PAOK see off Asteras to go top
SUPER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 19
PAOK made light work of Asteras Tripolis at the Toumba on Sunday, defeating the Arcadians comfortably 3-1 despite the reigning champions from Thessaloniki not quite being at their swashbuckling best.
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Abel Ferreira’s team started slowly against their opponents from the Peloponnese, but found a crucial breakthrough in the 29th minute when Karol Swiderski scored on the turn from inside the penalty area from Vieirinha’s deflected pass.
In the second half PAOK looked more like their natural selves and put the game out of reach through strikes from Dimitris Pelkas and substitute Lazaros Lamprou, before Tripolis reduced the deficit with a consolation goal late on from Marc Fernandez.
The three-point haul means PAOK go top of the standings if only for a few hours, with Olympiacos facing Aris at the Georgios Karaiskakis later. The Piraeus giants can reclaim the lead if they manage to beat the Thessaloniki club.
THE MATCH
After passing last week’s litmus test of the recovery from the loss to Aris two weeks ago by defeating AEK 1-0 in the North vs. South derby match at the Toumba, PAOK came into this match expected to pick up three more points against a struggling Asteras side that has shown some signs of life under new coach Milan Rastavac.
The first half was not the greatest of spectacles, with the home side uncharacteristically slow out of the blocks while an improving Asteras were clearly well-organised and looking eager to chase down every lost cause.
The match sparked to life for PAOK though a minute before the half-hour mark when Vieirinha tried to play in Pelkas, only for Asteras defender Luis Fernandez’s attempted interception to send the ball into the path of Swiderski, who finished clinically with a low shot on the turn to make it 1-0.
Towards the end of the half the home side also let their concentration lapse and Asteras almost took advantage with a couple of dangerous attacks just before half-time.
Whatever Ferreira said to his players at half-time seemed to do the job as the hosts came out in the second half looking much more focused, energetic and creative.
Dimitris Limnios almost created a second goal for PAOK after 56 minutes. The defence failed to deal with his cross, and the ball fell to Pelkas, but his shot was off target when he really should have made the visiting goalkeeper work.
Pelkas made up for that though on 61 minutes when he fired home after Mauricio’s shot was deflected into his path by an Asteras defender. There was a hold up for a VAR review for a suspicion of offside, but the goal was correctly verified.
At 2-0 the game looked over as a contest, but PAOK continued to press forward with their new-found urgency, and another attack in the 65th minute lead to the visitors being reduced to 10 players after Swiderski was chopped down just outside the penalty area by Fernandez.
Douglas took the resulting free-kick but Asteras goalkeeper Nikos Papadopoulos produced a brilliant save to deny the Brazilian midfielder.
It mattered not, however, as a third goal was soon on the way. This time Lamprou was the man on target, the young Greek forward tapping in from close range following a slick passing move and yet another great assist from Josip Misic.
And that looked to be that in terms of the scoring, with PAOK comfortably knocking the ball around as the clock ticked down. However, Asteras did manage to have the last word as a rare foray forward ended with Fernandez scoring from close range.
STARTING LINEUPS
Paok: 88 Zivkovic (Gk), 3 Matos, 4 Ingason, 5 Varela, 20 Vieirinha, 18 Limnios, 8 Mauricio, 33 Douglas, 27 Misic, 10 Pelkas, 9 Swiderski
Asteras: 1 Papadopoulos (Gk), 27 Kotsiras, 33 Martinez, 15 Suarez, 34 Matricardi, 6 Valiente, 8 Fernandez, 7 Fernandez, 40 Sito, 10 Fernandez, 19 Jauregi
HIGHLIGHTS
