Olympiakos wins first European title for Greek clubs in UEFA Youth League final
Olympiacos’ Theofanis Bakoulas, right, scores during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Athanasios Koutsogoulas, center right, holds up the trophy after winning the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Christos Mouzakitis, center, celebrates scoring during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Theofanis Bakoulas, right, scores during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Theofanis Bakoulas, right, scores during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Athanasios Koutsogoulas, center right, holds up the trophy after winning the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Athanasios Koutsogoulas, center right, holds up the trophy after winning the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Christos Mouzakitis, center, celebrates scoring during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Olympiacos’ Christos Mouzakitis, center, celebrates scoring during the Youth League Final against AC Milan at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
NYON, Switzerland (AP) — A three-goal spree in six second-half minutes lifted Olympiakos to a first European title for Greek soccer clubs on Monday after beating AC Milan 3-0 in the UEFA Youth League final.
The senior Olympiakos team can quickly make it two UEFA titles in the Europa Conference League next month. Olympiakos plays Aston Villa in the semifinals.
Victory for Olympiakos was a triumph for owner Evangelos Marinakis one day after his relegation-threatened club in England, Nottingham Forest, challenged the integrity of the video review match official in a Premier League game it lost at Everton.
On Monday, VAR helped Olympiakos take the lead. A penalty was awarded only after a video review spotted a handball by Milan’s Polish midfielder Dariusz Stalmach.
Christos Mouzakitis scored in the 60th minute with a perfect left-footed spot kick sent low beyond Milan goalkeeper Noah Ravyere diving to his left.
Less than two minutes later, Antonios Papkanellos beat Ravyere with a shot from a tight angle.
An overhead kick by Theofanis Bakoulas sealed the win in the 66th.
No Italian club has won the UEFA youth title in 10 editions and Milan was the first to reach the final, played at the stadium next to UEFA headquarters.
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