Olympiakos played the cup final today with courage and passion to win the trophy and score a third victory over the Lagoi this season. We did this without Nesterovic and Spanoulis who were not able to play due to ongoing injury problems.

We started the game decisively with a serious mentality, taking a 7 point break at the start of the game and closing down their attacks with some superb defensive play. We took control of the game early on and built on our previous break with another 7 point break to take the score to 6-14. The rabbits decreased the score though after a foul made by Mavrokefalidis and dragged themselves back into the game with a 15-16 score in the eighth minute.
Olympiakos however took this fightback in their stead and with a decent play from Erceg, took the score at the end of the first period to 17-22.

During the second period, we went further forward through Teodosic and Helperin to take the score to 25-33. Our play was very positive up to this point and defensively good and it weas unfortunate that we made two errors which allowed the Lagoi to get back into the game 32-33. Halperin helped rectify the situation just two minutes before halftime but the Vazeloi went in front for the first time in the match. Gordon shot a personal basket but his effort was matched and so as the half ended, we were behind 39-37.

We made a slight change in the third period with Mavrokefalidis and Bourousis leading the line and the instant result of this was two baskets (from Teodosic and Papanikolaou) whilst Gordon held the defence firm and we took the score back in front for 42-45 in the 23rd minute. This was compounded by Bourousis who made a pinpoint tackle to grab the ball and score a basket of his own. This led to us making a ten point break and start to pull away (42-49).
The Vazeloi once again tried to counter our efforts and brought the score eventually back to 50-51 before we took over again through Mavrokefalidis, Halperin and Teodosic to get the score to 53-58 at the end of the period.

Now that the last quarter had begun, the Lagoi threw everything at us and went in front again for the second time in the game with a 60-59 scoreline before Milos Teodosic restored order again with two baskets, one of which included a 7 metre dash and some superb tacking to regain the ball (64-66). Bourousis and Mavrokefalidis finished the game off and we won eventually with a 68-74 scoreline.
The victory saw us retain the cup for a second year.

Panathinaikos 68-74 Olympiakos
1st Period : Panathinaikos 17-22 Olympiakos
2nd Period : Panathinaikos 39-37 Olympiakos
3rd Period : Panathinaikos 53-58 Olympiakos
4th Period : Panathinaikos 68-74 Olympiakos

Olympiakos won todays home game against the Vazeloi 87-83 and we will now go to the playoffs with the advantage of home play.

Erythroleukoi started the game decisively with Dusan Ivkovic selecting Teodosic, Gordon, Keselj, Mavrokefalidis and Bourousis. We made a good start within the first 4 minutes with Bourousis and Mavrokefalidis starting the scoring off with 10-2. Panathinaikos reacted bringing the score to 14-8 and then 16-13. The first ten minute period ended with us just having the lead at 16-15.

We had some problems in organising our defence in the second half allowing the Vazeloi to go in front 16-17 but we answered back almost immediately through Halperin (assisted by Spanoulis). After this shot, we tightened our defence and with our attack playing well, we ran up a nine point break to go 24-17 in front.
Panathinaikos fought back with an 8 point break and ended up 25-27 just 3 minutes before haltime. We recovered through Glyniadakis and Teodosic to finish the half 34-32 in front.

In the second half, the Vazeloi initially went in front but we then made an elevent point break to take the score to 45-36. We went further with plays from Bourousis, Teodosic and Keselj offensively whilst our defence was also improved. Halperin also scored 8 points of his own whilst Teodosic shot a good basket taking the score first to 54-42 and then to 60-52 a the end of the third period.

In the last period, Helperin began with some red-hot play and took the score to 65-54. The lagoi then hit back with some solutions of their own and decreased the score to 66-63. Papaloukas made a personal effort and won a foul to go 71-65 in front. Again, Panathinaikos returned back into play and brought the score back to 73-70. There was some play on both sides and the set finally ended 76-76.
We then had a final 5 minutes which we scored an 8 point break and finally won the game 87-83.


1st Period : Olympiakos 16-15 Panathinaikos
2nd Period : Olympiakos 34-32 Panathinaikos
3rd Period : Olympiakos 60-52 Panathinaikos
4th Period : Olympiakos 76-76 Panathinaikos
Extra Time : Olympiakos 87-83 Panathinaikos

Todays match is the highlight of our year, the annual rapefest against the green rabbits of Panathinaikos. The tickets for this game sold out a couple of weeks ago and we have a packed stadium for todays game. If we win today (as we should) we will be 10 points in front and its all over. We will have won the championship in everything but name, it will take a couple of games for this to be literally correct but if we win today we will have basically sealed the season. The team has been announced for today, the stadium is literally vibrating under the supporters feet, we are ready to celebrate so don't let us down...



We kick the game off (after a nine minute delay) and spurred on by the fervent crowd, immediately go on the attack winning a throw-in a dangerous position before finally letting the ball go out of play. The vazeloi them come forward but we manage to clear up their attacks, first with intercepting the ball by Mellberg and then by a Pardo interception. We take over the control of the ball again and win a corner, the first of the game before heading the ball over
and out of play. We get further chances, namely a free kick, a corner and then a blocked shot on goal from Fuster but don't manage to score as yet. (quick stat: Olympiakos has 67% possession so far)
We continue with the attacking with Mirallas close to having a point blank shot on goal (blocked by Kante) and Djebbour seeing an effort wide. In all, we've been all over them in the first 15 minutes.

