Euro 2012: Greek media proud of Euro showing against Germans

Greek newspapers on Saturday put a silver lining on the national team's 4-2 defeat by Germany, stressing that their underdogs had punched above their weight by reaching the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.

"We are proud of you, you gave us another lovely journey and fought like lions," said Sports Day, a day after it had urged the Euro 2004 champions to "bankrupt" the title favourites and send them home early.

"Heads up high, the beast could not be tamed," said Live Sport, with Fos daily admitting that star-studded Germany were "a class apart."

Germany ran riot on Friday, with captain Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, veteran striker Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus scoring while Giorgos Samaras and Dimitris Salpingidis - the latter with a penalty and his second goal of the finals - scored for Greece.

"I hope we gave Greeks satisfaction about leaving with our heads held high," Salpingidis told Greek state television after the game.

The Germans will now play England or Italy, who meet in Sunday's Kiev quarter-final, in the semi-final at Warsaw's National Stadium on Thursday as they inflicted Greece's heaviest defeat at a European championships, eclipsing the Greeks' 3-1 defeat at the hands of Czechoslovakia in 1980.

"The miracle didn't happen, the dream of 2004 only lasted a few minutes," said Derby News, referring to Greece's improbable Euro championship run that year with a string of victories against France, the Czech Republic and hosts Portugal.

Metro Sport put on a brave face for the next World Cup, to be held in Brazil in 2014. "Brazil, here we come," it said.