OLYMPIACOS starting XI (4-2-3-1): Tzolakis, Rodinei, Retsos, David Carmo, Ortega (subbed for Quini), Hezze, Iborra, Fortounis (subbed for Jovetic), Chiquinho (subbed for Horta), Podence (subbed for Masouras), El Kaabi (subbed for El-Arabi)
Bench: Paschalakis, Papadoudis, Alexandropoulos, Carvalho, Richards, Apostolopoulos, Ntoi
Goals: El Kaabi 116’
FIORENTINA starting XI (4-2-3-1): Terracciano, Dodo, Milenkovic, Quarta, Biraghi (subbed for Ranieri), Arthur (subbed for Duncan), Mandragora, Gonzalez (subbed for Beltran), Bonaventura (subbed for Barak ), Kouame (subbed for Ikonè), Belotti (subbed for Nzola)
Bench: Christensen, Faraoni, Kayode, Parisi, M.Lopez, Infantino
In a match that was high on intensity and physicality but low on quality in front of goal, neither side could find the net in the regulation 90 minutes before Moroccan El Kaabi netted the winner in the 116th minute.
With the game seemingly headed to a penalty shootout, El Kaabi got in front of his marker to bundle in Santiago Hezze’s cross, but the players and fans had a long, nervous wait for VAR to check for offside before the goal was awarded.
The result marked a second consecutive defeat in the Europa Conference League final for Fiorentina, having lost to West Ham United last season.
La Viola had reached this season’s summit clash without losing a single game and failed to end a title drought of more than 20 years.
AAP
