Late Misic strike rescues point for PAOK
SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 4
Josip Misic was the derby hero for PAOK on Sunday after he struck in the sixth minute of added time to secure a 2-2 draw for the reigning Super League champions against Thessaloniki rivals Aris, in what turned out to be a thrilling “Derby of Macedonia” at the Toumba on Sunday.
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Abel Ferreira’s reigning champions found themselves a man down after Leo Matos’ sending off in the 67th minute and 1-2 behind late on when Javier Matilla scored three minutes before the end of normal time to add to Ideye Brown’s opening goal.
But PAOK, who had earlier levelled matters through Matos in the first half, did not throw in the towel and found their precious equalising goal at the death to salvage a point and their unbeaten record, which stretches back to the whole of last season when they won the domestic double.
It was a case of what might have been for a rejuvenated Aris, who followed up last week’s 4-0 demolition of Panathinaikos with a creditable display at the home of their fierce city rivals and almost came away with the three points.
THE MATCH
Both teams came into this match on good form and with a point to prove. PAOK, the double winners, had made a perfect start in terms of points - but without playing great football - while Aris recovered from some early-season disappointments to steady the ship under interim boss Apostolos Terzis with that emphatic home win over the Greens last week.
Fireworks were expected at the Toumba, with this seen as being the first litmus test for PAOK’s title credentials. And a frenetic start saw goals go in at both ends within the first six minutes.
Aris were first to draw blood in the fourth minute when Giannis Fetfatzidis sent over a superb cross from a corner which was headed home clinically by Nigerian forward Ideye.
That goal stunned the noisy Toumba faithful into silence, but thankfully their heroes responded quickly and were level within two minutes.
It was another corner which was brilliantly delivered by Misic and headed home by Matos at the near post. That strike sparked frenzied celebrations among the home fans and it really was a great start to the match.
Aris were not shaken though, instead they stirred themselves into action and Fetfatzidis drew a fine save from PAOK goalkeeper Alexandros Paschalakis in the 10th minute and there were some furious looks and shouts coming from the home dugout.
There were no further goals in the first half as the tempo settled down and both teams tried to build patient attacks and wait for their opportunity to strike.
A similar pattern followed at the start of the second half, with plenty of attractive play to admire from both sides but with little end result.
Then came a crucial moment after 67 minutes when Matos saw red for picking up a second booking for an overzealous challenge on Daniel Larsson. However, numbers were evened up when Lucas Sascha was sent off for a second booking in the 71st minute.
Despite both teams playing with 10-men, Aris hadmore space to manoeuvre, and Ideye had a shot brilliantly blocked by Paschalakis just a few minutes later.
Aris kept plugging away at PAOK while the home side looked to strike on the counter attack, and Aris got what looked like it would be the winning goal in the 87th minute when Mattila surprised Paschalakis with a powerful snapshot to beat the PAOK keeper and put the visitors in dreamland.
PAOK threw players forward in a desperate attempt to grab an equaliser and Varela came agonisingly close to making it 2-2 in the fifth minute of added time with a header from a Diego Biseswar cross which cannoned off the crossbar.
It seemed like that was PAOK’s last chance of the match, but the home side did not give up and in the next surge forward they got what they deserved when Misic rifled home from a Dimitris Giannoulis’ cross.
STARTING LINEUPS
PAOK: 31 Paschalakis (Gk), 3 Matos, 5 Varela, 15 Crespo, 23 Giannoulis, 27 Misic, 33 Douglas, 98 Jaba, 21 Biseswar, 10 Pelkas, 47 Akpom
Aris: 23 Cuesta (Gk), 7 Diguiny, 11 Ideye, 16 Gama, 21 Sundgren, 26 Matilla, 28 Fetfatzidis, 44 Velez, 69 Korhut, 88 Sasha, 92 Rose
HIGHLIGHTS
