Pelkas and Akpom thrilled, Mantalos bitterly disappointed
Greek Cup champions Dimitris Pelkas and Chuba Akpom were delighted to create history for PAOK, whereas AEK captain Petros Mantalos felt ashamed to lose against the same opponent in the final for the third successive campaign.
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PAOK simply cannot be stopped. For the third year in a row, the Dikefalos tou Vorra claimed the Greek Cup, defeating AEK 1:0 at the Olympic Stadium with Chuba Akpom acrobatically diverting the ball beyond the stranded Vasilis Barkas for the winning goal. The Thessaloniki-based organisation also won the 2018/2019 Super League without conceding a single defeat in the campaign.
“This was my first time hoisting the trophy aloft as captain, and I hope this will happen again in the future,” stated PAOK midfielder Dimitris Pelkas, who provided the assist for the decisive goal at the OAKA. “The most important thing is that we won. It was a unique experience being handed the cup as PAOK captain. Our goal is to continue working and making our fans happy. I know they are waiting for us in Thessaloniki.
The Video Assistant Referee system was used in this game, so there can’t be any questions about the fairness of our victory. We have achieved the double. I thank Stelios Malezas for giving me the opportunity to lift the Greek Cup as captain. He is the soul of our team!”
English striker Chuba Akpom, seen in tears on the pitch after striking the winner for PAOK, revealed his happiness at finishing the campaign on a high note: “In December, I was frustrated with my lack of time on the pitch and began wondering about where my career was heading, but I’ve just scored the winning goal in the final. It’s a special moment for me. To be honest, I’m not really an emotional person, but I simply had to cry today.
I’ve been forced to make sacrifices in order to become a better team player. Razvan Lucescu has his own philosophy, and if you don’t follow it, you won’t be in the team. I want to dedicate this goal to my family and the PAOK fans. How did I score? I thought Pelkas would pass the ball in front of me, but it went behind my back. I had to attempt a bicycle kick. It was like something I would do on FIFA.”
In stark contrast, AEK captain Petros Mantalos was full of bitterness, pointing out the incident in which the Kitrinomavri felt they should have been given a penalty: “We wanted this trophy for our fans, not for ourselves,” said the 27-year-old Greek international midfielder. “There is an overwhelming feeling of bitterness. When the referee used VAR, I was sure he would give a penalty, and even now I think it was a spot-kick. We were unable to create opportunities.”
“It is shameful to lose three consecutive finals to PAOK,” continued Mantalos. “Nevertheless, we have to move forward, and I firmly believe that AEK have a bright future. Initially, the season began well by qualifying for the UEFA Champions League, but it’s turned out to be an unsuccessful year. I only have bitterness and sadness. Overall, it was a balanced game today, especially in the first half. PAOK sat back in the second and didn’t allow us to create a lot of chances.”
