OFI Crete W.F.C.

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OFI
Full nameΌμιλος Φιλάθλων Ηρακλείου
Ómilos Filáthlon Heraklíou
(Heraklion Fans' Club)
Short nameOFI
Founded2015; 9 years ago (2015)
GroundKrousonas Municipal Stadium
ChairmanDimitris Manousakis
ManagerKostas Pantzaridis
LeagueGreek A Division
2022–23A Division, 4th

OFI Crete Women Football Club, or simply OFI, is a Greek women's association football club based in Heraklion, Greece and part of the professional football club O.F.I.. The club was founded in 2015 and currently competes in the Greek A Division.

History[edit]

O.F.I. established a women's football department in the 2015–16 season, which started its journey from the Greek third division. In their first season, they went unbeaten in their group thus winning promotion to the second division.[1] In 2016–17, OFI continued their undefeated streak, winning all eight of their games to get promoted to the Greek A Division for the first time.[2]

During the 2017-18 Greek A Division season, they only won 3 out of 22 matches, resulting in their relegation back to the B Division.[3] In 2018–19, they managed to top their group and bounce back to the first tier with the help of Maria Araviaki, who scored 18 goals, as well Greek internationals Vasso Kydonaki, Maria Kokotsaki and Elisavet Apostolaki.

Since the 2019–20 season, they have been competing in the top tier of Greek football and in recent years they have become one of the best teams in the league. OFI have signed some notable players like Katerina Lagiou, Ioanna Chamalidou, Maria Paterna and Galini Zachariou that have represented Greece at international level, as well as footballers from abroad, like Gerli Israel, Nikola Rybanská, Victoria Kaláberová, Theano Karalouka and Katarzyna Siejka.

In the 2022-23 season, OFI finished in fourth place, the highest ranking in their history.[4] Their most valuable player was Slovak Nikola Rybanská who scored 17 goals and made 8 assists.[5][6]

Current squad[edit]

As of 22 February 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK Austria AUT Andrea Gurtner
GK Greece GRE Elisavet Apostolaki
GK Greece GRE Alexandra Staninou
DF Greece GRE Maria Katirtsidou
DF Greece GRE Paraskevi Koniotaki
DF Greece GRE Aggeliki Koukoulaki
DF Greece GRE Maria Paterna
DF Greece GRE Ioanna Sifaki
DF Greece GRE Thenia Zerva
DF Greece GRE Konstantina Xylouri
DF Greece GRE Sofia Gounaki
DF Greece GRE Konstantina Platania
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF Greece GRE Rodanthi Aeraki
MF Greece GRE Vasso Kydonaki
MF Greece GRE Nasia Peiou
MF Greece GRE Eleftheria Drakogiannaki
FW Slovakia SVK Victoria Kaláberová
FW Slovakia SVK Nikola Rybanská
FW England ENG Aqsa Mushtaq
FW Greece GRE Antonia Briana
Greece GRE Maria Dafermou
Greece GRE Eleni Papakonstanti

Coaching staff[edit]

As of 4 February 2024
Position Name
Head coach Greece Kostas Pantzaridis
Assistant coach Greece Charalampos Ntagkinis
Goalkeeping coach Greece Giorgos Kalaitzakis

Managerial history[edit]

Name Years
Greece Zafiris Latsoudis 2015–2017
Greece Kostas Pantzaridis 2017–2018
Greece Dimitris Chomatas 2018–2020
Greece Petros Marinakis 2020
Greece Stamatis Mamatzakis 2020–2023
Greece Kostas Pantzaridis 2023–

Honours[edit]

  • Greek B Division (2): 2016/17, 2018/19
  • Greek C Division (1): 2015/16

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Πρωτάθλημα Γ' Κατηγορίας Γυναικών". epo.gr. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Πρωτάθλημα Β΄ Κατηγορίας Γυναικών". epo.gr. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας Γυναικών". epo.gr. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Πρωτάθλημα Α΄ Κατηγορίας Γυναικών". epo.gr. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ "ΠΡΩΤΗ ΣΚΟΡΕΡ Α ΕΘΝΙΚΗΣ 2022-23 TOP SCORER A FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2022-23". instagram.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  6. ^ "ASSISTS 2022-2023". instagram.com. Retrieved 28 August 2023.