World Cup 2014: Greece reveal gesture that spared Romania possibility of forfeited defeat in play-off

Greece's Kostas Mitroglou vies with Romania's Dorin Nicolai Goian (AFP/Getty)

An act of sportsmanship by Greece coach Fernando Santos and team director Takis Fyssas saved Romania from the possibility of a forfeited 3-0 defeat in the first leg of their World Cup play-off last week, they have claimed.

The Greeks said they alerted Romanian officials before the game in Athens after they named only two goalkeepers because first-choice Ciprian Tatarusanu was injured and not included in the squad list.

Under Fifa rules, any 23-man squad for an official game must include three goalkeepers. The oversight was missed by Fifa officials at the time.

Greece won the game 3-1 at the Karaiskakis Stadium and clinched their place in the finals after drawing 1-1 in the second leg on Tuesday.

"We could have ignored their error and taken the result, but it was important to do the right thing," Fysass said.