Greens held by Panetolikos in Agrinio
SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 26
Panathinaikos missed out on the chance to climb up the Super League standings on Sunday after being held to a goalless draw against winless Panetolikos at the Panetolikos Stadium in Agrinio.
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Giorgos Donis’ players struggled with a disjointed first-half performance, and although Panetolikos hit the post at the start of the second half, Panathinaikos created several great chances to score but failed to do so.
The outcome is that Panathinaikos lost the opportunity to put themselves in the frame for the battle for European places by moving into the top six, and instead remain in 10th place with 13 points after 11 matches.
THE MATCH
Panathinaikos went into the international break with some real momentum and were seeking to keep that going away from home.
Donis’ team were looking to make up for a terrible start to the season and seemed to have turned a corner in a brilliant comeback derby win over AEK two weeks ago. This match offered a good chance to continue their recent good form since Panetolikos were the only team in the division without a victory, racking up a mere two points from their first ten matches.
But a very poor first half performance from both sides with little in the way of scoring chances or creativity was what followed, and it seemed that the elusive consistency that the Greens have been searching for is still as impossible.
At the start of the second half the home side began strongly and almost took the lead. Unfortunately for the home side - and fortunately for Panathinaikos - Adrian Lucero’s effort cannoned off the woodwork.
After that, however, it was all Panathinaikos, and the Greens somehow passed up four chances to score in the space of eight minutes.
Tasos Chatzigiovanis, Federico Macheda, Bart Schenkeveld and Mattias Johansson all wasted opportunities to find the back of the net, while in the fourth minute of added time the home side almost pinched the three points.
Jorge Diaz was sent clean through on goal with only Sokratis Dioudis to beat, but luckily for Panathinaikos the Greek keeper was at his best to deny the Panetolikos man.
STARTING LINEUPS
Panetolikos: 1 Knett (GK), 91 Martial, 5 Jovanovic, 18 Lucero, 11 Diaz, 10 Alcio, 21 Sagna, 6 Tahar, 54 Liavas, 37 Tsigaras, 33 Roman
Panathinaikos: 1 Dioudis (GK), 2 Johansson, 5 Schenkeveld, 7 Kolovos, 8 Donis, 9 Macheda, 11 Chatzigiovanis, 12 Chatzitheodoridis, 18 Bouzoukis, 21 Kourbelis, 44 Pougouras
HIGHLIGHTS
