Thanks to a early goal by Sterling no later than in 5’, Olympiacos suffered a 1-0 defeat against LIverpool in Chicago’s Soldier Field. This score fails to reflect the match proceedings, since our side performed really well in great part of the 90’ minutes and lost several goal-scoring chances!
Following its comfortable and imposing 3-0 opening victory over Milan, Olympiacos showed in Chicago its ability to give any opponent a hard time, and not just perform at top level! The match kicked off with Liverpool getting off on the right foot and scoring a swift, yet lucky, goal, since both the “assist” and the finish were both produced by fortuitous deflections.
Olympiacos was able to muster the match for its greatest part and lost a number of chances to score, especially in the second half. Once Chori and Kasami were introduced, our side became more aggressive and managed to continuously reach the opponent’s box. Masuaku was not as positive as in the first match, although he had a good number of sprints along the sideline, whereas Dossevi showcased once again some pretty good qualities.
Defense-wise, our side displayed well and, the goal excepted, faced no serious threat but for a couple of times. Megyeri was taken by surprise in Liverpool’s goal, but, he was αλτογετηερ in good communication with his defensive line and suffered no great pressure. the youngsters (Mpouhalakis, Kolovos etc.) were good and actually it was the former of two who lost a great goal-scoring chance in second half!
In conclusion, Olympiacos displayed once again very well and could (or should, to put it properly) have scored at least once. The team is getting better and more robust, and the work done delivers even more.
Match storyboard:
5′ 1-0: Gerrard passes to Sturridge, he takes a poor shot deflected on Abidal only to luckily meet unmarked Sterling who finishes past Megyeri.
11′: In a solo by Ghazaryan, he intercepts the ball from Johnson but finishes it poorly!
22′: Gerrard takes the shot at the edge of Megyeri’s but it flies wide past our keeper’s γgoal.
28′: Sturridge connects but his shot inside the right channel fails to produce any concern for Megyeri.
37′: A solo by Marcovic who dribbles past Dossevi, but his finish goes off-target.
39′: Diamantakos produces another solo, loses his marker, but his volley ends wide off-target!
45′: A Ghazaryan left-foot shot from the edge of the box causes no concern to Jones.
50′: The Legend counter-attacks, Chori feeds Ghazaryan to the left, who drives into the box, fakes his opponent but fires a powerful shot only to shake Jones’ crossbar.!
59′: A long-range shot by Avraam Papadopoulos flies narrowly over Jones’ goal.
73′: Mpouhalakis has his first touch with the ball and takes an ultimately off-target shot.
75′: A shot by Lambert easily cleared by Megyeri.
77′: A long-range shot by Coutinho goes narrowly wide off Megyeri’s right post.
80′: Mpouhalakis intercepts it, steps inside the 18 yards, tries to dribble past Jones, but loses ball control right before finishing with our side’s equaliser!
90+3: A Samaris volley just outside the box, saved superbly by Jones!
LIVERPOOL: Jones, Johnson (62′ Kelly),Skrtel, Toure (62′ Coates), Enrique (46′ Robinson), Gerrard (62′ Lucas), Henderson, Can (46′ Allen), Sterling (74′ Ibe), Marcovic (46′ Coutinho), Sturridge (74′ Lambert).
OLYMPIACOS: Megyeri, Salino (46′ Elabdellaoui) Papadopoulos (63′ Manolas), Siovas (72′ Avlonitis), Abidal (46′ Masuaku), N’Dinga (63′ Kasami), Maniatis (46΄Samaris), Dossevi (72′ Mpouhalakis), Ghazaryan (63′ Kolovos), Saviola (46′ Chori), Diamantakos (72′ Papazoglou).
BOOKED: Siovas (20′), Saviola (35′), Salino (43′) / Johnson (45’+1), Lucas (88′), Coutinho (90’+1)
