U18 World League

Karaiskakis Stadium
Spectators: 7972 (Terracing: 5980, Seating: 1834, VIP seats: 158) Olympiacos FC's Kostas Tziolas started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Kyriakos Lavdas hit a great freekick 5 minutes into the match. After a rather tough play, Kerkyra FC's Giorgos Maragozis got a free kick in the 8th minute. In the 9th minute, Olympiacos FC's Kostas Tziolas dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-0. Fondas Kalantas took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Giorgos Maragozis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Fondas Kalantas made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Marinos Katsiaros in the 27th minute of play. After 28 minutes, Michalis Meletis mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Olympiacos FC and the Kerkyra FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Olympiacos FC getting a freekick after 28 minutes play. Michalis Meletis hit a great ball. Giorgos Maragozis sent away a hard shot on goal in the 32nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 35 minutes into the match, Kerkyra FC's goal looked a bit too open when Kostas Tziolas came free, but Dimitris Giannakidis reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Kerkyra FC's Dimitris Giannakidis played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Kostas Tziolas in the 37th minute of play. In the 40th minute, Marinos Katsiaros ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Fondas Kalantas was frozen by the shot and now it was 1-1. If Valentinos Kanellakis had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 45th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Giorgos Maragozis stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. With an all-out effort, Kerkyra FC's Fondas Kalantas threw himself towards the right post 52 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Giorgos Maragozis, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. An unexpectedly hard shot by Kostas Tziolas in the 53rd minute of play forced Kerkyra FC's goalkeeper Dimitris Giannakidis to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The audience was convinced that Giorgos Maragozis's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Fondas Kalantas was relentless in the 58th minute of the game. In the 60th minute, Giotis Kalokerinos hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Alexis Dellios sent away a hard shot on goal in the 61st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Olympiacos FC's Fondas Kalantas proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 63rd minute of the match, managed to save Olympiacos FC from getting a goal against them. After a rather tough play, Olympiacos FC's Michalis Meletis got a free kick in the 63rd minute. With 66 minutes on the clock, Lazaros Tsakrilis commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. Fondas Kalantas had in the 67thth minute some difficulties stopping Valentinos Kanellakis's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. Theofilos Touboulis hit a great freekick 74 minutes into the match. Valentinos Kanellakis who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 80thth minute tested the skills of Fondas Kalantas when he managed to save the team from getting behind. In the 84th minute Giorgos Maragozis shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Fondas Kalantas saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Dimitris Giannakidis showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Kostas Tziolas, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. A collision led to Kerkyra FC getting a freekick after 90 minutes play. Thodoris Liouras hit a great ball. After recieving a nice pass, Olympiacos FC's Theofilos Touboulis tried to score from far away in the 91st minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. A hard shot 96 in the game by Marinos Katsiaros from a close distance when the talented Fondas Kalantas managed to make a qualified save. Olympiacos FC's players were relieved. The second half was just like the first, even and exciting. The match ended in a draw.