Kist penalty decisive as Netherlands edge Greece in EURO 1980 Group 1

Expected to stroll to victory, the Netherlands ultimately did just enough to see off Greece in their 1980 opener.

Greece were the overwhelming underdogs for the tournament as a whole but did not seem prepared to stick to the script against a Dutch side who, two years previously, had suffered their second successive FIFA World Cup final defeat.

As it transpired, it was Greece who were often the better-looking team in Naples. Thomas Mavros was a particular handful, forcing Piet Schrijvers off the pitch after a collision and heading the ball towards Georgios Kostikos, who just failed to reach it two metres out.

The Dutch, though, had a happy knack of doing what was required; second best for much of the match, they still edged to victory. Mavros was in the process of dribbling the ball out of his penalty area when the referee spotted a foul by Vasilis Konstantinou on Dick Nanninga. Kees Kist, who had earlier drawn a fine save from the goalkeeper, beat him from the penalty spot and that was that.

Lineups

Netherlands: Schrijvers (Doesburg 15); Wijnstekers, Krol, Van de Korput, Hovenkamp, Stevens; Haan, Willy van de Kerkhof, René van de Kerkhof; Verijsen (Nanninga 45), Kist
Substitutes: not listed
Coach: Jan Zwartkruis

Greece: Konstantinou; Kyrastas, Iosifidis, Foiros, Kapsis (c); Terzanidis, Livathinos, Kouis; Kostikos (Galakos 78), Mavros, Ardizoglou (Anastapoulos 68)
Substitutes: not listed
Coach: Alketas Panagoulias

Referee: Adolf Prokop (East Germany)