Olympiacos suffered a 3-0 defeat at the Old Trafford that prevents the side from going through to UEFA Champions League last 8. The Legend, following its first-leg 2-0 win over the English champions, flew to Manchester in order to…make the dream come true.
Our Olympiacos fielded in the Old Trafford’s pitch with 4-2-3-formation and a line-up never featured before in the past. Roberto was the goalkeeper. In defence, from right to left, there were Salino, Manolas, Marcano and Cholevas. In the centre midfield, N’Dinga and Maniatis played side-by-side, with our captain in a more creative role. At the wings featured Perez (right) and Fuster (left), whereas “Chori” Dominguez played behind the Legend’s sole forward, Joel Campbell.
The match began with Man. United trying to get an early control of the action. It was Olympiacos that didn’t allow the English outfit to become very threatening and tried to make full use of Perez and Campbell in counter-attack, together with the creative genius of Dominguez! From the start, Man. United kept its pressure high and tried to close Olympiacos down in its box. The first chance occurred in 15’ for the Legend! Campbell showed great skills from the left, crossed it towards De Gea’s area just to meet Perez whose first-time effort went wide! A great piece of play by Olympiacos!
Man. United’s reply came in the form of a header against the post in 18’, an outcome to which Roberto contributed significantly with his outstanding save! Rooney won the header almost at the penalty-spot, following a cross from the left, and Roberto dived low, merely touched the incoming ball sending it to his right post. In 23’ Dutch referee Kuipers, in a display of extreme strictness, called on a faint marking by Cholevas on Van Persie inside the box. That…overtly kind call sent the Dutch centre forward to the penalty spot. Robin Van Persie could not miss it and gave thus Man. United the lead.
A low cross by Valencia in 33’ presented no danger, since Roberto cleared it. In 35’, the Spanish goalkeeper, in a display of fantastic skills, kept his goalmouth safe with a marvellous save in an Evra header! Then, he cleared again a Rooney header in 36’. Our Olympiacos was under great pressure by Manchester, which, despite producing no dazzling pieces, had a way to attack swiftly.
The Legend wasted a unique opportunity to level the match in 40’! Perez rushed from the right and entered the box! He saw Fuster inside the six-yard box, crossed it and the Spanish launched a header only to me instinctively saved by De Gea! The ball was landed on Alejandro Dominguez whose close-range effort was –once again spontaneously- saved by De Gea, who thus kept a clean sheet! An incredible double chance for Olympiacos to equalise things just before the break. Instead, just before the end of the first half, Man. United registered its second goal. During first half’s injury time, Rooney moved from the right, crossed it to Van Persie, who slotted it home from close-range, 2-0. Moments later, referee Kuipers blew for half-time and sent both sides to the dressing rooms. In this first half, Olympiacos failed to display well but for a few moments. Man. United was better and added a lot of pressure on our side, which now –n the second half- would have to find a way and score at least once, in order to give a hard time to David Moyes’ side.
The second half started with Olympiacos fielding the same line-up. Man. United’s pace was not as intense, so Olympiacos tried to work some space. In 48’, Salino launches a cross, Perez drills in the box and heads it forward, but De Gea is on top of that watching the ball flying wide. Our Olympiacos displayed weaknesses at the center midfield, an area where United found the space to build-up its play. That was how a free-kick was awarded in 50’, at the edge of the box facing the goalmouth, which Van Persie converted in 52’ with a direct kick.
This call by the Dutch referee was also … a bit thick; until then his calls have turned his countryman, Robin Van Persie, into a true…hero. “Chori” delivered an exquisite free-kick in 54’ sending the ball just a hair off-target while De Gea… was nothing but looking at the ball! Right after that, Perez spent another great goal-scoring chance! “Chori” took on the free-kick and his Paraguayan teammate popped-up, unmarked, inside the goal area. He headed it, but failed to direct it right and the ball ended just wide! Moments later, Mr Michel threw Nelson Valdez in the battle, deciding to bring Perez at the bench.
Now, it is Olympiacos going after a goal and the Paraguayan striker went straight atop our attack, whereas Campbell moved to the right, and Fuster remained at the left wing. Olympiacos produced a great piece in 63’, with Salino delivering the cross, Valdez chesting the ball down to “Chori” whose left-footed effort went off-target! Fuster then missed a great chance in 66’, when Salino turned the ball inside the penalty box from the right and the Spanish fired a frist-time shot! De Gea merely watched the ball landing in his arms, since Fuster’s effort was far from ideal. Kuipers, on the other, made use of all opportunities given to give calls against Olympiacos, displaying extreme sensitivity in several cases during the match, in favour of the hosts…
Olympiacos has unveiled Man. United’s vulnerable points and was trying to find a way to “strike hard”. The hosts enjoyed a favourable score, wouldn’t go beyond their own half and controlled the pace. At that moment of the encounter, it was Olympiacos doing his thing. Mr. Michel sent Machado in replacing Salino in 74’. Maniatis took on the right back defending position, and Machado moved to the centre midfield, together with N’Dinga and “Chori”. The Legend had 15 minutes in order to register this one goal that hadn’t occurred until that moment and thus overturn this negative situation. “Chori” almost touched that objective in 79! Following a pass by Campbell in the right, the Argentinian dribbled and fired a low, on-target cross! De Gea instinctively saved it, keeping thus United alive in this battle of qualification.
Mr. Michel closed his set of substitutions in 82’, giving Vergos the opportunity for his debut match replacing Fuster. Our players kept on piling immense pressure on Man. United in order to score the qualifying goal, but De Gea made once again the difference in 88’, since he gathered the ball just before Valdez could connect with Marcano’s laying-off.
The “red-and-whites” retained the upper hand until the very last seconds, but this longed-for goal never occurred, blocking our side’s course to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
MANCHESTER UNITED:De Gea, Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Jones, Carrick, Giggs, Welbeck (82’ Fletcher), Valencia (77’ Young), Rooney, Van Persie (90’+1 Fellaini).
OLYMPIACOS: Roberto, Salino (74’ Machado), Manolas, Marcano, Cholevas, N’Dinga, Maniatis, Perez (57’ Valdez), Fuster (82’ Vergos), Dominguez, Campbell.
