A second-half goal from man of the match Angelos Charisteas was enough to separate the sides as Jacques Santini’s reign as coach of Les Bleus ended in his first defeat in a competitive match in two years.

After a dismal first half France started the second half well but were rocked after 65 minutes when Charisteas headed the Greeks in front from a Theo Zagorakis cross.

The first incident of note saw Lilian Thuram float a long ball over the Greek defence towards Thierry Henry but goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis was alert to the danger and beat the Arsenal forward to the ball.

Then the Greeks worked the ball to left-back Panagiotis Fyssas whose dangerous cross just brushed the head of centre forward Angelos Charisteas with the goal beckoning.

But it took Georgios Karagounis only five minutes to be cautioned by Swedish referee Anders Frisk for a crude challenge on Zinedine Zidane.

The Greeks then got a free-kick when Dacourt fouled Nikolaidis but Angelis Basinas wasted a good position as his aimless kick was easily gathered by Fabien Barthez.

Next Charisteas set up a shooting chance for Nikolaidis who struck the ball cleanly from 20 yards but straight at Barthez.

A foul by Dacourt on Nikolaidis gave the Greeks another free-kick but Konstantinos Katsouranis’ delivery this time fell to Nikolaidis whose shot was almost fumbled on the goalline by Barthez who grabbed it at the second attempt.

Bixente Lizarazu immediately launched a French counter-attack but the Greece defence scrambled the ball away.

A sweet and prolonged passing movement from the Greeks then had the French at sixes and sevens but Fyssas overhit a cross with Charisteas in a dangerous position in the middle.

Thuram had to be alert to dispossess Charisteas in another promising Greek raid but then the French put together their best move yet when Zidane fed the overlapping Lizarazu and the 34-year-old full-back’s cross found the head of Henry, who just failed to direct the ball on target with it drifting wide of Nikopolidis’ left-hand post.

Fyssas broke several minutes of boredom with a well-struck dipping left-footed shot from distance that Barthez tipped over for a corner.

Henry’s solo run and shot after 42 minutes ended with a deflection and the ball looped safely into the hands of Nikopolidis but then Zidane was cautioned for a foul on Karagounis.

There were no changes either by France boss Jacques Santini or Rehhagel at the interval.

But after 49 minutes some slack defending from Greece allowed a ball from Gallas to find Henry but as he turned and shot the ball bounced just wide of the left-hand post of Nikopolidis.

Greece skipper Theodoros Zagorakis was then booked for a foul on Robert Pires on the left touchline.

Then a foul on Claude Makelele gave the French another promising situation but once again it came to nothing as Zidane and Lizarazu got their wires crossed.

At the other end Basinas wasted another free-kick in an incident symptomatic of the match so far.

But then France started to step their game up and Lizarazu skipped past two tackles after taking an Henry pass but lost control of the ball just as he prepared to shoot.

A minute later Mihalis Kapsis got in a vital defensive header at the expense of a corner to deny David Trezeguet what would have been an easy goal after a nice run and cross by Henry.

Just before the hour-mark Dacourt worked the ball to Henry whose shot just missed the target and Rehagel reacted by bringing on Vasilios Lakis for Nikolaidis in his first change.

Frisk put his hand to his pocket when Zagorakis fouled Pires again but then thought better of issuing a second yellow card for the skipper which would have led to an automatic red.

But then the Greeks stunned the French by taking the lead after 65 minutes. A fine move involving Zagorakis ended with the skipper crossing the ball to Charisteas who headed home for his second goal of the tournament.

Santini reacted by bringing on Louis Saha for Trezeguet and Sylvain Wiltord for Dacourt.

Zidane then fed the ball to Manchester United striker Saha who did well to wriggle past two Greek challenges but saw his his slightly mis-hit shot well held by Nikopolidis.

Saha then fed Henry who created space well for himself but again placed a shot too close to Nikopolidis.

Santini played his last card as Jerome Rothen entered the fray for Pires and then a lovely Zidane pass almost played in Wiltord, who just failed to take advantage as the ball went out for a goal-kick.

Vasilios Tsiartas then replaced Basinas in the Greek engine room as Rehhagel sought to stem the French tide as the champions looked to stage another of their famous comebacks.

Gallas was then cautioned as he was dispossessed and then illegally halted a potentially dangerous Greek counter-attack.

Then Gallas almost redeemed himself with a fine run and cross which found the head of Henry but the ball curled agonisingly wide of the far post and there was also time for Lizarazu to miss the target in stoppage-time.