Volleyball
How Olympiacos wins the cup in the rematch against Maccabi Tel Aviv
Olympiacos beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 3-0 in the first Challenge Cup final in Israel, making life a whole lot easier ahead of the second leg on their way to their third European title.
Olympiacos advanced to the final of the Challenge Cup in very impressive fashion, providing the ultimate upset in the semifinals with four straight sets against Panathinaikos and with psychology at its peak, Maccabi ‘didn’t see’ Tel Aviv on Sunday night In Shlomo Group Arena.
The 3,500 fans who filled the stadium made for a heated atmosphere, but Giuliani’s players seemed to be enjoying themselves and excelled in defense (receiving) and attack (using their big guns in serving and blocking) to make it in the first final to achieve a sovereign 3: 0 .
Now the Piraeus have luck on their hands, not only because they have the second game at home and welcome the Israelis to SEF next Wednesday (15/03) but because they pulled off a clean win that put them just . ..two sets of the trophy.
Essentially, they will add the Challenge Cup alongside their Cup Winners’ Cup (1996) and Top Teams Cup (2005) if they win the second leg by any result or even lose 3-2 sets.
Source: sport 24
Alberta Robinson is a sports journalist and author, who is currently associated with the publication Sportish, where she writes about sports related news and events. With a passion for sports and a keen eye for detail, Robinson brings in-depth analysis and insightful commentary to her writing.