Against the shining stars of the Spanish Mataro and in Barcelona, where the final-4 is hosted, the purely Greek team of Dimitris Kravaritis completely dominated the second half and reached the victory with relative comfort with 16-12. The absolute star of the semi-final was Nicole Eleftheriadou, who played the game of her life with seven goals and a tremendous job in defense, where with her blocks she acted as a second goalkeeper several times.
In tomorrow’s (21/4, 15:00) final, the “red and white” will once again find against them the title holder Sabadell, who earlier prevailed 14-9 of Sant Andreu. The two teams have played three finals since 2015, with Olympiakos counting two wins in Piraeus and the Spanish team one at home.
The game looked like it would turn into a derby from the start. Olympiacos took out three defenses with a numerical disadvantage, but in the attack it was difficult against the closed zone of the Spanish team. The first time the ball reached 2m, Xenaki won a penalty and Eleftheriadou opened the scoring, with Mataro trying to find solutions on the counter. In one case Kesteli won a penalty from Eleftheriadou and Van de Kraats scored, in the second Avenio “marked” Stamatopoulou’s crossbar (the Greek goalkeeper barely found the ball).
Two straight goals, from Vaso Pleuritou and Van de Kraats, made it 2-2 in the first period and Noge with a shot from 6m. gave her team the lead for the first time at the start of the second eight minutes. After pulling off another man-less defense, Olympiacos responded with back-to-back goals from Siouti (in the first shutout for the Greek champions) and Eleftheriadou, but the fast pace of the match favored Mataro, who took a 3-0 run two goal difference (6-4). Aarts’ misjudgment in a shot by Siuti from a difficult angle allowed the “red and whites” to reduce, but the Dutch goalkeeper got her personal… revenge in the last minute of the half, with important saves on Margarita Pleuritou’s attempts from 2m. and Myriokephalitaki against a player above.
After a flurry of goals at the start of the third period (four in less than two minutes), Olympiacos dramatically improved their defensive performance and laid the foundation for victory. The personal recital of Nicole Eleftheriadou, who did everything in defense and attack, came to frame the goals of Tricha (against) and Vassos Pleuritou and the “red and white” closed the third eight minutes with a 4-0 run, to take the lead three goals (11-8).
The last period started with an incredible lob by Rita Kesteli, but Eleftheriadou had… prepared the answer with her sixth personal goal, to be followed by an excellent assist by Eleftheria Pleuritou and a goal by Hydiriotis, who had made the kick at 2m., for the 13-9. Somewhere there everything ended, since Mataro did not have the strength and psychology to react and the “red and white” triumphantly closed the semi-final.
The eight minutes: 2-2, 3-4, 6-2, 5-4
The progress of the score: 1-0 Eleftheriadou (penalty), 1-1 Van de Kraats (penalty), 2-1 V. Pleuritou (district), 2-2 Van de Kraats (kicker), 2-3 Nogue (district) , 3-3 Siouti (p.p.), 4-3 Eletheriadou (region), 4-4 Bertrand (p.p.), 4-5 Espar (p.p.), 4-6 Kesteli (region), 5-6 Siouti (region), 6-6 Hydirioti (p.p.), 6-7 Bertrand (region), 7-7 Eleftheriadou (region), 7-8 Kesteli (p.p.), 8-8 Eleftheriadou (point), 9-8 Eleftheriadou (penalty), 10-8 Tricha (against), 11-8 V. Pleuritou (region), 11-9 Kesteli (region), 12-9 Eleftheriadou (region), 13 -9 Hydiriotis (fouler), 14-9 Eleftheriadou (against), 14-10 Noge (region), 15-10 Siuti (p.p.), 15-11 Van de Kraats (p.p.), 16-11 Elev. Pleuritou (region), 16-12 Sevenich (fouler).
Olympiacos had 4/8 with a player over, 2/2 penalties, 7 goals from the perimeter, 1 from the kicker position and 2 on the counter.
Mataro had 4/10 with a player over, 1/1 penalty, 5 goals from the perimeter and 2 from the penalty spot.
Avenio (5΄53΄΄ before the end of the match) and Noge (3΄18΄΄ before the end of the game) were expelled with three penalties.
Referees: Debrecen (Hungary), Margeta (Slovenia)
The compositions:
OLYMPIC (Dimitris Kravaritis): Stamatopoulou, Elev. Pleuritou 1, Hydirioti 2, Eleftheriadou 7, Tricha 1, Xenaki, Siouti 3, Marg. Pleuritou, Santa, V. Pleuritou 2, Drakotou, Myriokephalitaki, Nigro
MATARO (Daniel Bayart): Terre, Morel, Van de Kraats 3, Giral, Sevenich 1, Kesteli 3, Cambrai, Noguet 2, Avenio, Bertrand 2, Espar 1, Claveria, Aarts
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