In a show of incredible resolve, Cypriot newcomers Pafos earned a hard-fought goalless draw against Olympiacos in their opening match of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League league phase, despite playing the majority of the match with just 10 men.
The UCL debutants, formed just 11 years ago, looked poised to make an immediate impact. Barely three minutes into the game, a charged-down clearance from Olympiacos goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis fell to Pafos’ Vlad Dragomir, whose shot trickled just wide. Jaja, the hero of the playoff round, followed up with a fierce effort in the 10th minute, forcing a save from Paschalakis.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the 26th minute when referee Istvan Kovacs issued a second yellow card to former Olympiacos player Bruno Felipe for a reckless challenge on Lorenzo Pirola. The sending-off forced Pafos to defend with a numerical disadvantage for the remaining hour of the match.
Despite their one-man advantage and a series of tactical changes, including the introduction of new signings Mehdi Taremi and Christos Mouzakitis, Olympiacos struggled to break through the resilient Cypriot defense. The Greek champions created the best chances of the second half, with Ayoub El Kaabi heading wide and Panagiotis Retsos forcing a brilliant goalline save from Neofytos Michael.
Ultimately, Olympiacos’ return to Europe’s top competition ended in frustration. For Pafos, however, the result is a massive morale boost as they return home to prepare for their next monumental challenge: a face-off against six-time UCL winners Bayern Munich.
