Olympiakos triumphs in historic Europa Conference League Final
In a dramatic conclusion at the OPAP Arena in Athens, Olympiakos secured their first European trophy by defeating Fiorentina 1-0 in the Europa Conference League final, thanks to a late goal from Moroccan striker Ayoub El Kaabi.
Olympiakos also struggled to create clear chances, with El Kaabi, the tournament’s top scorer, well-marked by Milenkovic.
The first half ended in a goalless draw.
Both teams continued to battle in the second half without finding the back of the net, leading to extra time.
It was in the dying moments of the second half of extra time that El Kaabi made the decisive impact.
His header in the 116th minute, which took a deflection, was initially reviewed but ultimately confirmed as the winning goal.
This marked El Kaabi’s 11th goal of the season in the competition, solidifying his status as the top scorer with a total of 15 goals in European tournaments.
Fiorentina, despite their efforts, missed the opportunity to follow West Ham as champions and suffered yet another European final defeat, adding to their history of near misses in 1957 (Champions League), 1990 (UEFA Cup), and 1962 (Cup Winners’ Cup).
Ivorian international Christian Kouamé also faced disappointment, unable to add a club trophy to his recent Africa Cup of Nations triumph with Côte d’Ivoire.
Olympiakos capitalized on the proximity of the venue to their home in Piraeus, just a short distance from Athens, to lift the historic trophy, marking a monumental achievement for the Greek club.
