Olympiacos F.C. 0-0 Pafos FC Player Ratings: Derrick Luckassen Rated 8.5 as Teams Share Points in Frustrating Draw

Olympiacos endured a deeply frustrating evening at the Stadio Georgios Karaiskáki, as they were held to a 0-0 draw by a resolute Pafos FC side, who played the majority of the match with ten men. In a fixture the hosts were widely expected to win comfortably, they failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage, and were ultimately left to rue a lack of cutting edge in front of goal.

The Cypriot visitors were reduced to ten men in the 25th minute after Bruno received a second yellow card, but rather than collapse, Pafos responded with remarkable defensive discipline. Olympiacos dominated possession and launched wave after wave of attacks, yet found themselves repeatedly denied by a combination of last-ditch defending and poor finishing.

The situation deteriorated further for the home side in the second half when substitute Mehdi Taremi was shown a straight red card, reducing both teams to ten men. From that moment on, Olympiacos appeared to lose momentum and urgency, allowing Pafos to hold on for what will undoubtedly be seen as a historic result for the Cypriot club.

For Olympiacos, this goalless stalemate represents a significant missed opportunity; for Pafos FC, it was a testament to tactical resilience and defensive heroism on the European stage. Here are Olympiacos vs Pafos Player ratings:

Olympiacos F.C. Player Ratings vs Pafos FC

Goalkeeper

Alexandros Paschalakis - 6.5: Honestly, he could have brought a book to read. Pafos managed only one shot on target all game. He had virtually nothing to do. A clean sheet is always a plus, but he was never really tested. An incredibly quiet evening for the keeper.

Defenders

Francisco Ortega - 7.0: A lively presence on the left flank. He was always looking to get forward and support the attack. Put in a few decent crosses and was solid defensively. A good, energetic performance without being spectacular.

Lorenzo Pirola - 7.0: Looked very solid before being substituted. He passed the ball well from the back and won almost all of his duels. The yellow card was a slight blemish on an otherwise commanding display. We were a bit surprised to see him taken off.

Panagiotis Retsos - 7.5: The captain was one of the few who can hold his head high. He was incredibly composed and his passing was almost flawless. He even ventured forward to test the keeper twice. A true leader's performance from our perspective.

Rodinei - 6.5: He was a willing runner down the right for his hour on the pitch. He tried to force the issue with his crossing. But the final ball just wasn't there for him. A decent effort but lacked that cutting edge.

Midfielders

Dani García - 6.0: A really quiet first half from him. His 100% pass accuracy is nice on paper, but he didn't influence the game at all. Picked up a needless yellow card and was rightly hooked at halftime. A performance to forget.

Chiquinho - 7.5: He was a real bright spark in a dull attack. Created four chances and his delivery from wide areas was excellent. He worked his socks off defensively too. It felt like he was trying to win the game on his own sometimes.

Santiago Hezze - 7.0: A typically industrious performance in the engine room. He was a machine, winning four tackles and breaking up play effectively. Kept the ball moving, although he did lose it a few times. A solid, hard-working display.

Daniel Podence - 7.0: It was a night of pure frustration for Podence. He was the main creative outlet, creating chances and trying to take players on. But he also lost the ball an incredible 30 times. A mixed bag of near-brilliance and frustrating decisions.

Gabriel Strefezza - 5.5: We barely noticed he was playing in the first half. He was completely anonymous and offered nothing going forward. It was no surprise to see him substituted at the interval. A really disappointing showing.

Forwards

Ayoub El Kaabi - 5.0: Oh dear. It just wasn't his night. He missed two absolute sitters that a striker of his quality should be burying. His movement got him into the right positions, but his finishing was dreadful. He cost his team the three points.

Substitutes

Christos Mouzakitis - 6.5: Brought on at halftime and added a bit of life. His deliveries from corners were dangerous. A decent contribution.

Mehdi Taremi - 3.0: What a disaster. He came on to be the hero and ended up the villain. A reckless, stupid challenge saw him get a straight red card. He completely let his team and the manager down.

Costinha - 6.0: Came on for Rodinei and was steady. He didn't do anything wrong but didn't provide the spark that was needed.

Stavros Pnevmonidis - N/A: Only on for the final 15 minutes, not enough time to make an impact.

Giulian Biancone - N/A: A late sub who missed a headed chance.

Manager

J. Mendilibar Etxebarria - 5.5: He'll be tearing his hair out after this one. His team had all the ball but couldn't score against 10 men. The Taremi substitution was an absolute catastrophe that backfired spectacularly. He couldn't find a way to break down a stubborn defence.

Pafos FC Player Ratings vs Olympiacos F.C.

Goalkeeper

Neofytos Michail - 8.0: An absolutely heroic performance between the sticks. He made three crucial saves to keep his side level. Commanded his box with authority and was a calming presence. He single-handedly earned his team this point.

Defenders

David Luiz - 6.5: Was having a pretty solid game until injury sadly cut his night short. He was organizing the backline and made some important clearances. A real shame he couldn't continue.

Derrick Luckassen - 8.5: Our Man of the Match. This was one of the best defensive performances we've seen in a long time. The man was a human wall, making an incredible 19 clearances. He blocked everything and threw his body on the line. A colossal performance.

João Correia - 6.5: Had a very difficult job marking Podence but he stuck to his task well. He worked tirelessly for the team and won his tackles. A disciplined and hard-working display before his substitution.

Midfielders

David Goldar - 6.5: The captain led by example with his battling spirit. He was fighting for every ball in midfield. Should have done better with a big headed chance, but you can't fault his effort. A proper captain's shift.

Ivan Sunjic - 7.5: A classic destroyer performance. He was immense in breaking up play, winning all four of his tackles. Olympiacos's midfield just couldn't get past him. A vital cog in the defensive machine.

Pêpê - 7.5: Another defensive hero for the visitors. He seemed to be everywhere, making 10 clearances from midfield. Not only did he defend brilliantly, but he also created a couple of chances on the break. A complete performance.

Jajá - 6.5: He was an absolute nuisance. He worked incredibly hard, won duels, and drew fouls to give his defence a breather. His passing was a bit hit-and-miss. But his energy was crucial.

Vlad Dragomir - 6.0: Ran his socks off but struggled to get into the game. He lost the majority of his duels and didn't offer much on the ball. An honest effort but lacked quality.

Forwards

Bruno - 2.0: What was he thinking? A moment of pure madness to get two yellow cards in 25 minutes. He put his team in a horrible position and was incredibly selfish. A truly dreadful and unprofessional performance.

Landry Dimata - N/A: He was on the pitch for 33 minutes but only had three touches. He was the unfortunate player sacrificed after the red card. Impossible to give him a rating.

Substitutes

Mislav Orsic - 6.0: Came on and tried a couple of shots from distance but didn't trouble the keeper.

Kostas Pileas - 6.5: Replaced the injured David Luiz and fitted in seamlessly. Made no mistakes and helped see out the clean sheet.

Bruno Langa - 6.0: Brought on for the final stretch to shore things up. He did his job, even if he did pick up a yellow card.

Ken Sema - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Anderson Silva - N/A: A very late sub.

Manager

J. Carcedo Mardones - 8.0: A tactical masterclass from the Pafos manager. His team went down to 10 men early, but he organized them magnificently. They were compact, resilient, and fully deserved their point. He should be incredibly proud of his team's spirit.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match goes to Derrick Luckassen