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Olympiakos wins Greek Cup final in extra time

Athens, Apr 29: Olympiakos won its 25th Greek Cup and first since 2009 after a 2-1 extra time win over Atromitos in the final at Athens Olympic Stadium on Saturday.Substitute David Fuster scored the winner,

India TV News Desk Published : Apr 29, 2012 8:31 IST, Updated : Apr 29, 2012 8:32 IST
olympiakos wins greek cup final in extra time
olympiakos wins greek cup final in extra time

Athens, Apr 29: Olympiakos won its 25th Greek Cup and first since 2009 after a 2-1 extra time win over Atromitos in the final at Athens Olympic Stadium on Saturday.


Substitute David Fuster scored the winner, a header, in the 119th minute.

Rafik Djebbour opened the scoring for Olympiakos in the 29th and Walter Inglesias equalized in the 76th.

The Piraeus team which won its 39th Greek league title this month, completed its first double since 2009.

Olympiakos dominated the first half and nearly opened the scoring in the seventh, but Atromitos goalkeeper Charles Itandje made the first of his many superb saves by diving into Djebbour's feet.

A bad clearance by Atromitos' Sokratis Fytanidis resulted in a Jean Makoun volley that went just over the crossbar in the 18th.

Three minutes later, Atromitos missed its only first-half chance when Costas Mitroglou received a deep pass and outran three Olympiakos defenders, only to shoot over the bar from an acute angle.

In the 25th, Yannis Maniatis was brought down in Atromitos' area and Holebas sent Itandje diving into the wrong side but shot the ball wide.

Olympiakos quickly recovered from the shock and, in the 29th, Djamel Abdoun, on the right, crossed for his fellow Algerian Djebbour to score with a low drive.

Olympiakos appeared strangely listless in the second half, allowing Atromitos the initiative. The underdogs went on the attack and, in the 58th, Denis Epstein shot just wide of the right post.

In the 67th, Olympiakos had its first effort on goal in the half, but Itandje blocked Vassilis Torossidis' header.

In the 76th, Brito crossed from the right and Iglesias' rather weak shot was deflected off Holebas, wrong-footing Olympiakos goalkeeper Roy Carroll.

Following the equalizer, Olympiakos camped in Atromitos' area for the remaining time but failed to threaten until injury time, when Djebbour headed a Kevin Mirallas corner kick only for Itandje to block the ball instinctively.

Olympiakos also came out strong in extra time and, in the 92nd, Yannis Fetfatzidis' throughball found Mirallas alone with Itandje, but the Belgian forward shot the ball just wide.

Just as players from both teams began dropping down with exhaustion and cramps and all were preparing for a penalty shootout, Torossidis crossed from the right and Fuster, who substituted for Makoun in the 83rd, rose above the defense.

His header bounced off the ground and went past a desperately diving Itandje into the right corner of the net.

After the game and the trophy was awarded, Olympiakos fans gave a loud standing ovation to coach Ernesto Valverde who is leaving the team after two seasons.

The Spanish coach, who also led Olympiakos in the 2008-09 season, won three championships, two cups and two doubles in his two stints with the team.

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