Varela wins it for 10-man PAOK
 

GREEK SUPERLEAGUE - MATCHDAY 12

Ten-man PAOK found the perfect tonic for their European blues by defeating Lamia 1-0 away from home in a tightly-contested Monday night clash.

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Cape Verde central defender Fernando Varela scored the only goal of the game to secure all three points for Razvan Lucescu’s men, who were not at their mercurial best but managed to grind out another previous win, despite having a player sent off for the second match in succession.

Spanish midfielder Jose Canas received his marching orders after 62 minutes when he picked up a second booking. Lamia were also unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the first-half for a handball by Vierinha, and overall Makis Chavos’ side gave a good account of themselves and will hope that they can improve on their current 12th position if they can muster more performances like this one against the league leaders.

Following PAOK’s mid-week 4-0 Europa League hammering against Chelsea - in which Yevhen Khacheridi was sent-off, it was an ideal way to bounce back and continue their dominant form at the top of the SuperLeague, which they lead ahead of Olympiacos by six points.

THE MATCH

PAOK came into the match needing to maintain their dominant domestic form having been beaten 4-0 by Chelsea in the Europa League in midweek, but they did not control the match the way they would have liked in the opening 45 minutes.

It was the home side who threatened first through Denis Epstein, and the German midfielder was unlucky not to win a penalty when his shot from inside the box struck the outstretched arm of Vierinha.

The referee waved play on amid protests from the Lamia players and PAOK were let off the hook.

It took PAOK 23 minutes to create a real scoring chance but when it came Aleksandar Prijovic should have done better. The Serbian striker was played in by Jose Canas, but with only the Lamia keeper to beat his finish was uncharacteristically poor.

There was another half-chance for PAOK after 35 minutes when Diego Biseswar fired a snapshot on goal from distance. The Dutchman’s effort fizzed just inches wide of the post.

Lamia were dealing well with PAOK and almost went ahead on the stroke of half-time when Facundo Bertolio’s free-kick was parried onto the post by Alexandros Paschalakis at full stretch.

PAOK looked a little more livelier after half-time and after a spell of pressure, they won a free-kick in a dangerous position on the right flank.

Dimitris Pelkas stepped up to curl in a brilliant free-kick was turned into the net by Varela who managed to escape the attentions of a rather static Jerónimo Barrales who made a poor job of marking the PAOK defender.

Lamia were given a boost when PAOK had Canas sent-off for picking up a second yellow card for a challenge on Elini Dimoutsos, which replays showed was a harsh decision.

But try as they might, Lamia could not find a way past PAOK’s resolute defence as the unbeaten Thessaloniki club held on to claim their 11th win in 12 matches played so far.

STARTING LINEUPS

Lamia: 1 Saranov, 2 Vasilantonopoulos, 4 Adejo, 8 Pliatsikas, 9 Barrales, 10 Bertolio, 11 Karamanos, 21 Dimoutsos, 26 Epstein, 32 Blazic, 50 Asigba

PAOK: 31 Paschalakis, 3 Leo Matos, 5 Varela, 8 Mauricio, 9 Prijovic, 10 Pelkas, 15 Crespo, 18 Limnios, 20 Vierinha, 21 Biseswar, 87 Jose Canas

HIGHLIGHTS: LAMIA - PAOK

by Graham Wood

Image Source: onsports.gr

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