Razvan Lucescu decided to make some changes and start with Nasberg, Lyratzis, Dantas and Murg in order to give some players who have played a lot of games a breather. But the match started in unexpected fashion.

Thomas Murg, in his first appearance in the starting XI this season, was forced off in only the eighth minute of the match due to an injury. Khaled Narey came off the bench and five minutes later he was the one who actually provided the spark for the Double-headed Eagle to take the lead, even if he was not a goalscorer.

In the 13th minute, Dantas sent over a corner and the ball reached the back post where Narey aimed an effort goalwards. The ball found Oliveira and ended up in the back of the net for the opening goal.

Five minutes later Dantas fired a warning shot, with his effort going wide, but in the 27th minute he did not miss. Narey stole possession high up the pitch, combined with Oliveira and then squared the ball into the penalty area. The hosts’ defenders failed to pick up Dantas and with a flawless side-footed finish he made it 2-0 to the visitors.

Lamia tried to respond, but they failed to create chances in open play. All they managed was to have two dangerous moments from corner kicks. Initially, in the 29th minute, Beharano headed a De Vincenti free-kick goalwards, but the ball hit the woodwork, with PAOK on the counter-attack then missing a great chance through Narey. While in the 32nd minute, De Vincenti tried to beat Kotarski with a direct effort from a corner, but the PAOK ‘keeper was there to make a save.

PAOK also had a chance via Oliveira just before half-time, but he found the woodwork instead of the net. In the second half the match was wrapped up early. In the 58th minute, the PAOK players mnoved the ballk around nicely, Lyratzis provided an assist to A. Zivkovic and the Serb made it 3-0 to PAOK with a nice finish and everything ended there.

The remaining minutes were procedural in nature, with PAOK not being threatened at any point, while also having some good moments in attack, holding on to their three-goal lead easily.

Team lineups:

Lamia: Garavelis (37′ Saranov), Simon (46′ Goranov), Janetopoulos, Kornezos (65′ Adezzo), Vasilantonopoulos, Jandaris, Beharano, Nunes, Romanic (65′ Tsiloulis), De Vincenti (60′ Martinez), Vergos.

PAOK: Kotarski, Lyratzis (79′ Sastre), Ingason, Nasberg, Rafa Soares, Augusto, Dantas (79′ Filipe Soares), A.Zivkovic, Murg (8′ Narey), Konstantelias (70′ Biseswar), Oliveira (70′ Brandon).