Sometimes, a football match just needs a spark. For Olympiacos, that spark turned into a full-blown firestorm this Saturday. They hosted Panserraikos in a Greek Championship clash, eventually winning 5-0. But the scoreline only tells half the story of a game that truly came alive in the second half, thanks to some clever substitutions and a dominant display.
The home team, with Portuguese players Costinha, Chiquinho, and Gelson Martins starting, found themselves in a real grind. The first half was tough. Olympiacos, from Piraeus, struggled to break down the Panserraikos defense. Their opponents, hailing from Serres, held firm for a long time. Things got tougher for Panserraikos when André Green received a direct red card in the 38th minute, reducing them to ten men. Before that, Olympiacos had already suffered a blow with Gelson Martins leaving the field injured after just 18 minutes.
After a scoreless first half, the deadlock finally broke early in the second. El Kaabi found the net in the 48th minute, putting Olympiacos ahead with an assist from Ortega. Ortega then turned scorer himself, doubling the lead in the 66th minute. Spanish coach José Luis Mendilibar decided it was time for more changes. In the 68th minute, he brought on two crucial players: Daniel Podence and Mehdi Taremi. Podence was back at the club on loan from Al Shabab for the rest of the season. Taremi, a former striker for FC Porto and Inter Milan, was making his debut for the Greek side.
These two subs completely changed the game’s energy. Just two minutes later, in the 70th minute, the Portuguese winger Daniel Podence scored. His goal came from a clever assist by Chiquinho, an ex-Benfica player. Podence wasn’t just scoring; he was also setting up chances for his teammates. The Iranian international striker, Mehdi Taremi, really stole the show in the final minutes. He bagged two goals, one in the 88th minute and another in the third minute of injury time. Before Taremi’s late brace, there was a missed penalty by Yazici in the 82nd minute.
This big win means Olympiacos keeps its perfect record in the championship. They sit alone at the top of the league after three matchdays, with a maximum of nine points. Panserraikos, on the other hand, is still searching for their first point, having lost all three of their opening games. The next challenge for Olympiacos is a big one: they visit fierce rivals Panathinaikos. That club is led by Portuguese coach Rui Vitória, whose team has only played one league match so far, drawing at home against Levadiakos. Panserraikos will look for their first points at home against Atromitos.
