Diogo scores to edge Xanthi

By: Peter Katsiris | September 15th, 2008

Olympiacos improved on its perfect start to the season with another early term victory, this time against Skoda Xanthi. A lone goal from summer signing Diogo Santo gave the Piraeus club maximum points. An ugly affair, saw ‘beautiful football’ elude spectators alike.

It was always billed to be a tough match, with two unbeaten sides meeting to extend their winning streaks. However, despite the edge in talent the Greek Champions bolstered in their starting eleven, it was rather the hosts, Xanthi, who got off to a flying start. Several odd-man rushes led by Xanthi’s summer capture, Victor Agali, only mustered to challenge the Olympiacos back line and back stopper Antonis Nikopolidis. After a questionable hand-ball by Avraam Papadopoulos, Xanthi began to attack timely and efficiently. However, a strict last line of defense, spearheaded by Nikopolidis preserved the 0-0 draw. Not to be out done, Olympiacos began to form attacks of their own and the build up looked promising, but a weak finish from Darko Kovacevic cruched any hopes of an Olympiacos goal.

A face-lifted Olympiacos returned to the pitch for the second half, as Kovacevic took the bench in place of inspirational midfielder Ieroklis Stoltidis. Despite the introduction of Stoltidis, a further change, Vassilis Torosidis — formerly of Skoda Xanthi — was required to set the wheels in motion for Olympiacos. The first attempt of teh second interval came when Fernando Belluschi fired a ’sizzling’ shot wide of the Xanthi goal. With the game bogging down quickly, the remaining parts of the second interval made for uneventful football — to say the least. However, the goal that had long been eluding the game finally came when Stoltidis and Luciano Galletti linked up to find Diogo whose leaping effort somehow caught onto the ball as the Brazilian propsect beat Xanthi’s half-time sub Sotirios Liberopoulos. 1-0 for the travelling side, and withonly eighteen minutes to go is now ‘all or nothing’ for desperate Xanthi. Hoping to find the sliver lining ahead of the final whistle, Xanthi looked to equalize but their rebellious efforts neraly did them in if it weren’t for Liberopoulos. First a shot from Sebastian Leto was pushed away from the goal, and another effort Galletti nearly doubled Olympiacos’ lead. However, it was not to be and nor was it for Skoda Xanthi who failed to score through Agali’s crease-cutting shot.

A cagey affair in Xanthi saw Olympiacos prevail with maximumpoints, but the poor effort should not be relied on again to see the Greek Champions pull through. With that being said, Olympiacos improves to 2-0-0, but still sit second behind surprise leaders Ergotelis. A midweek UEFA Cup encounter against FC Nordsjælland is up next for Olympiacos. Following the trip to Denmark, Olympiacos will return to the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium to welcome Panserraikos.

Skoda Xanthi 0-1 Olympiacos
Diogo 72′

Yellow Cards:
Skoda Xanthi — Tziortziopoulos 18′, Fliskas 48′, Souanis 57′, Vallas 75′, Agali 85′.
Olympiacos — Diogo 59′, Leto 90 + 1′, Torosidis 90 + 3′

Skoda Xanthi (Stelios Katrakilakis): Gspruning (46’ Lyberopoulos), Fliskas, Vallas, Zuela, Tziortziopoulos, Lorefice, Maciel (65’ Pappas), Grzelak (77’ Poy), Souanis, Taider, Agali.

Olympiacos (Ernesto Valverde): Nikopolidis, Pantos (55’ Torosidis), Leonardo, Papadopoulos, Zewlakow, Dudu, Belluschi, Galletti, Leto, Kovacevic (46’ Stoltidis), Diogo (79’ Oscar).