PAOK pay for their errors
Everything in football, especially at the top level, is decided in the details. Two errors in the build-up from the defense – one in each half – cost PAOK dearly as they were defeated 2-0 by AEK at the OPAP Arena derby on Matchday 10 of the 2022-23 Super League.
PAOK went to Athens to play their football and fight for the three points, despite several important absentees. Sastre, Rafa Soares and Konstantelias all got teh nod to start for the first time in this year’s championship and the Double-headed Eagle started the game strongly from the first second.
In the 4th minute Konstantelias missed a great opportunity to open the scoring, when after a combination of passes the ball came to him in the area. He controlled it well, but the shot he attempted from a side position did not find the target.
In the eigtth minute, Douglas did well down the right, before sending over an excellent cross to Oliveira, but the Portuguese forward failed to score with a wayward header.
AEK then began to get hold of the ball, but without creating any chances, apart from one fortunate shot from Araujo, with the ball riocheting and forcing Kotarski to make a great save.
In the 36th minute, AEK opened the scoring courtesy of Levia Garcia, which came about after Araujo’s tackle on Dantas and Eliasson’s assist. The goal even gave the hosts a boost, with Kotarski then stopping two attempts by Pineda and Garcia.
In the second half, PAOK again got the ball at their feet, enjoyed a large percentage of possession, with AEK giving space, but Razvan Lucescu’s players could not find a way to reach Athanasiadis‘ goal.
And it was AEK who managed to double their advantage in the 61st minute with Gacinovic scoring after taking an assist from Eliasson.
The home side retreated into their own half for the rest of the match, and although Lucescu threw every available player into the fray, they could not find a goal to get back into the game.
Team lineups:
AEK: Athanasiadis, Rota, Vida (89′ Mitoglou), Mukudi, Mohammadi, Simanski, Pineda (76′ Jonsson), Gacinovic (83′ Mandalos), Eliasson (83′ Amrabad), Araujo (89′ Galanopoulos), Levia Garcia.
PAOK: Kotarski, Sastre, Ingason, Koulierakis, Rafa Soares, Dantas (67′ Schwab), Kurtic (67′ El Kaddouri), Augusto, Konstantelias (79′ Qualiata), Narey (67′ Biseswar), Nelson Oliveira.
