Dream debut for Vagiannidis in Greens win
 

SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 24

Teenager Giorgos Vagiannidis enjoyed a dream debut for Panathinaikos, scoring the opening goal in a 3-1 win as the Greens clinched a place in the playoffs against struggling Panetolikos at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!

The 18-year-old Greek defender broke the deadlock after 23 minutes of this Matchday 24 clash, before Ghayas Zahid’s strike and a Federico Macheda penalty put the home side 3-0 up by the 50th minute.

Panetolikos tried to fight back but all they could muster was a consolation goal in the first minute of added time from Nigerian forward Abiola Dauda.

The win means that fourth-placed Panathinaikos, who were eliminated from the Greek Cup quarter-finals in mid-week, are now mathematically guaranteed a place in the Super League playoffs, while Panetolikos remain second from bottom in the standings.

THE MATCH

Having lost 1-0 to PAOK in the Greek Cup last Wednesday - a result which saw them go out by way of a 3-0 aggregate defeat, it was imperative for Giorgos Donis’ Panathinaikos side to return to winning ways to book a place in the playoffs.

They had to do that against a struggling Panetolikos side who have just not got going at all this season. The Agrinio club started the day in 13th place in the standings, with just relegation-bound Panionios the only team below them.

And the Greens began with the required urgency and energy as they looked to get an early goal to kill the game off. Zahid was the first to test the reflexes of visiting goalkeeper Jesus Fernandez after 13 minutes, but the Spanish shot-stopper was equal to the Panathinaikos midfielder’s effort. 

The home side did not have to wait long before they got a goal, however, with debutant Vagiannidis scoring from close range after good work by Dimitris Kourbelis and Konstantinos Apostolakis.

The youngster then had another chance to score one minute after the half-hour mark when he latched on to Macheda’s center, but his effort was blocked away for a corner by Paneteolikos defender Alexandros Malis.

Panetolikos were not completely out of the first half and they should really have equalised in the 38th minute when Anthony Mounier was sent clean through on goal, but the Frenchman was thwarted by PAO goalkeeper Sokratis Dioudis.

The Kanarinia were then made to pay for that miss two minutes later when the hosts moved 2-0 in front. Vagiannidis was in the thick of the action again, finding Zahid,who skipped past Malis before side-footing past Fernandez in stylish fashion.

The second half began in ideal fashion for the home side when they were awarded a penalty with four minutes of the restart. Tasos Chatzigiovanis was fouled in the box by Malis, and Macheda stepped up to slot the ball home from 12 yards to end the game as a contest.

Panathinaikos’ rhythm dropped after that goal and that allowed Panetolikos to see more of the ball, but the Agrinio club struggled to fashion clear scoring chances.

There was some cheer for the away fans though in the first minute of added time when Dauda beat Achilleas Pouggaras in the air to head home a cross and grab some consolation for his team on what was an otherwise miserable night.  

STARTING LINEUPS

Panathinaikos: 1 Dioudis (Gk), 12 Chatzitheodoridis, 44 Pougouras, 4 Kolovetsios, 16 Apostolakis, 8 Donis, 21 Kourbelis, 10 Zahid, 11 Chatzigiovanis, 57 Vagiannidis, 9 Macheda

Panetolikos: 88 Fernandez (Gk), 47 Malis, 92 Sjostedt, 23 Garcia, 37 Tsigaras, 6 Tahar, 10 Dalcio, 17 Mounier, 15 Alvarez, 7 Farley Rosa, 25 Dauda

HIGHLIGHTS

by Graham Wood

Image Source: sportfm.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!