Panathinaikos progress with thrilling comeback
GREEK FOOTBALL CUP - ROUND OF 16 (LEG 2)
Panathinaikos completed a pulsating comeback to defeat PAS Giannina 3-1 in Athens and progress to the quarter-finals of the Greek Cup.
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Despite trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Panathinaikos were still favourites to progress, but their task became a lot harder when Epaminodas Pantelakis scored an away goal for PAS Giannina. Considering that PAS were previously unbeaten across all competitions this season, the odds were stacked against Panathinaikos, however the Prasini came roaring back with three consecutive goals from Christos Donis, Bart Schenkeveld and Federico Macheda in the second half.
With 13 minutes remaining, Dimitris Kourbelis was sent off for Panathinaikos, but the Athenians held on to clinch progress to the quarter-final stage of the Greek Cup.
THE MATCH
Requiring goals, Panathinaikos immediately took the initiative at the Olympic Stadium, but PAS were dangerous on the counter and Sokratis Dioudis had to make an early save with his defence out of position.
PAS would strike in the 24th minute.
Connecting with a corner, Pantelakis powered a thumping header into the right corner to put PAS a step closer to qualification.
Not long later, Emanuel Insua thought he had grabbed an equaliser for Panathinaikos, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Panathinaikos continued huffing and puffing without reward. However, 11 minutes after the half-time break, Donis escaped his marker to brush a cross beyond Serafeim Giannikoglou.
All of a sudden, Panathinaikos had hope again, and they got to within touching distance of PAS when Schenkeveld slotted into the net from close range just 120 seconds later.
PAS contrived to shoot themselves in the foot in the 71st minute. In tripping Mattias Johansson, Michalis Boukouvalas conceded a cheap penalty which was subsequently cooly converted by Macheda.
Kourbelis made it a nervy ending for Panathinaikos when he received his second yellow card. PAS, however, rarely threatened and the hosts saw the game out successfully.
THE TEAMS
Panathinaikos: Dioudis, Insua, Schenkeveld, Poungouras, Johansson, Kourbelis, Donis, Bouzoukis (Perea 46’), Chatzigiovanis (Chatzitheodoridis 81’), Zahid, Macheda (Kolovetsios 83’)
PAS Giannina: Giannikoglou, Apostolopoulos, Kartalis, Siontis (Liasos 23’), Boukouvalas, Skondras, Xydas, Pantelakis, Fabry (Nikolias 43’), Krizman, Pamlidis.
