AEK stage smash and grab Italian job in Xanthi
 

SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 14

A solitary late strike from midfielder Kostas Galanopoulos earned AEK a narrow away win over Xanthi on Sunday at the Xanthi FC Arena in Pigadia as new coach Massimo Carrera celebrated three points on his debut.

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The young Greek international rammed the ball home from close-range with six minutes left to clinch three vital points for the Kitrinomavri and their new Italian coach, who was in the AEK dugout for the first time since taking over from Nikos Kostenoglou.

Xanthi were by no means overpowered by AEK on the night in what was a closely-contested Matchday 14 clash, but the visitors found the finishing touch they needed to come away with the points.

The result means AEK move back into third spot, two points ahead of OFI Crete, while Xanthi, who also lost 2-0 to PAOK last weekend, remain seventh with 19 points. 

THE MATCH

After a terrible run recently, AEK replaced caretaker boss Kostenoglou with Carrera, and he was in charge on the Kitrinomavri bench for the first time. Also making his debut for a new side was veteran Greek coach Giorgos Paraschos, who was appointed Xanthi boss in place of Kiko Ramierez

The legendary Paraschos is third on the all-time list for coaching games having been on the bench for 555 Greek matches. Both sides were aiming for a new manager bounce as they try to consolidate their positions in the table and move further up, but judging by the disjointed first half display from both sets of players, it seemed like it would be a long night for the neutral.

Things livened up in the second half as AEK tried to take the game to the home side and get themselves in front, and the visitors were awarded a penalty after 66 minutes when Niklaus Hult went down under a challenge from Vasilis Fasidis.

The decision went to a VAR review and the referee decided to change his mind based on the replays and dished out a yellow card to Hult for simulation. 

Despite that setback, AEK received a boost in their hopes of getting a late winner when the home side were reduced to 10 players after 77 minutes following Fasidis’ second booking for a foul on Hult and subsequent red card.

AEK began to pressurize the home goal and their persistence paid off in the 84th minute when Galonopoulos followed up to score after Nenad Krsticic had played in Nelson Oliveira, who was stopped by Leandro Sosa.

The goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the travelling AEK fans and in the dugout, with AEK then holding on comfortably to get the win they so badly wanted. 

STARTING LINEUPS

Xanthi: 1 Abad (Gk), 7 Sturgeon, 27 Fasidis, 9 Kovacevic, 10 Durickovic, 23 Malezas, 3 Barrientos, 31 Lisgaras, 4 Karasalidis, 8 Camara, 25 Sosa

AEK: 1 Barkas (Gk), 2 Bakakis, 4 Oikonomou, 19 Chygrynskyy, 23 Hult, 24 Svarnas, 6 Krsticic, 20 Mantalos, 25 Galanopoulos, 10 Livaja, 18 Oliveira

HIGHLIGHTS

by Graham Wood

Image Source: sportime.gr

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