Olympiacos ended their pre-season friendly schedule with a 3-2 defeat away to AZ Alkmaar on Saturday, a result that masks a strong first-half performance but highlights late-game defensive lapses. The Greek side, managed by José Luis Mendilibar, had shown a clear improvement from the previous friendly against Antwerp, controlling the match for an hour before conceding three times in the final 18 minutes. The fixture was their final rehearsal before the competitive season opener: a Champions League third qualifying round tie against NEC Nijmegen, set for 4 August at the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus.

An authoritative first half

The match at the AFAS Stadion in Alkmaar began evenly as both sides sought rhythm, but Olympiacos gradually seized the initiative. In the 24th minute, midfielder Santiago Hezze struck a powerful long-range effort that AZ goalkeeper De Busser failed to hold; Ayoub El Kaabi reacted quickest, slotting home the rebound from close range to make it 1-0. The goal injected confidence into the visitors, who continued to press. El Kaabi narrowly missed a second goal before half-time when he headed a Rodinei cross off target. Deep in first-half stoppage time, Christos Muzakitis swung in a corner from the right and centre-back David Carmo rose at the near post to power a header into the net for 2-0. Olympiacos looked in complete command at the break.

The collapse begins

After the interval, Olympiacos initially maintained control. Goalkeeper Stournaras was called upon early to palm away a tricky corner, while at the opposite end Giorgos Masouras squandered a golden opportunity in the 63rd minute, firing wide after a Bruno cross. Two minutes later Masouras found Mehdi Taremi in the box, but the Iranian forward could not convert. Those missed chances left the door open for the Dutch hosts. AZ Alkmaar reduced the deficit in the 72nd minute when Mees Meerdink found space on the left and beat the goalkeeper with a clinical left-footed finish.

Own goal and late penalty decide it

Five minutes later, the equaliser arrived in unfortunate fashion. A low delivery from Patatis was intended for a teammate but struck Carmo, redirecting the ball past his own goalkeeper to make it 2-2. The own goal rattled Olympiacos, who had already been forced into two injury substitutions: Hezze and Saliakas both limped off, while winger Bruno was also feeling discomfort. With time running out, AZ Alkmaar continued to push forward. In the 89th minute the referee awarded a penalty for a foul inside the area, and Meerdink calmly converted to complete his brace and seal a 3-2 victory. The late spot-kick capped a disastrous final quarter-hour in which Olympiacos conceded three unanswered goals.

Focus shifts to Champions League qualifier

The friendly defeat, though not decisive in terms of silverware, delivers a sharp reality check ten days before Olympiacos host NEC Nijmegen in a must-win European qualifier. Mendilibar's side showed improved ball circulation and chance creation relative to their previous outing, sustaining a high level for roughly 60 minutes. However, the inability to close out a match from a position of strength and the accumulation of injuries are pressing issues. With the 4 August fixture looming, the manager must quickly rebuild defensive organisation and assess the fitness of several key players. The Champions League campaign, and a significant portion of the club's season objectives, will hinge on that tie.