Greek call for firepower to boost World Cup bid

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel, seen here in June 2005, named a 23-man squad for the key World Cup 2006 qualifying matches against Denmark away, on October 8, and Georgia at home, on October 12

Greece coach Otto Rehhagel named a 23-man squad for the key World Cup 2006 qualifying matches against Denmark away, on October 8, and Georgia at home, on October 12.

Rehhagel has called up seven forwards as Greece, the defending European champions, seek to grab second spot in Group Two.

Ukraine, with 24 points, have already made sure of their place in the finals in Germany next summer as group winners.

Bitter rivals Turkey are second, two points ahead of the Greeks but Rehhagel's team have a game in hand.

As well as the eight group winners, the two best runners-up will qualify for the final leaving the six other second-placed teams to take their chances in the play-offs.

New to the Greek squad are goalkeeper Stefanos Kotsolis of Larisa and midfielder Vangelis Mantzios of Panathinaikos while defender Trainos Dellas of AEK Athens and forward Fanis Gekas of Panathinaikos return to the squad.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Antonis Nikopolidis (Olympiakos Piraeus), Stefanos Kotsolis (Larisa)

Defenders: Michalis Kapsis and Giorgos Anatolakis (Olympiakos), Giorgos Seitaridis (Dinamo Moskva/RUS), Panayiotis Fyssas (Hearts/SCO), Traianos Dellas (AEK Athens), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Rangers/SCO), Lukas Vyntra and Ioannis Goumas (Panathinaikos Athens)

Midfielders: Pantelis Kafes (Olympiakos), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bolton/ENG), Thodoros Zagorakis (PAOK Salonica), Costas Katsouranis (AEK Athens), Giorgos Karagounis (Benfica/POR), Angelos Basinas (unattached)

Forwards: Zisis Vryzas (Fiorentina/ITA), Angelos Haristeas (Ajax/NED), Dimitris Papadopoulos, Evangelos Mantzios and Fanis Gekas (Panathinaikos), Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK), Dimitris Salpigidis (PAOK)