As the game continue, we win a free kick in an advantageous position which we convert. The free kick is played short and to the right hand side of the wall to Mirallas. Mirallas then moves forward and coolly slots the ball home past the keeper to open the scoring. Superb! (Gate7 now erupts in flares and smoke bombs which delays the restart for several minutes). After the game does restart, we attack again although we still need to be careful when the rabbits do manage to counterattack forcing Pardo to come forward and claim the ball. The Vazeloi then have a couple of minutes in control of the ball but don't do anything with it save a weak header on goal which Pardo easily saves. Before long, we have taken over in the game once more.



Our attacks are now coming thick and fast which are having to be cleared rather desperately although they are clearing the ball into the centre of the pitch on enough occasions. (Quick stat: Olympiakos possession is now 58%) The Vazeloi are still coming forward especially in the last couple of minutes, but again they've done nothing with their possession and when we do inevitably take control of the ball, we end up attacking into their box with a 1-2 between Riera and Djebbour and having a crack on their goal. We have a couple more attacks in the half but nothing comes of them, the half itself ends after 3 minutes of extra time.


For the second half, Cisse and co-homosexual Katsouranis kick off the half and come forward, getting the ball into the area before we clear up and take possession. Our touch has been poor in the opening minutes of the second half and we will need to improve - fast - if we are to avoid conceding. We do look a lot brighter after some 5 minutes into the half and look like the team we have come to respect once again. We make another sloppy play which allows the Lagoi the opportunity to counter into our box and have a shot on goal, luckily it goes wide but we must improve! (Current stat for 2nd half - possession - only 30% Olympiakos). We look firmly on the defensive as the Vazeloi come forward again and manage to win a free kick from a Raul Bravo challenge. As shitty luck would have it, the free kick is slowly punted over the wall and into the back of the net. Pardo is late to react as we concede the sloppy goal. Even after the restart we fail to take control of the game and allow the Rabbits to keep attacking us. This is so frustrating to watch as we were a much better team in the first half and we look like shit so far in the second half.

We make our first substitution of the match in the 60th minute, with David Fuster making way for Dudu Cearense, and soon after make our first direct shot of the half with Riera's shot bouncing off the stunned Tzorvas. We still don't seem to have improved our play though and we are still allowing them far too much time on the ball. Another sloppy pass allows the Lagoi to counter attack and almost have a chance of their own but we manage to take control once again, attack all the way up the pitch and force a corner from a Riera shot on goal which is fisted away from goal.Cisse has another chance on our goal after we fail to close him down adequately, luckily his header being parried by Pardo and the corner subsequently cleared. We then go on the hunt for the second goal again winning a free kick to the right hand side of their area but failing to make any shots on target.

We are now in the final 15 minutes of the game and despite the Vazeloi having control of the ball, we soon take over and attack up the pitch winning a free kick when Silva blatently fouls Mirallas. Unfortunately we cannot make anything from our opportunity and after some passes, lose the ball. Our second substitution, Mirallas for Zairi is made at this time with Zairi making an instant impact by dribbling past the opposition players. The vazeloi then have an attack on our goal and manage to score although this is ruled as offside (Cisse is behind Dudu (in front of the goalline) and has interfered with play). Our play in the second half has been very poor and I am left so disappointed in the team and how we have played in the second half.
We still have 5 minutes to play of the second half but it doesn't look like we will create anything now. The passing has been shocking and more importantly the team has lost its sense of urgency, looking happy to sit back and wait for the ball to be played. Raul Bravo, one of the only players to keep going on our side, drags the ball up the pitch only to miss out on a corner. Our final substitution of Riera coming off for Marko Pantelic is made in the 90th minute and this is surely too late to make any effect on the game?
In fact it isn't, in the first minute of extra time, we manage to get the ball into the box from the left hand side, theres a scramble in the box before Djebbour knocks it over the line to win the game. I can't say this is deserved after the second half that I've seen but it surely is very welcome indeed. There is another delay after Gate7 flood the pitch with flares and another delay after Torosidis is red carded for an off-the-ball challenge on Leto. It is the 6th minute of additional time before the game is restarted properly and by then it is all over. The win was justabout deserved overall but we came very close to screwing this up, our second half was very poor and only saved by a couple of individual performances. Still - Ante Geia Poutanas Gioi!





Olympiakos 2-1 Poutanas Gioi
20' Mirallas
58' Leto
90+1' Djebbour

Olympiakos : Pardo, Torosidis, Mellberg, A.Papadopoulos, Bravo, Modesto, Ibagaza, Riera (90' Pantelic), Fuster (61' Dudu), Mirallas (78' Zairi), Djebbour
Green Rabbits : Tzorvas, Sarriegi, Vyntra, Kante, Spyropoulos, Silva, Katsouranis, Karagounis (79' Simao), Ninis (65' Govou), Cisse, Leto
Yellow Cards : 21' Mirallas, 90+3 Modesto - 90+3 Leto
Red Cards : 90+3' Torosidis

The eighteen players who will put the Green Rabbits to the sword tomorrow have been announced. The legendary 18 players are :-

Goalkeepers (2) : Nikopolidis, Pardo
Defenders (7) : Torosidis, A.Papadopoulos, Mellberg, Bravo, Holebas, Maniatis, Modesto
Midfielders (6) : Ibagaza, Rommedahl, Fuster, Dudu, Zairi, Riera
Attackers (3) : Pantelic, Mirallas, Djebbour