06/12/2005
Rivaldo lifts Olympiakos to win over Real Madrid
Brazilian striker Rivaldo scored with three minutes
remaining in the match to give Olympiakos their first Group F Champions League
win of the season, a 2-1 victory over a largely second-string Real Madrid team.
Despite the win, Olympiakos finished in last place in the group while Real
Madrid had already secured second place before the match and the right to
continue into the next round.
Real Madrid, which sacked its coach Venderlei Luxemburgo over the weekend and
replaced him with second team mentor Ramon Lopez Caro, came into the contest
having left its top players in Spain.
Five of Real's starting line-up were playing for the first time in the Champions
League this season.
Real Madrid moved into an early 1-0 lead when 19-year-old defender Sergio Ramos
headed a Raul Bravo free-kick in the seventh minute past Olympiakos goalie
Antonis Nikopolidis.
Nine minute later the visitors nearly added another goal when Julio Cesar
Baptista smacked the home team's crossbar on a free kick from just outside the
penalty box.
While Real Madrid dominated most of the action in the first half, it was
Olympiakos which took control in the second half.
After a number of spurned scoring opportunities by Olympiakos, the home fans
were brought to their feet in the 50th minute when Turkish defender Erol Bulut
volleyed the ball from just outside the penalty box past Real goalkeeper Diego
Lopez, who was making his Champions League debut.
Just when it looked like the match would end 1-1, Olympiakos' prized midfielder
Yaya Toure dribbled the ball to the right side drawing Lopez and the Real Madrid
defense to leave Rivaldo with a simple tap-in in the 87th minute.
