AEK secure gritty draw in Tripoli
GREEK FOOTBALL CUP - LAST 16 (LEG 1)
In a game which saw two penalties given, AEK picked up a 1-1 draw at Asteras Tripolis in the first leg of the Greek Cup Last 16.
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Originally, this match should have been held last week, but the game was postponed due to fears of fights between AEK and Olympiacos fans as the latter competed against nearby Kalamata.
Throughout the 90 minutes, both teams had their fair share of opportunities, and AEK left with the away-goal advantage after Nelson Oliveira’s penalty cancelled out an early marker from Xesc Regis. In the second half, Jeronimo Barrales had a great chance to give Asteras the advantage again, but he contrived to miss from the penalty spot.
The second leg will take place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens on January 30.
THE MATCH
AEK thought they had taken the lead in the eighth minute.
However, when turning a free-kick from the right wing into the net, Oliveira was flagged for offside.
12 minutes later, there was a breakthrough in Tripoli, but it was Asteras who scored.
In acrobatic fashion, Regis brilliantly turned Juan Munafo’s cross beyond Panagiotis Tsintotas, a goal which will rightly live long in the memory.
Searching for a response, AEK immediately set about getting on level terms, and Oliveira somehow contrived to miss the target with the goal practically at his mercy.
Nevertheless, AEK and Oliveira would get on the scoresheet in the 32nd minute, as the Portuguese forward cooly converted a spot-kick after Helder Lopes had been fouled inside the penalty box.
The game gradually became increasingly stretched as both teams piled forward. On the counter, Paulinho was denied by a smart save by Nikos Papadopoulos, before Jeronimo Barrales came within inches of turning a clever pass past Tsintotas.
Midway through a tense second half, Asteras were gifted a golden opportunity to take the lead for a second time, as Dmytro Chygrynskiy tripped an opposing forward in the area. Barrales, however, let AEK off the hook, whacking his poor penalty high over the crossbar
With 17 minutes remaining, Daniele Verde almost grabbed a second away goal for AEK, as his powerful free-kick was tipped around the post by an alert Papadopoulos.
THE TEAMS
Asteras Tripolis: Papadopoulos, Tasoulis, Vlachos, Iglesias, Sito (Jauregi 55’), Riera (L. Fernandez 62’), Munafo, Suarez, Regis (B. Fernandez), Pasalidis, Barrales.
AEK: Tsintotas, Lopes, Chygrynskiy, Oikonomou, Paulinho (Bakakis 82’), Simoes, Krsticic, Almpanis (Svarnas 71’), Mantalos, Verde, Oliveira (Klonaridis 81’).
HIGHLIGHTS
