Olympiacos survive Lamia scare
GREEK FOOTBALL CUP - QUARTER FINALS (LEG 2)
Lamia came close to pulling off another upset against Olympiacos in the Greek Cup, but the latter progressed with a 3-2 victory in Piraeus.
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Last year, Lamia knocked Olympiacos out of the same competition by claiming an unlikely triumph at the Karaiskakis Stadium, and lightning was on course to strike twice after Daniel Adejo scored in the first half. Nevertheless, after Ahmed Hassan equalised, Pape Abou Cisse scored a quick-fire double to quash Lamia’s stubborn challenge and secure Olympiacos’ qualification for the semi-finals.
A second Lamia goal from Leonardo Villalba was only a consolation. The visitors had Lazar Romanic sent off for a second yellow card in the 61st minute.
The first leg in Lamia had ended 0-0.
THE MATCH
Starting with the initiative, Olympiacos passed up a glorious early opportunity to score, as Hassan missed the target with the goal gaping.
A miss which Olympiacos were made to pay for.
At close range, Adejo received a clever assist from Tyronne, and the former just managed to knock the ball beyond Bobby Allain.
Realising the seriousness of the situation, Pedro Martins hastily made two changes at the break for Olympiacos, introducing both Youssef El Arabi and Mathieu Valbuena.
Valbuena quickly made the difference.
In the 61st minute, the diminutive Frenchman found Hassan with a pinpoint corner, who hit the back of the net to bring Olympiacos within one goal of progression.
Lamia, already coming under incessant pressure from their Piraeus hosts, didn’t help themselves when Romanic was issued his second yellow card just 60 seconds later.
Olympiacos did eventually make their superiority count.
With 19 minutes remaining, centre-back Cisse was in the right place at the right time to connect with another Valbuena assist, before Hassan struck the bar.
Nevertheless, the insurance goal would come, as the Valbuena-Cisse combination once again paid dividends.
In stoppage time, Villalba scored from the spot after Cisse was punished for a foul, but Olympiacos’ job was already done.
THE TEAMS
Olympiacos: Allain, Tsimikas, Cisse, Semedo, Gaspar, Guilherme, Camara, Lovera (Valbuena 46’), Fortounis, Masouras (El-Arabi 46’), Hassan (Mor 78’).
Lamia: Kahriman, Vanderson, Tzanetopoulos, Niasse, Adejo, Asigba, Romanic, Vasilogiannis (Villalba 75’),Bouloulis, Karamanos (Sassi 65’), Tyronne (Skondras 65’).
HIGHLIGHTS
