ATHENS, Greece -- Greece coach Sergio Markarian has recalled midfielder Sotiris Ninis to the Greek national squad after a 19-month absence for a European championship qualifier in the Faroe Islands, as the team struggles to regain form following a string of defeats.
Markarian, 70, took over in February and earned Greece its second point in five matches with a 0-0 draw in Hungary. He replaced Italian Claudio Ranieri who was fired after a shock 1-0 loss at home to the Faeroe Islands in November.
Midfielder Taxiarchis Fountas got his first call-up on Friday as one of three surprise additions from Panionios, while PAOK striker Stefanos Athanasiadis was dropped.
The same squad will also be used for a June 16 friendly against Poland in Gdansk.
Greece is currently last in Group F, which also includes Finland, Northern Ireland and Romania which leads with 13 points.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Orestis Karnezis (Udinese), Stefanos Kapino (Mainz), Markos Vellidis (Giannina)
Defenders: Vassilis Torosidis (Roma), Loukas Vyntra (Levante), Kostas Manolas (Roma), Vangelis Moras (Hellas Verona), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Borussia Dortmund), Kostas Stafylidis (Fulham), Stathis Tavlaridis (Panathinaikos), Christos Tasoulas (Panionios)
Midfielders: Andreas Samaris (Benfica), Panagiotis Kone (Udinese), Kostas Katsouranis (Atromitos), Panagiotis Tachtsidis (Hellas Verona), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (Hellas Verona), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Chievo Verona), Kostas Fortounis (Olympiakos), Taxiarchis Fountas (Panionios), Alexandros Tziolis (PAOK), Dimitris Kolovos (Panionios), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos).
Forwards: Kostas Mitroglou (Olympiakos), Nikos Karelis (Panathinaikos)