Olympiakos was held to a 0-0 draw at home by Dutch side NEC Nijmegen in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie on Tuesday, leaving the contest finely balanced ahead of next week’s return leg in the Netherlands.
The Piraeus club struggled to impose itself against an energetic NEC side, with goalkeeper Balsa Popovic making several important saves to keep Olympiakos level. At the other end, NEC goalkeeper Gonzalo Crettaz denied efforts from David Carmo, Rodinei and Ayoub El Kaabi.
Olympiakos’ best early chance came in the 13th minute when Crettaz tipped away Carmo’s header from a Christos Mouzakitis corner. El Kaabi also forced a fine save before halftime.
NEC threatened more frequently after the break, with Jamiro Monteiro twice testing Popovic, while Olympiakos struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Olympiakos coach José Luis Mendilibar admitted his side had been caught off guard by NEC’s aggressive approach.
