Cretan derby

Last updated

Cretan Derby
Το Κρητικό ντέρμπι
Other namesHeraklion Derby
Ηρακλειώτικο ντέρμπι
The Battle of Crete
Η Μάχη της Κρήτης
Location Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Teams
First meeting18 August 1929 (friendly)
Ergotelis 1–0 OFI
Latest meeting27 January 2019
Greek Football Cup
OFI Crete 1–1 Ergotelis (4-3 pens)
Next meetingTBD
Stadiums Pankritio Stadium (Ergotelis),
Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium (OFI)
Statistics
Meetings totalOfficial matches: 25 (since 2004)
Most wins OFI Crete (11)
Top scorerTBD
Largest victory2005–06 Super League
OFI Crete 4–0 Ergotelis


The Cretan derby (Greek : Το Κρητικό Ντέρμπι), also called Heraklion Derby (Greek : Ηρακλειώτικο ντέρμπι) or The Battle of Crete (Greek : Η Μάχη της Κρήτης), is an association football rivalry between Ergotelis and OFI, two teams from Heraklion, Crete. Historically, the derby has been the most iconic football rivalry on the island, as both clubs were the most prestigious representatives of Crete in the Greek Super League.

Contents

In recent years, however, the rivalry has been affected by Ergotelis's relegation. After several seasons in the lower tiers of Greek football, Ergotelis officially withdrew from national leagues in 2022 and began competing in the A1 EPSI , the fourth football tier and top local division in Heraklion. The club's decision to step back and focus on youth development has widened the gap between them and OFI, who remain in the Super League. As a result, the Cretan derby no longer holds the same competitive significance, with the two clubs now playing in vastly different leagues. The most recent Cretan derby was in 2019, when OFI eliminated Ergotelis in the Greek Football Cup . Both games ended in 1–1 ties, with OFI eventually qualifying by winning 4–3 in the penalty shootout. Since then, the clubs have not met in official competitions due to their different standings.

History

Ergotelis FC (right) and OFI FC (left) in the First Post-WWII Football Tournament Final (Victory Cup 1945) -- A Historic Cretan Derby at the Heraklion Stadium 'Chandax', Which Closed the Following Year The 1945 Cretan Derby between Ergotelis and OFI in the Victory Cup Final.jpg
Ergotelis FC (right) and OFI FC (left) in the First Post-WWII Football Tournament Final (Victory Cup 1945) — A Historic Cretan Derby at the Heraklion Stadium 'Chandax', Which Closed the Following Year

Social rivalry

Socially, Ergotelis and OFI have historically represented different demographics within Heraklion. Ergotelis primarily represented the upper middle class, while OFI attracted supporters from working-class areas. The two clubs were established nearly simultaneously in the 1920s, with OFI being founded in 1925 and Ergotelis following in 1929. Over the years, the rivalry has intensified, particularly in the 1960s, when matches between the two were considered major social events in Heraklion.

The Junta incident

The tension between the two clubs was further fueled during the Greek military junta. Following the 1966–67 season of the Greek Second National Division (Beta Ethniki), Ergotelis was relegated to amateur status due to a new law that limited the number of professional football clubs per city. Five of Ergotelis' key players were transferred to OFI, and Ergotelis fans have long attributed this incident to political interference by the junta, which they claim favored OFI. The rivalry remains deeply rooted in Heraklion's football culture today.

Football rivalry

While OFI has been historically more successful, achieving promotion to the Super League in 1968 and remaining there for most of the next three decades, Ergotelis lingered in the lower divisions until their resurgence in the early 2000s. Ergotelis earned their first promotion to the Super League in 2004, marking a new chapter in the rivalry.

Recent Decline of Ergotelis and its Effect on the Derby

Ergotelis’s withdrawal from the national leagues in 2022 marked a significant shift in the rivalry. The two teams, once fierce competitors in both local and national competitions, no longer compete at the same level. The last official derby match occurred in 2019 during the Greek Football Cup , and with Ergotelis now focused on rebuilding through youth development in the local leagues, it is unlikely the two sides will face each other again in the near future.

This shift has made the Cretan derby more of a symbolic rivalry than a competitive one, as OFI continues to perform in the top tier of Greek football while Ergotelis rebuilds in the amateur leagues. The rivalry, however, remains a key part of Cretan football history.

Head-to-Head Record

The Cretan Derby between OFI Crete and Ergotelis is steeped in history, with matches dating back to the late 1920s when the clubs were first established. The very first recorded match, a friendly on 18 August 1929, saw Ergotelis leading 1–0 against OFI , but the game was interrupted in the 35th minute due to a brawl between players from both teams. [1]


Below is a detailed breakdown of their head-to-head encounters from 2004 onwards, reflecting the modern era of their rivalry:

Head-to-Head StatisticData
OFI Crete Wins11
Ergotelis Wins6
Draws8
Total Goals Scored (OFI Crete)42
Total Goals Scored (Ergotelis)32

Full Match Results (2004–2021)

