Chania - OFI
Greece - Greek Cup, Round 5
09-10-2023
OFI
OFI is coming off a significant victory, defeating AEK 2-0 in Heraklion on October 2nd in the Super League. They have now gone unbeaten for five consecutive matchdays, posting a record of 2 wins, 3 draws, and 0 losses. In this match, the forwards played a crucial role, with Felipe scoring the opening goal in the 5th minute, assisted by Bakic. The second goal was netted by Diko in the 83rd minute, with an assist from Abada. OFI faced little pressure in this match, with only two notable saves made by the talented goalkeeper Bowman, thwarting attempts from Mohammadi (33') and Gacinovic (81', free-kick). OFI did not pose a significant threat, and their efficiency, combined with the interventions of the excellent coach Dabrauskas from the sidelines, proved effective. In the previous season, they were eliminated in the 5th round of the Greek Cup, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Kifissia on the road. Due to a ban on fan movement imposed by the police, the club's management called on the public not to purchase tickets for the match. After the break (October 22nd), they will face Kifissia in a Championship match.
Chania
Chania has started the season impressively, securing four wins in as many official league and cup matches, all with a 2-0 scoreline. In Super League 2, they currently lead the South group with six points, having secured a 3-0 victory against Ionikos away and, last Monday, achieving the same score against Tilykratis at home. They took an early lead in the match against Tilykratis, with Manali scoring in the fifth minute. They extended their lead at the start of the second half with a goal from Lemonis, and in the 79th minute, Nikolics sealed the three points with another goal. In the Cup, they initially eliminated Apollon Pontos with a 2-1 victory in Crete and in the previous round, they defeated Kozani with the same score in the city of Macedonia. Despite falling behind in the score due to an own goal in the 24th minute, they bounced back and equalized in the 73rd minute with a goal from Baggiou. Three minutes before the end of regulation time, they completed the comeback with a goal from Celio.
The upcoming Cretan derby promises to be interesting despite the difference in categories. It remains uncertain what rotation OFI will implement, but aside from the absentees, the team primarily consists of main rotation players. Notably, they have experienced defensive losses, which may provide the home team with opportunities to score at least one goal.