Olympiacos won Lokomotiv Baku 3-0 easily at ‘’M.Merkouri’’ making the first step for the qualification to the next round. The players had an excellent performance throughout the game without giving the opportunity to the opponent to react and claim the victory. Now, it has to defend its advantage in the rematch held in Baku (1/2) so as to celebrate the qualification. Oivanen and Aleksiev scored 12 points and Bohme added 9.

Key action:

The ‘’Reds’’ started the first set strongly taking the lead in the first technical timeout (8-4). It kept this margin until 14-10. Then, the guests tried to react and tied the set (18-18). Olympiacos reacted immediately with Aleksiev scoring to equalise (20-20) and regaining the lead. The Greek team run a 3-0 streak and won the first set. 

Improved the performance in the second set!

In the second set, Olympiacos was a lot improved and preceded with 8-5 and 16-7 in the two technical timeouts. The ‘’Reds’’ kept this margin (19-10) and then increased to a two-digit one with a point by Aleksiev (23-13). The set ended 25-15 for Olympiacos. 

Broke the European record!

The ‘’Legend’’ was also the dominant in the third set. Specifically, it won 25-8 which is the record of the largest margin in a set of European competitions. The previous record was 25-12 since 2000. Now, the team is focusing on the rematch in Baku so as to secure the qualification. 

Match stats: 

The sets: 3-0: 25-22 (26’), 25-15 (22’), 25-8 (19’)

1st set: 8-4, 16-13, 21-20, 25-22

2nd set: 8-5, 16-7, 21-12, 25-15

3rd set: 8-3, 16-6, 21-7, 25-8

Statistics: 

Olympiacos (Munoz Benitez Fernando): Oivanen 12 (9/16 attacks, 3 blocks), Petreas 4 (3/7 attacks, 1 block), Bohme 9 (6/7 attacks, 1 ace, 2 blocks), Drzyzga 2 (1/1 attack, 1 block), Aleksiev 12 (10/15 attacks, 1 ace, 1 block, 47% pos-13% exc.), Rauwerdink 10 (9/17 attacks, 1 ace, 75% pos-50% exc.), Stefanou (L, 67% pos-67% exc.), Daridis (L), Zoupani, Roumeliotakis 

Lokomotiv Baku (Farid Jalalov): Bayramov 4 (4/16, 64% pos- 50% exc.), Vasilenko 10 (9/21 attacks, 1 ace, 36% pos- 20% exc.), Samadov 6 (5/20 attacks, 1 block), Obodnikov 3 (2/7 attacks, 1 block), Chervyakov 3 (1/2 attacks, 2 aces), Kazachkov 2 (1/3 attacks, 1 ace), Allahverdiyev (70% pos – 40% exc.), Abdurazakov 1 (1/4 attacks, 50% pos – 50% exc.), Aliyev, Baranov 1 (1/4 attacks)

Quotes: 

Benitez said: ‘’ It was a good game for us. We controlled it from the beginning. The opponent tied just between the two technical timeouts of the first set and this happened because of our bad performance. I am very happy. Congratulations to players who were concentrated throughout the game.’’

Bohme stated: ‘’3-0 is a clear result for us. In the first set, the other team  was close to the score but then we won the set with our good performance. We stayed concentrated and the rest of the game was easy as we played as we have been prepared.’’