Olympiakos 1 – 0 Fiorentina

Olympiakos beat Fiorentina 1-0 after extra-time within the Europa Convention League closing on Wednesday to win the membership’s first main European trophy, because of a late winner from Ayoub El Kaabi.

In a match that was excessive on depth and physicality however low on high quality in entrance of aim, neither aspect may discover the online within the regulation 90 minutes earlier than El Kaabi netted the winner within the 116th minute.

With the sport seemingly headed to a penalty shootout, El Kaabi received in entrance of his marker to bundle in Santiago Hezze’s cross however the gamers and followers had an extended, nervous await VAR to examine for offside earlier than the aim was awarded.

The outcome marked a second consecutive defeat within the Europa Convention League closing for Fiorentina, who had reached this season’s summit conflict with out dropping a single recreation.

How Olympiakos made historical past in Athens

Piraeus goes to get together prefer it by no means has earlier than. It’s fairly a surprising achievement for a aspect who have been on their third head coach earlier this season.

However El Kaabi would rating his sixteenth aim in his nineteenth UEFA membership competitors look this season, probably the most by an African participant in a single marketing campaign.

The outcome means Jose Luis Mendilibar sealed a European honour for the second successive marketing campaign, having guided Sevilla to Europa League glory final time period.

Olympiakos survived the Istanbul penalty shootout towards Fenerbahce within the quarter-finals because of goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis’ heroics – however El Kaabi’s intervention with 4 minutes of extra-time remaining ensured the drama of a spot-kicks was averted.

This was a shot at redemption for Fiorentina, who arrived searching for their first European title for the reason that UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup success over Rangers in 1961.

However, having misplaced their earlier 4 European finals, together with the dramatic defeat to West Ham at this stage final season, Vincenzo Italiano suffered but extra agony in what may show to be his closing recreation in cost.

Italiano, whose contract runs out at Fiorentina this summer season, picked eight of the beginning XI that night towards the Hammers right here in Athens.

Giacomo Bonaventura and Nicolas Gonzalez lacked composure in losing first-half probabilities whereas Daniel Podence, on mortgage from Wolves, examined Pietro Terracciano with Olympiakos’ finest likelihood of the opening interval.

There was little or no to separate the 2 sides in a tentative second half which noticed Vicente Iborra – now with a Europa Convention League honour so as to add to his 4 Europa League titles with Sevilla – head huge.

This contest was happening on the residence venue of Olympiakos’ fierce rivals AEK Athens, some 15km from their Piraeus residence, and Mendilibar turned to the previous Fiorentina ahead Stevan Jovetic in quest of inspiration.

In extra-time, with the sport nonetheless goalless, it almost got here as he weaved inside onto his proper foot and drew a wise save from Terracciano.

Olympiakos have been solely the second Greek membership to be collaborating in a serious membership European closing after Panathinaikos misplaced to Ajax at Wembley within the 1971 European Cup, and so they started to develop in confidence as Fiorentina’s power ranges started to wane.

Italiano had referred to as on his gamers to “use the bitterness” of their defeat to West Ham 12 months in the past – however they have been breached with 4 minutes of extra-time remaining as Hezze’s low cross was glanced in by El Kaabi.

It could survive an agonising VAR evaluate to spark wild scenes throughout Athens.

What’s subsequent?

Fiorentina nonetheless have one remaining Serie A fixture this weekend after they go to Atalanta on Sunday; kick-off 5pm.