“Red and white” party in Toumba, with Olympiacos making a great performance and destroying PAOK 4-1, for the 23rd matchday of the Super League.
The big port side dominated at home to the Northern Doubleheader and could have scored even more goals, with Jose Luis Mendiliber’s men making fun of their opponents and walking away with the double!
Great match from Daniel Pontense, who was involved in all four goals. The first and fourth were started by him, while he scored the second (54′) and had the assist in the third. Great game also from El Kaabi, who entered as a substitute in the 76th minute in Navarro’s place and scored two goals (83rd, 90th). Navarro opened the way for Olympiakos’ big victory in the 29th minute. The hosts had temporarily equalized in the 39th minute at 1-1 with Kirill Despotov, in a phase that included a foul by Rodney and a handball by Murg.
With this victory, Olympiacos sent a comeback message and reached 47 points. The Red and Whites reduced the gap to four from Panathinaikos and PAOK, who each have 51 points, but also to five from AEK, who are at the top with 52 points.
Now Piraeus turn their eyes to the rematch with Ferentsvaros for the playoffs of the Europa Conference League.
This is how they lined up
Razvan Lucescu lined up PAOK with a 4-2-3-1, with Kotarski in front of goal and Sastre, Kenziora, Koulierakis and Baba in the back four. Meite and Ozdoev were in midfield, with Despotov, Murg and Constantelia behind Samata. Jose Luis Medilibar, on the other hand, started Olympiakos with 4-3-3, having Paschalakis in goal and Rodinei, Biancon, Carmo and Ortega in the back four. Ese, Tsiquinio and Horta were in the midfield trio of Piraeus and Fortunis, Pontense and Navarro in the corresponding attack.
Olympiacos was better, ahead with Navarro
Olympiacos entered the game strongly and in the first half hour of the match had two great opportunities and a goal. In the 16th minute, Horta made the deep ball to Navarro, he shot with one shot from inside the PAOK area, but Kotarski blocked.
Three minutes later the Red and Whites threatened again, this time with Fortounis. Horta found Ortega well, the Argentinian full-back turned from the left to the Piraeus captain, who shot hard but sent the ball high wide.
The third was also the… druggy one for Olympiakos. After a fine vertical pass from Podense, Cicinho shot from a wide position, Kotarski made an instinctive save but Navarro from close range sent the ball into the net for 1-0 Piraeus.
In fact, in the 36th minute, the Red and Whites had another final, with Tsikinios. After a turn from the right, the Olympiakos midfielder shot powerfully from the height of the Dicephalos North area, but sent the ball wide.
Foul on Rodney and Murg’s hand in the equalizing phase
Three minutes later, PAOK equalized at 1-1 with Kirill Despotov. A goal that should not have counted, as at the beginning of the phase there is a clear foul by Constantelia on Rodinei, while then there is a hand of Murg, before the ball reaches the Bulgarian striker. The Piraeus rightly protested to the German referee and tried to find their right, but to no avail. Spotless phases, both the foul on Rodney and Murg’s hand.
In the 45th minute, Murg found himself in the Olympiakos area and shot, but the ball went wide, with the first half ending with the score at 1-1.
Unthinkable goal from Pontense for 2-1
Olympiacos also started the second half strongly, with the Red and Whites making it 2-1 with Daniel Podense in the 54th minute. The Portuguese became the owner of the ball, after the execution of the free kick that the Piraeus had won from the left. He took a few steps on the pitch, found himself outside the PAOK area, raised his head and with a very strong shot sent the ball into Kotarski’s net.
In the 60th minute, Kirill Despotov shot hard from the height of the box, but the ball went wide. After the Bulgarian’s phase, Lucescu made his first two changes of the game, with A. Živković and Tomas replacing Murg and Samata. Six minutes later Kostas Fortounis tried his foot, but the ball went wide. In the 71st minute, Ozdoev took the header after a corner, but Paschalakis was in the right position and blocked.
Seconds later, Lucescu made two more changes, with Otto and Schwab replacing Sastre and Meite. Jose Luis Mendiliber responded in the 75th minute with El Kaabi and Masoura instead of Navarro and Fortuni. Just before the last quarter (79′) he put Ibora on instead of Horta. In the 82nd minute, Zivkovic shot from a lateral position, through the area, but Paschalakis had closed his corner and blocked.
El Kaabi and 3-1!
In the 83rd minute, Olympiacos made it 3-1 against El Kaabi. Podense made the turn from the left and the Moroccan striker executed Kotarski from the penalty spot, setting the stage for Piraeus’ big win. In the 86th minute, PAOK threatened with Constantelia, but Paschalakis made a great save. This was also the last phase of the young man, who was then replaced by Jima. At the same point, Mediliber also put Rezzo instead of Biancon.
Party and 4-1
At the end of the 90th minute, Olympiacos made it 4-1 with Ayoub El Kaabi’s second personal goal. Cicinho brought out Podense four-on-four with Kotarski, the Portuguese shot, but the PAOK goalkeeper saved. The Moroccan forward, however, took the rebound and put the icing on the cake with a strong shot. Nothing changed in the remaining minutes, with Olympiakos winning 4-1.
PAOK (Razvan Lucescu): Kotarski, Sastre (72′ Yoni), Baba, Keziora, Koulierakis, Meite (72′ Schwab), Ozdoev, Murg (61′ Zivkovic), Constantelias, Despodov, Samata (61′ Thomas).
Olympiacos (Jose Luis Mendiliber): Paschalakis, Rodiney, Ortega, Carmo, Biancon, Ese, Ciquinho, Horta (80′ Ibora), Fortunis (76′ Masouras), Pontense, Navarro (76′ El Caabi).