'Konstantinos Karetsas. Remember the name'. Greece teen announces himself to the football world
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Within minutes of his Greece debut last week, 17-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas made an impact with successive shots against Scotland in a Nations League playoff.
Late Sunday, he announced himself to the football world.
Starring among a crop of young Greeks who swept past Scotland 3-0, Karetsas delivered his moment of magic in the 42nd minute to become his country's youngest goal scorer with a perfectly-timed lob over experienced goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
In an ecstatic celebration, the teenager kissed the badge on his jersey and ran past the perimeter board up to the celebrating Greek fans at Glasgow's Hampden Park.
Governing body UEFA reacted minutes later, posting a photograph of the player with his arms outstretched alongside the comment: 'Konstantinos Karetsas. Remember the name.'
Greece's 3-1 aggregate win sealed promotion to the top flight of the UEFA competition, and has generated a wave of excitement among fans rarely seen since the country's shock European Championship title triumph in 2004.
Born in Belgium to parents from a coal-mining family in northern Greece, Karetsas recently chose to represent the lower-ranked nation over his country of birth – a decision he says left him with no regrets.
'I made the right choice,' Karetsas said after his first match at Karaiskakis stadium near Athens, occasionally struggling to find the correct words in Greek. 'If I had chosen Belgium, Greece would have always been in the back of my head.'
An attacking midfielder for his hometown club KRC Genk, Karetsas has won praise in Belgium for his technical skills and creativity.
In Glasgow, Scotland coach Steve Clarke praised his opponents, telling reporters: 'Greece had more energy and were a little bit sharper. So, the best team won on the night.'
Greece coach Ivan Jovanovic made six changes to his team Sunday, prioritizing youth and injecting fresh energy into a squad that's been on a winning run and last October stunned England with a 2-1 win at Wembley.
'What we always strive for is for our players to show the Greek spirit on the field,' the Serb said. 'That means they have to be bold – to display courage and audacity. This victory is something we've been working toward for a long time.'
Greece and Scotland will meet again in October and November for World Cup qualifiers in a group that also includes Belarus and Denmark. ___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
33 minutes ago
- USA Today
USWNT vs. Ireland: How to watch, TV channel, live stream
The U.S. women's national team will face Republic of Ireland on Thursday in Colorado in the first of two friendlies against the UEFA nation. The two teams will also square off on Sunday at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, before the USWNT closes out a three-game window against Canada at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. on July 2. USWNT head coach Emma Hayes has called up a 25-player roster almost entirely based in the NWSL, with European-based players given a break. The lone exception is Chelsea defender Naomi Girma, who requested to be part of this camp as she looks to regain match sharpness. Watch USWNT vs. Ireland on Sling The USWNT is reconvening quickly after its last two friendlies, a 3-0 win over China on May 31 and a 4-0 win over Jamaica on June 3. Ireland and the USWNT last met in April 2023, as the U.S. won a pair of World Cup tune-ups. Overall, the USWNT has won all 15 meetings between the two countries. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the match. USWNT vs. Ireland (international friendly) We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Moms take centerstage at NBA draft as sons appreciate all the effort they've put in
NEW YORK (AP) — It was mother's day at the NBA draft Wednesday night. The moms of the NBA draftees took centerstage, receiving hugs and wiping away tears as they heard their offspring's names called. Kelly Flagg, whose son Cooper went first to the Dallas Mavericks, was a strong player in her own right. She starred for the University of Maine in the late 1990s. The 1998-99 team she was on made school history when it won the program's first NCAA Tournament game, upsetting Stanford. Asked what she helped instill in her son, Kelly Flagg said: 'I just hoped that he loved the game as much as we always have, and we're just thrilled that he did love it and he got to this moment. It's incredible.' As far as the last time they played one-on-one, mom said the outcome wasn't a victory by her son. 'It's not a loss. It was a timeout in a game. It's just been an extended timeout,' she said. Maria Harper also got the first hug from Dylan Harper after being taken at No. 2 by San Antonio. Appropriate because she coached his first AAU team and was an assistant on his high school team. She played Division I basketball herself with New Orleans between 1993 and 1996. 'She means the world to me, coaching me from first grade to senior year,' Dylan Harper said. 'For her to see this moment, probably means the world to her. I love my mom and everything I do is definitely for her.' Maria Harper echoed Kelly Flagg's sentiments. 'His flat-out love for the game, his determination, his humility and his hard work day in and day out,' she said. VJ Edgecombe's mom was wiping at tears when they talked to ESPN. 'Bimini to the world,' Bendra Rolle said after her son went No. 3 to Philadelphia and capped the family's journey from the Bahamas to the NBA. ___ AP NBA:
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Moms take centerstage at NBA draft as sons appreciate all the effort they've put in
Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — It was mother's day at the NBA draft Wednesday night. The moms of the NBA draftees took centerstage, receiving hugs and wiping away tears as they heard their offspring's names called. Kelly Flagg, whose son Cooper went first to the Dallas Mavericks, was a strong player in her own right. She starred for the University of Maine in the late 1990s. The 1998-99 team she was on made school history when it won the program's first NCAA Tournament game, upsetting Stanford. Asked what she helped instill in her son, Kelly Flagg said: 'I just hoped that he loved the game as much as we always have, and we're just thrilled that he did love it and he got to this moment. It's incredible.' As far as the last time they played one-on-one, mom said the outcome wasn't a victory by her son. 'It's not a loss. It was a timeout in a game. It's just been an extended timeout," she said. Maria Harper also got the first hug from Dylan Harper after being taken at No. 2 by San Antonio. Appropriate because she coached his first AAU team and was an assistant on his high school team. She played Division I basketball herself with New Orleans between 1993 and 1996. 'She means the world to me, coaching me from first grade to senior year,' Dylan Harper said. 'For her to see this moment, probably means the world to her. I love my mom and everything I do is definitely for her.' Maria Harper echoed Kelly Flagg's sentiments. 'His flat-out love for the game, his determination, his humility and his hard work day in and day out,' she said. VJ Edgecombe's mom was wiping at tears when they talked to ESPN. 'Bimini to the world,' Bendra Rolle said after her son went No. 3 to Philadelphia and capped the family's journey from the Bahamas to the NBA. ___ AP NBA: recommended in this topic
