2014–15 Faroe Islands v Greece football matches

Jóan Símun Edmundsson scored the only goal of the 2014 match

Faroese players celebrating their first goal in the 2015 match

On 14 November 2014, the Greece national football team met the Faroe Islands national football team during a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match at Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus, Attica, 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. It was the biggest shock in terms of FIFA World Rankings, as Greece were ranked 18th and the Faroe Islands were ranked 187th.

On 13 June 2015, the teams met in the return match at Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn. The Faroe Islands won again with a 2–1 scoreline. The games are considered by many Greeks to be one of their most humiliating defeats in international football, while many Faroese people consider the matches to be one of their greatest triumphs.

Background

The Greece national team had taken part in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, reaching the round of 16 for the first time ever before being eliminated only on penalties by the surprising Costa Rica after a 1–1 draw in regulation time. Despite this, they didn't start well in the Euro qualifying, losing at home to Romania, drawing away with Finland and losing at home again to Northern Ireland. Greece had famously won the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament as huge underdogs, although only Kostas Katsouranis was still playing for the team following the World Cup ten years later and he did not take any part against the Faroes.

The Faroe Islands team started their campaign with three defeats: at home to Finland, away to Northern Ireland, and home to Hungary. They had not won a competitive international match away from home since beating Luxembourg in 2001 and had only three home wins since then.

The respective populations of the countries at the time were approximately 10.93 million and 48,000.

2014 match

Details

14 November 2014 (2014-11-14)

21:45 EET

UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
Group F
Matchday 4

Greece	0–1	Faroe Islands
	Report	Edmundsson 61'

Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus

Attendance: 16,821

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (Italy)

Greece

Faroe Islands

GK 1 Orestis Karnezis RB 15 Vasilis Torosidis (c) CB 4 Kostas Manolas  88' CB 5 Vangelis Moras LB 3 Nikolaos Karabelas  78' DM 2 Giannis Maniatis DM 22 Andreas Samaris AM 8 Panagiotis Kone AM 10 Lazaros Christodoulopoulos CF 18 Nikos Karelis  62' CF 17 Theofanis Gekas  46' Substitutes: FW 23 Stefanos Athanasiadis  46' DF 16 Charalampos Mavrias  62' MF 9 Petros Mantalos  78' Manager: Claudio Ranieri

GK 1 Gunnar Nielsen CB 4 Atli Gregersen  57' CB 7 Fróði Benjaminsen (c) CB 5 Sonni Nattestad RM 2 Jónas Tór Næs CM 8 Brandur Hendriksson  33'  88' CM 6 Hallur Hansson  49' LM 3 Viljormur Davidsen AM 10 Christian Holst  76' AM 16 Sølvi Vatnhamar CF 11 Jóan Símun Edmundsson  86' Substitutes: MF 13 Pól Jóhannus Justinussen  76' DF 18 Odmar Færø  86' FW 15 Klæmint Olsen  88' Manager: Lars Olsen

Match rules 90 minutes. Maximum of three substitutions.

Aftermath

The result caused the sacking of head coach Claudio Ranieri, whose next job would be manager of English club Leicester City the following July. In his first season, the club would go on to win the 2015–16 Premier League in what is also considered to be one of the biggest shocks in sports.

Before the return fixture, the Faroe Islands suffered an away defeat to Romania, while Greece got a goalless away draw against Hungary.

2015 match

Details

13 June 2015 (2015-06-13)

19:45 WEST

UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
Group F
Matchday 6

Faroe Islands	2–1	Greece
Hansson 32' Hendriksson 70'	Report	Sokratis 84'

Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn

Attendance: 4,731

Referee: Tom Harald Hagen (Norway)

Faroe Islands

Greece

GK 1 Gunnar Nielsen CB 4 Atli Gregersen  76' CB 7 Fróði Benjaminsen (c)  27' CB 5 Sonni Nattestad  5' RM 22 Bárður Hansen  55' CM 8 Brandur Hendriksson  84' CM 6 Hallur Hansson LM 9 Gilli Rólantsson  13' AM 10 Christian Holst  74' AM 14 Sølvi Vatnhamar CF 11 Jóan Símun Edmundsson  90+2' Substitutes: DF 2 Jóhan Troest Davidsen  13' DF 15 Odmar Færø  74' MF 20 René Joensen  90+2' Manager: Lars Olsen

GK 1 Orestis Karnezis RB 15 Vasilis Torosidis (c)  57' CB 4 Kostas Manolas CB 19 Sokratis Papastathopoulos LB 3 Kostas Stafylidis DM 22 Andreas Samaris RM 18 Giannis Fetfatzidis  71' CM 8 Panagiotis Kone  81' CM 10 Lazaros Christodoulopoulos  46' LM 14 Nikos Karelis  90' CF 9 Kostas Mitroglou Substitutes: MF 7 Sotiris Ninis  46' MF 17 Dimitris Kolovos  71' FW 20 Taxiarchis Fountas  81' Manager: Sergio Markarián

Match rules 90 minutes. Maximum of three substitutions.

Seven Greek players (goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis, Kostas Manolas, Panagiotis Kone, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, Nikos Karelis, captain Vasilis Torosidis and Andreas Samaris) took part in both matches; on the Faroese side, nine players (goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen, Atli Gregersen, Sonni Nattestad, Hallur Hansson, captain Fróði Benjaminsen, Brandur Hendriksson, Christian Holst, Jóan Símun Edmundsson and substitute Odmar Færø) took part in both.

Aftermath

Greece national team coach Sergio Markarián resigned in the following month, having lasted only two matches in charge.

The six points taken from the Greece fixtures were the only ones gained by the Faroese in the campaign. Greece got an away draw with Romania in September 2015 and finally won their first match on the last matchday, beating Hungary 4–3 at home, but it wasn't enough to avoid bottom place. Both teams finished with six points, the Faroes having the advantage on the head-to-head record.