Olympiakos outclasses Aston Villa, winning 4-2 away
Olympiakos scored one of its most famous victories in its 99-year history, beating Aston Villa 4-2 in Birmingham to get to within one step from its first ever European final.
The Reds outclassed their Premier League host with their efficiency in attack and defense, and have a two-goal cushion for the return leg next Thursday at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, with the tickets already sold down to the last one.
The Greeks went ahead 2-0 in the first-half-hour through a brace by Ayoub El Kaabi, stunning their host at Villa Park.
Ollie Watkins pulled one back for the English team in the time added-on to the first half, reviving Aston Villa’s hopes.
That was compounded by an equalizer early in the second half through a Moussa Diaby goal, leaving Villa with 38 minutes to seek a winning goal.
Instead, Olympiakos responded earning a penalty kick for a handball, that El Kaabi converted on the 56th minute to complete his hat trick.
Adding insult to injury, Olympiakos found a fourth goal on the 67th via Santiago Hezze, to silence the home crowd and make the 2,000 Greek at the stands party.
Villa did earn a penalty of its own, but Douglas Luiz missed the target from the spot with six minutes left on the clock.
