PAOK blow off cobwebs with a four-star friendly win
PAOK defeated Beveren 4-1 at the Sportpark De Watertoren in the club’s first pre-season friendly on Dutch soil.
In the first half, new coach Alessio Lisci fielded a line-up with Tsiftsis between the posts, Taylor, Bataoulas, Kosidis and Kenny in the defensive line, Tsopouroglou and Kamara in central midfield, Berdos and Balde on the wings of the attack, and Konstantelias playing behind the main striker Mythos.
The first goal of the match came from a corner kick taken by Konstantelias . Bataoulas won the initial header, with Mythos then sending the ball into the net for 1-0. PAOK maintained control of the match and created three more important opportunities through Bataoulas , Kamara and Mythos, while shortly before the end of the first half, Berdos also hit the post with an effort.
The Belgians found a way to score an equalizer in the 41st minute with Sayala making it 1-1.
At the start of the second half, Lisci made some changes, with the visitors then picking up the pace again. In the 51st minute, Zafeiris pressed high up the pitch, stole possession twice in the same phase of play, and with a placed effort gave PAOK the lead again.
Ten minutes later, another spell of pressure from the visitors led to a mistake by Beveren’s defense, with PAOK regaining possession and Zafeiris scoring again to make it 3-1. The Greek midfielder continued to threaten and moments later he saw a powerful shot go narrowly wide of the Belgians’ post.
The final 4-1 scoreline came about in the last minutes of the match, when the lively Zafeiris found Pelkas with a through-ball, and the midfelder chipped the ball over the goalkeeper with a deft touch.
The next friendly for the Black and Whites is scheduled for Saturday (4/7, 15:30 Greek time) against another Belgian side in Westerlo.
PAOK competed with two different line-ups for each half. First half line-up: Tsiftsis, Taylor, Bataoulas, Kosidis, Kenny, Tsopouroglou, Kamara, Berdos, Konstantelias, Balde, Mythos. Second half line-up: Gougesashvili (Monastirlis), Gomez, Thymianis, Kottas, Lyratzis, Sarris, Zafeiris, Pelkas, A. Zivkovic, Dunga, Chalov (Balde).
