Lost in the match of Nice Ionikos and OFI!

In a game … advertising of football, Ionic and OFI gave everything for the victory, however what they lacked was the goal, staying in the end “White” tie in Nice, in the context of the 24th game of Super League 1!

After a nervous first half, the two teams made one excellent second half with great opportunities on both sides, in a 45 minute with frantic pace where the ball went up and down, where the “ball” could sit … anywhere!

Result with which the hosts went up to 22 points remaining in 11th place, with the Cretans on the other hand reaching them 34 points and remain in sixth place, already feeling her pressure of Asteras Tripolis (32b.) and Aris (29b.).

In the coach’s mind:



THE Dimitris Spanos lined up Ionikos with a 5-4-1 system. Houtesiotis was found under the beams, with Fly, Romao, Czigrinski, Sanchez and Valeriano being the top five of the defense. Dalsio and Kanias started in the midfield positions, with Aosman and Kiako playing on the “wings”, with Mantzis being the only forward.

On the other hand now, the Nikos Nioplias chose the classic 4-3-3 for OFI. Epassi was at home, with Marinakis, Vouros, Giannoulis and Balogiannis in the defensive quartet. Megiado, Neira and Gagiekos formed the midfield trio, with Durmisai and Tsilianidis competing on both wings. Felipe started at the top of the attack.

The match:



The start of the match by him is quite good OFI, who with the. good morning of the match tried to impose his rhythm. The first phase came at third minute, with Balogiannis’s weak shot not to worry Houtesiotis.

From the 15th minute onwards, Ionikos after his sluggish start gained meters on the field, taking the reins of the race, with the hosts basically threatening from set phases and corners. However, against the flow of the struggle and from… nowhere, OFI came close to the goal, when Houtesiotis made tragic mistake Passing to Felipe in the area, he broke left on Tsilianidiswhose last-minute shot found a defender and ended up in a corner.

Three minutes laterthe Cretans lost another great moment, when the keeper of the hosts took out the place of Durmisai from an advantageous position. In the 26th minute, there was a short break, when the Aosman knocked with elbow Marinakis in the back, with the VAR to control the phase (only for a red card can the VAR intervene), with Evangelou finally not even yellow!

The many battles, mainly in the midfield, gave a … wild beauty to the match, with the nerves and hard markings to have the first say. Despite the fact that Ionikos had the possession (59% -41%), he had to wait until 44 ‘for his first really good moment in the match, with his nice shot Mantzi from the height of the large area.

Completely different scene in the second half, where the game gained rhythm with good moments from both sides in front of the two hosts! Ionikos was the one who opened the “dance” of the phases, when in 48 ‘and after a projection of Balogiannis in Valerianos’s turn, Epassi had a hard time in his right corner, while seconds later his shot Aosman blocked the Cameroonian keeper. Two minutes later, the Felipe will threaten with a header, answering for OFI.

At 56 ‘, The Syrian midfielder of the home team threatened again, this time from a set phase, with the execution of the foul to leave inches above the hearth. Ten minutes later, Ionikos “Touched” the goalin his biggest moment in the match, when after a sweet cross by Fly from the right, Epassi pulled out the nailed head of Thuram.

At that point, OFI took the “baton”, threatening initially with his powerful shot Balogianni in 68 ‘, and then seconds later with his nice fake shot Tsilianidis. Two minutes later, the 27-year-old striker of the guests tried again the reflexes of Houtesiotis from afar.

In 73 ‘, there were protests from OFI for new disputed phase, in marking of Lambros marginally on the line of the area. The phase was tested and finally given foul inches outside the areawith the execution of Gagiekos, it is difficult for Houtesiotis to get out.

The last phase of the match belonged to Ionikos, with Manalis’s head coming out with overexertion in his right corner, holding the zero! At the end of the match, the Neira pushed the referee (!)as a result of which he faces the second yellow and is eliminated.

MVP: In a game with so many finals -11 (8) and 12 (8) respectively – the two goalkeepers undoubtedly have the first say in the MVP award. Even marginally, Epassi gets the award of the most valuable player, as he performed more difficult operations.

The … whistle: Angelos Evangelou gets a low grade for his refereeing in the game. This is because he lost the phase in the 26th minute and Aosman’s elbow on Marinakis’s back, without giving a single yellow card to the Syrian midfielder of the hosts.

Remember that the phase was controlled by the VAR, which in this phase can only intervene in case of a red card. Finally, the video assistant referee ruled – wrongly – that the marking was not for dismissal.