Last night the world was in mortal danger. Such was the weight of jokes about Greece, the Euros and the Euro flying around, earth's tectonic plates began to fracture and tear. Happily, though, apocalypse was avoided when a new YouTube video of a cat committing an epic fail distracted sufficient numbers of people to spare humanity.
Early Doors jests, of course. And to be honest there was something rather neat in the fact that the country's success in reaching the quarter-finals came just before Greece holds elections on Sunday which could, if they swing towards the anti-austerity party, see the country expelled from the Eurozone, having potentially catastrophic consequences for the global economy.
Now isn't that a cheery note to wake up to on a Sunday?
Even more fateful is the fact that having finished second in their group, Greece are likely to now face Germany in the quarter-finals — the country that has tried so hard to impose harsh austerity measures on them. If they go on to meet the World Bank in the semis then it will be the perfect storm.
That's as far as ED's rudimentary economics takes it for now — ED's idea of a free market is to pilfer a wheatgrass smoothie and a vintage watch from Spitalfields — but suffice to say that unlikely sporting success comes at a good time for a country otherwise burdened by crippling financial and political problems.
A 1-0 win over Russia sent them through to the last eight, where they will be joined by Czech Republic, who also beat co-hosts Poland 1-0 to progress. Two countries who picked up one point between them in the opening round of games somehow sneaked into the knockout stages in dramatic circumstances.
It's a great story — but the kind that we have come to expect in this wonderful, unpredictable tournament that has thrilled from the very start.
Russia were arguably the most impressive team of the first round of games — a 4-1 win over Czech Republic apparently seeming to herald similar fireworks to their 2008 campaign, with CSKA Mosow's little playmaker Alan Dzagoev cast in the Andrei Arshavin role this time around.
But as Dick Advocaat's men were forced to accept the reality that there would be no quarter-final place for them, largely thanks to a horrendous piece of defending from Sergei Ignashevich that allowed Greece to score the only goal of the game, another previous Euros campaign sprung readily to mind.
A 1-0 win for Greece will forever conjure up memories of Euro 2004, when their ultra-negative approach saw them beat France, Czech Republic and then Portugal by solitary goals in the knockout stages to win the tournament. Eight years ago they also played Russia in the final group game, though a defeat still saw them through in second place.
The fact it was Giorgios Karagounis — a veteran of Euro 2004 — who scored the winning goal on his 120th appearance, drawing level with the national record established by former team-mate Theodoros Zagorakis, Greece's captain in that famous triumph and the player of the tournament, only made comparisons with 2004 more apposite.
This current Greece side do not delight in smothering teams quite as King Otto Rehhagel's team did, but the narrative established by the tournament in Portugal means they will be feared as a defensive force.
As Russia coach Advocaat put it: "We totally outclassed Greece. We gave away the first goal and didn't recuperate from that blow. They are masters at bleeding a match to death.
"I'm not really too interested in what others say about me. My staff worked really hard, we were undefeated for 16 matches. We were unfortunate. We should have won today but that's football so compliments to Greece."
In the aftermath of victory, opposite number Fernando Santos was rightly keen to bring his players back down to earth after they celebrated as if they had won the tournament again in Warsaw.
"Tomorrow we have to clear our minds and keep our feet on the ground," he said. "Just because we won this game, it doesn't mean we are the best in the world. But just because we lost the previous match, it doesn't mean we are the worst. We know who we are.
"I'd like to congratulate my players for all their effort. This was a difficult match, and they gave everything for this qualification. We managed to give joy to Avraam (Papadopoulos, injured defender) and to all the Greeks. I think what we achieved was very important. This result was a result of the effort and decisiveness of all my players."
Greece will revel in the triumph while Russia conducts a post mortem, but while their enterprising football team will be missed at Euro 2012, those that follow their national team certainly will not.
Earlier this week UEFA imposed a suspended six-point penalty on Russia following the behaviour of their fans in the opening game against Czech Republic. Ahead of their second group game, they became involved in running battles with Poland supporters and displayed a provocative banner reading 'This is Russia'. There are also allegations that some supporters racially abused Czech defender Theodor Gebre Selassie.
No doubt this is a minority — ED has witnessed no trouble whatsoever among the numerous Russian fans that inhabit the eastern enclave it finds itself in at present — yet in a tournament where potential violence has never been far from the agenda, the behaviour of some Russian supporters has cast a nasty and unnecessary cloud over proceedings.
So good riddance, then, to Russia's undesirable elements and congratulations to those Greek supporters who need a bit of a lift at present.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I just happened to look out of my third-floor window when I saw Roy Hodgson through a glass roof below. I realised I was watching his team briefing and slide-show so decided to take a closer look with my binoculars. I was able to make detailed notes before I think I was seen and a blanket was put up to stop me looking in. But by then I knew which English players would be marking which Swedes when defending corners and free-kicks. England decided to lay all their secrets out before me. What was I supposed to do — look away? I called the Swedish camp straight away and they seemed delighted." — Swedish journalist Ola Billger tells The Sun how he carried out a covert spying operation on England ahead of Friday's game in Kiev.
FOREIGN VIEW: "I don't have to resign because I had a contract until the end of Euro 2012 and I do not see any reason (to quit); the contract is finishing, because I had come to terms with the head of the FA and I know what will now happen. At any rate my adventure with the national team is over." - Poland coach Franciszek Smuda confirms he will be stepping down following the co-hosts' failure to reach the knockout stages.
COMING UP: Get you calculators at the ready as Group B comes to a potentially convoluted conclusion. Germany need only a draw against Denmark to secure top spot, but there is a scenario whereby both teams could finish level on six points with Portugal. Likewise, a victory for Netherlands over Portugal, coupled with a loss for Denmark against Germany, would see three teams finish on three points. Follow all the action live from 7.45pm.