Paro (Portugal): Greece progressed to the quarter-finals of the European championships for the first time in their history despite losing 2-1 to Russia at the Algarve Stadium.

When the draw for Group A was made for the European championships Portugal and Spain were favourites to progress but Greece defied their poor record in major finals - they had never won a match before the opening 2-1 win over Portugal - to reach the last eight.

Countless Greek fans will be dancing around the Acropolis yesterday (June 20, 2004) singing the name of their German coach Otto Rehhagel who has guided the country to their biggest sporting achievement since wining the 1987 basketball European championships.

Finalists in 1988, Russia had already exited the competition after two successive defeats but gave their followers a leaving present with a memorable win.

Russia had not scored in the opening two games in Portugal but took just two minutes to open their account with the Greek back line half asleep.

Dmitri Kirichenko pounced on some hesitant defending outside the penalty area and rifled home the quickest goal in European championships history. Russia were running Olympic rings around Greece in the first 20 minutes and doubled their lead through Dmitri Bulykin's bullet header from a Rolan Gusev corner.

The Greek defence that was watertight in qualifying was all at sea and on 24 minutes Andrei Karyaka should have made it 3-0 but somehow blazed over from the penalty spot.

It was one of the worst misses of the tournament but another contender came sixty seconds later when Werder Bremen's Greek striker Angelos Charisteas lashed his shot over the bar from six metres out.

Greece then pulled a goal back through Zisis Vryzas on 43 minutes with the marksman turning neatly in the box and chipping the ball over Viacheslav Malafeev in the Russia goal.

At half-time Russia led 2-1 but in truth it could have been 7-4 such was the extent of missed chances at both ends of the pitch.

Greece started the brighter in the second period, clearly fired up after a stern team-talk from Rehhagel, but on the hour mark Russian substitute Dmitri Sychev almost extended their advantage with his swerving shot drawing a fine save from Greek custodian Antonios Nikopolidis.

Substitute Vasilios Tsiartas almost leveled for Greece in the 80th minute with his ferocious free-kick forcing a fine save from Malafeev.

But despite the loss, the Greek players linked arms to celebrate wildly on the pitch.