Karaiskakis Stadium
Spectators: 7652 (Terracing: 5741,
Seating: 1759, VIP seats: 152) Victor Hess started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. Panos Loukas sent away a hard shot on goal in the 3rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A collision led to Santos FC getting a freekick after 6 minutes play. Jimmy Coulter hit a great ball. In the 6th minute of the match Giorgos Soufleris sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Ahmed Long skillfully saved the ball. Olympiacos FC's Giorgos Soufleris suffered a concussion in the 7th minute, after a hard challenge, and had to leave the field. 7 minutes into the game, Woody Napier was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Santos FC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Olympiacos FC the free kick. Olympiacos FC made a substitution. Panos Papathomas replaced Giorgos Soufleris. Ahmed Long was in exellent shape and made a fantastic save when he, in the 9th minute of the match, managed to get hold of the ball after a long shot from Vaggelis Tassakos. In the 11th minute, Victor Hess left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Santos FC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. After 17 minutes, Forrest Hopkins mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Santos FC and the Olympiacos FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 17 minutes of play, the referee blew the whistle. It was a penalty for Santos FC! When the match had been going on for 18 minutes, Olympiacos FC's Soulis Partalis got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Ahmed Long. Alexis Kotsanakis who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 21stth minute tested the skills of Ahmed Long when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Victor Hess kicked well hit freekick during the 25th minute of the match. Ahmed Long made a fantastic save in the 29th minute, when Soulis Partalis sent off a good shot on target. Gavin Hawley kicked well hit freekick during the 37th minute of the match. After recieving a nice pass, Olympiacos FC's Vaggelis Tassakos tried to score from far away in the 38th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. After 39 played minutes Olympiacos FC got a freekick which was hit by Panos Loukas. A hard shot 42 in the game by Dimitris Koudas from a close distance when the talented Ahmed Long managed to make a qualified save. Santos FC's players were relieved. In the 46th minute Alexis Kotsanakis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ahmed Long saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After having played for 48 minutes, Alexis Kotsanakis managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Olympiacos FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Alexis Kotsanakis was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal.
Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Alexis Kotsanakis to make the kick off. Dimitris Koudas recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 58th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Alexis Kotsanakis in the 61st managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Ahmed Long saved Santos FC from getting behind. If Alexis Kotsanakis had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 62nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ahmed Long showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Dimitris Koudas in the 67th minute of the match. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Alexis Kotsanakis in the 68th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Ahmed Long saved Santos FC from getting behind. Zachariah Coats kicked well hit freekick during the 70th minute of the match. Olympiacos FC's Vaggelis Tassakos couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 70th minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for Santos FC. Ahmed Long made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Alexis Kotsanakis in the 73rd minute of play. 82 minutes into the game, Olympiacos FC's Dimitris Koudas nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Ahmed Long made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 5-1. When Olympiacos FC's Alexis Kotsanakis in the 86th minute got a chance for a shot 86th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Santos FC's goalie prevented a goal. After 87 minutes Santos FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Vaggelis Tassakos who took care of the corner kick. Panos Loukas made a great header on Olympiacos FC's corner, it was just that Santos FC's Ahmed Long managed to reach the ball for a save. In the 89th minute Alexis Kotsanakis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ahmed Long saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 93rd minute Desmond Rowell shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Takis Nestoriou saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 97 minutes Santos FC's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Vaggelis Tassakos who took care of the corner kick. The corner ended in Vaggelis Tassakos almost managing to get the ball behind the net, but Santos FC's Ahmed Long did a great save. Vaggelis Tassakos made a great header on Olympiacos FC's corner, it was just that Santos FC's Ahmed Long managed to reach the ball for a save. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. Olympiacos FC fully deserved thier win.
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