Soccer-Greece thump Kazakhstan 5-0 to reach Euro playoff final

Soccer Football - Euro 2024 Qualifier - Play-Off - Greece v Kazakhstan - Agia Sophia Stadium, Athens, Greece - March 21, 2024 Greece's Panagiotis Retsos in action with Kazakhstan's Igor Shatskiy REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

ATHENS, Greece (Reuters) - Greece thrashed Kazakhstan 5-0 in their Euro 2024 play-off semi-final on Thursday, booking a place in one of Tuesday's three play-off finals and coming close to a qualification berth after 12 years.

Greece struck twice early with captain Anastasios Bakasetas getting a powerful penalty shot in the ninth minute after defender Bagdat Kairov had fouled Dimitrios Pelkas, who six minutes later doubled the lead with a header that set the raucous home crowd cheering.