PAOK drop two crucial points in Xanthi
 

SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 26

PAOK now find themselves seven points behind Olympiacos in the Super League title race after playing to a frustrating 1-1 draw in Xanthi.

Watch LIVE GREEK TV including full GREEK SPORTS coverage with Go Greek TV!

The title defence is slipping away. After losing to Olympiacos in Thessaloniki last week, PAOK needed to get back to winning ways in the concluding game of the Super League regular season, but they were held to a 1-1 draw by Xanthi on the road. In the first half, Chuba Akpom handed PAOK an early lead, before Christos Lisgaras headed Xanthi level before the break.

PAOK now trail league leaders Olympiacos by seven points. AEK are eight points behind the Dikefalos tou Vorra in third place.

Xanthi, for their part, finish in ninth position and move into the relegation playouts.

THE MATCH

It didn’t take long for PAOK to break the deadlock.

Receiving a great pass from Omar El Kaddouri inside the penalty area, Akpom cut to a shooting position, subsequently whipping an excellent effort beyond the opposing goalkeeper.

However, instead of caving in, Xanthi promptly got themselves level just 14 minutes later.

Escaping his marker, Lisgaras rose highest to meet a corner from the right flank, powering a header beyond the despairing dive of Alexandros Paschalakis.

Not long later, Dimos Baxevanidis thought that he had given Xanthi the advantage, but the offside flag cancelled his goal.

Xanthi, producing one of their best performances of the entire campaign, started the second half in energetic fashion and Aleksandar Kovacevic’s low effort bobbled past the far left post with Paschalakis scrambling to get across in time.

Nevertheless, as time rolled on, PAOK rapidly increased the intensity of their play.

In the 72nd minute, Vieirinha almost notched a potentially decisive second goal for PAOK, with his strong shot crashing agonisingly over the crossbar.

During added time, there was a video assistant referee incident for a potential handball against Lisgaras, but the referee waved play on.

In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Dimitris Limnios was presented with a glorious chance to snatch the win for PAOK, however he contrived to tap wide with the goal at his mercy.

THE TEAMS

Xanthi: Abad, Baxevanidis, Camara, Casado, Eduardo (Thymianis 85’), Faucher, Karasalidis, Kovacevic (Barrientos 69’), Lisgaras, Sturgeon (Djurickovic 90+6), Terki.

PAOK: Paschalakis, Giannoulis, Ingason, Varela (Matos 42’), Douglas (Swiderski 76’), Vieirinha, Misic, El Kaddouri, Lamprou (Biseswar 64’), Limnios, Akpom.

HIGHLIGHTS

by Shaun Nicolaides

Image Source: sport-fm.gr

Thank you for visiting AGONAsport.com, the only English based website for Greek sports fans across the world! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and Twitter for all the latest news in Greek Sports!