Olympiakos made an impressive debut in their first European semi-final match, with striker Ayoub El Kaabi scoring a hat-trick to lead his team to a 4-2 victory over Aston Villa. The win puts Olympiakos in a good position to advance to the final of the Europa Conference League, which will take place in Athens later this month.
Despite being considered underdogs against Villa, who were favorites to win the tournament due to their manager Unai Emery’s success in the Europa League, Olympiakos showed no signs of nerves and dominated the game. Villa captain John McGinn admitted that his team made mistakes and needed to improve in the second leg in Greece.
El Kaabi, the Moroccan striker, was instrumental in Olympiakos’ victory, scoring three goals including a penalty. Villa, who are currently fourth in the Premier League, will now have to fight hard to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League.
In the other semi-final match, Fiorentina secured a 3-2 win over 10-man Club Brugge, with M’Bala Nzola scoring a stoppage-time winner. The result gives Fiorentina a slight advantage going into the second leg, but Brugge will have home advantage and a chance to turn the tie around.
Overall, it was an eventful night in the Europa Conference League semi-finals, with Olympiakos and Fiorentina taking the lead in their respective matches. Fans can expect thrilling second legs as the teams battle it out for a spot in the final.
