In the Athens heat, Ireland were caught cold.
If this was a boxing match, there was a good chance that the contest would have been stopped early, as Greece tore into Ireland in the opening 15 minutes, eventually taking a deserved lead.
Fortuitous, as it happened, with the video assistant calling the referee over to view a handball that was initially missed by the official.
Nothing lucky about the finish, however, as the brilliant home team captain Tasos Bakasetas smashed the resulting spot-kick right down the middle of the goal.
Ireland tried to get going and they needed a jump-start following the pummelling they had just endured. It came courtesy of the home team who, for some reason, pulled up the handbrake, happy to sit in and defend.
It played right into Ireland's hands as they eventually got going and then worked a fine set-piece to grab the equaliser as Evan Ferguson’s header was helped home by Nathan Collins.
But it really was a case of papering over the cracks, as somehow Ireland were level going in at the break.
Adam Idah would have to make way for Mikey Johnston at half-time as Kenny looked to get into the game, admitting afterwards that Greece dominated the opening period, but then four minutes later, the manager would have to go right back to the bench and make some big decisions as the hosts took the lead once more.
James McClean for Callum O’Dowda, Jason Knight for Will Smallbone, experienced players asked to come on to haul Ireland back into the game.
In truth, it never looked likely, and it all got a bit desperate in the end as Troy Parrott and Michael Obafemi were also sent on in search of a goal, while Matt Doherty’s late red card summed up a frustrating night for the Ireland side.
No excuses from Kenny after the game, however, as the manager was quick to accept that the better team won as he lauded Greece’s first-half performance, taking full responsibility for the defeat, while even conceding that Ireland’s moments of possession were really a result of Greece sitting back.
"We didn’t have control in the first half," said Kenny, speaking at the post-match press conference.
"Greece hurt us with the big switches of play from right back to left-back, left-back to right-back, long passes from touchline to touchline.
"We overcompensated in midfield and gave ourselves too much to do in the distances we had to cover and they raided on the flanks.
"That can happen away from home for international teams, but you have to defend better than we did. It was just a really poor second goal to give away, I can’t believe we gave it away, to be honest. And we got punished for that, and that has hurt us."
Understandably, Kenny was searching for positives to take into a long summer break ahead of the vital final games throughout September, October and November, and while the team can pick themselves up a little bit at home to Gibraltar, the hurt of the Athens defeat will linger a lot longer.
"We got back into the game with a well-worked goal and 1-1 at half-time we tactically changed it, and that would have allowed us to play with more control, and it did in the second half.
"But we can’t take any credit for that because you have to take into account that Greece would have dropped off a bit after scoring.
"Even though our performance was not at the level that we would have wanted, we were right in game, right until the 95th minute and had chances to equalise, Nathan’s shot, Matt’s shot… We were still in the game right to the end and could have drawn the game. It might have flattered us a bit, but I think the players never gave up."
And it was a case of no regrets for the manager when it came to the attacking and somewhat inexperienced eleven that he named for the vital away game.
"It can be argued that there was a lot of inexperience in the team, you have to accept that, but it is easy after the event if someone makes a mistake to say you should have played the other player.
"We are disappointed to lose the game. I take responsibility as the manager for that. That’s the reality, I do take responsibility for a game we wanted, certainly, not to lose.
"So just that goal after half time shifted the balance of the game with more or less the first attack, so we are absolutely kicking ourselves with that."
No points from the two opening games and with just six remaining, including a double-header with the Netherlands, and an away game in Paris, the manager admitted that it would now be a very tough task to gain either of the automatic qualification places.
"It’s only the second game, but we have given ourselves a mountain to climb."
