Five-star PAOK demolish Atromitos to go clear at top
SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 16
PAOK will celebrate Christmas 2019 at the top of the Super League table after claiming an emphatic 5-1 home win over Atromitos at the Toumba on Monday night to climb two points clear of title rivals Olympiacos.
Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!
Vierinha’s early deflected free-kick paved the way, Iceland defender Sverrir Ingi Ingason then grabbed a brace, while further goals from Karol Swiderski and Josip Misic secured another three-point haul for Abel Ferreira’s Invincibles, who also extended their unbeaten run to 51 matches.
The reigning Greek double-winners can now look forward to a mini-break for the festive period as league leaders following their final match of the year, with plenty of optimism that 2020 could well bring them back-to-back league crowns for the first time in the club’s history.
THE MATCH
Having watched Olympiacos drop two points in the goalless draw at Volos just 24 hours early, PAOK came into this match with expectations sky high - the rocking atmosphere inside the Toumba was proof enough of that if the players needed any.
They were facing an Atromitos side who have found some semblance of stability of late under recently appointed Savvas Pantelidis, but in the opening exchanges it was all PAOK as the Black and Whites searched for an early breakthrough.
And they got it after 13 minutes through captain Vierinha, who opened the scoring with a free-kick. The set-piece was a long way out, around 30 yards, but the Portuguese went for goal and was somewhat fortunate as the ball took a deflection off a defender and wrong-footed Atromitos goalkeeper Balazs Megyeri on its way into the bottom left corner.
That goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the PAOK players and bench, as well as in the stands, and was the perfect start to their last match of the year.
PAOK were 2-0 up in the 34th minute when Ingason was in the right place at the right time to ram home the rebound after Karol Swiderski’s effort came back off the woodwork after a defensive error from Spyros Risvanis.
Then on 41 minutes it was game, set and match to PAOK with Ingason getting on the scoresheet once more, the Icelandic defender nodding home a set-piece from Croatian midfielder Josip Misic.
In the second half PAOK continued to dominate proceedings against what was a very nervy Atromitos backline, and on 52 minutes PAOK were handed the chance to make it 4-0 after Swiderski was fouled by Risvanis, resulting in a penalty.
Swiderski stepped up to slot the ball home from 12 yards, sending Megyeri the wrong way, and at that point it seemed like PAOK would run riot in the second half.
Atromitos managed to muster a response, however, three minutes later through substitute Roland Ugrai, who caught PAOK goalkeeper Zivko Zivkovic of guard to score from a clever free-kick.
Any hopes of an Atromitos comeback were extinguished in the 82nd minute, however when Misic headed home unmarked from a central position six yards out following a brilliant cross from Rodrigo with the outside of the Brazilan’s right foot.
STARTING LINEUPS
Paok: 88 Zivkovic (Gk), 3 Matos, 4 Ingason, 5 Varela, 8 Mauricio, 9 Swiderski, 10 Pelkas, 18 Limnios, 20 Vieirinha, 23 Giannoulis, 27 Misic
Atromitos: 16 Megyeri (Gk), 4 Goutas, 8 Umbides, 9 Manousos, 12 Galo, 14 Androutsos, 15 Madson, 19 Kivrakidis, 39 Vellios, 44 Risvanis, 55 Talocha
HIGHLIGHTS
