Galletti strikes, Nikopolidis backstops Olympiacos to derby win

By: Peter Katsiris | February 2nd, 2009

It was a night featuring the glory of derby delight for Olympiacos as a solitary strike from Luciano Galleti gave the Greek Champions a 1-0 win against inner city rivals AEK Athens. In front of just over forty-four thousand spectators at the OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, Olympiacos added three more points to their running total to further reinforce the reality that another Super League title was on the horizon for the Piraeus giants.

Withstanding pressure from AEK’s top guns, Olympiacos maintained an eleven and twelve point lead over PAOK and Panathinaikos respectively; however, the deficit for AEK grew to seventeen points as AEK fell to defeat for just the second time this season.

The league leaders started the match like they do many; with plenty of confidence, and the lion’s share of possession. It only took five minutes for Olympiacos to convert its advantage into a goal, as the ‘Erythrolefki’ attack pounced on a mistake by Sebastian Saja.

The Argentine ‘keeper was pressured by a pesky Fernando Belluschi, and only managed to muster a weak clearance. The grounded ball rolled to Diogo, and after the Brazilian round a few AEK defenders, the former Portuguesa striker slipped a through pass for Luciano Galletti. In the clear at this point as he raced past Daniel Majstorovic, Galletti showed why he led the league in scoring with a devastating strike beating Saja to the near post.

Shaken up by their opponents’ wrath in attack, AEK looked to be a bit weary in the opening minutes. A bit of rust was then exposed on the ‘Dikefale’ defense, as the league leaders should’ve extended their lead to two.

Sebastian Leto played a ball into the AEK box, and while Juanfran played the role of ‘hero’ to stop the original effort, Saja was forced to produce a save on the rebound as Diogo attempted to slot home a second for Olympiacos.

Avoiding an early two-goal defecit, AEK attempted to awake from a unconvincing offensive spell that did little to trouble Antonis Nikopolidis and company.

Finally the ‘Kitrinomavri’ awoke as AEK directed traffic towards the Olympiacos goal for the first time. Rushing into the box, Rafik Djebbour looked to level the game on nine minutes. Nikopolidis, however, stretched out with his left arm to deny the Algeria international of what would’ve been a monumental goal for the hosts.

A minute later AEK tested the former Greece international ‘keeper, but once again Nikopolidis reacted this quickly, as this time Sotiris Kyrgiakos’ header was blocked by the 37-year-old.

With the game flowing from end-to-end with a rapid pace, Olympiacos turned action the other way as Belluschi fed Leto a pass on the wing, but the latter was denied a chance at goal as a sliding Saja and Kyrgiakos forced the ball out for a corner.

The opening quarter of an hour wrapped up with Ignacio Scocco firing a shot goalwards, but the result was similar to the conclusion of previous AEK opportunities; Nikopolidis denying an AEK marker on the scoreboard.

While AEK’s offense was brewing busily around the Olympiacos box, it wasn’t until just before tha half-hour mark that Nikopolidis was forced into making a crucial save. Ismael Blanco, who was not as impactful previously compared to Djebbour or Scocco, fired a shot towards the Olympiacos ‘keeper, but Nikopolidis rolled back the years to react quickly and deflect the effort over the bar.

It was clear that AEK had to produce something special to beat Nikopolidis on this night, and up to the halftime whistle, the home side failed to produce anything spectacular enough beat Olympiacos’ game saver.

Shortly after the restart, Olympiacos looked to kickoff the second frame like they did the first. Leto looked to replicate Galletti’s early first half goal, but the on-loan Liverpool winger failed to direct his shot accurately and only managed to fire over the AEK goal.

A familiar face for Olympiacos looked to strike agony into the hearts of the visitors, as former Olympiacos midfielder Pantelis Kafes tacked onto a bouncing ball to test Nikopolidis, yet his former teammate parried yet again.

Kafes blast from outside the box looked to spark AEK in their hunt for an equalizer, as the home side began to assert their grip on the game.

Though creativity was present, finishing wasn’t for AEK. Blanco provided Djebbour with a crease-cutting cross, but the latter failed to direct his sliding effort on target as the ball smashed against the side-netting.

Failing to beat Olympiacos’ back-line and their rivals’ spectacular backstopper, AEK attempted to take a free-kick around the seventy-minute mark. But while AEK sped up their attack, Nikopolidis continued to remain unfazed as he saved another effort from Djebbour.

With AEK pressing hard by the latter stages of the match, a tremendous resistance set-up by Olympiacos back line repelled the ‘Enosi’ from securing a much needed equalizer.

Ironically enough, at the other end Galletti nearly sealed the game just before the final whistle. While he was able to beat Saja in the first half, his effort past the Argentine ‘keeper was just a bit inaccurate this time as it rolled just inches wide of the goal.

With the final whistle, AEK suffered its first loss under Serbian bench boss Bajevic, and only their second defeat of the season. For Olympiacos the undefeated streak continued, as ‘O Thrylos’ improved on their second trip to OAKA, after previously playing to a scoreless draw with AEK’s fellow OAKA tenants Panathinaikos.

Another derby awaits the Greek Champions in midweek, as the Greek Cup shifts to the quarterfinals with the spotlight on Thessaloniki’s Toumba Stadium where PAOK await the defending Greek Cup Champions.

For AEK, a trip to the Alkazar Stadium is the ‘Dikefale’s’ next destination. Thessalian side Larissa will welcome the Athenian side next Sunday.

AEK Athens FC 0-1 Olympiacos CFP
Galletti 5′

Yellow Cards:
AEK Athens FC – Juanfran 10′, Kyrgiakos 41′, Nsaliwa 56′
Olympiacos CFP – Torosidis 44′, A. Papadopoulos 73′

AEK Athens FC (Dusan Bajevic): Saja, Juanfran (25′ Alves), Georgeas (77′ Manduca), Majstorovic, Kyrgiakos, Pelletieri, Nsaliwa (62′ Edinho), Kafes, Scocco, Blanco, Djebbour.

Olympiacos CFP (Ernesto Valverde): Nikopolidis, Antzas, A. Papadopoulos, Domi, Torosidis, Dudu, Patsatzoglou, Belluschi (81′ Mendrinos), Leto (90′ Zewlakow), Galletti (85′ Djordjevic), Diogo.

Referee: Dimitrios Kalopoulos

Venue: OAKA Spyros Louis Stadium, Athens, Greece.