Djordjevic decisive for Olympiacos

By Vassiliki Papantonopoulou

A first-half strike from captain Predrag Djordjevic earned Olympiacos CFP a slender lead in the first leg of their Greek Cup semi-final tie at AEK Athens FC.

Olympiacos advantage
Olympiacos took control of the match early on in the Olympic Stadium and took the lead after just eight minutes as Djordjevic powered in a left-footed shot from distance. AEK attempted to upset the visitors with their counterattacking tactics but were often caught out by their efficient offside trap.

AEK fightback
An eventful second half saw AEK wrest control of the match and press the away side back. On 59 minutes Konstantinos Katsouranis hit the post with a header, and then saw his follow-up effort on the rebound strike the opposite upright. Julio Cesar was on hand after the ball rebounded for a second time, only for his attempt to came back off the crossbar and the Olympiacos goal somehow to remain unbreached.

Cesar denied
Another Cesar shot was kept out by Olympiacos goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis, before another Katsouranis strike came back off the post. AEK were awarded a free-kick just outside the penalty area in added time, but almost inevitably, Vladimir Ivic's shot hit the crossbar.

Return legs
The second leg will take place on 27 April in the Karaiskaki Stadium in Piraeus. In the other semi-final second leg, Xanthi FC play host to Aris Thessaloniki FC holding a 2-1 advantage from the first meeting and with high hopes of reaching their first ever Greek Cup final on 21 May in the Panpeloponnisiako Stadium in Patras.