Larissa stun AEK to secure safety
GREEK SUPERLEAGUE - MATCHDAY 29
| AEK | 0 - 1 | Larissa |
|---|---|---|
| Bralic 29' |
AEL will remain in the Super League for the 2019/2020 season, as the Larissa outfit picked up an unlikely 1:0 victory at third-placed AEK.
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Previously, AEL had never beaten AEK on the road in the domestic championship, but they picked the perfect time to break the trend. Slavko Bralic scored the only goal in the first half for a jubilant AEL side, while AEK conceded their second Super League home defeat of the season and still aren’t guaranteed to finish in the top three.
THE MATCH
In truth, it was a turgid first half between the teams at the Olympic Stadium, with AEK struggling to find space in the attacking third. When speeding away from his marker on the left flank, Viktor Klonaridis was presented with a promising opportunity for AEK, but he drilled a low effort wide.
AEL took a shock lead in the 27th minute. Escaping the attentions of a static AEK defence, Bralic deflected Nikola Jakimovski’s free-kick into the net, with goalkeeper Panagiotis Tsintotas clumsily allowing the ball to slip under his grasp.
AEK increased the intensity to a degree in the second half. In the opening stages, prolific Ezequiel Ponce tamely poked his shot into the grateful arms of Ogmundur Kristinsson, before Lucas Boye had a long range attempt and a powerful set-piece palmed to safety.
Defender Stratos Svarnas should have drawn AEK level with 18 minutes remaining, but when connecting with a corner from the right wing, he could only tap the ball off target with the goal gaping.
Bralic then cleared Ponce’s volley off the line in what was AEK’s final chance of the match. The Kitrinomavri must defeat Levadiakos on matchday 30 to secure third spot.
TEAMS
AEK: Tsintotas, Svarnas, Oikonomou, Cosic (Hult 46’), Mantalos, Alef (Albanis 71’), Krsticic, Galo, Klonaridis (Bakakis 59’), Boye, Ponce.
AEL: Kristinsson, Bralic, Zizic, Moras, Secerovic, Jakimovski (Golias 75’), Ballas (Acosta 72’), Karanikas, Zivkovic, Nunic, Shikavka (Gromitsaris 90+5’).
HIGHLIGHTS: AEK - LARISSA
