Ayoub El Kaabi’s dramatic late goal in extra time sealed Olympiakos's historic victory, clinching their first major European trophy and inflicting a second consecutive Europa Conference League final defeat on Fiorentina.
The final, which had been relatively uneventful until the dying moments of extra time, witnessed a sudden burst of excitement as El Kaabi found the net with just four minutes remaining. The match, held at the home ground of Olympiakos's rivals AEK Athens, came alive with the decisive goal.
Despite Fiorentina's early attempt by Nikola Milenkovic being disallowed for offside, the Serie A side dominated much of the game, with Nicolás González and Christian Kouamé missing notable chances.
As the match progressed into extra time, both teams had their opportunities, including a close effort from Olympiakos's Vicente Iborra. However, it was substitute Stevan Jovetic who threatened Fiorentina's defense with a sharp shot on goal.
But it was El Kaabi who emerged as the hero of the night, capping off his impressive season with a crucial goal, his 33rd of the campaign, sending the crowd into euphoria. Olympiakos held on to their lead, with the final whistle confirming their triumph.
The victory marks a significant achievement for Olympiakos, making them the first Greek team to secure a European trophy. For Fiorentina, it was another heartbreaking defeat in the final, reminiscent of their loss to West Ham the previous year.
As both teams reflected on the outcome, Olympiakos's head coach, José Luis Mendilibar, celebrated back-to-back European trophies, adding to his success with Sevilla in the Europa League the previous season.
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