Berlin, 30 May 2024 (dpa/MIA) — Ayoub El Kaabi scored in extra-time to secure Olympiacos a dramatic 1-0 win against Fiorentina and the Conference League title on home soil on Wednesday.

The late breakthrough came in the 116th minute as he steered a low header inside the near post. There was a lengthy video review to double-check the goal, but once it was confirmed, history was made for Greek football at the AEK Arena in Athens.

"I didn't know if it was for a foul or offside but once he said offside I knew it was a goal," forward Stevan Jovetic told TNT Sports of the long wait.

Olympiacos are originally from Piraeus, a port city within the Athens urban area and just eight kilometres southwest of Athens' city centre.

Coach José Luis Mendilibar secured back-to-back European trophies after last season's Europa League title with Sevilla.

First-ever European trophy for Greece

Olympiacos gave Greece a first-ever European title after becoming only the second Greek club to reach a European final, 53 years after Panathinaikos lost the Champions Cup decider in 1971 against Johan Cruyff's Ajax.

"Amazing. For Olympiakos and me. Really proud of my guys. We did great all year and deserved it. I have to compliment Fiorentina, two years in a row. A shame for them," Jovetic said.

Fiorentina, meanwhile, failed to end a title drought of more than 20 years and lost a second consecutive final in the third-tier European competition. Last year, they were defeated by West Ham.

Slow start, dramatic win

Fiorentina thought they had an early goal in the ninth minute but Nikola Milenkovic's effort was ruled out for offside.

Giacomo Bonaventura was well positioned to break the deadlock for the Italians in the 21st, but his shot from close range was weak and an easy save for goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis.

Olympiacos finally threatened in the 25th as Daniel Podence met a corner with a flicked header towards the goal but keeper Pietro Terracciano reacted well to stop the ball on his line.

Milenkovic headed the ball off target after a corner in the 65th, while Christian Kouame caused Tzolakis some trouble with his attempt four minutes later, but the Olympiacos keeper acrobatically lifted his arm to make a save.

The Greek team got close to a late winner in the 80th, but Vicente Iborra's header went very slightly off target.

With the stalemate after 90 minutes, the game went into extra-time and Olympiacos forced Terracciano into another great save, this time keeping Jovetic out.

But the Greek team was finally on target and could celebrate on home soil in the 116th. Santiago Hezze swung the ball in from the left to find El Kaabi, who threw himself at it to send a low header into the net.

This was El Kaabi's 16th European goal of the 2023-24 season (two in Europa League qualifiers, three in Europa League group stages and 11 in Europa Conference League knockout rounds), which makes him the top scorer in a European campaign since Cristiano Ronaldo hit the same amount of Champions League goals for Real Madrid in 2015-16.

Olympiacos will be in the Europa League next season as a result of this win, while Fiorentina will be back in the Conference League for a third consecutive season.