Old foes reunite in women’s Greek Cup final

The stage is set for a fiery showdown as the powerhouse Olympiacos takes on the resilient Vouliagmeni in the highly anticipated final of the women’s Greek Cup tomorrow.

The reigning champions dominated Alimos in the semi-finals, crushing them 17-7 with a commanding performance. Meanwhile, Vouliagmeni made quick work of Ethnikos, securing a 13-5 victory, with star player Amy Ridge leading the charge with four goals.

This final will be a battle of the titans, between Olympiacos and Vouliagmeni. The Red-Whites have a  dominant record of four out of the last five Cup final victories, while Vouliagmeni, with their fearless spirit, proving to be one of a select few teams in Europe that can go toe-to-toe with the beast that is Olympiacos. 

The two teams have faced off before in the Cup Final, with Olympiacos winning three of their four Cup final encounters, but Vouliagmeni will hope to draw inspiration from their thrilling 10-8 victory back in 2019. Only a single goal separated the two teams when they met earlier this season (12-11). 

The tension is palpable as the two teams gear up for what promises to be a breathtaking match, with the winner walking away with the coveted Greek trophy. 

Women’s Greek Cup, Semi-Finals

Ethnikos 5 – 13 NC Vouliagmeni (1-5, 1-4, 1-2, 2-2)

Ethnikos: E. Sotireli, A. Karampetsou 1, M. Borisova 2, V. Laskaridou, I. Kontoni, E. Beta, F. Chatzikyriakaki, A. Benekou 1, M. Rakintzi, E. Kanetidou, I. Benekou , A. Andrews, A. Bekri, E. Katsimpri 1, A Klapsianou

Vouliagmeni: M. Kotsioni, S. Kaifa 1, D. Kalogeropoulou, E. Elliniadi 2, A. Giannopoulou 2, A. Ridge 4, J. Vidali, E. Wright, K. Stratidaki 3, D. Andreadi, M. Mimidi, F. Angelidi 1, E. Patra, E. Markatseli, N. Krassa

Vouliagmeni have once again returned to the Greek Cup final with a straight-forward victory over Ethnikos, 13-5. 

It’s fair to say this was not exactly a tight quarter final, and it bore no resemblance to the 13-10 game played back in early December. Stefano Leandros’ side were simply nowhere near the level they needed to be against a formidable Vouliagmeni outfit, and their hopes of a third successive Greek Cup final are left in tatters. 

From the opening whistle, the 2019 winners set the pace, dominating the game with a dynamic attack, supported by a rock-solid defence. 

Despite Ethnikos’ best efforts, Vouliagmeni’s defence kept them at bay and the first half ended with a score of 9-2. Aussie Stinger Amy Ridge – who is enjoying an excellent season on the Attica coastline – shone again in this match, scoring four goals for her team.

The first women’s semi-final saw an electrifying start with Kiki Stratidaki scoring a stunning goal, with a delightful first-time spin shot. Ethnikos quickly replied with a powerful goal from Russian powerhouse, Mariia Borisova. 

But Vouliagmeni’s Amy Ridge and Phoebe Angelidi stepped up with two consecutive goals, putting them in commanding position, with a 5-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

In the second, Vouliagmeni continued to dominate, with Amy Ridge and Kiki Stratidaki adding to the Nautical Club’s tally (9-2). 

In the second half, Amy Ridge racked up her third goal, with Emma Wright setting her up for the score. Athena Giannopoulou also made a noteworthy contribution, scoring twice in the game. 

Despite Ethnikos’ attempts to reduce the deficit in the closing exchanges, Vouliagmeni’s lead was too great, and Kiki Liosi’s team booked their place in their fourth Greek Cup Final. 

Alimos NAC 7 – 17 Olympiacos Piraeus (1-7, 2-2, 2-5, 2-3)

Alimos: E. Lazaris, N. Chaldaiou, E. Kovacevic, N. Piovan 1, J. Lykothanasis 2, E. Paterou 1, A. Asimaki 2, S. Logothetis, L. Mihailovic, M. Bitsakou 1, E. Tsimara, I. Helmi, M. Karagianni, S. Kirkou, A. Bitsakou 

Olympiacos: C. Diamantopoulou, E. Plevritou 3, I. Chydirioti 1, N. Eleftheriadou, F. Tricha 2, E. Xenaki 2, C. Siouti, M. Plevritou 1, S. Tornarou 1, V. Plevritou 4, K. Christmas, M. Myriokefalitaki 2, I. Stamatopoulou, S. Santa 1, Z. Tjortzakaki

Olympiacos steamrolled Alimos in emphatic style, beating the newly promoted side by ten goals (17-7). 

Two of the Plevritou sisters had a big impact on the match, with the youngest Vasiliki netting a quad of goals in the match, while Eleftheria – recently nominated for LEN’s player of the year award, scored all three of her goals in the first quarter. 

Alimos, in their first ever Greek Cup Semi-Final, have to accept that they are not ready to compete alongside Europe’s top team. They can be proud of getting to the semi finals, and even with the manner in which they were defeated. But Olympiacos book their place in the final tomorrow, in a bid to retain their Greek cup title tomorrow against Vouliagmeni. 

In the first eight minutes, Eleftheria Plevritou kicked off the formalities with a dazzling hat-trick, putting Olympiacos in the lead with a score of 7-1. 

Despite Alimos holding off any further damage in the second period, Olympiacos were comfortable and leading with conviction. Asimaki, uncharacteristically, missed a 5m penalty against the club that forged her as a legend. Meanwhile, Vasiliki Plevritou, did not extend the same courtesy to Alimos, converting her two penalties in the quarter (9-3). 

From there, it was plain sailing for the Red-Whites, who effortlessly saw the game out. Eleni Xenaki and Foteini Tricha added a brace each to widen the margin of victory.

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