporters. Though not on nights like this. He would not bow to pressure for change and maintained a side without a World Cup goal to their name before the final group game would deliver. He was correct on both counts, and there was more to Greeces progress into a last 16 meeting with Costa Rica on Sunday than resilience.
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