More than 35,000 fans of the Legend filled Karaiskakis stadium and became the 12th player in Kazimierz Gorski’s team. The “red-and-whites” turned the derby into a one man show, presenting AEK with six goals.
Olympiacos had lined up with: Sarganis, Kyrastas, Vamvakoulas, Papadopoulos, Novoselac, Kousoulakis, Persias, Nikoloudis, Anastopoulos, Orfanos and Galakos.
The opponent was AEK, which lined up with: Oikonomopoulos, Ardizoglou, Manolas, Karavitis, Paraprastanitis, Thodis, Vlachos, Eleftherakis, Kottis, Bajevic and Mavros.
The match was on its thirtieth minute when, after a throw in by Vangelis Kousoulakis and a cross by Takis Persias, Mike Galakos, a few meters to the left of AEK’s goal, controlled the ball with his chest and, as it was falling, caught it just right in an amazing left foot shot and sent it to the net of Oikonomopoulos, setting Karaiskakis on fire. It was the 1-0.
The second half started with a substitution in AEK, namely Nikolaou replaced Thodis at 46 ‘. A little later, at 51’, Manolas was sent off with a second yellow card for a double heavy challenge on Mike Galakos.
53’ The ball came from Vangelis Kousoulakis to Takis Persia, who came in from the left and assisted Mike Galakos, who from about six meters away fired a shot at Oikonomopoulos’ goal again. It was the 2-0.
68’ After a cross by Takis Nikoloudis, Vangelis Kousoulakis stole the ball from Karavitis and sent a powerful shot into the net, scoring the 3-0 and making the fans go wild on joy.
75’ Takis Nikoloudis assisted Kostas Orfanos inside the area and the latter made it 4-0.
80’ Nikos Vamvakoulas got the ball behind the midfield line and after passing anyone who came in front of him with a crazy run, he shot from 10 meters away to make it 5-0.
84’ After a mess up in Oikonomopoulos’ area, Kostas Orfanos fired a great shot and the ball reached Mike Galakos, who sealed the great performance, making the 6-0. The celebration of the fans had begun long before the 90th minute and the chant “OLYMPIACOS”, “OLYMPIACOS” made it a vibrating atmosphere. But, at that time, fate had other plans.
Many of the fans of the Legend who were in Gate 7 ran before the final whistle heading towards Gate 1 to greet their heroes. The time was 16:58, two minutes before full-time…
One of the fans that were running joyfully stepped on a small cushion and tripped on the steps that led to the exit. The fatal gate was closed, some say it was half open, and the tragedy came right after. Dozens of fans fell one after the other and were trampled by the wave of unsuspecting fans.
THE TRAGEDY TIMELINE:
17:03 Some policemen were able to tear one of the turnstiles, thus freeing many people.
17:15 The dead and wounded were carried by police cars and 13 ambulances to the Tzaneio Hospital in Piraeus. There was also a general mobilization in the police and hospitals.
17:30 Many fans gathered outside the Tzaneio hospital, their faces painted with agony.
17:50 Television networks (ERT and YENED) broadcast the incident and called on doctors to come to Tzaneio, to help the ones on duty, and for people to make blood donations. Additional staff was mobilized also on the State Hospital of Piraeus, where some wounded were transported.
18:20 The Minister of Social Affairs, Mr. Doxiadis, and the Deputy Ministers, Mr. Tsoukantas and Mr. Apostolatos, arrive in Tzanio and there are orders to further mobilize doctors and blood donors.
18:30 The Emergency Centre asks patrol crews and police officers that are blood donors to rush to the two hospitals. Hundreds of police officers donate blood.
18:50 The Minister of Public Order, Mr. Davakis, the Deputy Minister of the Presidency of the Government, Mr. Achilleas Karamanlis, senior police officers and board members of Olympiacos and AEK arrive in Tzanio.
19:00 At the behest of the director of Emergency Centre, Mr. Karavas, the KAT Hospital is also put on alert, in order to receive wounded needing neurosurgical attention.
19:15 Hundreds gathered outside Tzaneio anxiously seeking to learn the names of the dead and the wounded.
19:30 There’s a massive turnout of doctors and blood donors, while dozens of women faint from anguish.
19:40 The Minister, Mr. Doxiadis, briefs the Prime Minister, Mr. Rallis, who orders the necessary measures and informs the Greek President, Mr. K. Karamanlis.
19:45 Riot police remove people from the main entrance of the hospital to make it more accessible to doctors and donors.
20:00 The despair takes hold of the relatives at Tzaneio. The first three victims are recognized: Giannis Kanellopoulos, Giannis Dialinas, and Vasilis Machas. Unfortunately, the death toll would later reach 21 people.
20:15 The police begin investigating on Gate 7 in search of the causes of the tragedy.
20:30 Prime Minister Georgios Rallis arrives at Tzaneio. Those seriously wounded were transferred to the General State Hospital in Piraeus and to KAT Hospital. Doctors and nurses with blood on their vests come out to the hallways and shout names of wounded. Many of the relatives faint.
20:50 The television networks interrupt their programs to transmit mournful music.
21:00 300-400 angry people try to break in Karaiskakis stadium to find those responsible for what has occurred. The riot police step in and remove them.
21:15 The director of Tzaneio Hospital, Mr. Apergis, comes out to the hallway and calls on people to move away from the entrance as their presence hinders the circulation of patrol cars and ambulances. The same calls are done by television networks.
22:00 People slowly begin to leave from the two hospitals…
To finish our brief reference to the dramatic timeline of the events of February 8, 1981, we will, in order to understand the causes of the Gate 7 tragedy, concentrate on the words – as they were said then – of one of the wounded, 18-year-old Ilias Lytras, who was among the first to fall on the steps of Gate 7:
“The door was partially open. When I reached the last steps, I slipped and fell. All of a sudden people began to fall over me, one, two, three… a hundred”.
UNFORGOTTEN, IMMORTAL, ALWAYS PRESENT…
Panagiotis Toumanidis (14 years old)
Kostas Sklavounis (16 years old)
Elias Panagoulis (17 years old)
Gerasimos Amitsis (18 years old)
Giannis Kanellopoulos (18 years old)
Spyros Leonidakis (18 years old)
Giannis Spiliopoulos (19 years old)
Nikos Filos (19 years old)
Giannis Dialinas (20 years old)
Vasilis Machas (20 years old)
Efstratios Loupos (20 years old)
Michalis Kostopoulos (21 years old)
Zografoula Chairatidou (23 years old)
Spyros Andriotis (24 years old)
Kostas Karanikolas (26 years old)
Michalis Markou (27 years old)
Kostas Bilas (28 years old)
Anastasios Pitsolis (30 years old)
Antonis Kouroupakis (34 years old)
Christos Chatzigeorgiou (34 years old)
Dimitrios Adamopoulos (41 years old)
