Celebrations in Greece as Olympiakos Beats Fiorentina 1-0 for First European Title

Olympiakos won their first European club title and became the first Greek club to do so. Ayoub El Kaabi was the protagonist in the winning tale for the side as his goal in the dying minutes of the second period of extra time

Athens (Greece): Setting off wild celebrations in Athens, Olympiakos won Greece's first European club title by beating Fiorentina 1-0 with a goal in extra time of the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday. Ayoub El Kaabi provided the dramatic ending, diving to nudge in a last-gasp goal in the second period of extra time, with fans erupting in celebration after a lengthy wait for a VAR check for offside.

The Morocco striker who finished as the competition's top scorer struck in the 116th minute of the match and dropped to his knees as he waited to see if the goal would stand after he had met a cross from Santiago Hezze. The goal decided a game that had looked destined for a penalty shootout following an energetic but largely risk-free encounter at AEK Arena, and condemned Fiorentina and its coach Vincenzo Italiano to a second straight defeat in the final of the Europa Conference League after losing last year to West Ham.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described Olympiakos as "a true legend," adding in an online post: "Olympiakos has won the Europa Conference League and made history! A sensational night for the club itself, but also for Greek football as a whole."

The third-tier European club competition took place amid a massive security operation, with some 5,000 police officers forming concentric cordons around a northern area of the capital amid Europe-wide security concerns this summer for major sporting events including the Paris Olympics and European soccer championship in Germany. The final was briefly marred by scuffles between Fiorentina fans inside the stadium and riot police next to them.

Although the visitors dominated the early stages of the final, Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano kept his team in the game with two impressive fingertip saves to block on-target shots from Daniel Podence in the fourth minute and Stevan Jovetic in the sixth minute of extra time.

El Kaabi, who scored a total of 11 goals in the competition, had been largely sidelined in the match by Fiorentina's unyielding four-man defense.

The team celebrated their historical victory in a grand style and they were jumping with joy after the game. The team also celebrated their win with a physically disabled fan as the team members were seen handing him the trophy as he was sitting in the wheelchair. The heartwarming gesture from the fans also won the hearts of the netizens and they expressed themselves on the social media.

One user Neratzoula wrote 'the most beautiful picture'. Other users also expressed their sentiments after the win. (With agency inputs)

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