Last Saturday, AE Kifisia FC faced Olympiacos FC (2-3) in the Super League. A win that, while a moment of glory for the Erythrolefki, left one player unable to celebrate with the starting eleven.
Thrylos had a very tight matchup for more than 90 minutes. In the first half, they had possession, but Kifisia regained the pace in the second half, which mattered most because that is where all the goals were scored.
In the second half, Hormiga warmed up on the sideline, waiting for a call-up, but the opportunity never came.
The Olympiacos coach, Imanol Alguacil, chose to make changes, bringing on 28-year-old forward Marius Mouandilmadji, who, by the way, scored in the 71st minute, thereby ruling out the 23-year-old.
Armando Gonzalez has gone two matches in a row without starting. In fact, for the match against GS Marko (0-2) in the Greek Cup, Hormiga was not even called up to attend as a substitute.
Doubt among fans grows: while Olympiacos seems to advance comfortably in the standings, currently in second place behind Panathinaikos, Armando seems to be stagnating.
The exact reason Imanol is setting Armando aside isn’t entirely clear, but it is highly likely the Spanish coach simply prefers Marius or Roman Yaremchuk’s profile.
The Olympiacos No. 34 has three goals and two assists in the Greek Cup and one in the Europa League. This may also be influencing Alguacil’s decision not to select him for the Super League, but there is an inconsistency: since he doesn’t give him minutes in the league, he cannot score those goals.
Olympiacos will face Stade Rennais FC on Nov. 4 in the Europa League, where Imanol will have to choose between Yaremchuk and Armando. Marius is not an option because he is not registered for the competition, as he was a last-minute signing.
According to the media, Hormiga remains hopeful despite the bad omens, so he may see an opportunity to shine as a starter against his next French opponent.
Statistically, Gonzalez shows much greater ability than Yaremchuk, as he is faster, more intelligent in his positioning, and more accurate in front of goal.
A few days remain until the matchup, so we will have to keep an eye on Imanol’s choices. Maybe we’ll finally see him shine again at Roazhon Park after a 2-match drought.
