Legendary turnaround in the tie break and Olympiacos are Greek Cup winners!

Olympiacos was crowned Greek Cup winner for the 17th time in its history, in an epic final with Milos! The “red and white” beat the Neosmyrnios in bye break, where they had, in fact, managed to take a 7-3 lead and kept the lead until 11-10. At that point Daniel Castellani’s team hit the gas and finished the match with 16-14.

The game was exciting, with Milos leading in sets (19-25). Olympiacos took the next two hard (25-19, 25-22), with Psarra’s team equalizing (25-22) and taking the lead in the crucial fifth set. The Piraeus, however, stepped on the gas in the finale and added another Cup to their collection (16-14).

The match:

Milo came out stronger and took control of the first set from the start. Olympiacos went on a four-point run and took the lead for the first time at 9-8. With the strength of the block and Charalambidis as the protagonist, Milos responded, making a partial run of 5-2 for 16-12, to which Olympiacos basically did not find an answer, having a problem in the reception.

The “red and white” gnawed the difference to two points (18-16), with Milos again reaching +4 (20-16). Hidalgo reduced, with Bassi, Molina and an error by Travitsa leading to the final straight of the set (23-17).

Stern gave the “red and whites” a kiss of life, reducing to 23-18, but Hidalgo’s wrong serve led to a bowl set by Neosmirniotes. Stern cut back with a block out and Molina ended the set with 25-19.

Olympiacos increased the performance in the block in the second set and tied comfortably at 1-1 set. Milo came back stronger and took control of the score (5-2). The “red and white” with Djuric and Hidalgo took the lead for the first time (7-8).

With a run of three points, then, the difference jumped to +5 (10-15, 11-17).

Yordanov and Molina dropped to 14-17, with Djuric leading Olympiakos in the final stretch (16-20). Yordanov kept Milos alive, with two Stern aces sending the Piraeus to 23-17. From a service error for both teams it led to 24-18, while the 1-1 set was completed by Stern’s hand, with 25-19.

Olympiacos entered the third set stronger, taking control of the score, but Milos didn’t let them catch their breath. He equalized for the first time at 6-6, with the “red and white” constantly taking the lead and the Neosmyrnios tying the score at 13-13.

An error by Travitsa at that point and an ace by Molina reversed the roles, with Milonas leading the score to 17-17. The changes in the score continued, with the Neosmyrnios reaching the final stretch first (21-20).

A mistake by Yordanov and two points by Djuric gave Olympiakos the lead again (21-23). Polouyan gave Milos the kiss of life (22-23), but Hidalgo and Djuric ended the exciting set, with 25-22.

Milos found the mental reserves to return strongly to the game. Olympiacos kept the lead until 10-9, with a series of errors giving Neosmyrniotes the lead for the first time in the set, who escaped to +2 (12-10).

The “red and white” tied the set (17-17) and put pressure on Milos, who did not bend and made the set 2-2 with 25-22.

Hearts were broken in the tiebreak. Milo escaped 7-3, with Olympiakos gradually gnawing away at the difference and leveling at 11-11.

Djuric with a block gave the “red and white” the lead, but Gositavao’s mistake brought balance again (12-12). After a Challenge requested by Castellani, Olympiacos took the lead again (13-12). Yordanov kept Milos alive with a block out, but Stern responded immediately and led the Piraeus to match bowl.

Olympiacos lost… a stupid point, due to a wrong rotation, with Djuric “correcting” the mistake by leading the “red and whites” to a match bowl again, who ended the game with a block.

Fluctuation:

1st set: 8-5, 16-12, 21-17, 25-19

2nd set: 7-8, 11-16, 17-21, 19-25

3rd set: 7-8, 16-15, 21-20, 22-25

4th set: 5-8, 16-14, 21-18, 25-22

5th set: 5-3, 10-6, 11-12, 14-16

*Milon’s points came from 5 aces, 60 attacks (46% efficiency), 5 blocks and 35 opponent errors (24 lost serves) and Olympiacos’ points came from 4 aces, 56 attacks (48% efficiency), 15 blocks and 32 errors opponents (26 lost serves).

The sets: 2-3 (25-19, 19-25, 22-25, 25-2, 14-16) in 130′

A.O.N.S. MILON (Sakis Psarras): Charalambidis 7 (4/9 ref., 3 blocks), Bassis 1 (1/4 ref.), Yordanov 25 (24/45 ref., 1 block), Molina 15 (12/33 ref., 3 aces, 55 % sub. – 39% excellent), Polouyan 15 (15/35 ff., 48% sub. – 30% excellent), Cher 2 (2 aces) / Chandrinos (l, 60% sub. – 33% excellent), Theodosis 5 (4/4 ff., 1 block), Nanopoulos.

OLYMPIACOS S.F.P. (Daniel Castellani): Stern 21 (17/36 ff., 3 aces, 1 block), Gustavao 9 (6/11 ff., 3 blocks), Koumentakis 12 (11/26 ff., 1 block, 53% sub. – 28% excellent) , Travica 3 (3 blocks), Djuric 20 (13/16 ref., 7 blocks), Hidalgo 10 (9/25 ref., 1 ace, 50% sub. – 20% excellent) / Giavras (l, 37% sub. – 21% excellent), Vaiopoulos, Komitoudis, Dalakouras.