Scotland handed unexpected boost as report claims Hampden torturer out of World Cup qualifying clash
The 17-year-old shone against Scotland on his last visit to Hampden Park with Greece.
Scotland have been handed a boost ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash with Greece after teenage wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas was ruled out of the game due to illness, according to reports in the player’s homeland.
The 17-year-old is Greek football’s hottest property, and was the difference maker when the two sides last met at Hampden Park during the Nations League relegation playoffs back in March. He scored the game’s opening goal - and becoming Greece’s youngest ever goal scorer in the process - during a comfortable 3-0 win.
Karetsas’ performance introduced himself to world football, with the playmaker carving open Steve Clarke’s side almost at will, and was awarded the man of the match award following his performance in Mount Florida. Eligible to play for Greece due to his parents, the Belgium-born starlet has continued to impress on the international stage in recent months, scoring again during the 5-1 thrashing of Belarus last month.
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Their shock 3-0 defeat to Denmark in their last qualifying game, though, resulted in them falling below Scotland in the Group C table though, with Clarke’s side taking four points from their own two opening qualifying games against Denmark and Belarus in September. Heading into Thursday’s big game, Scotland will hope to enact revenge on Ivan Jovanović’s side, when they welcome them to Glasgow in the first of two crucial Group C games at Hampden, and they will surely be boosted by the confirmed omission of Karetsas.
Part of the Genk side that defeated Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox in the Europa League late last month, the youngster has enjoyed his trips to Scotland this year, but will be forced to watch from his sick bed this week after being ruled out of the Thursday’s crucial game against Scotland due to illness, as per a report from ekathimerini.com on Tuesday morning.
Named in the squad last week, Karetsas was able to play 62 minutes for Genk during the team’s 2-1 Pro League win over Dender at the weekend, and was scheduled to fly to Glasgow with the Greek squad this week. However, reports in Greece say he has now been replaced by winger Pavlos Pantelidis. The 23-year-old Kifissia has impressed in the opening weeks of in the Super League, with three goals in his opening five league games.
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