Panathinaikos clinch Athens derby with stunning comeback
 

SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 10

Panathinaikos claimed the three points and the bragging rights in Sunday’s Athens derby clash, as Giorgos Donis’ team produced a sensational comeback to defeat AEK Athens 3-2 in an enthralling encounter at the Olympic Stadium in the Greek capital.

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Goals from Michalis Bakakis and Nelson Oliveira put AEK in firm command of the match before half-time, and it seemed that the three points for destined for the Yellow and Black half of Athens.

But Panathinaikos’ battling young side had other ideas. Two goals within three second-half minutes from Federico Macheda and Juan Jose Perea levelled the match, and substitute Dimitris Kolovetsios popped up to win it for the Greens two minutes from full-time.

It was a result that was barely thinkable as the Panathinaikos players left the field to jeers from their own supporters at half-time.

The result means Panathinaikos move from 11th to eighth place, while third-placed AEK are now seven points adrift of PAOK, who occupy second place in the Super League standings, while the Kitrinomavri have now also gone 11 derby matches without a win.

THE MATCH

After last weekend's promising display in the 2-2 draw at PAOK, Giorgos Donis was looking for his players to go one step further and take all three points at the OAKA in order to get their season truly back on track.

But they were up against an AEK team buoyed by their thrilling 3-2 comeback victory over Atromitos, and it was always going to be an unpredictable affair as a derby clash.

The Greens, however, made a strong start, dominating the early possession and setting the tempo of the match, although they did not trouble visiting goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas significantly.

Just when it seemed that the home side would go on and get the first goal of the game, AEK got themselves in front against the run of play with a stunning strike from Bakakis.

The 28-year-old Greek international scored only the third goal of his AEK career, and his first strike in four-and-a-half years when he let fly from the edge of the box with a powerful shot which left Sokratis Dioudis no chance.

That goal knocked the stuffing out of Panathinaikos, and ushered in a period of dominance for AEK, who grew in confidence and revelled in the atmosphere which saw the home fans begin to turn on their players.

After 35 minutes AEK should have made it 2-0 when Oliveira was sent scampering clean through on goal. The Portuguese failed to beat Dioudis, though, with the Panathinaikos ‘keeper making an impressive save.

The Kitrinomavri did not have to wait long for another goal, though, as the night got even better for AEK when Oliveira was on hand at the back post to prod the ball home from close-range following Mantalos’ flick-on from the resulting left-wing corner.

Panathinaikos had it all to do at half-time as they were booed into the dressing rooms by their frustrated supporters.

The omens were not looking good for the Greens though as AEK made a good start to the second half, almost taking a 3-0 lead after 52 minutes. Oliveira was the danger man again for the Kitrinomavri, heading against the crossbar. Daniele Verde had a chance to score from the rebound, but the Italian was first thwarted by Dioudis, and then he proceeded to fire another effort over the bar.

Panathinaikos slowly started to play their way back into the game on the hour mark and finally got the goal that their efforts deserved after 67 minutes when Macheda scored a brilliant individual goal. The Italian frontman burst into the box on the left hand side and sent a diagonal shot past Barkas.

That seemed to inject huge belief into the veins of the Panathinaikos players, and the Greens were level just three minutes later when Perea scored from close-range after Tasos Chatzigiovanis’ center. There was a VAR review for offside but the goal was considered legitimate.

A shell-shocked AEK regained their composure and actually had a chance to win the match on 82 minutes, but another chance went begging for Kostenoglou’s side as Giorgos Giakoumakis’ deflected effort was blocked by the excellent Dioudis.

AEK were then made to pay dearly for that miss two minutes from the end of normal time when Kolovetsios rose highest to head home a precisely-delivered corner from Ghayas Zahid to spark wild celebrations among the Panathinaikos players.

STARTING LINEUP

Panathinaikos: 1 Dioudis (GK), 3 Insua, 5 Schenkeveld, 44 Pougouras, 2 Johansson, 21 Kourbelis, 8 Donis, 11 Chatzigiovanis, 10 Zahid, 18 Bouzoukis, 9 Macheda

Aek: 1 Barkas (GK), 23 Hult, 24 Svarnas, 19 Chygrynskyy, 2 Bakakis, 6 Krsticic, 8 Simoes, 20 Mandalos, 10 Livaja, 7 Verde, 18 Oliveira

HIGHLIGHTS

by Graham Wood

Image Source: to10.gr

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