Karagounis: This is as good as winning

Giorgios Karagounis has hailed Greece's against-the-odds qualification for the European Championship quarter-finals as being as good as winning the title in 2004.

Matchwinner Karagounis also dedicated the 1-0 victory over Russia to those suffering in his debt-ridden country and launched a stinging attack on referees at Euro 2012.

Karagounis - one of the heroes of their shock Euro 2004 triumph - said: "Today's saga is something comparable to what happened in Portugal. We are a new team - a renewed team - and we managed to qualify against everything. I really mean that.... We managed to give joy to all Greeks all over the world."

Copyright (c) PA Sport 2012, All Rights Reserved.