Picture: (APA/AFP/THEOPHILE BLOUDANIS)
ATHENS. Olympiacos Piraeus received the Convention League and have become the primary Greek membership ever to have fun a European Cup victory.
Moroccan Ayoub El Kaabi determined the ultimate in opposition to AC Fiorentina on Wednesday Central Europe in Athens along with his purpose within the 116th minute of additional time. Within the Greek capital it was already properly after midnight when the rating was 1-0. Like final 12 months, Fiorentina misplaced the ultimate in opposition to West Ham.
After a hard-fought two halves, many have been already anticipating a penalty shootout. However then El Kaabi threw himself right into a cross from the left within the penalty space and headed the ball into the purpose. The VAR checked for offside and ultimately awarded the purpose. It was the sixteenth of this season’s European Cup for the 30-year-old participant.
Fiorentina certified for the Convention League within the playoffs. The group from the Tuscan capital defeated SK Speedy 2-1 in two video games on the finish of August 2023. Within the closing, fortune ran out for eighth place in Serie A.
Photograph: (APA/AFP/ANGELOS TZORTZINIS)
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Photograph: (APA/AFP/ANGELOS TZORTZINIS)
The sport received off to a enjoyable begin
The 2 groups met on equal phrases from the beginning within the AEK Athens stadium. The primary harmful choice for the sport got here from the Greeks. Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano needed to intervene when Daniel Podence (4th) shot from the sting of the penalty space. The Italians held again instantly and even scored a brief purpose within the tenth minute, nevertheless it did not rely as a result of it was offside.
After the wild opening part, the sport slowed down a bit earlier than Fiorentina’s Giacomo Bonaventura was liable for a double probability within the twenty first minute: first his central shot from inside fell simple prey for Konstantinos Tzolakis, only a few seconds later the Greek goalkeeper saved a One-on-One in opposition to the 34-year-old. Within the closing stage, the Moroccan El Kaabi appeared within the Violet penalty space for the primary time. The Olympiakos goalie hit Terracciano and was penalized with a false whistle.
No purpose in extra time
The second 45 minutes have been quite disappointing. Many damaged or random actions and limb loss marked occasions on either side. The depth was nonetheless excessive – each within the stands and on the sphere. However there have been no particular possibilities till Christian Kouamé from Fiorentina got here free to shoot within the penalty space within the 69th minute. The Ivorian did not fairly hit the ball inside, however Tzolakis nonetheless needed to stretch and clear the landing for a nook.
For the Greeks, Vicente Iborra (eightieth) caught a cross within the penalty space, his header virtually missed the left submit. Teammate El Kaabi (84′) additionally virtually missed a free kick cross – the well-known “Fortunate Punch” did not work. The clock ticked down endlessly, together with seven minutes of added time, and the seemingly inevitable extension turned a certainty shortly earlier than midnight native time. On this one, Terracciano stopped an extended shot from Stevan Jovetic (96th), whereas on the opposite facet Jonathaniko was denied by Tzolakis (a hundred and tenth). Then there was Greek tragedy for the “Viola”.
Olympiakos Piraeus – ACF Fiorentina 1:0 at (0:0)
Athen, AEK Enviornment, 32,000 Zuschauer, SR Artur Soares Dias (POR)
Aim: 1:0 (116.) El Kaabi
Olympics: Tzolakis – Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega (91. Quini), Hezze, Iborra – Podence (106. Masouras), Chiquinho (77. Andre Horta), Fortounis (73. Jovetic) – El Kaabi (122. El Arabi)
Fiorentina: Terracciano – Dodo, Milenkovic, Martinez Quarta, Biraghi (106. Ranieri) – Arthur Melo (74. Duncan), Mandragora – Gonzalez (106. Beltran), Bonaventura (82. Barak), Kouame (82. Ikone) – Belotti (59 ). .
Yellow playing cards: Podence, Jovetic, Paschalakis, El Kaabi or Martinez Quarta, Kouame, Biraghi
