Olympiacos is officially up and running in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) after fighting their way to an impressive win over SC Braga.
The Piraeus giants scored a 3-0 victory over the Portuguese side at “Georgios Karaiskakis” ground on Friday morning (AEST) in the second matchday of the UEL’s League Phase, earning them their first points as a result.
The “red-whites” opened the scoring in the 45th minute when a wayward ball into the air was controlled by winger Gelson Martins, allowing striker Ayoub El Kaabi to release a strike that deflected off Braga defender Joao Ferreira into his own net.
Olympiacos doubled their lead soon after the break via a quick counter-attack which saw midfielder Santiago Hezze finish the ball into the goal (53′).
El Kaabi put the game to bed just before the hour mark following some excellent pressing from the hosts, tapping the ball home after teammate Rodinei delivered an easy pass across goal (59′).
PAOK was unable to replicate the Piraeus side as they suffered a 0-1 loss to FCSB at “Toumba” ground, keeping them pointless in the UEL League Phase.
The Romanian outfit pulled ahead in the dying moments of the first half with midfielder Darius Olaru setting up striker Daniel Birligea for an easy tap-in (45+8′).
The Thessaloniki giants were given a great chance to seize control when Olaru was sent off for a second yellow card (55′)
Panathinaikos was held to a disappointing 1-1 away draw with FK Borac Banja Luka in the first matchday of the UEFA Conference League (UECL), seeing them record just a single point to kick off the League Phase.
The Greens went ahead 11 minutes into the clash with a wonderful team goal that saw left back Filip Mladenovic deliver a cross to playmaker Anastasios Bakasetas, who subsequently guided the ball into the bottom right on the volley.
The Bosnian club equalised early into the second period, thanks to a powerful free kick header by marksman Đorđe Despotović (50′), with the goal proving to be the final decisive moment of the contest.
A dominant second half helped Omonia to a 4-0 home drubbing against Víkingur Reykjavík to get their UECL campaign off to a winning start.
Centre half Senou Coulibaly put the hosts ahead with a corner header in the 51st minute, and they doubled it half an hour later through substitute Andronikos Kakoullis.
Winger Saidou Alioum made it three with a fantastic effort that saw him dispossess a Vikingur player and dribble all the way into the box before finishing the ball into the bottom right (86′).
Kakoullis capped off an excellent outing with one final goal for Omonia in the 90th minute with the striker intercepting a poor backward pass directed to the goalkeeper and running the ball into the net.
Paphos downed Petrocub 1-2 away to procure an important victory in their opening UECL clash.
The Moldovan club struck first after midfielder Teodor Lungu slotted his penalty kick into the bottom left (26′).
The Cypriot side brought it level quickly after via wing back Joao Correira (33′) and they went ahead themselves just three minutes later following a wonderful long-range strike from winger Jaja.
Correira struck again to double his side’s advantage (52′) before his replacement, Moustapha Name, added the finishing touches to a solid performance with a goal in the 82nd minute.
APOEL drew 1-1 away against Shamrock Rovers in what they will consider a missed opportunity given the hosts played nearly the whole second half one player down.
The Irish outfit was given a huge disadvantage in the 50th minute when defender Neil Farrugia earned his second booking, and the Cypriot champions quickly capitalised as centre half Konstantinos Laifis scored a corner header (58′).
The Rovers responded with a corner header of their own in the 90+2nd minute from substitute Dylan Watts to salvage a point.
