PAOK back on track with confident win over Panathinaikos
 

GREEK FOOTBALL CUP - QUARTER FINALS

PAOK made a big step towards the semi-finals of the Greek Cup, beating Panathinaikos 2-0 at the Toumba Stadium in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

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At the weekend, the Dikefalos tou Vorra had suffered a damaging loss to Panathinaikos in the Super League, but they avenged that defeat by claiming a 2-0 victory in Thessaloniki in the first leg of the Greek Cup quarter-finals. In the first half, Vieirinha set PAOK on their way by confidently converting a penalty, before Fernando Varela glanced a header beyond Sokratis Dioudis in the latter stages to firmly put the reigning champions in the box seat.

The second leg will take place at the OAKA on February 12.

THE MATCH

Eager to gain revenge for the recent loss in the Greek capital, PAOK immediately came out with all guns blazing, applying pressure on Panathinaikos with their energetic, purposeful play.

In the seventh minute, Dimitris Limnios had a great chance when collecting the ball in the penalty area, however he lost his footing at the vital moment.

Not long later, Panathinaikos came close to a potentially vital away goal, as Dimitris Kourbelis’ long range effort, which took a deflection, was pushed over the bar by Alexandros Paschalakis.

As time rolled on, the Prasini gained a strong foothold in the game, and Kourbelis lashed another attempt off target as Panathinaikos began to create openings on the break.

However, not long later, Emanuel Insua was deemed guilty of tripping Dimitris Pelkas in the box, and Vieirinha duly stepped up to make full use of the penalty.

In the second half, it was largely a well-balanced affair, but PAOK once again started turning the screw. Clean through, substitute Lazaros Lamprou should have scored, but he was denied by an excellent sprawling save from Sokratis Dioudis.

Nevertheless, moments later PAOK did double their money, as Varela knocked Vieirinha’s set-piece past Dioudis with his head.

Sensing blood, PAOK could have completely ended the tie as a contest, but Lamprou was twice foiled by wonderful goalkeeping from Dioudis.

THE TEAMS

PAOK: Paschalakis, Giannoulis, Varela, Ingason, Vieirinha, Biseswar, Misic, Mauricio, Limnios, Pelkas (Lamprou 62’), Swiderski (Akpom 81’).

Panathinaikos: Dioudis, Insua, Schenkeveld, Poungouras, Johansson, Kourbelis, Tuhami (Donis 77’), Chatzigiovanis (Nagy 54’), Zahid, Bouzoukis (Perea 81’), Macheda.

HIGHLIGHTS

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sport-fm.gr

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