Surprise surprise. From Villa Park, where the Aston Villa fans dreamed of a great European night in their first cup semi-final since 1982, Olympiacos emerged victorious, thanks to the hat-trick from the wild El Kaabi (8 goals in 7 games in the Conference League this year), they take the first leg of the semi-final 4-2. And he will start with an important advantage in the return leg, in Athens in a week. Mendilibar’s team, which has never reached this far in Europe in its history, deserved to win, playing with personality and taking advantage of the ideas of its 30-year-old center forward born in Casablanca, almost in disbelief when in the 16th minute VAR validated the opening goal, initially canceled for offside, but he did well to repeat it in the 29th minute and coolly converted the penalty to make it 3-2 in the 56th minute, after Aston Villa had equalised. Emery’s team played at its usual level only at the end of the first half and at the beginning of the second half, when the two goals arrived: in between too many mistakes, too many mistakes, too much naivety from a team used to exploiting their opponents’ mistakes but this time she was punished for her own.
THE KEYS
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El Kaabi is Villa Park’s unexpected hero. Cold, lethal, a point of reference for an attack also inspired by the three behind him, especially Podence on the left. Olympiacos played with personality and character, took advantage of the defensive errors of Emery’s team, reacted to the equaliser, even had a bit of luck with Hezze’s 4-2 and the penalty missed by Douglas Luiz in the 84th minute. The Brazilian, usually a point of reference, was the worst of Emery’s team, well beyond the missed penalty and the one caused which led to the 3-2, just 4′ after the equaliser. Aston Villa also gave in with a header: they didn’t expect such an unintimidated opponent, they didn’t expect the ingenuity that allowed the Greeks to build a two-goal lead twice. Qualification has not yet been decided, but in next week’s return match in Athens, Emery’s team will have to return to being the cynical and precise team that climbed to fourth place in the Premier League, the one that had always won and convinced so far at home in Europe.
THE MATCH
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The goal disallowed by Bailey in the 9th minute (a venial foul by Lenglet in the center of the area) is the prelude to a surprising first half. Also because the first two goals were scored by El Kaabi, who first served by Fortounis (16′) and then by Podence (29′) put past Olsen with two unstoppable shots. Aston Villa seemed to be in trouble, but in the first stoppage time they found the 2-1 with Watkins, perfectly served by Baily, and put Olympiacos on the ropes until Guida, much booed by Villa Park, closed the first half. The second half started late, after a media emergency in the stands, but immediately provided excitement. The first is the equalizer for Aston Villa, a splendid diagonal from Diaby from a difficult position in the 52nd minute. The second is the penalty with which El Kaabi made Olympiacos 3-2 in the 56th minute, awarded due to a naive hand in the area by Douglas Luiz. The Greeks were not satisfied and in the 67th minute they also made it 4-2 with a shot by Hezze inappropriately deflected by Konsa. Aston Villa’s nightmare came to an end in the 84th minute, when Douglas Luiz shot wide a penalty awarded for a foul by Carmo on Durán. Emery also asks for help from Zaniolo, who recovered from an injury at the last minute, but the result no longer changes.
