Olympiacos is within shooting distance of the top with El Arabi’s weapon!

THE El Arabi took his gun and Olympic reaches the top! With the Moroccan striker powered by Carvalhal and finding the net with a penalty, the “red and white” overcame the resistance of the stalwart Panseraikou (0-1) and returned to winning ways, being now tied with Panathinaikos-AEK and at -1 from the pioneer PAOK.

Second match in a row, after the one with Batska Topola, scored by El Arabi and third overall this year, with Piraeus getting a professional win and keeping a clean sheet after November 11 and the match against Asteras in Tripoli.

At 4-2-0 the away record of Olympiakos, Panserraikos’ first home defeat and fourth consecutive in the league overall!

With Atromitos in Peristeri, Carvalial’s team will be tested on Thursday, Pablo Garcia’s will welcome AEK on the same day.

In the coach’s mind

Pablo Garcia lined up Panserraikos with a 3-4-3 formation. At home, Hovan and Bergstrom, Avlonitis, Thymianis in the trio of stoppers. Deligiannidis, Peleas the two back-halfs, with Ouedraogo, Staikos in the midfield. Hadjistravos and Masaripov on the flanks, with Bairovic at the top of the attack.

With 4-2-3-1, Olympiakos was defeated by Carlos Carvalhal. Paschalakis in goal and Rodinei, Biancone, Doi, Ortega in defense. Ese, Kamara in the midfielders and Podense, Fortounis, Masouras in the central attacking trio. El Kaabi was the only one promoted.

The match

Ball and space to Olympic gave by Panseraikos at the start of the match, having filled his axis with footballers who did not allow the “red and whites” to pierce him vertically. His players Carvalhal they loaded the sides, the ascents of Rodney and Ortega they were continuous, but there was no result, with them Pontense and Masura to see their actions come to nothing good either.

Panserraikos, for its part, played in half the field and did not go forward. He had just one good moment, in the 13th minute with the forward’s header Bergstrom which Paschalakis blocked, and limited himself to how he would “destroy” the Piraeus game. He succeeded, after the half time was 0-0 and Olympiacos had only two good chances: First with his shot Fortune in the 28th minute from a vantage point against the bodies and a little later, in the 37th minute with his header El Kaabi which did not find a target.

THE Pablo Garcia he made two changes in the half: He took out Peleas who had problems in the middle and Bairovic for tactical reasons, throwing in the match Tomas, Sofiano and played with … false nine Hadjistravos. Conversely, Carlos Carvalhal remained in the starting eleven he selected.

Olympiacos continued to maintain control and have the upper hand, searching with patience and quick collaborations in a small space to break the double defense zone of Serrai. In the 53rd minute, the “red and whites” took the lead, with Rodney making the cross, which went past everyone and reached the Pontense, who just outside the small area and on the left side made a poor finish and did not find a target. With the hour mark, Carvalhal changed the formation to 4-4-2, throwing in El Kaabi’s side El Arabi, with the latter now being activated under the instructions of the Portuguese coach. And a little later, he was vindicated!

Before that happened, however, Olympiacos needed him Paschalakiwho with a quick exit and correct reflexes, fell to his feet Sofianou and didn’t allow him to score from a good (but also lateral) point from inside the area in the 62′, while the Piraeus in the… caps went on the counter with a terrible transition but his diagonal finish Masura from a lateral four-a-four position he went just wide.

Finally, his persistence and patience Olympiakouas well as using it for a second series match El Arabi, took place. Because after the quick circulation, the ball reached the Masura who went to one on one and o Deligiannidis overturned him, with Tsagarakis pointing to the white bullet. The experienced Moroccan striker took over the execution, sent the ball into the left corner and the Hovan on the contrary for the guests’ lead (0-1).

The water had entered the groove and the match seemed to be on its way. However, he did not stay in his lead and was trying to find a second goal, threatening me Arch in 71′ and El Kaabi in 76′. And he went to lock the three-pointer for good and take the stress off him completely in the 88th minute, but after Masura’s excellent cross, the El Arabi passed Hovan and scored, but o Thymianis self-sacrificingly he kicked out, in a phase when the “red and whites” asked for a hand and a penalty, but Tsagarakis and VAR agreed that the defender of Serrai had found the ball with his shoulder. The remaining minutes were few for Panserraikos and they were not enough, with Olympiacos taking the three points and now being -1 from the top.

MVP: El Arabi takes the title of most valuable. Not only for the goal he scores, which is from a penalty but at 0-0 the ball weighs much more, but also because from the moment he entered the match he disturbed the opposing defense and “sweetened” Olympiakos’ game. The Moroccan is fine and Carvalhal will need him a lot later in the season.



The whistle: Tsagarakis did not have difficult phases to face. The penalty for Masoura’s overturning by Deligiannidis is correct, while what the Piraeus team is asking for in the 88th minute for Thymiani’s hand seems not to be, since the Serrai defender, with both replays that we have seen, seems to have moved away with the shoulder.

PANSERRAICOS (Pablo Garcia): Hovan, Thymianis, Bergstrom, Deligiannidis (84′ Dankerlouis), Avlonitis, Peleas (46′ Tomas), Ouedraogo (70′ Moreira), Hadjistravos, Staikos, Masaripov (69′ Mourgos), Bayrovics (46′ Sofianos).

OLYMPIC (Carlos Carvalhal): Paschalakis, Ortega, Biancon, Doi, Rodiney, Ese, Kamara, Fortounis (89′ Alexandropoulos), Masouras (90′ Richards), Pontense (61′ El Arabi), El Kaabi (81′ Biel).