Aston Villa’s journey in the Europa Conference League hit a stumbling block as they encountered a tumultuous defeat against Olympiakos in the first leg of the semi-final. Captain John McGinn candidly expressed the team’s sentiments, acknowledging that “Everything that could have gone wrong, did.”
The match witnessed a flurry of events with Ayoub El Kaabi leading Olympiakos’ charge, securing a hat-trick for the visitors, including two early goals. Despite Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby’s efforts to level the playing field for Unai Emery’s side, Olympiakos surged ahead with a penalty from El Kaabi and a deflected strike by Santiago Hezze.
McGinn, reflecting on the performance, admitted to errors on multiple fronts, emphasizing accountability within the team. Despite the daunting task of overturning a two-goal deficit in the upcoming second leg in Piraeus on May 9th, McGinn remained resolute, citing the team’s capability and the manager’s unwavering positivity.
El Kaabi’s clinical finish kickstarted Olympiakos’ dominance, initially disallowed for offside but later validated upon VAR review. His second goal, a product of Daniel Podence’s astute pass, showcased Olympiakos’ prowess. Villa managed to claw back momentarily with Watkins’ late first-half goal and Diaby’s equalizer early in the second half.
However, Olympiakos capitalized on crucial moments, as El Kaabi converted a penalty and Hezze’s fortuitous strike, deflected off Ezri Konsa, further widened the gap. Despite a late penalty opportunity for Villa, Douglas Luiz’s failure to convert compounded their woes, leaving the home fans in disbelief.
Source – Olympiakos outclasses Aston Villa in chaotic Europa Conference League clash (mundodeportivo.com)
