Wednesday night in their home nation became the biggest night in the history of Olympiacos, as they became the first Greek side to grasp European silverware. The match in Athens will not be remembered as a classic; finishing 1-0 after extra time but that will not be even close to the minds of the Piraeus Club.
On the other side of the billing, it was a second successive Europa Conference League final defeat for Fiorentina - following their defeat to West Ham in Prague last June. La Viola’s starting line-up included eight of the players that began the previous defeat; as they looked to go one better nearly a year on.
It was a thrilling opening ten minutes, with both teams threatening to take an early advantage; however the game would settle down with mature heads on both sides priotising the stability of the team, rather than looking for a goal fest.
The second half was exactly what football fans have come to expect of cup finals, with neither side wanting to risk chasing the game; with a majority of the key opportunities coming in the final ten minutes of normal time.
Olympiacos were the team who took extra-time into their stride, dominating possession into the channels, dealing with pressure the much better.
Eventually the hero of the night would pop up just five minutes from the shootout, as Ayoub El Kaabi steered home, putting a firm greek hand on the trophy.
Despite late Fiorentina pressure, it was too little, too late. El Kaabi’s late strike was enough to make Olympiacos the third name on the trophy of Europe’s newest club competition.
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Story of the match
Ricardo Stotti was the only notable absentee for Fiorentina, being forced off with a shoulder injury after giving his side the lead in the first leg of their semi-final against Club Brugge
While Olympiacos had no fresh injury concerns, Bandiougou Fadiga, Doron Leidner and Giulan Biancone would miss the opportunity to play in the final; all dealing with extended periods on the sideline.
Fiorentina made four changes to the team that won at Cagliari last week; with Lucas Martínez Quarta being preferred to Luca Ranieri in pairing Nikola Milenković. Christian Kouame was also returned to start in place of Gaetano Castrivolli after spending last Thursday in Sardinia on the bench.
To round off his four changes Vincenzo Italiano opted for Nico Gonzalez on the right over Jonothan Ikone and Arthur Melo coming in for Czechia international Antonin Barak.
José Luis Mendilibar made three changes to how the Greek outfit concluded their domestic season, with the experienced head of Vincente Iborra being chosen over André Horta in midfield, Francisco Ortega slotting in at left-back for Omar Richards and Chiquinho pipped João Carvalho to start the final.
The opening 10 minutes of the match served up some marvelous end-to-end action; with the Greeks more confident in transition, but the attacking outset nearly gave Kouamé the opportunity to set up an early opener.
It was Daniel Podence to get the evening’s first sight of goal as his curling effort was just pushed out for a corner by Pietro Terracciano. The next opportunity would arrive just a few minutes later but this time for La Viola when Andrea Bellotti was unable to sort his feet out to get a shot off at the back post.
The heightened frantic cup final play would settle down towards the end of the half; with Fiorentina growing into the game and looking the more likely to break the deadlock.
The second period of the final began particularly cagey, with both sides not taking too many risks pressing forward, looking to enter the final stages with a grip on the match.
Kouame was once again a frustration for the Italians, hitting the ball into the ground from a great position at the back post. Olympiacos would have a chance of their own with ten minutes remaining, as Iborra headed on but unable to direct it into the net from a free-kick delivery.
Former Fiorentina player Stefan Jovetic went close in the first period with a long ranged effort very nearly catching out Terracciano.
But the decisive moment of the match would finally arrive five minutes from time, as Ayoub El Kaabi; who had drifted into dangerous postions but yet to have a real opportunity managed to work his magic again; the hat-trick hero against Aston Villa inched himself ahead at the front post to nod Hezze’s cross goal bound, leaving Terracciano with no chance.
An agonising VAR check would follow in Athens; but El Kaabi was judged to have just stayed onside, giving the Red and whites reason to celebrate all over again.
Jonathan Ikone had an incredible opportunity to level the score in added time, playing a quick one-two pass before letting fly but Tzolakis did not disappoint in the big moment, blocking the shot.
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Player of the match - Vicente Iborra
In a match with few standout performers; It was a vintage Vicente Iborra performance, the thirty-six year old while no longer a captain, lead the Greeks into battle, hauling them forward every time he received the ball.
The Spainaird looked every bit of his now five European trophies, bringing a much needed cool head to a side that lost their way in parts of the final.
