JUBILANT GREEKS: Ukraine’s goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov (rigtht) appears distraught as Greek players celebrate their win

GREECE booked their place at the World Cup in South Africa next year after Dimitris Salpigidis’s first half strike edged out Ukraine 1-0 in the second leg of their playoff tie at Donbass Arena this morning.

Celtic striker Georgios Samaras’s sublime through ball enabled Salpigidis to show good composure as he slotted the ball past Andrei Pyatov for the game’s only goal. The first leg in Athens last Saturday ended in 0-0. Thus the Greeks qualified 1-0 on aggregate.

Ukraine were left to rue some profligate finishing as they exited the playoff stage of qualifying for the tournament without mustering a goal in either leg.

The match began with the rain teeming down and, as the second half developed, it became evermore torrential as the play grew increasingly scrappy as a result but Otto Rehhagel’s side kept their discipline.

Captain Andrei Shevchenko was the biggest culprit in front of goal and the striker squandered a glorious chance in the eighth minute as he skewed his shot wide with Alexandros Tzorvas out of position having saved from Oleksandr Aliev.

At the other end, Pyatov had less to do but needed to be on his guard as Greece broke through Angelos Charisteas, who forced a fine reflex stop from the goalkeeper after cutting inside from the right, with Salpigidis lashing the follow-up wide.

But it was through another counter-attack in the 31st minute that Greece broke the deadlock with Samaras finding an incisive pass from 30 metres to pick out Salpigidis, who steadied himself before sliding the ball into the far corner of Pyatov’s net.

Shevchenko bustled his way into the Greece penalty area again in the 40th minute, but the ball failed to fall for the striker as Vangelis Moras cleared under pressure following consecutive back-heels from Yarmolenko and Artem Milevskiy in the build-up.

Perhaps the best chance fell to Shevchenko and Yevhen Khacheridi, who inexplicably contrived to get in each other’s way and make a hash of converting Aliev’s precise free-kick from the right on the stroke of half-time. The second have was a scrappy affair with Greece kept firmly under the cosh by their opponents, but Rehhagel’s side knew their roles and defended obdurately to protect their slender lead.

Ukraine grew increasingly desperate as the second half wore on and the rain became heavier, and Greece’s stout defence saw them close out the match efficiently.