DateCompetitionHome TeamResultAway Team
2020/09/06INT CFOFI Crete0–2Ergotelis
2019/08/18INT CFOFI Crete2–2Ergotelis
2019/01/24Greek CupOFI Crete1–1 (4–3 pens)Ergotelis
2019/01/09Greek CupErgotelis1–1OFI Crete
2018/08/19INT CFOFI Crete2–1Ergotelis
2018/03/24Super League 2OFI Crete4–2Ergotelis
2017/12/04Super League 2Ergotelis2–4OFI Crete
2015/02/07Super LeagueErgotelis3–2OFI Crete
2014/12/05Super LeagueOFI Crete1–0Ergotelis
2014/02/18Super LeagueErgotelis0–1OFI Crete
2013/10/20Super LeagueOFI Crete1–1Ergotelis
2012/05/09INT CFOFI Crete3–4Ergotelis
2012/09/09INT CFOFI Crete2–2Ergotelis
2012/02/04Super LeagueErgotelis0–1OFI Crete
2011/10/02Super LeagueOFI Crete1–0Ergotelis
2009/04/13Super LeagueOFI Crete0–0Ergotelis
2008/12/15Super LeagueErgotelis1–3OFI Crete
2008/01/27Super LeagueErgotelis1–1OFI Crete
2007/10/01Super LeagueOFI Crete4–1Ergotelis
2007/02/04Super LeagueOFI Crete1–3Ergotelis
2006/09/24Super LeagueErgotelis2–0OFI Crete
2005/04/03Super LeagueErgotelis0–1OFI Crete
2004/11/27Super LeagueOFI Crete5–0Ergotelis

Honours Comparison

Major Honours won
Competition Ergotelis OFI
Super League Greece 00
Greek Football Cup 01 (1987)
Total01

...

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OFI Crete F.C.</span> Football club

OFI Football Club, commonly referred to as OFI, is a Greek professional football club based in Heraklion, on the island of Crete. It is part of the OFI multi-sports club. The team competes in the Super League Greece, the top division of the Greek football league system, and hosts home games at the Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium in Heraklion, Crete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ergotelis F.C.</span> Greek professional association football club in Heraklion, Crete

Ergotelis Football Club is a Greek professional football club based in Heraklion, Crete, which competes in the FCA Heraklion A1, the fourth tier of the Greek football league system, and hosts its home games at the Pankritio Stadium. Established in 1929 and named after the ancient Cretan Olympic runner, it is part of Gymnastics Club Ergotelis.

Patrick Ogunsoto is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career in Greece and is best known for his tenure at Greek side Ergotelis, for which he still remains the all-time top scorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P.O. Atsaleniou</span> Football club

P.O. Atsaleniou, short for Panathlitikos Omilos Atsaleniou and also known simply as Atsalenios or POA, is a Greek association football club based in the suburb Atsalenio of Heraklion, the largest city on the island of Crete. The club's short name Atsalenios can literally be translated made of steel. The club currently competes in the Gamma Ethniki, the third tier of the Greek football league system.

Charalampos Charalampakis is a Greek retired professional football defender.

Manolis Roubakis is a Greek professional footballer who plays for Atsalenios in the Greek Football League 2. Despite being right-footed, his natural position is left back; however, he's comfortable playing in both flanks of the defence.

Angelos Abdel Chanti, known in Jordan as Malek Shehadeh Ahmad Abdel-Hadi, is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Almyros Gaziou. Born in Greece, he has represented the Jordan national team.

Panagiotis Kordonouris is a Greek former footballer. He spent the majority of his career in Crete, representing clubs at various competition levels spanning the Greek Superleague to Crete's amateur regional competitions.

Giannis Kiliaras is a Greek professional footballer who plays as a left back for Super League 2 club Irodotos.

Michail Fragoulakis is a Greek professional footballer who plays for the Greek Gamma Ethniki club Giouchtas.

Manolis Moniakis is a Greek professional footballer, who plays as a left back for O.F.Arkalochoriou in the Heraklion FCA A1 Championship, a regional league in the fifth tier of the Greek football league system.

Alkis Dimitris is a Greek football manager and former professional player who played as a defender. He has spent the majority of his career representing Cretan clubs in various leagues of the Greek football league system, including the Greek Superleague.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irodotos FC</span> Football club

Irodotos Football Club, short for Podosferikós Athlitikós Sýllogos Alikarnassoú Iródotos and also simply known as Irodotos, is a Greek football club based in Nea Alikarnassos, Heraklion. The club is named after the ancient historian Herodotus, descended from Halicarnassus, Asia Minor, whose bust is also used as the club logo. Irodotos was established in 1932 by refugees from Asia Minor, who were displaced following the Greco-Turkish War in 1922. By acclamation, Irodotos is considered the third most successful club in Heraklion in terms of achievements, due to its consistent presence in the Second and Third national divisions, but has maintained a considerable fan base, and a longstanding rivalry with local Superleague side OFI, despite the fact the two haven't met in national competitions for almost 30 years. The club currently competes in the Football League, the second tier of the Greek football league system, while also administering amateur men's football and basketball departments. In the past it also had departments for wrestling, cycling, women's football and athletics. Its colours are blue and white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gymnastics Club Ergotelis</span>

The Gymnastics Club «Ergotelis» Heraklion Crete, also known simply as Ergotelis, is a Greek multi sport club based in Heraklion, Crete. The name of the club was inspired by that of the famous ancient Cretan expatriate Olympic runner Ergoteles of Himera. Officially founded in 1929, Ergotelis' colours are yellow and black. The club runs multiple football and basketball departments for both men and women playing in both regional and domestic competitions.

Giannis Petrakis is a Greek professional football manager and former player who is the current manager of Super League club Panetolikos.

The Heraklion Football Clubs Association is an association responsible for administering football in the region of Heraklion. It is based in the city of Heraklion and is a member of the Hellenic Football Federation. The association is responsible for organizing regional Championship and Cup competitions for both adult and youth teams playing in its divisions.

Kostas Chaniotakis is a retired Greek footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Myron Sifakis is a Greek retired goalkeeper and current football manager.

Giannis Taousianis is a Greek professional football manager and former player, who is the current manager of Greece U-21.

Dimitrios Papadopoulos was a Greek professional footballer who played as a forward.

References

  1. "Εφημερίδα 'ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΑ ΣΚΕΨΙΣ'". No. 311. Ηράκλειο. 20 August 1929.