Olympiacos won its second European title in as many years: the Greeks clinched the LEN Trophy in 2014 and now the Euro League. They edged out title-holder Sabadell in a thrilling final, becoming the second team in history whose men’s and women’s teams could win the most prestigious club tournament respectively.
Key action:
The final was simply fantastic. Sabadell started in a commanding way, they led 4-1 in the second quarter but Olympiacos, backed by 2,000 enthusiastic fans, scored twice in 47 seconds before the middle break. The first turning point came in the third period, when Olympiacos netted three connecting goals after 5-3 and took the lead for the first time at 5-6 and later went to 6-8, thanks to brilliant goals from their Aussie player, Ashley Southern (she hit 4 in the evening).
However, Sabadell wasn’t done, the title-holder showed their strength and with a double from Jennifer Pareja in the fourth they were ahead again at 9-8. Few would have guessed that the Spaniards would not score any more in the remaining 5:14 minutes. But the Greeks’ defence worked well, after Triantafyllia Manolioudaki equalised, Olympiacos denied two 6 on 5s of Sabadell and it was Manolioudaki again who found the back of the net in the last moments of a man-up with 33 seconds to go. It proved to be the game-winner – bringing the Euro League title to Olympiacos after a LEN Trophy win in last year.
The Greek club has also become the second European team in history whose men’s and women’s side has clinched the top honours in continental water polo.
Match data:
The quarters: 1-2, 2-2, 5-3, 2-2
Goals:
1st quarter: 0-1 Espar, 1-1 Southern, 1-2 Forca
2nd quarter: 1-3 Espar, 1-4 Garcia, 2-4 Manoloudaki, 3-4 M. Plevritou
3rd quarter: 3-5 Morales, 4-5 Bianconi, 5-5 Southern, 6-5 Avramidou, 6-6 Forca, 7-6 Southern, 8-6 Southern, 8-7 Forca
4th quarter: 8-8 Pareja, 8-9 Pareja, 9-9 Manolioudaki, 10-9 Manolioudaki
Squads:
Olympiacos (Teocharis Pavlides): Diamantopoulou, El. Plevritou, Tetzalidou, Manolioudaki 3, Avramidou 1, Asimaki, M. Plevritou 1, Kalogerakou, Southern 4, Bianconi 1, Niarchakou, Stamatopoulou
Sabadell: Ester, Ortiz, Espar 2, Dagmar, Abilan, Pareja 2, Cordobes, Garcia 1, Pena, Doemench, Morales 1, Forca 3, Sanchez, Gonzalez
Olympiacos won its second European title in as many years: the Greeks clinched the LEN Trophy in 2014 and now the Euro League. They edged out title-holder Sabadell in a thrilling final, becoming the second team in history whose men’s and women’s teams could win the most prestigious club tournament respectively.
Key action:
The final was simply fantastic. Sabadell started in a commanding way, they led 4-1 in the second quarter but Olympiacos, backed by 2,000 enthusiastic fans, scored twice in 47 seconds before the middle break. The first turning point came in the third period, when Olympiacos netted three connecting goals after 5-3 and took the lead for the first time at 5-6 and later went to 6-8, thanks to brilliant goals from their Aussie player, Ashley Southern (she hit 4 in the evening).
However, Sabadell wasn’t done, the title-holder showed their strength and with a double from Jennifer Pareja in the fourth they were ahead again at 9-8. Few would have guessed that the Spaniards would not score any more in the remaining 5:14 minutes. But the Greeks’ defence worked well, after Triantafyllia Manolioudaki equalised, Olympiacos denied two 6 on 5s of Sabadell and it was Manolioudaki again who found the back of the net in the last moments of a man-up with 33 seconds to go. It proved to be the game-winner – bringing the Euro League title to Olympiacos after a LEN Trophy win in last year.
The Greek club has also become the second European team in history whose men’s and women’s side has clinched the top honours in continental water polo.
Match data:
The quarters: 1-2, 2-2, 5-3, 2-2
Goals:
1st quarter: 0-1 Espar, 1-1 Southern, 1-2 Forca
2nd quarter: 1-3 Espar, 1-4 Garcia, 2-4 Manoloudaki, 3-4 M. Plevritou
3rd quarter: 3-5 Morales, 4-5 Bianconi, 5-5 Southern, 6-5 Avramidou, 6-6 Forca, 7-6 Southern, 8-6 Southern, 8-7 Forca
4th quarter: 8-8 Pareja, 8-9 Pareja, 9-9 Manolioudaki, 10-9 Manolioudaki
Squads:
Olympiacos (Teocharis Pavlides): Diamantopoulou, El. Plevritou, Tetzalidou, Manolioudaki 3, Avramidou 1, Asimaki, M. Plevritou 1, Kalogerakou, Southern 4, Bianconi 1, Niarchakou, Stamatopoulou
Sabadell: Ester, Ortiz, Espar 2, Dagmar, Abilan, Pareja 2, Cordobes, Garcia 1, Pena, Doemench, Morales 1, Forca 3, Sanchez, Gonzalez
