May 10, (THEWILL) – Olympiacos cruised into the UEFA Europa Conference League final with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Thursday night, sealing a 6-2 aggregate triumph.
The Greek giants will face 2023 runners-up Fiorentina in the showpiece event, aiming to become the second club from their nation to win a major European trophy.
The home side wasted no time in asserting their dominance, with Moroccan striker, Ayoub El Kaabi, opening the scoring early on, adding to his hat-trick from the first leg. Olympiacos’ relentless pressure left Villa chasing the game, and despite Unai Emery’s men enjoying spells of possession, they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities.
El Kaabi’s second goal in the 79th minute, following a VAR check, put the tie beyond Villa’s reach. Even Emery’s introduction of Colombian forward, Jhon Durán, failed to inspire a comeback, as Olympiacos comfortably negotiated the closing stages to secure their historic achievement.
The triumph marks a significant milestone for Greek football, with Olympiacos becoming only the second club from the country to reach a European final after Panathinaikos in the 1970/1971 season. Meanwhile, Villa’s focus now shifts to booking a UEFA Champions League spot through their English Premier League efforts.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
