Even when everything seems to be going wrong. Even when the team has their back to the wall. Even when the match seems to be lost, PAOK alway seem to be able to finds a way to pick themselves up, fight and get what they want.

In Faliro on Wednesday, PAOK dominated. The visitors controlled much of the possession, fashioned more clear-cut scoring opportunities, and despite the problems that arose before and during the match, and falling behind, PAOK never gave up.

With patience, perseverance, stubbornness, inexhaustible passion, and a clear and composed head in the critical moments, PAOK found the solutions they needed and managed to clinch a great qualification in Olympiacos’ backyard with a goal by Colak in the 109th minute.

The game was a great spectacle from the first to the last minute. The two teams turned this semi-final into a final, and for 120 minutes gave their all in order to qualify.

Olympiacos tried to spring a surprise within the first 10 minutes, claiming the early possession and initiative, but they did not find a route to Paschalakis’s goal. PAOK, on ​​the other hand, found spaces and started threatening with A. Zivkovic the first to go cloase in the sixth minute. Unfortunately the Serb’s effort was wide of the mark, as was an effort from Sidcley in the 24th minute.

Bouchalakis responded with a good shot on goal that flashed narrowly wide in the 26th minute, while Kamaras’s effort also had the same fate two minutes later.

Douglas then fired in a good shot in the 35th minute that fizzed just over Vaclik’s crossbar, with Paschalakis producing a great save in the 41st minute in a one-on-one situation against Masouras.

After that, the first problem for the Double-headed Eagle came during half-time, with Biseswar not being able to continue and giving way to Felipe Soares.

In the second half, the picture of the match did not change much, apart from the tempo being much quciker as both teams lookesd to threaten.

In the 47th minute, Akpom got in a good position for a header but his effort did not find the target. In the 66th minute, Mitrita produced an impressive run and shot, but Vaclik dived down low to save it.

In the 72nd minute, A. Zivkovic pinched possession high up the pitch and fed Soares, but Vaclik once again came to the resuce for his team to save the effort from the Portuguese.

A minute later, Ingason made a superb goalline clearance, while as that same phase of play continued, Paschalakis produced an impressive save from a shot by Rodriguez.

In the 82nd minute, Soares attempted to score the goal of the season, but his long-range lob was tipped to safety by the fingertips of Olympiacos goalkeeper Vaclik at full stretch.

Two minutes later, Vaclik saved another Mitrita shot, before the Romanian also had to limp out of the game through injury, giving way to Taylor. Soon afterwards Paschalakis produced a good save to stop Lala’s effort, with the 0-0 score remaining until the end of 90 minutes. PAOK then also lost Douglas Augusto through another injury.

The pattern of play remained the same even in extra time. The ball was constantly going up and down the pitch, but without many opportunities this time. Taylor fired in a decent effort that sailed narrowly over the crossbar, while Kamara responded with a shot that also failed to find its target.

In the 104th minute Olympiacos won a penalty when El Arabi went down when challenged by Paschalakis. The Spanish referee initially did not give the decision but then changed his mind after using the VAR system. The Olympiacos forward stepped up himself to score from the spot and make it 1-0.

PAOK did not give up the ghost though and in the 108th minute they found the equalizer. Lyratzis made an excellent move down the right, before offloading the ball to Schwab. The Austrian responded in kind with an exquisite pass into the box to find Oliveira in the penalty area, for the Portuguese to square the ball across the box for Colak to tap into an empty net from close range to make it 1-1 which meant PAOK were ahead in the tie on away goals and on course for a place in the final.

In the remaining minutes of the match, PAOK managed the game in exemplary fashion, refusing to allow the hosts the chance to threaten, and the final whistle was greeted with jubilant celebrations among the PAOK players and bench on the home side’s turf.

PAOK won their ticket for the final on May 21 where they wull face Panathinaikos.

Team lineups:

Olympiacos (Pedro Martins): Vaclik, Reabciuk, Cisse, Socrakis, Lala (110′ Kunde), Bouchalakis (110′ Vrousai), M’Vila, M. Kamara (61′ Carvalho), Masouras (87′ Valbuena), Rodriguez (75′ A. Kamara), Tiquinho (75′ El Arabi).

PAOK (Razvan Lutsescu): Paschalakis, Lyratzis, Ingason, Crespo, Sidcley, Augusto (89′ Schwab), Kurtic, Biseswar (46′ Soares, 105′ Colak), A. Zivkovic, Murg (62′ Mitrita, 89′ Taylor), Akpom (72′ Oliveira).