Reds add Cup to league trophy with 3-1 win over Xanthi

Olympiakos completed a league-and-cup double on Saturday by beating Xanthi 3-1 in the Greek Cup final at the Olympic Stadium of Athens, that was more balanced than the final score suggests.

The final was a rather low-key affair, with only a few good chances on either goal at a hardly half-full Olympic Stadium, as the fans of the two teams barely reached 30,000.

The first goal came pretty much against the run of play as Xanthi had the best part of first-half chances and even earned nine corners, but to no avail.

Instead Franco Jara opened the score for the Reds in the first-half injury time as he made the most of a poor clearance by Xanthi’s Manolis Bertos at the edge of the box to slot the ball exquisitely past the Xanthi keeper.

Xanthi was clearly shocked by the way the first half had finished and was unable to react in the second half.

Alejandro “Chori” Dominguez made it 2-0 on the 62nd minute through an outstanding personal effort as he outfoxed two opponents and powered home a superb shot, to cap a season during which he was by far the most valuable player of Olympiakos on its way to the double. A couple of minutes later he was substituted to a standing ovation by the Olympiakos supporters.

Ten minutes from time substitute Costas Fortounis scored Olympiakos’s third goal through a free-kick that went straight into the Xanthi net.

Pantelis Kapetanos scored a consolation goal for Xanthi three minutes from the end, while Alberto Botia left Olympiakos with 10 men in injury time after receiving his second booking.

The full-time whistle found the Olympiakos players celebrating the addition of the cup to their league trophy this season, but Xanthi should also be proud of its first ever appearance in a Greek Cup final.