Brave Panathinaikos rue missed chances and poor officiating

AGONAsport’s Panathinaikos contributor, Nick Tsambouniaris, delves into the Derby of the Eternal Enemies as the Greens leave Piraeus empty-handed for the first time since 2016, rueing missed chances and controversial officiating.

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A brave Panathinaikos outfit can take a lot of positives away from a respectable performance against Eternal Rivals Olympiacos.

Giorgos Donis set the team up in the exact manner I predicted, player for player. The 4-2-3-1 formation was used to keep the team compact, and the midfield crowded, making it hard for Olympiacos to play football.

This worked to great effect, particularly in the first half as a relatively cagey affair followed. You would not be able to tell it was a team with title aspirations hosting a team currently sitting in mid-table, much like the first derby at the OAKA Stadium this season, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

The first half was relatively even, Panathinaikos perhaps shaded it. The Reds were restricted to very few chances, and Sokratis Dioudis, a strong man of the match contender for the visitors, was equal to the task. With the hosts frustrated, the Trifylli enjoyed several chances. Christos Donis blazed just wide from the edge of the box after tidy build-up play and getting in behind the defence. Jose Sa also made a top save in a big one-on-one chance. Mattias Johansson had the ball in the back of the net, but it was rightfully called back for offside.

The Greens lost control in the second half and were ultimately punished for only one lapse in concentration. The substitutions could come under scrutiny as Juan Jose Perea came on for Tasos Chatzigiovanis, and Uffe Bech replaced Ghayas Zahid.

Personally, Perea is more of an out-and-out striker due to his positioning, endless energy, and ability to press high up the pitch to significant effect, harassing opponents. With the team chasing the game, it may have been better to introduce the tireless Colombian for an out of sorts Macheda upfront. Argiris Kampetsis has not been given a proper chance this season, either.

The poor form of Macheda is one of the very few negatives to take away from this match. The Italian notched double figures in terms of goals last season, but only has two goals from open play so far this campaign. Showing him that his spot is up for grabs by introducing some competition may help improve his form.

Bech’s season has been hampered by injury. He has failed to illustrate that he can create a chance out of nothing, as opposed to Zahid and Chatzigiovanis.

However, the team can take heart in the fact that the fighting spirit was there as the players fought for every ball. Additionally, the defensive players in the middle (Christos Donis and Dimitris Kourbelis) played well, as did the backline and Dioudis between the sticks.

This is the first time the Greens have lost in Piraeus since 2016 - not a bad strike rate considering the club is in its darkest era. Olympiacos coach Pedro Martins said it best when he stated the absence of their fans hurt his team. Supporters play a vital role in the outcome of Greek derbies, so in that sense, it is an opportunity lost.

Furthermore, the controversy surrounding the officiating cannot be ignored. Panathinaikos fans and neutrals feel aggrieved and rightly so. The team saw two stonewall penalties not given - one in each half for stomps on the leg of a player. Giannis Bouzoukis, the victim in the first half, took to social media to voice his dissatisfaction by posting a photo on Instagram. Christos Donis followed suit with the caption “Happy New Year with health, we continue with the same,” referring to the controversial officiating.

These two moments changed the outcome of the game, and it is unfortunate to be talking about the quality of refereeing again. Both should have been awarded, and even the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) agreed. Alarmingly, it was Finnish referee Mattias Gestranuis that disagreed. If the Prasini had beaten their rivals in these circumstances, would they be calling for the League to be suspended?

Overall, it was a decent performance, and the team should not lose hope. The ladder is very congested, and successive wins in the next two games against Panionios and Xanthi will go a long way to securing a top-half finish. Before that, attention will turn to the Greek Cup clash against PAS Giannina; in a competition, many fans feel the team should target winning some silverware.

by Nick Tsambouniaris

Image Source: to10.gr

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