Clear Apollon, finish in the top six and OFI is waiting!

He did his και duty and is waiting! OFI prevailed 2-0 over Apollon Smyrni and finished in the top six, but awaits the decision on the punishment of PAS Giannina.

The Cretans had the initiative of the movementsbut it took two goals in the last half hour (64 ‘Vouros, 71’ Felipe) to unlock the opposing defense.

So, Nioplias’ team rose to 37 points and was in 6th place anxiously awaiting the final development of the case with the punishment of PAS.

On the other, the “light brigade” was reduced to a passive role and threatened little, while finishing in last place in the regular season.

In the… minds of coaches:

Nikos Nioplias led OFI with a 4-3-3 system, with Lambrou and Durmisai framing Luis Felipe in the attacking triple, while De Guzman, Megiado and Neira played in the midfield. The defensive quartet was composed by Marinakis, Vouros, Selimovic and Balogiannis, while the home of the Cretans was defended by Espasi.

On the other, Babis Tennes used 4-4-2, with Kotsaris under the goal and Dentakis, Alves, Rognne, Baxevanidis in the back. Tsiloulis and Gianniotas played at both ends of the midfield, while Tsipsach and Slivka played as central midfielders. Apollo’s attacking duo was Daouda-Ioannidis.

The match:

OFI tried to take the initiative of the moves from the first minutes, however he had no way to break the well-organized defense of Apollo, who tried to threaten through counterattacks.

The first good moment for the hosts came in 14 ‘, with Neira taking the header, but the ball went over the crossbar. From there on, the guests “froze” the rhythm and closed in their frames.

The Cretans were trying from the side to create dangers, but the fills in the area had no response, with Lambrou not finishing the phase close to 33 ‘. Somehow, the 0-0 remained until the end of the first part.

In the second half, the players of Nioplias they appeared much more fierce and aggressive in their game. In the 52nd minute, OFI reached 1-0, but Felipe did not manage to finish the phase as he would have liked after the return of Durmisai.

Seven minutes later, Felipe threatened againhowever, the powerful shot through the area with the left, ended up next to the crossbar of Kotsaris.

In 64 ‘came the redemption for the Cretanswho opened the scoring, with Vouros sending the ball into the net with the thigh after a long phase in the opponent’s frames.

The players of Nioplias they found psychology and in 71 ‘they doubled their goals, with Felipe leaving in the back of Apollon’s defense and beating Kotsaris… in the second for 2-0.

Thereafter, the hosts did an excellent management and did not allow the guests to threaten, although in 74 ‘Tsiloulis was opposite Epassi, but Vouros stopped him. The 2-0 remained until the last whistle of the referee and gave OFI the victory that brings him to the top six, in case the PAS penalty applies.

MVP: Stopper Praxitelis Vouros “dressed” as an attacker and did the job that his teammates who play on the strike line could not do. He was the one who unlocked the opponent’s defense with the goal he scored in 64 ‘, while he also had a decisive intervention in 74’, when he cut Tsiloulis with an excellent tackle before he executed Epassi.

The “whistle”: In general, Konstantinos Perrakis did well. He had an easy task and did not manage many controversial phases.

The compositions of the two groups:

OFI (Nioplias): Epassi – Marinakis, Vouros, Selimovic, Balogiannis – De Guzman (75 ‘Bouzoukis), Megiado, Neira (84’ Staikos) – Lambrou (78 ‘Tsilianidis), Durmisai (84’ Kamaou), L. Felipe

Apollon of Smyrna (Tennessee): Kotsaris – Ntentakis, Alves, Rogne (60 ‘Lisgaras), Baxevanidis – Tsiloulis, Tsipsach (76’ Papageorgiou), Slivka, Gianniotas (46 ‘Pamlidis) – Daounda (53’ Signnevic), Ioannidis

Referee: Konstantinos Perrakis

Assistants: Panagiotis Dimitris Sakkas, Athanasios Kollias

Fourth: Aristotle Diamantopoulos

VAR: Fire

AVAR: Buxbaum