Five-star Olympiacos sinks Iraklis in Piraeus

By: Peter Katsiris | March 16th, 2009

Olympiacos ended a three-game winless run in the Greek Super League on Sunday with a five-star performance against Iraklis at the Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium. The Greek Champions erased their three-game slide with goals coming from Vasilis Torosidis, and a brace each from Oscar Gonzalez and Matt Derbyshire, paving the way to an emphatic 5-0 win in Piraeus.

Having been kept off the score sheet in their last three league matches, pressure was on the Piraeus giants to answer their critics with a win – in a comfortable fashion, of course. Iraklis’ hopes were not all convincing, especially after ‘O Gireos’ had fallen to a 3-0 defeat in the season’s first meeting between the two.

In fact, Iraklis might have come across a test of nerves as the hosts set out on the right track. Though there was pressure from Olympiacos, it was not until fifteen minutes that the titleholders registered the match’s first decent opportunity.

Sebastian Leto, who featured in the starting eleven for the first time since his training ground altercation with bench boss Ernesto Valverde, provided Avraam Papadopoulos with a centering pass from a free-kick. Much to the dismay of the Karaiskaki crowd, the Greece international didn’t make the most of the opportunity as his effort rolled just wide.

Quickly transitioning into their own form of attack, Iraklis forced Antonis Nikopolidis into a sharp shave through Spaniard Fernando Marques; however, the former Greece international was able to deny Marques, yet conceded a corner from the effort.

On thirty-one minutes Giannis Papadopoulos, a former member of Iraklis himself, nearly put a dagger in the heart of his own club when he broke free on a breakaway against shot-stopper Giorgos Bantis. Fernando Belluschi provided the Greek starlet with an outlet pass, but Bantis was quick to the scene to foil the chance.

After Giannis Papadopoulos missed another effort on forty-two minutes, Olympiacos thought they had taken the lead through Torosidis, but cheers from the ‘Erythrolefki’ and their loyal crowd were silenced by the linesmen offside call, overruling the apparent breakthrough.

Unsettled by the deletion of their tally, Olympiacos headed into the interval with several chances begging for a finish and held by Iraklis for a 0-0 score-line at halftime. While their possession didn’t suggest for a scoreless first half, Olympiacos’ lacklustre finishing was the catalyst for Iraklis’ survival through the first forty-five minutes.

The second half began with Olympiacos still seeking for an opening goal, and Belluschi nearly spoiled Bantis’ bid for a clean sheet with his curling strike forcing the Iraklis ‘keeper into a sharp shave.

The search, however, was put to an end soon afterwards as Torosidis tallied once again. The Greece international nearly mirrored his late first half goal, which was of course waved off, as Belluschi’s free-kick was turned towards the Iraklis goal by Torosidis before his header was fumbled across the goal line by Bantis.

Five minutes later Olympiacos grabbed a second goal, this time through Oscar. Once again Belluschi provided the final ball in the build-up with a glorious back heel allowing Oscar to slip past Iraklis’ backline and stroke a low strike past Bantis.

The play was nearly replicated on seventy-nine minutes as Oscar secured a brace, only after Belluschi provided another through pass for the former Real Zaragoza man. Belluschi’s incredible vision left Iraklis mesmerized, and Oscar in the clear and in position to beat Bantis for the second time on the night.

The agony continued for Iraklis three minutes later as Leonardo made the most of generous space on the left flank before providing a grounded cross for Matt Derbyshire. The on-loan Blackburn Rovers striker made no mistake with his simple tap-in past Bantis as the lead grew to 4-0.

The English ace secured a brace three minutes from time with a low strike past Bantis. Predrag Djordjevic threaded a pass to the Englishman before Derbyshire himself eluded Iraklis defenders to allow for his strike to beat Bantis on the short side.

While 5-0 was more than enough, cries for a sixth, or at least a chance for it, came within stoppage time. The crowd erupted in faour of a penalty call when Derbyshire was taken down in the box, but protests for a spot-kick were waved off by the referee.

It was a satisfying win for Olympiacos, through a performance resembling the club’s form prior to the winter break. For Iraklis, the loss allowed Makis Katsavakis’ men to slip to thirteenth in the Super League, but they still hold a seven point lead on the relegation zone.

Next action for Olympiacos comes on Wednesday against Asteras Tripolis in the Greek Cup. Their Super League agenda resumes on the weekend with a visit to Panionios’ Nea Smyrni on Sunday, as their twelfth domestic title in thirteen years hangs in the horizon.

Iraklis will hope to bounce back from their embarrassing defeat in Piraeus with a one-game home stand against Larissa next Sunday.

Olympiacos CFP 5-0 Iraklis FC
Torosidis 60′, Oscar 64′, 79′, Derbyshire 82′ 87′

Yellow Cards:
Olympiacos CFP – none.
Iraklis FC – Marques 74′

Olympiacos CFP (Ernesto Valverde): Nikopolidis, Patsatzoglou, Leonardo, Galletti (81′ Derbyshire), Zewlakow, A. Papadopoulos, Leto (56′ Djordjevic), Belluschi, G. Papadopoulos (56′ Oscar), Torosidis.

Iraklis FC (Makis Katsavakis): Bantis, Bourbos, Katsambis, Martos, Giannoulis, Sarakatsanos, Exouzidis (70′ Giantsis), Vukovic, Garcia (90′ Karlopoulos), Marques (76′ Kiko Raton), Epstein.

Referee: Giorgos Daloukas

Attendance: 25, 182

Venue: Giorgos Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus, Greece.