Late penalty gives Greece win, first ever spot in last 16

Andreas Samaris scored the Greeks' first goal of the tournament in the 42nd minute before Wilfried Bony equalised in the 74th minute - a result which would have sent the Africans to the knockout stages for the first time.

But Samaras was fouled by Giovanni Sio in the box and then stepped up to the spot, striking the winner into the lower right corner.

The Europeans jumped from last place in Group C going into the day to second with four points. They finished behind Colombia but ahead of Ivory Coast (three points) and Japan (one) and will play Group D winners Costa Rica in Recife on Sunday in the last 16.

Something magical should have been expected from the Greeks - if nothing else because of the year. Greece made their World Cup debut in 1994 and won the European Championship in 2004.

The Africans played the game with heavy hearts as Ivory Coast players wore black armbands in memory of Ibrahim Toure, brother of Yaya and Kolo, who passed away last week after a bout with cancer.

Ivory Coast boss Sabri Lamouchi made three changes to his line-up, including giving a first start to veteran star Didier Drogba as well as bringing on Kolo Toure for the suspended Didier Zokora and Salomon Kalou for Max Gradel.

Greek coach Fernando Santos made three changes with Lazaros Christodoulopoulos, Dimitris Salpingidis and Girogos Karagounis all starting.

Neither team did much in the early going but Santos had to make two early substitutions, Panagiotis Kone leaving with a back thigh problem in favour of Samaris after 12 minutes and keeper Orestis Karnezis giving in to a back problem with Panagiotis Glykos coming on.

The first dangerous chance came after 33 minutes. Samaris played forward right of goal to Jose Holebas, who streaked past the Ivorian defence and unleashed a blast from just outside the area off the crossbar.

Greece added a set piece a minute later but Ivorian keeper Boubacar Barry got down to save Karagounis' low-shot free kick.

The Europeans grabbed the lead three minutes before the break as Samaris snatched a lazy pass in the backfield by Cheik Tiote, played a give-and-go with Samaras and then lifted his shot over Barry for the 1-0 lead.

Ivory Coast came out of the dressing room as the better team and were close to equalising in the 49th minute but Glykos held firmly Tiote's blast.

The Greeks regained control and had the better chances with Christodoulopoulos shooting wide after 53 minutes and Barry doing well to bat Salpingidis's blast over the bar five minutes later.

Karagounis was the second Greek player to rattle a blast off the crossbar, unleashing a 35 yard hammer off the woodwork in the 68th minute.

But it was the Africans who found the back of the net in the 74th minute as a ball went to Gervinho who passed from the left side to Bony for a one-time past Glykos.

Greece found only the woodwork yet again in the 80th minute as Vassilis Torosidis hit the right post.

The Greeks refused to give up and ended up winning on Samaras's heroics.