Olympiacos put on a show this Saturday, overwhelming Panserraikos with a 5-0 victory. This Greek league clash was part of the third matchday. Daniel Podence and Mehdi Taremi were the standout stars, delivering artistic plays and goals.
The Piraeus side, featuring Portuguese players Costinha, Chiquinho, and Gelson Martins from the start, faced unexpected challenges. They struggled to find the net against the team from Serres during the first half. Things got tougher for Panserraikos when André Green received a direct red card in the 38th minute. Olympiacos also suffered a setback, with Gelson Martins leaving the field injured after just 18 minutes. Despite the man advantage, the scoreboard remained blank until well into the second half.
Second Half Surge
The breakthrough finally came in the 48th minute when El Kaabi scored, thanks to 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 a change. In the 68th minute, he brought on Daniel Podence, who is back at the club on loan from Al Shabab for the season. He also introduced Mehdi Taremi, a former striker for FC Porto and Inter Milan, making his debut for the Greek club. Talk about making an entrance! This dynamic duo completely flipped the script.
Podence wasted no time, finding the net in the 70th minute after an assist from ex-Benfica player Chiquinho. He wasn’t just scoring; he was setting up plays too. Then came Taremi’s moment. The Iranian international striker netted two goals, one in the 88th minute and another in the third minute of injury time. Before Taremi’s second goal, Yazici even missed a penalty kick in the 82nd minute.
League Dominance
This convincing win means Olympiacos keeps its perfect record in the league. They sit comfortably at the top of the table after three matchdays, with nine points. Panserraikos, on the other hand, is still searching for their first point. They have now lost all three of their opening games. Next up, Olympiacos faces a tough away game against rivals Panathinaikos. That club is managed by Portuguese coach Rui Vitória, whose team has only played one league match so far, drawing at home against Levadiakos. Panserraikos will host Atromitos in their next fixture.