.png)
5 months ago
32
Olympiacos won their first major European trophy as Ayoub El Kaabi's late extra-time winner inflicted a second straight Europa Conference League final defeat on Fiorentina.
A forgettable final sparked into life with just four minutes of extra time remaining as El Kaabi turned home the only goal of a game taking place at the home of Olympiacos' rivals AEK Athens.
While the Greek side could celebrate becoming the first team from their country to win a European trophy, Fiorentina were once again left wondering what might have been a year after losing in the final to West Ham.
A lengthy VAR check followed El Kaabi's effort but it survived a potential offside to settle a final that had failed to burst into life until that point.
Fiorentina had not been so lucky earlier in the game.
Olympiacos have won the 2023-24 Conference League after beating Fiorentina in the final
Olympiacos made history by becoming the first Greek side to win a major European honour
Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis joined in on the celebrations
Confetti covers the pitch after Olympiacos won their first European title at their rival's home
A dejected Andrea Belotti walks past the trophy having experienced final heartache yet again
Olympiacos players and staff run onto the pitch after the final whistle blows in Athens
The Olympiacos players celebrate wildly after winning their first ever European title
Ayoub El Kaabi scored the decisive goal of the game, heading in the winner in extra time
El Kaabi just about beat the offside trap to head in the winning goal deep into extra time
A lengthy VAR check eventually gave El Kaabi the goal to set up a tense finish in Athens
Fiorentina and Olympiacos players surround referee Artur Dias at they await VAR's verdict
MATCH FACTS
OLYMPIACOS: (4-2-3-1) Tzolakis; Rodinei, Retsos, Carmo, Ortega (Quini 91); Hezze, Iborra; Daniel Podence (Masouras 107), Chiquinho (Andre Horta 78), Fortounis (Jovetic 73); El Kaabi (El Arabi 120+2)
Subs not used: Paschalakis, Alexandropoulos, Joao Carvalho, Richards, Apostolopoulos, Ndoj, Papadoudis
Goals: El Kaabi (116)
Bookings: Podence (28), Jovetic (94), Paschalakis (95), El Kaabi (117)
Coach: Jose Luis Mendilibar
FIORENTINA: (4-2-3-1) Terracciano; Dodo, Milenkovic, Martinez, Biraghi (Ranieri 106); Arthur (Duncan 74), Mandragora; Gonzalez (Beltran 106), Bonaventura (Barak 82), Kouame (Ikone 82); Belotti (Nzola 59)
Subs not used: Lopez, Infantino, Faraoni, Kayode, Christensen, Parisi
Goals: None
Bookings: Martinez Quarta (42), Kouame (79), Biraghi (99)
Coach: Vincenzo Italiano
Referee: Artur Soares Dias (Portugal)
Venue: OPAP Arena (Athens)
Attendance: 26,842
The Italians thought they had broken the deadlock with just 10 minutes on the clock when defender Nikola Milenkovic turned home only for it to be ruled out for offside.
Nicolas Gonzalez miscued when presented with a fine chance for Fiorentina towards the end of a tight first half that unsurprisingly ended goalless.
With little goalmouth action to speak of it was the Serie A side who were carving out more opportunities, but Christian Kouame was the next player to fluff his lines when in a good position.
Olympiacos stood firm and starting carving out chances of their own but Vicente Iborra could only glance a header wide as the Europa Conference League final went to an extra period for the first time.
Substitute Stevan Jovetic, a former Fiorentina forward, forced a smart save out of Pietro Terracciano but the moment of individual quality needed to settle the tie was moments away.
Fiorentina's Andrea Belotti reaches for the ball as Konstantinos Tzolakis comes to smother
Podence has his head in his hands as Olympiacos spurn another opportunity to score
Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic and Olympiacos' David Camo jump to head the ball in Athens
The ref waves for medical assistance after a nasty clash of heads between Retsos and Belotti
Medical staff tend to the two players following a nasty clash of heads during the second half
A memorable season for El Kaabi - who scored five times across the semi-final win over Aston Villa - was topped off with his 33rd goal of the campaign, prompting wild celebrations just down the road in Piraeus as he stooped to head home Santiago Hezze's cross.
As players from both sides dropped to their knees, a long VAR check eventually sided with Olympiacos who then saw out the closing stages as head coach Jose Luis Mendilibar - the club's third boss of the season - secured back to back European trophies after guiding Sevilla to Europa League glory last year.
English (US)