Panathinaikos earn commanding win in Patras
 

GREEK CUP FIFTH ROUND - FIRST LEG

Panathinaikos got back to winning ways with a solid 3-1 triumph at Panachaiki in the first leg of the Greek Cup fifth round tie.

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Following the Super League loss to AE Larissa at the weekend, Panathinaikos head coach Giorgos Donis decided to field a full-strength team in Patras, and it paid dividends as the Prasini scored three away goals to put one foot in the next round of the Greek Cup. The second leg will take place at the Olympic Stadium in Athens in early December.

Giannis Bouzoukis, Dimitris Kourbelis and an own goal from Panagiotis Moraitis handed Panathinaikos the win. Moraitis did claw one back for Panachaiki midway through the second half, but their hopes of salvaging something from the game were dashed when Konstantinos Rougalas received a second yellow card.

Panathinaikos will now look to build on this result when they travel to play reigning champions PAOK in the Super League at the weekend. Panachaiki switch their attentions back to the Super League 2 as they prepare to host AE Karaiskakis.

THE MATCH

Making a bright start, Panachaiki came close to drawing first blood in the early stages, as Sokratis Dioudis expertly tipped a header over the ball. Yohan Mollo curled his attempt way off target for Panathinaikos at the other end.

Panathinaikos did make the breakthrough in the 26th minute.

Lurking to the right of the penalty area, Bouzoukis controlled a swerving pass from Mollo before curling a low effort into the near corner.

It got better for Panathinaikos on the stroke of the half-time break.

Federico Macheda glanced a corner across the box with his head, and the ball subsequently cannoned off Moraitis and dropped under the stricken goalkeeper.

Requiring goals, Panachaiki came out all guns blazing in the second half, and their pressure resulted in a goal as Moraitis connected with a pass to calmly stroke the ball into the empty net with Dioudis already out of the picture.

However, just as it seemed that Panachaiki were gaining a firm foothold in the tie, Rougalas was then sent off with a second yellow card as he cheaply pulled an opponent to the floor.

Panathinaikos immediately took advantage of the extra man. From the resulting free kick, the Athenians picked out Kourbelis in the six-yard box, who headed into the net to put Panathinaikos in a very comfortable position.

TEAMS

Panachaiki: Soulis, Coll (Linardos 74’), Intzoglou, Kynigopoulos (Mavrias 77’), Moraitis, Papatolios, Polimos, Rougalas, Siatravanis (Masouras 86’), Stamopoulos, Tselepidis.

Panathinaikos: Dioudis, Johansson, Kolovetsios, Mavrommatis, Insua, Kourbelis (Mendoza 74’), Bouzoukis (Fausto 65’), Donis, Kolovos, Mollo, Macheda (Sechou 79’).

HIGHLIGHTS

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sport-fm.gr

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