With a legendary performance, Olympiakos’ K19 was crowned European champion, winning the final of the Milan Youth League with a score of 3-0.
Everything was decided in the second half, where the “red and whites” opened the score in the 60th minute with a well-placed penalty by Christos Mouzakitis. Piraeus, who were better throughout the match, were storming for a quarter of an hour, immediately making it 2-0 with an excellent individual effort and a place by Antonis Papakanellos.
The icing on the cake came five minutes later, when Theofanis Bakulas dressed as Alekos Alexandris and with an elusive scissor shot sent the ball into the side netting of the Milan home team, making it 3-0.
The team of Sotiris Sylaidopoulos was crowned European champion, being the first Greek team to achieve this great achievement. It is recalled that Olympiacos eliminated Nantes in the semifinals of the competition and Bayern in the quarterfinals.
The race
The game in the first part was relatively split. Olympiacos had an excellent start in the first quarter with two good chances, while they also claimed a penalty after Pneumonidis was brought down by Ravair. Afterwards, Milan balanced the match, they also had their moments, but without becoming particularly threatening for the home team of the Red and Whites. Thus, 0-0 remained until the end of the first half.
In the second half the “Rossoneri” started well, they pressed and that’s when it started to… need Angelo Sina who was amazing. At the end of one hour, however, the… storm began! The Piraeus pressed and won a penalty in the hand of Stalmach. Mouzakitis put the ball in the goal and hit the goal for 1-0 in the 60th minute.
Before the Italians could recover, Papakanellos came out of the wings, “danced” his opponent and with a wonderful diagonal finish found the net to make it 2-0 a minute later.
However, Sylaidopoulos’s… babies didn’t end there. Bakulas saved the best for last. In 66′ the Red and Whites moved from the right, the cross was made, and with an unimaginable scissors from the height of the penalty, he put the icing on the cake for 3-0.
Milan then pressed for a goal. However, it fell on Sina who showed his reflexes whenever needed, keeping Olympiakos scoreless. The Piraeus had some good moments too, but nothing changed. The 3-0 remained until the final and the formidable U19 of the Red and Whites emerged European champions.
