Ayoub El Kaabi's extra-time heroics secured Olympiacos a dramatic 1-0 victory over Fiorentina and the Conference League title on home soil Wednesday.

El Kaabi's decisive moment came in the 116th minute when he directed a low header inside the near post. A lengthy video review ensued, but once the goal was confirmed, it marked a historic triumph 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 kilometers southwest of Athens' city center.

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

Olympiacos gave Greece its 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 Olympiacos 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.

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 minute, but his shot from close range was weak and an easy save for goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis.

Olympiacos finally threatened in the 25th minute as Daniel Podence met a corner with a flicked header toward 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 minute, 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 minute, but Vicente Iborra's header went just 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 minute. 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), making him the top scorer in a European campaign since Cristiano Ronaldo hit

the same number 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.