Greece Falls to Paraguay as Ivan Jovanović Begins New Era at Karaiskakis Stadium

Greece fell to a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay in an international friendly at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus on Friday, with Diego Gómez scoring the only goal of the match in the 52nd minute via a direct free kick. The result marked a subdued start to a new cycle for the Greek national team under manager Ivan Jovanović, who fielded a near-full-strength lineup in what was billed as the opening chapter of a long road toward Euro 2028 qualification. Paraguay, by contrast, arrived in Greece with sharper purpose, preparing for their first World Cup appearance in 14 years. The atmosphere inside the stadium was muted, with attendance of approximately 10,000 spectators — less than half the ground's capacity, according to Kathimerini.

Gómez's free kick decides a tight, low-tempo contest The first half unfolded at a low tempo, with Greece controlling possession and dictating the early rhythm but failing to convert that dominance into clear-cut chances. The best opportunity of the opening period came as early as the 5th minute, when Anastasios Douvikas — rewarded with a starting berth by Jovanović for his strong form at Serie A club Como — chipped the ball narrowly wide of the post in a one-on-one situation with the Paraguay goalkeeper. Tasos Bakasetas, who captains both the national team and Panathinaikos, tested the keeper with a direct free kick in the 19th minute that sailed just over. Douvikas had another chance in the 41st minute, receiving the ball in a good position inside the area, but his shot lacked the power to beat the goalkeeper. Paraguay were dangerous on the counter throughout the half, with Julio Enciso and Miguel Almirón combining to threaten on several occasions, though Odysseas Vlachodimos — on loan at Sevilla from Newcastle United — was not seriously tested before the break. The scoreline remained goalless at half-time, a reflection of a first half in which neither side managed to impose itself decisively in front of goal.

Enciso's brilliance sets up the decisive moment after the break Paraguay came out with greater urgency after the interval and found the breakthrough quickly. Enciso, described by in.gr as the standout performer of the match across his 69 minutes on the pitch, drove at the Greek defence and won a free kick just outside the penalty area. Diego Gómez, the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder who turned 23 on the day of the match, stepped up and curled the ball into the near corner past Vlachodimos to make it 1-0 in the 52nd minute. Greece responded by pressing forward, and Vlachodimos was called into action in the 59th minute to make a diving save from Enciso, who had worked himself into a strong shooting position after an elaborate individual run. Jovanović introduced a series of substitutes — including Konstantelias, Masouras, and Tetei — in an attempt to alter the shape and inject energy into his attack. Efforts from Triantis in the 72nd minute and a shot from Tetei in the 81st minute, set up by a solo run from Delias, came closest to an equaliser but could not find the net. Paraguay defended resolutely in the closing stages, with the Greek centre-back pairing of Konstantinos Mavropanos and Pantelis Hatzidiakos required to make several timely interventions at the other end to prevent the visitors from extending their lead.

Greece's national team has been building toward a new qualification cycle following their Nations League campaign, in which they faced the Netherlands, Germany, and Serbia. The team's previous memorable result mentioned in source articles was a 3-1 defeat to Scotland in Glasgow, a match described by in.gr as one in which the national team nonetheless produced a strong performance. Paraguay last appeared at the World Cup 14 years before the 2026 tournament, making their return a significant moment for Paraguayan football. For the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay were drawn into a group alongside the United States, Australia, and the winner of the Kosovo-Turkey playoff, according to Kathimerini.

Jovanović's squad faces Hungary next in Budapest on Tuesday The defeat carries little formal consequence, coming in a friendly outside any competitive window, and Greek football writers were measured in their assessment of its significance. In.gr noted that the result "obviously means nothing" in the broader context of a project that demands patience before the qualifying matches that truly matter begin. Jovanović deployed a 4-2-3-1 system throughout, with Dimitris Kourbelis and Mouzakitis anchoring the midfield, Lazaros Rota and Dimitris Giannoulis operating as full-backs, and Christos Tzolis providing width on the left flank. The Serbian manager used the occasion to test a range of attacking midfielders from his squad, though the creative output fell short of what the team had shown in previous cycles. Greece's next fixture is a friendly against Hungary in Budapest on Tuesday, with further friendlies against Sweden away and either Wales or Italy at Pankritio scheduled for June. The low attendance — with the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, the home ground of Olympiacos in Piraeus, barely half full — added to the flat atmosphere of an evening that offered few reasons for optimism ahead of the long road to Euro 2028.

52 (minute) — Diego Gómez's decisive free-kick goal for Paraguay