Football match update. - Conference League Champions: Olympiakos Piraeus emerges victorious.
In a historic moment, Olympiakos Piraeus became the first Greek football team to claim a European trophy. Twenty years after Greece's national squad clinched the European Championships with German coach Otto Rehhagel, Piraeus secured the Conference League title in Athens by defeating AC Florence 1-0 (0-0) following extra time. It was Ayoub El Kaabi who netted the decisive goal in the 116th minute. The Italians, having lost the Conference League finals the season prior, were once again the team facing a defeat.
Joining the ranks of AS Roma and West Ham United as the third winning team in this young competition, Piraeus' manager José Luis Mendilibar, who took the reins in February, had led Sevilla to last season's Europa League success.
A challenging yet rough first half yielded few opportunities. Nikola Milenkovic's goal for Florence (9th minute) was ruled out for offside. Giacomo Bonaventura notched two attempts on target within a minute, but was thwarted by Olympiakos' goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis. Daniel Podence missed from a corner kick on the opposite side, getting denied by Italian keeper Pietro Terracciano.
The late game-winning goal was meticulously reviewed
The second half remained a balanced affair, however, both teams made errors. Florence kept a tight grip on Olympiakos' Ayoub El Kaabi, who had scored a record-breaking five goals in the semi-final against Aston Villa. All changed in the 116th minute, when after an exhaustive review by the video assistant, the goal was acknowledged as valid.
Security measures were tightened significantly for this high-risk match, with strict regulations and traffic controls put in place to ensure a seamless experience. Authorities even developed a special contingency plan. Just before the end of the first half, a fight broke out between Piraeus and Florence supporters within the stadium, leading to a police intervention.
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- Jose Luis Mendilibar, who led Sevilla to the Europa League success the previous season, took charge of Piraeus in February.
- The Conference League final took place in Athens, with Olympiakos Piraeus facing AC Florence.
- The Conference League title was a significant feat for Olympiakos Piraeus, making them the third team to win this young competition, alongside AS Roma and West Ham United F.C.
- Ayoub El Kaabi scored the decisive goal for Olympiakos Piraeus in the 116th minute of the final against AC Florence.
- Piraeus' victory in the Conference League final was a repeat of Italy's loss in the same competition the previous season.
- Confirmation of El Kaabi's goal came after a meticulous review by the video assistant referee.
- Piraeus' opponent in the Conference League final, AC Florence, had previously appeared in the European Cup final in 1994, losing to Parma.
- The Conference League victory marked a historic moment for Greek soccer, as Olympiakos Piraeus became the first Greek team to win a European trophy since Greece's national squad, led by Otto Rehhagel, won the European Cup in 2004.
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