Markarian quits as coach of Greece after loss

Greece’s national team coach Sergio Markarian of Uruguay speaks during a news conference. (Thanassis Stavrakis/AP)

ATHENS, Greece — Sergio Markarian has quit as coach of Greece’s national soccer team after a second loss to the Faeroe Islands in qualifying for next year’s European Championship.

The 70-year-old Uruguayan apologized for the poor results and announced his resignation in a statement Tuesday.

Markarian took over in February from Claudio Ranieri, but failed to lift Greece from the bottom of Group F, securing only a 0-0 draw in Hungary and losing 2-1 at the Faeroe Islands last month.

Ranieri was suspended in November after the tiny island nation beat the Greeks 1-0 in Athens last November.

Romania currently leads the group with 14 points from six matches, one ahead of Northern Ireland, while Greece is last with only two points.

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