An Olympiacos, coming out of last year’s frenetic run in Europe, crushed Braga 3-0 in the 2nd matchday of the League Phase of the Europa League at “C. Karaiskakis” and was a referee in the event.
With the young Mouzakiti starting in the second match in a row alongside Ese and Rodinei again in the winger position with Costinia behind him, Medilibar essentially rewarded all three for their performance in the match against Atromitos.
The “red and whites” had against them their former coach for two months last year, Carvalhal, Andre Horta, who they wanted to keep in the port again this year but Braga wanted him back, as well as their former striker Bruma who had played at Piraeus in the 2020-21 season (32 appearances, 9 goals) on loan from Eindhoven.
In the first 20 minutes of the match, Olympiacos was impressive and with the excellent Mouzakitis (deified), Ese, Chikinio and Martins, it had nothing to do with the team we have seen so far in the championship and we also saw in Lyon. Scored a goal against El Kaabi in the 5th minute from a Martins ball but it was disallowed for offside at the start of the phase. The “red and whites” with suffocating pressure on the Portuguese constantly stole balls and constantly created dangers in the opposing area.
After 20′, Braga, who was searching with deep balls on the backs of the Olympiakos defenders, leveled the match which became a rodeo and the phases followed one another. In fact, the visitors had two great opportunities with Gabri (22′) and Ricardo Horta (38′), but in the four-on-four with Tzolakis, the Greek goalkeeper impressively kept his team upright. And not only that, but in the 45th minute, due to Andre Horta’s wrong turn, Martins stole the ball and laid it to El Kaabi, who with a strong shot from the height of the large area and after the ball collided with Ferreira’s body, sent it into his own net. Mateus for 1-0.
In the second half, Olympiacos came out furious again, pressed, stole balls and in the 53′ Rodinei stole the ball in the cross, moved forward, made the cross, Niakate made a stupid clearance, the ball was laid to Ese who from the penalty spot with a shot made the 2- 0. And two minutes later, Ciquinho missed the chance to make it 3-0. Something Olympiacos achieved in the 59th minute! Suffocating pressing, a new steal this time by Willian who gave to Rodney and he with one to the all alone El Kaabi who wrote with a nice place the 3-0 in apotheosis, with his 2nd personal goal.
In the 70th minute, due to a mistake by Tzolakis, Bruma came out four-four, Tzolakis saved, the ball went to R. Horta who from far and wide shot into the empty net but Karmos on the line saved with his head. Piraeus played with time afterwards but missed a good chance with Kostinias in the 84th minute.
The Polish Damian Silvestrzak “yellowed” Rezzo, Carvalho, Ese, Ortega.
OLYMPIC: Tzolakis, Costinia, Carmo (80′ Pirola), Retsos (72′ Doi), Ortega, Ese, Mouzakitis, Chiquinho (58′ Willian), Rodinei (80′ Masouras), Martins (72′ Oliveira), El Caabi.
BRAGA: Mateus, Ferreira, Niacate, Arey-Ebi, A. Martins (68′ Gomes), Carvalho (46′ Gorbi), A. Horta (68′ Duanzani), Bruma, G. Martins (46′ Garbi), R. Orta , Fernandes (68′ Roger).
*In the other matches that started at the same time as that of Olympiakos:
Lazio – Nice 4-1
Slavia Prague – Ajax 1-1
Real Sociedad – Anderlecht 1-2
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Midland 0-2
Ferencvaros – Tottenham 1-2
Qarabag – Malmo 1-2
Hoffenheim – Dynamo Kyiv 2-0
Riga – Galatasaray 2-2
#Olympiacos #Braga #party #air #European #Cup #winner
