This is Panathinaikos!

AGONAsport's Panathinaikos contributor, Nick Tsambouniaris, praises Giorgos Donis and the team for delivering a massive win over PAOK on the eve of the 112th birthday of Panathinaikos.

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A bold, brave, and determined Panathinaikos beat PAOK 2-0 at a buoyant OAKA on Sunday evening in Matchday 22 of the Greek Super League. Federico Macheda and Tasos Chatzigiovanis were the goal scorers, but it was a team effort, and Giorgos Donis once again got the tactics spot on for a derby.

There was a good mood surrounding the club leading into the match, and many fans saw this as a golden opportunity to beat a 'vulnerable' PAOK side, who possibly had the off-field issues of last week on their mind. As a result, a decent-sized crowd turned up wanting to see good football on show, along with the three points.

Donis predictably stuck with the unchanged 4-2-3-1 formation that has served the team well in derbies this season, and it paid dividends. The consistency in the backline has been pivotal to the team's rapid rise up the ladder. Emanuel Insua (a strong candidate for man of the match due to his endless running and aggression), Mattias Johansson, Achilleas Poungouras, and Bart Schenkeveld are now familiar with each other's games. As a result, a strong foundation for success has been laid as the defence is rock solid. The centre back pairing of Poungouras and Schenkeveld, in particular, have forged a strong partnership and complement each other well. The former is in contention for a call up into the national team squad, and the latter is among the top centre backs in the league.

As expected in derbies, a relatively subdued start followed with PAOK striker Karol Swiderski spurning a great chance to give his side the lead. However, from that point onward, a rampant Panathinaikos side took control of the game and wanted it more than the visitors. The team was heavily criticised for its lack of goals in the first half of the season. On the stroke of halftime, Macheda failed to tap the ball into an open net legally as he was correctly ruled to have handled the ball.

However, the strong mentality and the confidence built from solid form in the league meant the heads did not drop, and the team did not panic. Christos Donis was fouled in the penalty area early in the second half, and this time Macheda kept his composure to slot the ball past Zivko Zivkovic. Wild scenes in the crowd and on the Panathinaikos bench followed, but that is nothing like what happened next. A mere seven minutes later, Schenkeveld played a perfectly weighted long ball over the PAOK backline, and Chatzigiovanis was able to latch onto it and lift it above an onrushing Zivkovic.

Bodies flew everywhere in the crowd, and the noise rose to another level. This goal highlighted Schenkeveld's best trait - the ability to dictate play from deep with the ball at his feet (something Panathinaikos have been missing for years). Chatzigiovanis then finished superbly to spark delirium after outpacing a cumbersome PAOK defence.

The team held on relatively comfortably except in the dying stages when Sokratis Dioudis was called into action to deny Josip Misic, who made a strong tackle to gain possession and then go on a mazy run to end up one-on-one with the goalkeeper. 

Dioudis has also played a key role in the team's surge in form. His ability to pull off great reaction saves behind an organised defence has led to the Greens winning five league games in a row and picking up five consecutive clean sheets along the way.

At the other end, Ghayas Zahid has emerged as the talisman. His presence in the final third means chances will be created due to him operating in a roaming role and his ability to unlock a defence with one pass. Confidence is also growing by the game and new signings Anuar Tuhami, and Dominik Nagy have made a notable difference, especially the latter as he is a natural winger.

The depth at the club will be put to the test in the coming days as the Trifylli head north to face PAOK in Thessaloniki in the first leg of the Greek Cup quarter-finals. The Greens will then face off against city rivals AEK this weekend, before hosting PAOK in the second leg a few days later.

 However, one thing is sure. If the team continues to approach the big games with this mentality embodying the famous Panathinaikos "fighting soul," anything is possible. This big win over PAOK consolidates the Trifylli's position in fourth spot, and it was the perfect 112th birthday present (the victory came on the eve of the anniversary).

Image Source: sportime.gr

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