PAOK extend domestic unbeaten run in Nea Smyrni
 

SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 15

PAOK extended their incredible domestic unbeaten run to 50 matches on Thursday after captain Vieirinha came off the bench to inspire the reigning champions to a 2-0 win over Panionios in Nea Smyrni.

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After a nervy first half in which PAOK were second best, second-half strikes from Sverrir Ingi Ingason and Chuba Akpom sealed another crucial victory for Abel Ferreira’s team, who continue to match Olympiacos blow-for-blow in the title race.

PAOK, who were below-par in the opening 45 minutes, had Vieirinha to thank as it was his galvanizing presence and two corners which led to the goals.

The win enabled PAOK to stay level on 37 points with leaders Olympiacos, who they trail only on goal difference. This latest result also allowed PAOK to pull within eight matches of the all-time unbeaten Greek league record of 58 games which was achieved by Olympiacos between 1972-74.

THE MATCH

PAOK had little trouble disposing of Panetolikos on Sunday in a 3-0 stroll and so came into this match looking to extend their unbeaten run to 50 matches.

Their opponents, after embarking on a revival with a four-match unbeaten streak, were not in the best shape after having come crashing down recently with losses to AEK, and most recently Volos.

PAOK controlled the possession in the first 20 minutes of the match but did not create any clear goal scoring opportunities, while they were lucky to get away with a Panionios counter-attack on 26 minutes.

The home side broke quickly and caught the PAOK defence off guard. When a cross came over for Giannis Papanikolaou to take in his strike, the Panionios midfielder went down claiming to have been held by Leo Matos.

The referee waved play on and replays suggested that there were clear grounds for a foul by Matos.

That gave the Panthers a boost and they began to press the visitors back, with PAOK also struggling to create anything going forward despite passing the ball around well enough in defence and midfield.

PAOK finally worked themselves an opening after 34 minutes, but Croatian midfielder Josip Misic blazed his shot from the edge of the penalty area high over the crossbar.

Panionios were by no means overawed by PAOK and they went down the other end and brought a fine save from Zivko Zivkovic from Masouras’ angeled drive.

PAOK’s best moment of the first half came a minute before the end of normal time when Douglas Augusto sent a powerful shot goalwards from Matos’ layoff. The Brazilian’s effort was brilliantly parried to safety, however, by Panionios goalkeeper Jeremy Malherbe.

Just before the half-time whistle, though, it was Panionios who had the last word with Arabuli creating half a yard of space for himself but his shot sailed harmlessly over the crossbar when it should have been on target.

Arabuli was then presented with a great chance to open the scoring with a free-kick right on the edge of the 18-yard box. His curling effort was an excellent one, but PAOK’s Serbian goalkeeper Zivkovic was equal to it, producing a superb one-handed save to tip the effort around the post. 

PAOK needed to step up their game in the second half, and they did just that. Vieirinha came on to replace Kaddouri and three minutes in the Portuguese sent over a corner which Matos headed on. Akpom then picked out Ingason who scored from close range.

That strike immediately settled any tension PAOK’s players may have had, and their play became more confident with Vieirinha’s presence seeming to have a galvanizing effect on the rest of the team.

And it was another Vieirinha corner after 61 minutes which led to a second goal for PAOK to kill the game off. Akpom was the beneficiary, scoring with a header after good work from Diego Biseswar and Jose Crespo.

Panionios never looked like recovering, or reaching the level of performance they had in the first half, and PAOK held on comfortably to take another three-point haul. 

STARTING LINEUPS

Panionios: 67 Malherbe (Gk), 3 Saramantas, 5 Domingues, 14 Stavropoulos, 
22 Papageorgiou, 7 Korbos, 16 Ikonomidis, 27 Papanikolaou, 23 Tsiloulis, 31 Masouras, 10 Arabuli

PAOK: 88 Zivkovic (Gk), 23 Giannoulis, 15 Crespo, 4 Ingason, 3 Matos, 33 Douglas, 27 Misic, 21 Biseswar, 7 El Kaddouri, 18 Limnios, 47 Akpom

HIGHLIGHTS

by Graham Wood

Image Source: to10.gr

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